Dive w/o DM?

[boulderjohn]

I have to confess that I am somewhat baffled by the OP's attitude toward diving that includes a guide. I feel I am pretty comfortable in the water when unattended--I wrote a Distinctive Specialty class that teaches divers how to dive in all circumstances safely without the use of any professional leadership. I feel it is important to be able to dive that way, and I am quite happy to do so.

On the other hand, I don't have any qualms about diving in a great location just because there is a guide in the water with me. I am especially happy when they are able to locate things I wouldn't have found on my own. If my dive location foes not require a DM, I will enjoy my dive immensely. If it requires a DM, as in Cozumel, I will enjoy the dive as well, perhaps even more if the guide is good.

I can't imagine moaning about a diving in a great dive location just because there is a guide in the water with me. I especially can't imagine passing up diving in a great location while I am there for that reason alone--and Belize really is a great location.

On the other hand, if that guide's primary purpose appears to be to limit my dives to true baby steps, then I will be unhappy. That happened when I dived with a Red Sail outfit in Grand Cayman, so I scrapped that operator and went with one with a policy that catered to better divers. It happened with an operator in Aruba, so I scrapped them and went with another operator for the rest of the trip as well. You can scout an area ahead of time to find the operators that are more likely to give the best dives. I always do that before a trip these days--Grand Cayman and Aruba taught me that.

 

[nuderdiver]

I can't believe the amount of people who have wasted their time with you on this thread already.

*shrug* some people like to provide helpful information (which is greatly appreciated by the way) - and some do not.

 

[nuderdiver]

You can scout an area ahead of time to find the operators that are more likely to give the best dives. I always do that before a trip these days--Grand Cayman and Aruba taught me that.

You have to be careful how you go about it though - otherwise you might be accused of "moaning about a diving in a great dive location".

 

[yakivet]

I don't really want "perosnalized service". I want a boat ride to a good site, a dive briefing, and for the boat to be there when I surface. Pretty basic and undemanding.

FWIW, it is hard for me to think of any circumstance for any activity under which I would want a "guide" - not just when diving.

So based on your comments, I guess you are just in need of a divemaster that will sit back, watch you dive your dive, and then help you find your boat before you run out of air. As I mentioned previously, it shouldn't be hard to find a shop that will send a second DM to hang back and let you dive your dive. Finances and the price of gasoline make it pretty unlikely you'll go out on the boat yourself, but I'm sure you'll be able to find a shop that can accomodate.

 

[yakivet]

Off topic: Gasp. Ken, there's almost nothing out there that would be more fun than driving around the mainland in a Jeep. My only regret every time I go is that I can't bring my Jeep with me. The whole country practically begs for a winch mounted 4-wheel drive in search of a dirt road.

I stand corrected. That would actually be a ton of fun, as long as you can soak the bug bites in a little salt water diving and have a few belikin when you're done.

 

[Downing]

Agreed.

 

[boulderjohn]

You have to be careful how you go about it though - otherwise you might be accused of "moaning about a diving in a great dive location".

What baffles me is not your checking things out, it is your insistence that you would never dive with a DM in the water and would spend 9 days in a dive paradise without diving because of that insistence.

When I scout out an area, I do not post inflammatory and controversial points of view that have me coming across as the great God of diving who refuses to lower himself to diving the way mere mortals do. I find out what the protocols are and then ask about dive the operators that are most capable of dealing with experienced divers such that they get maximum freedom and bottom time. I then make the best choice I can based on the information available to me. It's been a couple of years since I have been to Cozumel, but when I go there I use an operator that gives me outstanding dives while sharing the experience with divers with excellent skills. You may have had a different feeling about it if you had used such an operator.

 

[nuderdiver]

What baffles me is not your checking things out, it is your insistence that you would never dive with a DM in the water....

What baffles me is your apparent reading comprehension issues and your conclusion that I made such a statement. But that's OK

Let's keep in mind the very basic question I posted in post #1:

Are there any operators in Belize that do NOT require diving in a group with a DM (aka a herd)?

Nothing too "controversial" about that - it's a basic question. But rather than simply ANSWER the question, some people took it upon themselves to post a lot of stuff OTHER than the basic answer and it is THAT which lead to the material that seems to have left you out of sorts.

 

[nuderdiver]

You should see animals here (the world's second longest reef structure) that are available nowhere else in the Caribbean.

The assumption there of course is that one is interested in seeing animals.

In Belize operators are required to have a DM in the water with "tourist", it is a safety issue. Most of the operations I know of are cattle boats, but if you are looking for a small boat check out Chuck and Robbies in San Pedro.

Thanks for the response to the actual question. I'll check out C&R.

In Belize you must have a dive master who is a licenced guide if you are diving in the marine parks or marine reserves.

Thanks for the response to the question asked

Dedicated dive resorts, small boats, not to be missed.

A DDR is my preference, and I checked into them, but they're all set up to arrive/depart on a specific day, which is not the day that I will arrive/depart.

Sounds a lot more fun than driving around in a Jeep on the mainland.

I'd love to just drive around Central America in a Jeep for months at a time. Unfortunately, my budget does not permit me to do so in a fashion that would be acceptable.

I'd send Rudy Duran of Island Divers and email and see if he can accomodate you. :42: Ken

I checked out their website, but they don't have rate info posted.

...you can opt for light aircraft transfer if you're flush with cash.

Definitely not me

The Blue Hole trip was nice - but I was very concerned about the fact that very inexperienced divers were nonchalantly taken on a dark, essentially bottom-less, 42+ meter dive.

I had a similar experience. When I was in Cozumel, I was on the boat of a very highly rated operator and when the boat stopped, the DM announced it was "Devil's Throat". We had a diver with very little dive experience with us. I decided to dive with her. Long story short - near the end of the dive, her computer indicated she was required to make an 8 minute deco stop, and she barely had the air to cover it. I had to work hard to help her NOT just bolt to the surface (putting her computer into error mode) and actually maintain the stop until completion. The fact that I had my pony bottle's regulator in my hand, ready to go is probably the only thing that kept her from surfacing (and I wasn't exactly flush with air myself). But the DM and everyone else was already out of the water waiting for us on the boat. Guess I should be glad they didn't drive off and leave us there. FWIW, she surfaced with 34 bar.

If you want to stay in the SP area I can suggest accommodation if you give some details of what you require.

I'm all ears

If you want a more secluded spot with diving tailored to your wishes you won't do much better than staying at and diving with Tranquility Bay, at the far northern end of Ambergris Caye, and a long way from the bustle of San Pedro. It's devoid of "night life" so no good if people in your party want that, but it's a very peaceful spot that's not at all isolated and which allows you to see the "real" Caribbean.

That sounds nice. Not really a nightlifer - don't drink alcohol, hate being around drunks & smokers - or loud noise/music - so there you go.

I will agree that I have usually been disappointed with the diving in the Cozumel/Playa/Cancun area. Maybe I just haven't been taken to decent spots, but the people I've dived with knew I ran a dive operation in Belize so should have been on their mettle. I also found it (the diving) markedly more expensive and less convenient - overall less professional - than Belize.

Thanks for the sanity check

 

[Downing]

In Belize, does one have to be at least a Dive Master to be a certified guide?