San Pedro trip report: Reef Adventures and Amigos. 3/27-4/7

[Allen Raphael]

Yep, it is nice a warm diving down here! Temp on my computer was actually 79 degrees but it felt closer to 80-82. My wife and I are both wearing full 3mm wetsuits and I was totally fine throughout. She, of course, got chilly on the second dive but she'd swim in bathwater if it was available! We just prefer full body protection rather than shorties anyway. We dove with Chuck and Robbie's the first two days here and were planning on going to Blue Hole/Aquarium/Half Moon Caye with Amigos del Mar tomorrow but their boat is waiting on a part to ship from the US to make it seaworthy. Aquascuba also does that trip but we haven't heard too many folks recommend them, so we're opting to try again for Wednesday or Thursday with Amigos. This place still makes me feel totally at ease and the diving has been easy all week!

 

[garydemos]

Just did 4 dives yesterday in a lavacore suit and was comfy. My daughter used a 3 mil shorty and got a little cold on the third dive. Computer says the water temp was 80.

 

[ScubaERDoc]

I'm glad you guys are having a good time! Sorry about the delay in videos. My computer has been on the fritz and I am struggling through the world of mortgage applications as a first time homebuyer currently.

Glad you are enjoying the warm water. Certainly brings back memories. I first was in a 3 mm shorty but went to only trunks by the end of my trip!

 

[Allen Raphael]

Wow. We went on Amigos del Mar's Lighthouse trip yesterday and I was absolutely blown away at Half Moon Wall! The viz was incredible and the coral life there is super healthy, much better than the local dives! In one dive, we saw stingrays, eagle rays, octopus, reef shark, neck crabs, turtles, cleaner shrimp, green morays, juvenile spotted drums, lobsters and a beautiful triggerfish. Now I know why folks stay further south and dive the atolls. Blue hole was interesting but I was surprised that the DM's allowed a clearly VERY inexperienced diver who didn't know the very basics of diving safety to do this as her 5th dive overall. She had to be "pulled out" of the hole because she couldn't control her buoyancy at all. Very dangerous dive but the DM's did recognize this quickly and kept a close eye on her.

 

[peterbj7]

There has been a lot of discussion on whether new divers should be allowed in the BH. I don't think they should, at least not without assessment and maybe some deep training, but I'm afraind money counts. I am one of the many people who consider the HMCW dive as the best they've ever done in Belize. In the right conditions the following dive at Long Caye Wall can also be excellent, but not quite at the same level.