Whale Sharks 2020
- Thread starter Ralph Capeling
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Kharon, I am truly sorry that you got hurt like that. I'm also sorry that the whale sharks didn't show up for you. But mother nature doesn't always provide her gifts. Yes, I got to see the whale sharks when I was there. (I don't remember just when it was. I've been to Belize 25+ times) It was not within the last 2 years for sure and likely to have been a couple more before that.
I did fall in Placencia, the night before I left for San Pedro and ended up black and blue on my face and jaw line. Not pretty but getting older is not for light weights.
In Panama, my friend and I were running back to our hotel because of the rain. The road surface was very slippery and I didn't have grippy shoes. Yes, you guessed it. Down I went, flat on my face, which bounced at least once. That time, I ended up with damaged eye socket, painful sinus and two black eyes. Hopefully, I've learned that getting drenched is better than taking the chance that I'll land on my face.
I've had innumerable bruises and hematomas from dive boats, dive boat ladders, etc. over the years, some quite bad though none as bad as yours.
I did fall in Placencia, the night before I left for San Pedro and ended up black and blue on my face and jaw line. Not pretty but getting older is not for light weights.
In Panama, my friend and I were running back to our hotel because of the rain. The road surface was very slippery and I didn't have grippy shoes. Yes, you guessed it. Down I went, flat on my face, which bounced at least once. That time, I ended up with damaged eye socket, painful sinus and two black eyes. Hopefully, I've learned that getting drenched is better than taking the chance that I'll land on my face.
I've had innumerable bruises and hematomas from dive boats, dive boat ladders, etc. over the years, some quite bad though none as bad as yours.
Kharon
Contributor
The small boats were the ones that went to reef dives. The whale shark boat was bigger.
Any boat that I have to do a back roll from that has very little room to clear my fins, so I end up smashing the back of my legs on the gunnel on every entry, and that has a ladder that's not attached to the boat, but is hanging free and swinging back and forth is a small boat to me. A boat that's not small allows a giant stride not a forced backroll without enough room and has an attached ladder not something hung over the side.
And the vis was at best OK one day at 20'-30' feet and really crappy the next at 10'-15'. I don't know anyone that calls that good for Caribbean diving. It's about what I experience in Lake George and I don't think it's all that great for freshwater diivng.
So I guess because you say you haven't gotten bruised, the pictures of mine are somehow not true? I got beat to crap on your boats used for reef divng - entering and exiting the water. Waves were high and there was not enough room for a backroll, the ladder bounced all over the place and made trying to get my fins off and shed my gear extremely difficult. And then your deckhand dumped a tank on top of my gear and put a couple holes in my bladder and a rip in the side of the donut because he couldn't keep his balance in the waves. Yeah, that was a big boat. Not.
Downing
Contributor
If those bruises came from doing back rolls off the boat, then I'd say you're doing it wrong. I'm blessed/cursed with big feet and use big fins. I've done plenty of back rolls off the sides of Splash's boats and have never had anywhere close to a bruise like yours.
Ladders can definitely be a challenge in the surge. I missed grabbing the ladder once and it smashed into my face. Luckily, my mask took the brunt of it. I was just glad to still have all my teeth. And I've been bucked off a few times. No doubt it makes boarding and changing out of your gear more difficult.
Ralph and I were out once when a squall came up fast. It started pouring, the wind and waves picked up, the sun disappeared and the temperature dropped what felt like 50 degrees in just a few seconds. My teeth were chattering it was so cold. Two minutes later the weather cleared and we went about our business. I don't know if Ralph remembers, but I'll never forget it. One of the other divers said it was the first time he'd ever been cold in Belize.
Stuff happens when you dive.
All part of the adventure.
You can call me a fanboy, ignore, whatever. Just saying.
Ladders can definitely be a challenge in the surge. I missed grabbing the ladder once and it smashed into my face. Luckily, my mask took the brunt of it. I was just glad to still have all my teeth. And I've been bucked off a few times. No doubt it makes boarding and changing out of your gear more difficult.
Ralph and I were out once when a squall came up fast. It started pouring, the wind and waves picked up, the sun disappeared and the temperature dropped what felt like 50 degrees in just a few seconds. My teeth were chattering it was so cold. Two minutes later the weather cleared and we went about our business. I don't know if Ralph remembers, but I'll never forget it. One of the other divers said it was the first time he'd ever been cold in Belize.
Stuff happens when you dive.
All part of the adventure.
You can call me a fanboy, ignore, whatever. Just saying.
Mike1967
Contributor
Be careful or he'll put you on his ignore list, you'll know though because he'll announce it 
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