Great Blue Hole Belize what was your experience?

[Mo2vation]

I've been to Belize twice. IMO, the great blue hole is the most overrated dive ever. I blew it off the first time there (a bounce dive in air... what?) and got an hour+ with 4 others around the rim and surrounding area and had a great dive. While 15 or 16 others came back after minutes, reporting of cloudy viz and a 130-some foot fog fest - our splinter group had a great, long, clear dive.

Second time there, I blew it off again. Same thing - except we were the FIRST boat there (essential)... so the bouncers got 30 feet of vix instead of 5 to 10. Us on the rim got 60 feet.

I don't get it. I've spoken with many, many people who have been sucked into diving that place... nearly all report it as a disappointing dive that doesn't come close to living up to the hype.

On the other hand... the next dive, Halfmoon Cay wall... that was one of the dives of my life.

YMMV

- K

 

[Mo2vation]

I've done the Belize Blue Hole three times. It's a short dive given the depth and not done on Nitrox. It's not very dark down there, but a dive light brightens things up.
Saw good wild life on the slow ascent from the 130 ft depth.
Worth doing once. I did it three times only because I really wanted to do the other two dives on the Blue Hole trip off of Half Moon Caye. I think it is there that the best diving is, and there is the bird sanctuary to see during lunch.

This is precisely the dives we did.

HMC was one of the dives of my life. And the bird sanctuary was just fun.

I need to get back here again soon.

- K

 

[Charred]

I did it with BA IV. We did it on 24%nitrox but I set my computer for air. My max was 144 and my Perdix dipped in deco but cleared while we surfaced. I had a light with me and would recommend having a light.

The dive is really a deep wall dive and no big deal if you are comfortable with your buoyancy over a bottomless depth. Our dive brief was overly scary and scared a couple out of doing the dive which was a shame.

I thoroughly enjoyed the dive and would do it again. Not every dive needs to be corals and fish.

 

[SaltwaterNomad]

I dove the Blue Hole with Amigos Del Mar out of Ambergris Caye. DMs were nice and professional. It costs around $300 total and is was long day at around eleven hours. The boat ride out is approximately three hours. You will also need a recently logged deep dive because the Blue Hole dive will take you to 130ft. They do a three tank day which includes the Blue Hole followed by Half Moon Caye Wall and Long Caye Wall. I personally found the Blue Hole to be a been there done that dive. It is quick, dark, and cold and the best part for me was some reef sharks circling us on the safety stop. I enjoyed the other two dives more actually. They also served us a great BBQ lunch on an island where we also snorkeled. Overall a very nice day but the Hole itself didn't blow me away.

 

[_Ralph]

The many times I have done this dive, there are two depth groups. OW to usually 60-70ft (32/air as certified) and then everyone else down to 130 on air.

I’ve been fortunate to see lots of sharks in the hole on those particular dives, but that’s more right place at the right time (before the winter dive season starts).

Would I go specifically just for the Blue Hole (again, and again and again)? Nope.

First time? Sure.

Aquarium, halfmooon caye wall keep calling me back, along with a few resident reef sharks that I always see on those afternoons. Not to mention the big blue parrot fish, giant oceanic trigger fish, and those adorable gardens of garden eels.

Only once I was disappointed, and that was because there was a storm the day before, and the currents were ‘ripping’ (for Belize, where there generally is little to no currents at most sites).

There’s a fairly quick SI to the second dive before lunch, but then the lunch break is fairly long, and your off to the last dive before heading back.

No issues getting 60-80minutes on the later dives (as long as you’re the first in type). All land based operations have a real crunch to make it back to the shelter of the islands, and back before dark as there is little to no light navigation warnings/signs. Plus you gotta make enough time for a Belikin or few!

_R

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Definately worth doing. You'll be fine. There will probably be brand new divers doing the trip because they had a card and $350. If nothing else, the narc is worth it while laughing at the new divers flailing through a constant stream of bubbles. It's not dark enough to be concerned about losing your group or buddy. Now...the two dives after Bluehole were why we became divers. Insane visability, beautiful coral, more little fish than I've ever seen anywhere...those dives were worth the price.

Here is some more details from my trip:
Trip Report-LONG-Ambergris Caye, Sunbreeze Hotel, Ambergris Divers, Blue Hole, Food

I'm sure a search will find hours of reading on the same.

Enjoy the narc.
Jay

 

[MichaelMc]

My trip to Belize I missed out the atol's, but had decided to skip the Blue Hole. Lots of new divers, at 130', on air, without a hard bottom, hours from shore..., did not sound like a great plan. I figured I'd just stay on the boat (or dive shallow) and enjoy the other two dives, which sounded great. The Blue Hole boat is likely the most common one that runs, so that may be the boat to ride to the other sites.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Mrs DeepSeaExplorer and I discussed it as well. She's isn't interested in doing deeper dives. So if we decide to go on the trip, she will sit out that dive. Maybe you two can hang by the pool...

No, if I decide not to do it Mrs DeepSeaExplorer and I will be diving elsewhere...maybe some of her lucky can rub off on me!!

 

[Trailboss123]

Perhaps it's on 28%? It I were going to Belize, I would probably do the Blue hole, once. I hear the other two dives are quite good, maybe Half Moon Caye?

You nailed it! Do it once for the experience. I thought the topside aspect was the highlight. Looking out over the Blue Hole and surrounding reef from the top deck of the Aggressor on a sunny clear day was magical and better than the dive itself. The follow up dives we did later that day and the following day at Half Moon Caye and Long Caye is some of the best diving the Caribbean has to offer and made the trip worth it.

We did our Blue Hole dive on 24% - my max depth was 135 feet and total dive time was 37 minutes. I think 1/2 of our group were narced out of their brains and were doing some very weird stuff. Best part of the dive for me was the reef shark and big grouper that we saw in 15 feet of water prior to dropping over the edge and then the 13 minutes we spent in the eel grass in 10-20 feet of water after the ascent.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've been in the Blue Hole a dozen times. For the most part, I've enjoyed it more each time because the familiarity allows me to pay more attention to my surroundings. The geological history of the Hole helps my enjoyment too. I often look longingly at the sandy ledge that is at about 150' and wish that I could visit it. (I could do that but it would be selfish, on such a tightly controlled dive) I've only ever done it on air. Sometimes there are sharks and sometimes not.

On the 20 minute "safety stop", enjoy the little fishes and Pederson Cleaning shrimp. You can find them in the Corkscrew anemones. Sharks used to come by during the stop, quite often but that is more rare since the chumming stopped.

Of course, the reason that I continue to return is because I enjoy the whole Blue Hole dive day. Halfmoon Caye is my happy place. The 2 follow up dives are as good as it gets in the Caribbean!

If you are blessed you will see the blue parrot fish family and eagle rays and barracuda and be trailed by a couple of annoying reef sharks. It's a beautiful wall.

Very long day though, if taking the Amigos del Mar boat from San Pedro.