I'm mid-50s, long-time freediver and diver who has for the past few years got back into diving (after persuading the kids to finally leave the house!)
I've been to Belize diving before, a few years ago to Hamanasi down in Hopkins and liked the reef. On that trip, a visit out to Glovers Reef had me hooked for a return trip and I just needed to pick a resort. Isla Marisol came up and although views were positive, it wasn't an obvious choice. I originally thought this was more of a 'budget' resort and so (at a point in life when I want 'comfort') I ruled it out. Now that we've arrived, that would have been a mistake - this place is glorious and well maintained.
I thought it might be helpful to give a first-hand account and see if I could respond to questions while I am here.
As a point of reference, we dove in March in St Lucia at Anse Chastenet, The Tobago Cays on the same trip, Greneda. Last year we dove Roatan from Xbakanque resort and before that dove Sodwana Bay in South Africa. So we've been to some solid dive locations.
We met Eddie Usher, the owner as he drove the bus to pick us up and also captained the boat out. Eddie is proud of the island and his efforts to keep it 'natural'. The island has been in his family since the 1940s and Eddie is slowly rebuilding and upgrading the facilitates. I'd say he's struck a nice balance, not too manuicured (not a Disney park) but also clean and well maintained.
Here's a few pictures from our arrival.
As you can tell, pretty clean. There's a new cellphone tower installed and so for those of you that work, these are the download speeds I got using my T-Mobile plan. They also have free wifi in the dining room.
I came loaded up with Bug spray and also baby oil with picardin for 'sand fleas' which I heard were a nightmare on all these coral attols. They chuckled when I mentioned this and said I won't need them. I was a scaptic as I am a veritable blood sausage for mosquitos. However, no bites yesterday evening and none last night, even with the windows wide open. There is AC but we didn't need to use it.
Last nights meal was great and we collapsed early. I will update again shortly and include some reports of the (17) dives we have planned.
I've been to Belize diving before, a few years ago to Hamanasi down in Hopkins and liked the reef. On that trip, a visit out to Glovers Reef had me hooked for a return trip and I just needed to pick a resort. Isla Marisol came up and although views were positive, it wasn't an obvious choice. I originally thought this was more of a 'budget' resort and so (at a point in life when I want 'comfort') I ruled it out. Now that we've arrived, that would have been a mistake - this place is glorious and well maintained.
I thought it might be helpful to give a first-hand account and see if I could respond to questions while I am here.
As a point of reference, we dove in March in St Lucia at Anse Chastenet, The Tobago Cays on the same trip, Greneda. Last year we dove Roatan from Xbakanque resort and before that dove Sodwana Bay in South Africa. So we've been to some solid dive locations.
We met Eddie Usher, the owner as he drove the bus to pick us up and also captained the boat out. Eddie is proud of the island and his efforts to keep it 'natural'. The island has been in his family since the 1940s and Eddie is slowly rebuilding and upgrading the facilitates. I'd say he's struck a nice balance, not too manuicured (not a Disney park) but also clean and well maintained.
Here's a few pictures from our arrival.
As you can tell, pretty clean. There's a new cellphone tower installed and so for those of you that work, these are the download speeds I got using my T-Mobile plan. They also have free wifi in the dining room.
I came loaded up with Bug spray and also baby oil with picardin for 'sand fleas' which I heard were a nightmare on all these coral attols. They chuckled when I mentioned this and said I won't need them. I was a scaptic as I am a veritable blood sausage for mosquitos. However, no bites yesterday evening and none last night, even with the windows wide open. There is AC but we didn't need to use it.
Last nights meal was great and we collapsed early. I will update again shortly and include some reports of the (17) dives we have planned.
