FT
Contributor
Reporting back on our March 23-30 stay at Off the Wall, Long Caye, Glover’s Reef Atoll.
I wanted safe, professional valet diving, pretty fish and corals, short daily rides, comfort without expensive luxury, and an atmosphere that encouraged camaraderie. Thanks to guidance from this board, I got my wishes.
First, the diving. Very good, for the Caribbean. The topography has excellent variety, maybe not quite as spectacular as Cozumel but there are walls, swimthroughs, spur and groove formations, coral heads and shallow gardens. There was algae but overall decent healthy hard and soft corals, sponges and gorgonians. All the usual fish suspects, including some fine schools, possibly not the very fishiest density overall. We would see a couple of lion fish each dive, rather large and not bothering to hide. We saw a turtle (loggerhead) twice, eagle rays and morays a few times, sharks much more often, lobsters every dive, and once, wow, dolphins. Lovely snorkelling from shore or kayaks anytime and on boat excursions first and last day.
In calm weather, it took 75-90 minutes to cross from and to Dangriga. After that, boat rides to the dive sites were 5 minutes or so. Dives were offered three times a day, with a couple of night dives (they might have offered more if our group had been keen, but largely we were more interested in supper than in dive-dive-dive). Guests from SlickRock, at the east end of the Caye, joined some dives. We would be between 4 and 9 people on a trip. Divemaster Monster and Captain Tony took good care of us. I never did lift a tank, or even rinse my own BCD. Dives ended for the group when the first person got low on air, so we ended at 45-52 minutes. I’d prefer not to dwell on how much air was left in my tank; after all, I chose to marry the air hog. Refreshers and lessons were available from Audrey, a great instructor.
The resort is a good place for novices and soft-core divers like myself. If you want independence, you’d better check with Jim and Kendra what they might be willing to allow. Rental equipment was in great shape, btw.
This is a comfortable, friendly, low-key place. Ten guests, six staff and the two owners make for a family atmosphere at generous, tasty buffet meals. Squeeze your own orange and grapefruit juice from the seemingly limitless citrus baskets. Rave over homemade breads, tortillas and biscuits. Composting toilets, solar lighting and candle lanterns, outdoor showers with rainwater gathered off the roofs, cooling breezes through generously louvred window-walls send a strong eco message. We never carried wallets or keys and seldom wore shoes.
When not diving you can snorkel, kayak, paddle board, walk the little nature trail, watch birds and the stunning stars, read, chat, or go fishing. WiFi is a little bit available for basic emails, but don’t plan on streaming video.
Jim and Kendra gave great advice on fun things to do inland before or after diving, and arranged pickups from anywhere in Dangriga. The people who overnighted in Dangriga didn’t seem to have had a restful stay. I was happy we spent our time before and after in Cayo district lodges. If you’re short of time, it is possible to connect by air from and to Belize International Airport on the Saturday morning flights to and from Dangriga.
I wanted safe, professional valet diving, pretty fish and corals, short daily rides, comfort without expensive luxury, and an atmosphere that encouraged camaraderie. Thanks to guidance from this board, I got my wishes.
First, the diving. Very good, for the Caribbean. The topography has excellent variety, maybe not quite as spectacular as Cozumel but there are walls, swimthroughs, spur and groove formations, coral heads and shallow gardens. There was algae but overall decent healthy hard and soft corals, sponges and gorgonians. All the usual fish suspects, including some fine schools, possibly not the very fishiest density overall. We would see a couple of lion fish each dive, rather large and not bothering to hide. We saw a turtle (loggerhead) twice, eagle rays and morays a few times, sharks much more often, lobsters every dive, and once, wow, dolphins. Lovely snorkelling from shore or kayaks anytime and on boat excursions first and last day.
In calm weather, it took 75-90 minutes to cross from and to Dangriga. After that, boat rides to the dive sites were 5 minutes or so. Dives were offered three times a day, with a couple of night dives (they might have offered more if our group had been keen, but largely we were more interested in supper than in dive-dive-dive). Guests from SlickRock, at the east end of the Caye, joined some dives. We would be between 4 and 9 people on a trip. Divemaster Monster and Captain Tony took good care of us. I never did lift a tank, or even rinse my own BCD. Dives ended for the group when the first person got low on air, so we ended at 45-52 minutes. I’d prefer not to dwell on how much air was left in my tank; after all, I chose to marry the air hog. Refreshers and lessons were available from Audrey, a great instructor.
The resort is a good place for novices and soft-core divers like myself. If you want independence, you’d better check with Jim and Kendra what they might be willing to allow. Rental equipment was in great shape, btw.
This is a comfortable, friendly, low-key place. Ten guests, six staff and the two owners make for a family atmosphere at generous, tasty buffet meals. Squeeze your own orange and grapefruit juice from the seemingly limitless citrus baskets. Rave over homemade breads, tortillas and biscuits. Composting toilets, solar lighting and candle lanterns, outdoor showers with rainwater gathered off the roofs, cooling breezes through generously louvred window-walls send a strong eco message. We never carried wallets or keys and seldom wore shoes.
When not diving you can snorkel, kayak, paddle board, walk the little nature trail, watch birds and the stunning stars, read, chat, or go fishing. WiFi is a little bit available for basic emails, but don’t plan on streaming video.
Jim and Kendra gave great advice on fun things to do inland before or after diving, and arranged pickups from anywhere in Dangriga. The people who overnighted in Dangriga didn’t seem to have had a restful stay. I was happy we spent our time before and after in Cayo district lodges. If you’re short of time, it is possible to connect by air from and to Belize International Airport on the Saturday morning flights to and from Dangriga.
