Caye Caulker Dive Shop Advice

[Hwntw]

Were you aware of that at the time, or did you come to realise it as you dived later? IMO standards of beginner dive courses can often be pretty low, and I have been forced to certify students (not just here, but in the UK as well) who in my view were not safe to be let out on their own. A key reason why I moved into technical diving and got all my subsequent instructorships there - in a good technical dive agency the instructor largely makes his own standards (I'm referring to quality, not content) and can decline to certify someone if he wishes.

I've known BDS for several years, both under the two ladies who owned it up until last year and subsequently. Although I've never taught there I've had the impression that standards were higher than the norm for the industry. Certainly the present owners, who are technical divers and instructors themselves, are very aware of what constitute proper standards.

No, I was not aware at the time, TBH I only started to consider myself competent after around 50 dives. I've found the standards to be higher in the Red Sea and the Maldives TBH.

 

[Hwntw]

I nearly forgot to ask. How do you manage to spend so much time on Caye Caulker? I have never encountered such ferocious bloodsuckers as the sand flies there, after a week my lower legs and feet looked like the elephant man it was only then that I was told about baby oil, so I was covered in it for the second week, I don't know which was worse, being eaten alive or being greasy ALL the time.

 

[leadweight]

There are a lot more dive shops on Ambergris Caye than Caye Caulker. What the later has to offer is cheap lodging. Everything else, right down to a bar of soap, costs more.

 

[Gaz]

Your right Leadweight, been tryin to tell people that Caulker is more expensive now than Ambergris Caye in some things such as diving which is cheaper on Ambergris.

Ambergris does have cheap accomodations starting at $10 a night for shared bath up to Thousands and everything inbetween

Gaz

 

[Hwntw]

Your right Leadweight, been tryin to tell people that Caulker is more expensive now than Ambergris Caye in some things such as diving which is cheaper on Ambergris.

Ambergris does have cheap accomodations starting at $10 a night for shared bath up to Thousands and everything inbetween

Gaz

I quite like the "rustic" feel to Caulker, the beaches are not great though if that's your thing, I&Is is a one-off too.

 

[ChrisTorontoScubaClub]

Thanks for the feed-back, guys (and by guys, I am including women, in case I accidentally offend someone :blinking! I think the student wanted Caulker not because it is cheaper, but because it seemed to them a little more laid back than Ambergris. I've not actually dived Belize myself, so I couldn't say much on either front. I've certainly dived Roatan though and I find that I too need to find that balance between hardcore dive-only resorts and party-party resorts/town.

I will certainly pass on your words to my student though, thanks again!

 

[peterbj7]

Caye Caulker is certainly quiet, perhaps to the point of being boring.

There's a new place to stay on CC, Pedro's 2, opened by Pedro of Pedro's Inn (San Pedro) fame. As well as being cheap, it scores over other places by being scrupulously clean.

 

[vondo]

It is very laid back. I enjoyed my visit there immensely. It's the kind of place where after a week you recognize half the people walking down the street and probably know 10% of them.

 

[ChrisTorontoScubaClub]

That kind of sounds what she wants...I think...thanks, Vondo

 

[vondo]

BTW, here is the latest thread on shops in CC: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/belize/329234-who-dive-caye-caulker.html