Heading to Ambergris Caye, and there's a sale tomorrow!

[xoomboy]

Hi all,

My fiancee and I are heading down to Belize in 11 days to tie the knot, and are planning to do some recreational diving while we're down there.

Our LDS is having an end of the year sale this weekend, and I'll be stopping by to browse for a little while to pick up some things for the two of us.

I know that many of you travel with complete gear setups, but we're light packers (for now), and I'm wondering if there is anything that you would absolutely be sure to NOT rent while down there.

Definitely going to rent BCs and Tanks, but everything else is pretty much up in the air.

Also, what thickness suits do you all use down there? I'm planning on bringing a 3/2, and possibly picking up a shorty as well...

Thanks!

Matt

 

[Dee]

Regulator and gauges. I want to know when and who serviced it last. My most important piece of life support gear will not be rented!

 

[Finesse]

Hey xoomboy

I was your "neighbor" at one time ......spent seven years in Boston going to school and working ...... lived in Revere Beach (in the pink condos hehehe) and even had a few Kelly Roast Beasts!!!!!

Use to sail Nahant on those cold NW winds!!!! OH the memories!!!

Oh yeah back to your question

Gear to bring.....good topic as we have just come back from a lengthy trip to the other ocean.....

We traveled with all of our gear (naturally sans tanks).....I dont know your level of diving or how much you've traveled... but SOME and I emphasize SOME rental gear isnt suitable for fish no less humans!!!!.....some of the gear is beat to death and it shows...think of what some of the gear looks like that people get trained with....and thats the good stuff!!!!

Ask the resort/dive center you will be using lots of questions on the kind of gear they have .... its condition (well that will be subjective!!!!) and how frequently its serviced......

Case in point...While on our trip we meet up with a couple (both DM) …who rented gear with a different center than what we used….. and said they were very dissatisfied and uncomfortable throughout the whole dive........BC had a leak in it / defective Bottom timer and a bad pressure gauge...

Like Dee said without a doubt bring your own regs/gauges......

If your real new or just starting to dive it would be most advantageous to use a BC that your familiar ...otherwise its just something else to figure out...some centers will even carry gear that your familiar with….

Congratulations on the up and coming BIG DAY….and have FUN !!!!!!!!

Scott

 

[Dee]

Dee once bubbled...
Regulator and gauges. I want to know when and who serviced it last. My most important piece of life support gear will not be rented!

At the very least, rent some regs from a local dive shop that you trust. And if possible, I would dive them before the trip to check them out. Even if it's just in the pool!

 

[Drew Sailbum]

but having your own mask that fits properly is mandatory.

There's nothing worse than having a rental mask half full of water throughout your dive.

While you're at it, having your own fins would likely mean a more comfortable dive. Rental fins are sometimes sub-par.

 

[xoomboy]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I actually stopped by the LDS on Friday night before the sale to check things out before it was all gone (sometimes they let me get dibs on stuff, as I know them).

The regs up for grabs weren't good ones, and looked nice and beat on. Lots of overstock fins and masks, etc., but I was really looking for my fiancee who was out of town for the weekend, and I needed her to try on some things. I'm sure we can go back this week and they'll give us the sale price on anything we want.

That said, I've been in touch with Protech Belize, on Ambergris Caye. They seem to be very competent, and their technical attitude towards gear makes me think that I shouldn't have a problem renting from them. They said they'll put together a Halcyon Pioneer rig with a Scubapro MK25/S600 reg setup for me, so I think I'm good.

Has anyone had any experience with Protech Belize? Their website is located at http://www.protechbelize.com/

Thanks,

Matt