Cozumel Vs. Belize?

[Downing]

Like I said: ninnies.

A little common sense goes a long way.

 

[peterbj7]

It's worth adding here a bit about how the recompression chamber in San Pedro operates. There is a voluntary scheme whereby each dive operator in the area (actually I believe it's in the whole of Belize) contributes according to the number of divers they have. This may be in one of two ways, but that's not important here. What is important is that the center you're diving with is up-to-date with those contributions. Then if you need treatment you won't be required to pay anything up front. And if you don't have dive insurance their charges are capped at a relatively low level. If you do have insurance you give the chamber details and they never ask you for any money - they deal directly with your insurance company. It is MOST important that you establish for certain that your operator is current in the scheme, and the only was to be sure is to ask the chamber directly - before you start diving. There have been a few incidents where people were told by the operator that they contributed but in fact they were behind and the cover had lapsed - that can have major financial implications for you the diver/patient.

If your operator isn't in the scheme or isn't current then if you're insured you have to pay the chamber the full cost and then reclaim it from your insurer. If you don't have insurance you'll have to pay the full uncapped costs. I know of a husband and wife who were diving together and both ended up in the chamber. They were diving with a registered and current center (almost all are, and I wouldn't dive with one that wasn't). The wife's treatment was totally free, the husband's cost c. US$45k. DAN dive insurance for a whole year costs about the same as two local dives - make your choice.

I'm not sure how this translates down to Placencia - perhaps Ralph can say?

 

[Mike]

Hi Peter,

Just so I have this right... I re-read your statements and I'm not sure I understand them.

Are you saying that if your dive operator is lying to you that they are current with their contributions to the chamber in San Pedro, and you do have insurance like DAN, the chamber won't deal with DAN for the charges and you'll have to pay them up front?

I've never heard of a chamber involving the dive operator in your payment qualifications as long as you had DAN. What if you were for instance shore diving without an operator and had to go to the chamber? From what you posted it sounds like if you're not diving with an operator in Belize, specifically one that is registered and current, you're screwed for payment even if you have 3rd party insurance like DAN?

 

[peterbj7]

Mike - you're correct. If your operator doesn't contribute to the chamber you'll have to pay and claim back from your insurance company.

The legality of diving in Belize without an operator is questionable, and certainly if you get hurt during such a dive, the same applies. If you didn't have your own compressor you'd have to get air from an operator anyway. But if for example you dive from a rented catamaran as some people do and get hurt, you'll have to pay up front - always assuming you can get to the chamber in time for it to be any help to you.

 

[Mike]

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[DeputyDan]

Hi Peter,

Just so I have this right... I re-read your statements and I'm not sure I understand them.

Are you saying that if your dive operator is lying to you that they are current with their contributions to the chamber in San Pedro, and you do have insurance like DAN, the chamber won't deal with DAN for the charges and you'll have to pay them up front?

I've never heard of a chamber involving the dive operator in your payment qualifications as long as you had DAN. What if you were for instance shore diving without an operator and had to go to the chamber? From what you posted it sounds like if you're not diving with an operator in Belize, specifically one that is registered and current, you're screwed for payment even if you have 3rd party insurance like DAN?

Works that way on Roatan. But its your choice not the dive operator. You can choose to pay a $3 a day (I think $3) chamber fee which is in effect chamber insurance. If you pay you are covered - if you don't pay the $3 you have to have your insurance handle for you.

---------- Post added December 11th, 2012 at 09:12 AM ----------

It's worth adding here a bit about how the recompression chamber in San Pedro operates. There is a voluntary scheme whereby each dive operator in the area (actually I believe it's in the whole of Belize) contributes according to the number of divers they have. This may be in one of two ways, but that's not important here. What is important is that the center you're diving with is up-to-date with those contributions. Then if you need treatment you won't be required to pay anything up front. And if you don't have dive insurance their charges are capped at a relatively low level. If you do have insurance you give the chamber details and they never ask you for any money - they deal directly with your insurance company. It is MOST important that you establish for certain that your operator is current in the scheme, and the only was to be sure is to ask the chamber directly - before you start diving. There have been a few incidents where people were told by the operator that they contributed but in fact they were behind and the cover had lapsed - that can have major financial implications for you the diver/patient.

If your operator isn't in the scheme or isn't current then if you're insured you have to pay the chamber the full cost and then reclaim it from your insurer. If you don't have insurance you'll have to pay the full uncapped costs. I know of a husband and wife who were diving together and both ended up in the chamber. They were diving with a registered and current center (almost all are, and I wouldn't dive with one that wasn't). The wife's treatment was totally free, the husband's cost c. US$45k. DAN dive insurance for a whole year costs about the same as two local dives - make your choice.

I'm not sure how this translates down to Placencia - perhaps Ralph can say?

Would you mind sharing the contact information for the chamber. Or whatever contact information we would need to vertify participation in the program.

 

[Yaki]

Definitely an interesting thread I started here and many thanks to everyone for their contribution.
A Recom chamber is important argument but being born and growing in Israel I can relay to the advice on one of the post here: 'common sense goes a long way!'

As I admitted, I am a newbie to diving yet I made it to 50. I would hope that my common sense will stop me from diving unsafely to 140 feet.
...not to mention the Tank Bangs I'll hear from my spouse as I decent.....

Thanks everyone for their opinions and I sure have learned here I will need to be careful if I'll be diving in Belize (or elsewhere for that matter...!)

Happy Holidays Y'all!!

 

[Mike]

I am a newbie but would hope that my common sense will stop me from diving unsafely to 140 feet. Not to mention the Tank Bangs I'll hear from my spouse as I decent.....

Sitting at home or work in front of your computer thousands of miles away from the dive site, it sure seems like a 100% chance that you'd never end up doing it.

However, on vacation, on a multi-hour boat ride, after paying extra hundreds of dollars for the trip out to the Blue Hole, the dive master gives you the briefing of everybody stays with me, he jumps in and descends to 100.... 120.... 130.... he keeps going.... now what do you do.... he's at 140.... 150.... do you do what just about 99.99% of everybody else ends up doing and follow the dive master beyond 100 ft... 110... 130... with the false newbie belief that he knows what he's doing, I'm in good hands... everybody else is doing it without a pause.... or do you and your dive buddy abort and hang at a shallower depth watching their bubble come up wondering what the hell you're supposed to do now?

That's the situation at the Blue Hole every day.

Whomever you dive with, ask them before you book, what the dive plan is at the blue hole if you're planning on going there, don't book with anybody who doesn't tell you in advanced what the dive plan is and provide for those who want to, to be able to stay shallow and avoid the 150 ft dive to the stalagtites. Cause if you don't you could very well end up with the typical dive operator who's dive plan at the blue hole is -

follow meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

 

[slenderff]

Sitting at home or work in front of your computer thousands of miles away from the dive site, it sure seems like a 100% chance that you'd never end up doing it.

However, on vacation, on a multi-hour boat ride, after paying extra hundreds of dollars for the trip out to the Blue Hole, the dive master gives you the briefing of everybody stays with me, he jumps in and descends to 100.... 120.... 130.... he keeps going.... now what do you do.... he's at 140.... 150.... do you do what just about 99.99% of everybody else ends up doing and follow the dive master beyond 100 ft... 110... 130... with the false newbie belief that he knows what he's doing, I'm in good hands... everybody else is doing it without a pause.... or do you and your dive buddy abort and hang at a shallower depth watching their bubble come up wondering what the hell you're supposed to do now?

That's the situation at the Blue Hole every day.

Whomever you dive with, ask them before you book, what the dive plan is at the blue hole if you're planning on going there, don't book with anybody who doesn't tell you in advanced what the dive plan is and provide for those who want to, to be able to stay shallow and avoid the 150 ft dive to the stalagtites. Cause if you don't you could very well end up with the typical dive operator who's dive plan at the blue hole is -

follow meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

I am not quite sure which operation you dive with but if the DM are taking divers to 150+ ft as you say then you should name them. I suspect you will not do this as all you seem you to do is bank on about how dangerous diving in Belize is. You could always just go some place else

 

[Mike]

You're absolutely naive.