Trip Report - Huracan Diving

[Stoo]

Thanks, Stoo. Looks nicer and better equipped than I had imagined.

Those inside shots are 4 years old now and it's been spruced up... floors are all freshly varnished, art (Bernard is a successful painter...) and lots of nice touches. The beds and pillows are all new and generally, it's a pretty nice, but basic, place. If you need room service, you just wander to the kitchen and help yourself. ;-)

 

[scubadada]

Looks like a very nice, quiet place, my kind of dive vacation. I hope to visit sometime after I get back to the US

 

[AWMIII]

I have weighed visiting Huracan. My friend Anna was working there. The trouble that I had with it was comparing it to Sundancer 2. I had a wonderful trip on Sundancer 2 a few years ago. I loved doing 5 dives a day. If I recall correctly, Huracan offers 2 or 3 a day. It also costs nearly the same as Sundancer 2. I am afraid that my wife would be bored. She loves to dive, but does not dive everyday, normally. She enjoys walking around town and spending time with the locals. Long Caye is just about as remote and quiet as it gets. She might go crazy.

As far as AC goes, the only time I was ever uncomfortably hot in Belize was in September when the wind shut off for a long time. Everything was still and the air was thick. After a couple of days, you will acclimate to the heat if you give your body the chance to do it. Too often we crank our AC and sleep in 72 degree comfort with low humidity. After a day or two of sleeping with only a fan, you will not even notice the heat and humidity. Besides, I doubt it ever gets really hot on Long Caye. I visit Belize almost every August and my impression is that Philly in August is much more uncomfortable than Belize in August. Oh, I was once hot while walking around San Ignacio in the middle of the day in August. I have slept at the zoo, out on AC, and at Caves Branch without AC and never had trouble sleeping.

 

[Pembina]

Huracan encourages you to bring your own soaps and shampoos and leave with the bottles.

I just paid my deposit for a trip to Huracan in March 2017. Besides your tip about bringing your own soap, do you have any other tips/suggestions? Is there one room better than another that I might request? I have a little anxiety over the boat ride from Belize City. What size is the boat and how rough does it get?
We are only doing the 4 night stay. My days of 4 dives a day for a week are behind me. Time to start slowing down and enjoying some of natures other wonders so we are also going to spend 4 nights in the jungle.
I checked out your photos on your fb page and they are amazing! What camera do you have?

 

[Stoo]

I just paid my deposit for a trip to Huracan in March 2017. Besides your tip about bringing your own soap, do you have any other tips/suggestions? Is there one room better than another that I might request? I have a little anxiety over the boat ride from Belize City. What size is the boat and how rough does it get?
We are only doing the 4 night stay. My days of 4 dives a day for a week are behind me. Time t
I checked out your photos on your fb page and they are amazing! What camera do you have?

Hi Pembina

I hope you enjoy the trip! We'll be there again in March but a different week since we're filling the place with friends!

The trip out is normally done in one of their dive boats. The main one is about 28' with twin 150s so it scoots. Most if the trip is through somewhat sheltered water but there's a couple of places where it can be rough. Last year we had one 30 minute stretch where we were in 3-4 footers. The boat is mostly open so a waterproof shell might come in handy. Usually it's very calm though. Think of it as your first dive! ;-)

In terms of other stuff... A beach towel perhaps, and if you have electronics to charge, perhaps a small power bar with a surge protector. Mine has an idiot light on it which doubles as a night light.

We take headlamps as well which come in handy at night if you go on a "croc walk". ;-)

I also take some broad spectrum antibiotics in case of an ear infection or something. It's a long trip into town!

If you think of the place as a Liveaboard on land and pack accordingly you won't go wrong.

Life is very casual there so shorts and tees are right, jacket and long pants perhaps at night.

Thanks for your comments about photos. Currently I am using a Nikon D7000 in an Aquatica housing with two Ikelite 161 strobes. Lenses are primarily a Tokina 10-17 fisheye and Nikon 60 and 105 macro lenses. I also use a wet diopter at times for super macro

Be sure to look at my website for higher resolution images.

 

[Pembina]

So you are the reason why I couldn't book it for the 11th

 

[beaverdivers]

What about the bugs?

 

[Stoo]

So you are the reason why I couldn't book it for the 11th

Ya that would be me. Mrs Stoo is an Edumacator so we're kinda stuck with spring break week... Sorry about that. We're actually squishing 10 people in I think... Manager is giving up his room for us.

 

[Stoo]

What about the bugs?

When we go in March, they really aren't an issue. The main lounging/eating/bar/dance hall area is essentially a loosely screened porch, and I can't recall there ever being a bug in there. There's a few lizards running around and they (the staff, not the lizards) burn a bit of mosquito coil. Even outside, they have not been a problem, although we use some bug stuff if we're going to a campfire or something.

I have no idea what they are like in summer months... it's jungle around a lagoon and surrounded by mangroves...

 

[Downing]

A jacket and long pants at night? I've never taken either one with me to Belize, lol.

I love the heat during the day but not so much when I sleep. Last June, I spent a night in a third floor walkup in Corozal. No air conditioning. No fan. No breeze. My room felt like an oven. I probably got up once an hour all night to jump in and out of a cold shower.

From there I spent a couple of nights in Chan Chich, which is about as deep in the jungle as it gets. To my surprise, no air conditioning there either except in the lobby/dining hall. The cabana's high ceiling and ceiling fan helped, but I still had to take cold showers just to make it through the night.

I spent the last leg of that trip at the San Ignacio Hotel. Ahh, at last a room with air conditioning. I slept like a baby.