Need help diving in Belize

[Shipwreckscanada]

"Or can I rent a car and go to the right place from Ambergris Caye?" A golf cart might be better; Ambergris Caye is an island.

I understand that it’s an island, but I’m pretty sure you can cross over by ferry.

 

[DeputyDan]

Having never been there, I am a little confused as to the time table. One dive center gives these dates as good for Whale Sharks. Are theywrong? I can post the website I got this information from if I am allowed to do so on this forum.

If these dates are correct, what would be the right location for Whale Sharks?
Or can I rent a car and go to the right place from Ambergris Caye?

March 26 to April 6
April 24 to May 4
May 23 to June 2
June2 to July 1

These dates look a lot like the dates provided by Downing.

If these dates are wrong then my problems solved.

---------- Post added March 29th, 2013 at 07:08 PM ----------

With about the Turneffe Elbow, I can see that it has astrong current. Do I need to be drift certified to do this dive? If so I havetime to get the certification before the trip.

Also I found that I can do a night dive at Hol Chan andShark Ray Alley, is it worth it?

I think that the dates coincide with phases of the moon.
The earlier dates are generally better than the later dates.
If it's a must do for you - it would probably be better to fly down to Placencia that to try to drive.

See link for dates posted by a dive shop there.

Scuba with Belize Whale Sharks|Scuba Diving & Accommodation|Splash Dive Center|Placencia Belize

 

[peterbj7]

I understand that it’s an island, but I’m pretty sure you can cross over by ferry.

Yes, but not with either a golf cart or a car. In general forget using a car to get around the country - only rent a car (and only on the mainland) if you actually want to explore by car. They're very expensive here. A friend rented a car for a few days recently and the car hire charges were more than 50% of his total costs, including hotels and meals.

 

[chillyinCanada]

The manatee tour does not include snorkeling with the manatees; only observing from the boat and a good sighting cannot be guaranteed. There are better tours to be done.

I am a Blue Hole day trip lover. While the dive into the Blue Hole is short, I still very much enjoy the enchantment. The dive is planned to a depth of 130' and being any deeper means you can't control your buoyancy. I note the OP's name of shipwreckcanada, and make the assumption that he has deep dark cold water experience. If that is indeed the case, then the BH may be an enjoyable dive for him. Weather permitting, the balance of the day will probably blow your mind with pleasure.

I've just returned from Belize, and took Amigos del Mar's brand new boat, the Papa Tomas. Fantastic dive boat, drive time considerably cut down. Only one shark in the BH that day, but a number of sharks around us at Halfmoon Caye wall. Corals and flora looking as healthy as I have seen in years. Third dive at Aquarium on Long Caye wall never disappoints. And the surface interval on Halfmoon Caye is just idyllic.

This is a pricey trip at around $260 and then the diver also has to fork over another $40 park fee upon arrival at the island for surface interval.

The local diving was also improved, at least close in to San Pedro. Lionfish were scarce at that point and so reef fish were more abundant than they had been on last couple of trips. Sadly, the same cannot be said for divesites further north on Ambergris Caye, apparently because they do not have as active an eradication program up there.

As others have said, you can snorkel Hol Chan and Mexico Rocks. I have dived at Hol Chan and found it to be a sweet little dive, but you almost have to dig a hole to get deeper than 30'. The snorkel trip to Hol Chan includes the snorkel trip at Shark Ray Alley. I recommend this tour to your group.

 

[peterbj7]

The dive is planned to a depth of 130' and being any deeper means you can't control your buoyancy

Not sure what you mean by this - "can't control your buoyancy". Also although there may be dive centres that plan the dive to 130ft most do not. They SAY that's what they do but I have been at 145ft and have had members of the group deeper than me. On one trip I discovered I was the only person in the group with a dive computer, and many of the guests with rental equipment didn't even have depth gauges.

 

[chillyinCanada]

What I meant Peter is that one needs to control their descent into the hole and level themselves off at 130', as per the dive plan. If one cannot do that they are not properly controlling their buoyancy. Yes, I too have seen divers deeper than that . . . Some because they didn't properly control their descent and level off as per the dive plan. I've also seen more experienced divers oand/or more ignorant divers at the sandy ledge. I think that ledge is around 150'. I'm sure you can tell me the exact depth of that ledge.

 

[peterbj7]

Depending on the state of the tide it is indeed at around 150ft.