Sun Dancer II Captain's Logs

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captain’s Report Jan 5-12, 2013

Air Temp: 82-83º F,
Water Temp: 81º F
3mm Wetsuit

A week of wonderful diving and amazing sightings! The week started off with an excited group of divers joining us from all over the US and Switzerland. On Saturday the adventure began onboard when the guests set up their dive gear and found their lovely staterooms ready for them to settle in. Upstairs in the salon the refreshments were waiting and the divers grouped up for an introduction and safety briefing. During dinner the crew prepared the yacht for departure and shortly after we left for Lighthouse Reef.

The next morning the guests woke up to beautiful blue water and started the dive week at Long Caye enjoying warm water and friendly sea creatures. The spotted eagle rays, stingrays, eels, octopus during the day and night were discovered. Also a manta ray was seen as well as a hammerhead shark! The turtles made an appearance and even some reef sharks came by sometimes only a few feet away from the divers. All of the time spent underwater was enjoyable and interesting with new discoveries around every turn.

During the week we had a chance to visit the Blue Hole and ventured down to 130 feet to get a view of the geological masterpiece that has been a bucket list destination for some divers their whole lives. After the memorable dive the adventure continued on Half Moon Caye where the birds and land dwelling creatures put on a good show and made for good photo opportunities.

Everyone had a great time and two divers finished the week having completed all 26 dives offered. The delicious food on board made for spectacular surface intervals and even our favorite non-diver enjoyed herself during the day relaxing on the yacht.

From all of the crew of the Sun Dancer II we would like to thank you for joining us on this wonderful week at sea. Our time together was memorable and we consider you all friends that we hope to dive with again in the future.

 

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captain’s Report April 13-20, 2013
Water Temp. 82 degrees - 3 mil wetsuit recommended

On a beautiful Saturday in Belize the crew of the Sun Dancer II welcomed on board 19 divers from all over North America. After setting up dive gear and getting comfortable in their staterooms everyone met upstairs in the spacious salon area for a safety briefing and introductions. A delicious dinner was served and as the evening continued the yacht set out to Lighthouse Reef to begin a great week of diving.

Out at Long Caye the underwater adventures took place on a beautiful wall with giant sponges and corals all around. Turtles were seen and enjoyed along with spotted eagle rays, eels, angle fish, yellow headed jaw fish (some with eggs in their mouths) and a lot of fun creatures that make you want to stay and enjoy their company. Later in the week a few sharks were seen and of course feeding the local sea creatures lionfish is still very enjoyable and unpredictably exciting.

Over at Half Moon Caye the beautiful billowing reef that comes up off the edge of the wall made for a wonderful dive and up into the turtle grass you could see stingrays and garden eels enjoying the gentle sway of the water.

The Blue Hole was a spectacularly different kind of dive and the undersea explorers got a chance to see why it is referred to as 'Great'. As the first dive of the day the divers ventured to a depth of 130 to appreciate the stalactites that have been part of the unique geology for centuries.

After the Blue Hole the divers stepped onto land for about an hour, which was just enough time to visit Half Moon Caye Island and see the local red footed booby birds famous in this area. Also geckos and iguanas wandered around and looked photogenic while everyone had a chance to appreciate the paradise that is Half Moon Caye Island.

The last morning was spent diving at Turneffe and the incredible visibility made it a fabulous last couple dives which had eels being fed lion fish, spotted eagle rays and a bunch of small critters that are fun to hover around and enjoy.

On behalf of all the crew of the Sun Dancer II we would like to thank each and every diver who joined us this week, it was an incredible adventure and thank you for making the experience so enjoyable. We look forward to seeing you again in the future.

All the Captain’s Log pictures for this week were taken and graciously provided to this report from JD Parker. Thank you!

 

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captain’s Report April 20-27, 2013

Water Temp. 82 degrees
3 mil wetsuit recommended

Excitement was in the tropical air as the new divers for the week boarded the yacht. We were joined by new and returning friends all happy to be in Belize and ready for a wonderful adventure. After getting set up on the dive deck and unpacked in their staterooms the divers met upstairs for introductions and a safety briefing.

A delicious dinner and dessert was served as the boat left the dock and headed out to Lighthouse Reef. The next morning the beautiful diving commenced and everyone started coming back with great stories of the critters and various creatures they got to see along the reef. One little star of the week was the Sharpnose Puffer Fish that seemed to be everywhere. The other exciting sightings included dolphins, sharks, spotted eagle rays, turtles, eels, yellow-headed jaw fish, filefish, lobster, slipper lobsters and many other cute and interesting swimming and crawling life forms. It also seemed like ‘Love was in the air’ as a lot of the animal behavior included dances and mating rituals that was both fun and entertaining to witness.

On Wednesday we had the opportunity to visit the Great Blue Hole and dive down to the 130-foot limit to witness the stalactites and see the vastness. The thermocline was noticeable as we reached back up to the outer rim and also got to see a couple little sharks swimming around to greet us. One diver had an interesting encounter with a ray that will probably not soon be forgotten. After the dive the yacht headed over to Half Moon Caye Island and was met by a friendly water taxi driver named Rooster who escorted the divers over to land where they could view the birds and enjoy the island paradise.

The whole week was amazing and after each dive the stories and laughs on deck seemed to be just as enthusiastic and excited as the previous. From all of the Crew of the Sun Dancer II we would like to thank each of you for joining us this week and we look forward to spending time with you underwater again someday hopefully soon.

 

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captain’s Report April 27 – May 4, 2013

Water Temp. 82 degrees
3 mil wetsuit recommended

What a wonderful week! Saturday started it all off when the divers were so excited they started taking pictures of the yacht before even stepping aboard! Everyone was so happy to be in Belize and about to embark on an exciting adventure together. The dive deck became a bustle with dive gear and energy and eventually the divers made their way up to the Salon for a safety briefing and introductions. After a delicious dinner was served the yacht departed for Lighthouse Reef.

The next morning the beautiful blue water of Belize looked inviting and the divers geared up with anticipation. Every dive had an opportunity to see something exciting. Barracuda and grouper would follow along in hopes of getting a lionfish snack. Eels would fly around like ribbons and made for some awesome pictures. Huge lobsters, friendly puffers and little jawfish were all fun to watch and spy on. The walls all had something beautiful and different to offer and towards the end of the week the sharks and spotted eagle rays started showing up on almost every dive. Stingrays and garden eels in the sand, octopus and slipper lobsters at night. The squid at night were iridescent and photogenic making for some really great photo shoots between the tarpons flying past and parrotfish trying to sleep. Basket stars are always amazing to watch curl and twist around the fans, like a spider catching little worms in the water and eating them like popcorn for a meal.

On Wednesday the weather was perfect for a trip up north to the Blue Hole. As advertised it was blue and an incredibly memorable dive. Around the edge more lively action took place with marine life but getting to see the stalactites at 130 feet is still impressive for anyone who hasn’t seen it before. After this the divers became bird watchers and enjoyed walking around Half Moon Caye island for an hour which gave them enough time to see the tall palms, gecko and iguanas and even the infamous red footed birds known only to this small area of the world.

Turtles were also a sight to behold as the different kinds all showed up on dives, a huge prehistoric looking loggerhead was almost bigger then the divers and glided thru the water past everyone with a gently grace impossible to replicate.

On behalf of all the crew of the Sun Dancer II we would like to thank you for such an incredibly fun and adventuresome trip. Everyone made it special with their unique personalities and a million laughs were shared and memories were made on board and under water.

Thank you and we hope to have the opportunity to dive with you again in the future.

 

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captain's Report May 4 - 11, 2013

Water Temp. 82 degrees
3 mil wetsuit recommended

Saturday was perfect Belize weather to welcome the divers onboard the Sun Dancer II. Everyone was excited and happy to get set up on the dive deck and situated into their stateroom cabins. When it was time for drinks and relaxing they made their way to the salon where the safety briefing and introductions were made. Everything was wonderful and the yacht departed for Lighthouse Reef in the evening.

Waking up on the beautiful blue water was a delight as the divers had their first dive site briefing and then got dry wetsuits on for the check out dive. Underwater was peaceful and majestic with the reef structure and sea creatures. Free swimming eels, grouper, barracuda, turtles, lobster, and schools of Bermuda chubs and horse-eyed jacks made it a joy to be hovering around. Long Caye had perfect conditions for effortless diving with huge sponges and fans that made the topography enjoyable and photogenic to all the divers.

During the week Painted Wall became a favorite dive site that had a huge amount of sergeant majors frolicking all around the yacht. Everyone got to see something exciting. Mid week the divers had the opportunity to submerse themselves into the Blue Hole, diving down to 130 feet made the geology come to life as you had the chance to swim behind the stalactites. After the dive an island excursion was offered and those who ventured to Half Moon Caye were not disappointed upon seeing the observation deck that towers over the trees and gives you a perfect view of the rare birds only known to this area of the world.

The whole week seemed to offer perfect weather and everyone enjoyed the diving and relaxing on board. It is with great appreciation we would like to thank this group for being so much fun and making the week so special. Thank you to all from the crew of the Sun Dancer II. We hope to see you again in the future and look forward to the opportunity to dive with you again.

 

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captains Report May 11-18, 2013

Water Temp 82 degrees
3 mil wetsuit recommended

What a beautiful week, perfect weather for memorable adventures on board and underwater. The week started off on Saturday with the divers boarding the Sun Dancer II in style and getting situated on the dive deck and in their stateroom cabins. All the weights were integrated and tanks began to get filled for the following day of diving. Upstairs people sat back to relax and enjoy the fresh breeze while meeting each other. After the safety briefing a delicious dinner was served while the yacht headed out to Lighthouse Reef.

The next day the check out dive was beautiful and every dive after continued to delight. All the divers got a chance to see small and larger creatures swimming or scurrying about the reef. After each dive the deck was abuzz with excitement and talk about what was experienced and what each person got to see.

Mid week the divers had the opportunity to submerge into the legendary Blue Hole that took them to a depth of 130 feet to admire the stalactites and wide-angle scenery. After the Half Moon Caye Island adventure was enjoyed and then back on board for a delightful lunch.

Every diver had a million laughs on board and got to enjoy the warm towels and fresh cut oranges after every dive. Each meal and snack was also remarkably delicious and hard to pass up. Night dives were enjoyed this week and octopus, crabs, spotted toadfish and unidentified crazy critters were discovered each dive.

The warm water and beautiful wall dives gave everyone the perfect experience of a liveaboard dive vacation. It is with sincere gratitude that we would like to thank you for joining us this very memorable week.

From all of the crew of the Sun Dancer II we hope to see you again sometime and have more memorable laughs and adventures above and below the water’s surface.

 

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captain’s Report May 18-25, 2013

Water Temp. 82 degrees
3 mil wetsuit recommended

Another amazing experience of diving and adventures in Belize this week. Everyone was excited to be visiting for the first time, or in many cases a return trip! Saturday was a warm welcome to everyone as they made their way down the dock and onto the beautiful Sun Dancer II. Each stateroom was ready for their arrival and shortly after the dive deck was a buzz with gear and excitement. Once everyone was ready we gathered upstairs in the spacious salon and did a ‘Safety Briefing’ and our introductions. After dinner was served and enjoyed the crew cast the lines and made way out to Lighthouse Reef for the divers to begin their undersea adventures the following day.

The sun was shining and all the creatures were out in abundance to meet and greet. Friendly grouper and curious barracuda seemed to hover around looking at the weightless divers. The warm water and interesting reef structure made the perfect stage for the cute characters that would come out and dart around, some going about their business while the divers got a chance to watch their ‘behavior.‘
Each new dive site seemed to excite the underwater adventurers in new and different ways. Some went strong with 5 dives a day, every day, while others took a break now and then to relax up on the sun deck or enjoy an ‘adult beverage’ with dinner or afternoon snack. The night dives were wonderful with one particularly incredible octopus that put on a show for over 15 minutes, much to the delight of the torch holding divers.

On Wednesday the Blue Hole was the morning dive and everyone had the opportunity to visit the epic structure of stalactites and scenic wide-angle geology. After this the ‘Island Adventure Land Excursion’ was the place to be with its array of birds and scurrying critters. The chance to climb up to the observation deck is always the highlight of the experience and one you won’t ever forget.

The rest of the week had incredible dives on spectacular dive sites with each one offering different reef structures and an abundance of variety. Turtles, rays, eels, little fish of all shapes and sizes, and rare finds as well. Everyone came back with something exciting to share about their underwater exploration.

From all of the crew of the Sun Dancer II we would like to thank you for joining us this past week. We appreciate having you on board and hope to see you again sometime soon!

 

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captain’s Report May 25 - June 1, 2013

Water Temp: 82 F
3mm Wetsuit recommended

What a wonderful week fun filled with adventure and laughter. On Saturday everyone came onboard the Sun Dancer II and immediately felt right at home. Setting up in their staterooms and on the deck the divers were excited to start their week of underwater excursions. After dinner and the briefing we set out to Lighthouse Reef to begin our week.

The dive sites had wonderful walls and active reefs bountiful with creatures and life. There were beautiful sights to see and explore all along Long Caye and over at Half Moon Caye. Each dive site had something different to offer including turtles, spotted eagle rays, and lobsters where some were spotted in lobster condos with up to 5 in a single hole. There were fish having fun with each other and barracudas interested in the divers, grouper hovering nearby and eels opening their mouths to breathe and look toothy. So many exciting things to point out and appreciate, including a few dives with shark sightings.

On Wednesday we had the opportunity to visit the Blue Hole and everyone got a chance to jump in and experience the world-class dive site known for being a geological wonder. At a depth of 130 feet the divers were able to swim both around and behind the stalactites looking at the wide-angle views that make it so memorable and spectacular. After the adventure we headed over to the island of Half Moon Caye for a land excursion to see the wild land dwelling animals and red-footed birds.

The rest of the week was very enjoyable, as the dives were always exciting and pleasant, beautiful, and photogenic. Everyone had a wonderful week and we appreciated having such an amazingly happy, enthusiastic, and joyful group of divers on board with us this week.

From all of the crew of the Sun Dancer II we would like to thank you for joining us and we look forward to diving with you again in the future!

 

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captain’s Report June 1 – 8, 2013

Water Temp: 82º F
3mm Wetsuit recommended

What an incredibly fun week filled with beautiful and relaxing diving. Saturday the divers boarded the Sun Dancer II making themselves comfortable on the dive deck and in their staterooms. Everyone felt right at home as they began to explore the spacious vessel. The sun deck was sunny and the dive deck was filled with excitement and pre-dive preparations. Once everyone was settled, the group gathered in the salon and began getting briefed on safety and accommodations. After dinner we departed the dock and began heading out to Lighthouse Reef. In the morning the divers woke up on a beautiful site on Long Caye Island. The rest of the week was enjoyed all over Long Caye, both sides, as well as Half Moon Caye and over to Turneffe as well.

On the dives you could see sharks, turtles and spotted eagle rays slowly majestically soaring thru the water along the wall. The eels were in abundance and sometimes you could even see them catch a lionfish from the tip of the spear then swim off with their dinner still noticeable in their stomach. The groupers were also friendly and seemed like happy dogs lingering around for pictures and attention. Everyone loved getting to feel the warm water and people even mentioned that the ‘Ocean is my medicine’ as it felt so healing. Thousands of fish, beautifully colored and energetic frolicked over the reef. At one point there was so much to see you could hear divers excitedly getting each others attention and pointing in different directions, all with something fun to show the others.

Thank you to everyone who joined us this week, it was a wonderful time spent onboard and underwater, the adventures and excitement, the relaxation and rejuvenation all made it a perfect vacation.

Hope we have the opportunity to dive with you again in the future.
From all of the crew of the Sun Dancer II we say “Thank You”.

 

[Dancer Fleet]

Sun Dancer II Captain’s Report June 8 – 15, 2013

Water Temp: 82º F
3mm Wetsuit recommended

What a wonderful week! On Saturday, an excited group from Texas boarded the Sun Dancer II and made themselves at home in their staterooms and got set up on the dive deck. The fun started instantly and everyone gathered for the ‘Safety Briefing and Introductions’. A delicious dinner was served and we set out for Light House Reef!

Sunday morning started enjoyable getting to submerge into 82 degree water and see all the fun creatures Belize has to offer. The wall had sharks, spotted eagle rays, turtles, barracudas and friendly grouper. On the reef we got to see a lot of awesome eels, a wide variety of colorful fish, and other macro critters so small it sometimes took two or three tries to see.

On Wednesday the Blue Hole was ventured into and everyone got a chance to experience the geological masterpiece. After the 'bucket list dive' we made our way on a water taxi over to Half Moon Caye Island. There were rare birds, hermit crabs and iguanas everywhere. The tall palm trees and white sand made it the perfect paradise island that was photogenic and a great way to stretch your land legs for an hour.

Back on the boat the rest of the dives were enjoyable and all the dive sites had something to offer, varieties of reef structures, different shark sightings and of course incredible night dives.

The whole week was enjoyable for everyone; the divers had an incredible time, a lot of laughs and a chance to experience the beautiful water of Belize.

From all of the crew of the Sun Dancer II we would like to thank you for joining us this week.