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Scuba Forum / General / February 2008Belize in April
We are taking our first trip to Belize in the end of April and staying at Ramon's on Ambergris Caye. Since this is our first trip, I'd love to hear from anyone that has stayed at Ramon's and can give us their opinion of the resort and what to do/dive (Blue Hole already planned). Thanks in advance for any help! > We are taking our first trip to Belize in the end of April and staying > at Ramon's on Ambergris Caye. Since this is our first trip, I'd love > to hear from anyone that has stayed at Ramon's and can give us their > opinion of the resort and what to do/dive (Blue Hole already > planned). Thanks in advance for any help! While the Blue Hole is unique in itself I didn't feel the extra travel time was worth the trip. Just being out on the water in January (escape from the cold) was worth the trip > > We are taking our first trip to Belize in the end of April and staying > > at Ramon's on Ambergris Caye. Since this is our first trip, I'd love [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > time was worth the trip. Just being out on the water in January (escape > from the cold) was worth the trip I, too, found the Blue Hole highly overrated. 130 ft for 10 minutes on a single Al80 was stupid; next time I would at least take bands so I can make a set of independent doubles, or sling an extra 80 as a stage. The second dive was actually much nicer - a spot outside the reef where there were a particularly large number of turtles that day. * >I, too, found the Blue Hole highly overrated. 130 ft for 10 minutes >on a single Al80 was stupid; next time I would at least take bands so >I can make a set of independent doubles, or sling an extra 80 as a >stage. The second dive was actually much nicer - a spot outside the >reef where there were a particularly large number of turtles that >day. Will the dive ops (eg. Peter Hughes) let you do that (ie. make a pair of doubles)? I guess for a fee, they may, if it's not a liabilty risk to them. ____________________________________________ Regards, Arnold > >I, too, found the Blue Hole highly overrated. 130 ft for 10 minutes > >on a single Al80 was stupid; next time I would at least take bands so [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Arnold The issue is getting the op to fill the tanks after you have drained and banded them :-) Honestly, I'd just not bother diving the Blue Hole again. The big deal is in saying you've dove it. * >> Will the dive ops (eg. Peter Hughes) let you do that (ie. make a pair of >> doubles)? I guess for a fee, they may, if it's not a liabilty risk to them. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >The issue is getting the op to fill the tanks after you have drained >and banded them :-) Hopefuly not a big issue for me as: 1) I already have my Nitrox Blender ticket; 2) In another month, I'll have my PSI VIP Inspector/Eddy Current Tickets. If they won't let me do it myself, at least I'm in a better position to negotiate with DM. And as Grummy says below, I'd most likely not manifold them but just band them as independents. >Honestly, I'd just not bother diving the Blue >Hole again. The big deal is in saying you've dove it. I guess I'd have to give it 2-3 shots at least :-). ____________________________________________ Regards, Arnold In article <ec7f540b-40e4-47ef-b015- 12624181be9e@j28g2000hsj.googlegroups.com>, lclee1@gmail.com says... > > >I, too, found the Blue Hole highly overrated. 130 ft for 10 minutes > > >on a single Al80 was stupid; next time I would at least take bands so [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > and banded them :-) Honestly, I'd just not bother diving the Blue > Hole again. The big deal is in saying you've dove it. It's not an issue if you make independents or sling an 80. I'm sure the issue is time and the lack of support/gas for proper deco diving. If one needs more gas to do the 10 minute dive, a sling would be the lightest to carry and easiest to make, requiring 2 bolt snaps, string and a hose clamp. I've done it without the hose clamp. The thing is, though, that unless you're practiced and comfortable with it, the net return is nil because you'll use more gas wrestling with it, and as with any independent system, you have to worry about switching regs every 200 or 300 PSI.  SignatureFoolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun; it shines everywhere. > It's not an issue if you make independents or sling an 80. I'm sure the > issue is time and the lack of support/gas for proper deco diving. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > any independent system, you have to worry about switching regs every 200 > or 300 PSI. From the infamous Cobber: "As the folks on this list know my rule of thumb is: -If you are diving with a single and think you need a pony, what you really need are doubles. -And if you don't think you need doubles, then you don't need a pony. IOW if you are doing diving where safety cannot be assured by rule of thirds and a buddy then you need doubles. When do you use a single? When you are diving profiles from which you can do a controlled ascent to the surface and not get seriously bent. When do you use doubles? When you are doing dives which require you to do stops or you wind up in the chamber. Needless to say that many disagree with me for various reasons, mostly because it would be inconvenient to use doubles for some reason or other, or a money thing. And in recognition of this inane hard-headedness which is typical of scuba divers in that some are going to use a stupid pony with their single come hell or high water I will recommend to those that you set up your pony as a stage bottle (DIR style) and clip it on like a stage. Many moan and groan that this will cause the bottle to get in their way. But when attached to your tank you really can't get at your pony and it is a horrible snag/drag/balance hazard. You can either clip it to your shoulder and hip Drings or clip the top of the pony to your hip Dring and it won't get in the way and will follow you around like a puppy dog if it is a proper 30 or 40 cuft Aluminum tank and not a steel one." > -If you are diving with a single and think you need a pony, what you really > need are doubles. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > When do you use doubles? When you are doing dives which require you to do > stops or you wind up in the chamber. Most of the dive boats in NJ require divers to have a redundant gas source with its own regulator. Doubles qualify, so I just use doubles, but many use a pony and a single tank. Some folks we know here use a single tank and sling a 40 like a deco bottle. I'm not really sure why the boat owners require this, because the dives are in the recreational depth range, but my guess is that it's because most dive solo and the boats are tied to the wrecks, with a mix of people doing NDL and deco dives. There is no provision for chasing someone who comes up off the line in a current, and the wrecks are in very busy shipping lanes. From a private boat, I would do these dives with a shot line and live boat, and not cut the shotline loose for deco if the wreck is in a busy place. This way you're not creating the problem to be solved with the addition of gear like a pony bottle. > > -If you are diving with a single and think you need a pony, what you really > > need are doubles. [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > place. This way you're not creating the problem to be solved with the > addition of gear like a pony bottle. That is one of those situations where you thumb it in the parking lot. In those conditions, live boat is simply just sane. Al, you *have* to make time to come out here and dive. If possible, you also need to go up and dive Agamemnon and Skookumchuck off the Topline. Also, ping me offline, a very dear lady friend of mine is going to be out snooping around Ocracoke Island. > Al, you *have* to make time to come out here and dive. If possible, you also > need to go up and dive Agamemnon and Skookumchuck off the Topline. I'll get there. > Also, ping me offline, a very dear lady friend of mine is going to be out > snooping around Ocracoke Island. I've been to Ocracoke, but only passing through on the way to Hatteras. I have friends on Hatteras who can probably help more. I'll get with you by email. Al Wells <al.wells@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Most of the dive boats in NJ require divers to have a redundant gas :source with its own regulator. Almost none of the boats in the tropics have that requirement. Peter Hughes liveaboards certainly do not. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. "Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :When do you use a single? When you are diving profiles from which you can do :a controlled ascent to the surface and not get seriously bent. Blue Hole actually fits this description. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Will the dive ops (eg. Peter Hughes) let you do that (ie. make a pair of :doubles)? I guess for a fee, they may, if it's not a liabilty risk to them. I doubt it. As I vaguely remember my Peter Hughes Blue Hole dive, it wouldn't accomplish anything for you anyway. We did Blue Hole as a guided group dive and it the bottom time was very limited. There was no late morning dive. Instead we went to a nearby island with a boobie bird and frigate park, and had a bbq on the beach. Then, back on the boat for the afternoon dives. Here's hoping your Blue Hole dive is exciting like Chilly's and not boring like mine. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. >mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard >resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >no late morning dive. Instead we went to a nearby island with a >boobie bird and frigate park, and had a bbq on the beach. Nonetheless, God forbid I be the one to "call the dive" for everyone else by running "out of mix." Like I say, I'm sure I'd get through the deep part of it, but I'd be running dangerously close to below 500psi with a single AL80 on the shallow part of it later on, especially if the full run time is the standard 40min or so. Even in Palau last year, I was given a steel 100 with 32%. And on our dives in the keys, it was a Steel 120. Although, I do recall now having a conversation with the Peter Hughes rep for my district about this. IIRC, they will allow you to build doubles (if you bring all the hardware - bands, manifolds, double regs etc.). Either that, or you can bring your own pony if you can transport it (they claim it "very unlikely" that you'll find one available for rent locally). I'll verify with them again. ____________________________________________ Regards, Arnold mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Nonetheless, God forbid I be the one to "call the dive" for everyone else by running :"out of mix." Like I say, I'm sure I'd get through the deep part of it, but I'd be running :dangerously close to below 500psi with a single AL80 on the shallow part of it later on, :especially if the full run time is the standard 40min or so. Even in Palau last year, I was :given a steel 100 with 32%. And on our dives in the keys, it was a Steel 120. It's only the hole part of the dive that's done as a group. Once you're in the shallows your're on your own. You'll be fine. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. >:Nonetheless, God forbid I be the one to "call the dive" for everyone else by running >:"out of mix." Like I say, I'm sure I'd get through the deep part of it, but I'd be running [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >You'll be fine. Fair enough.... ____________________________________________ Regards, Arnold > Nonetheless, God forbid I be the one to "call the dive" for everyone else by running > "out of mix." Like I say, I'm sure I'd get through the deep part of it, but I'd be running > dangerously close to below 500psi with a single AL80 on the shallow part of it later on, > especially if the full run time is the standard 40min or so. Even in Palau last year, I was > given a steel 100 with 32%. And on our dives in the keys, it was a Steel 120. You might not want to get used to bigger tanks. They simply don't exist in many/most parts of the divable world. In Belize, it might be possible to rent them from a land-based operator. The Nekton Pilot carries 95s, but they don't do the Blue Hole. AFAIK, the Aggressor and Peter Hughes boats there, like Aggressors and Peter Hughes boats around the world, only carry 80s and if you're real brave, 63s. Dive boats in Maui routinely take people to 140' off the back wall of Molokini on AL80s. Plenty of people do 140' and deeper in Bonaire on AL80s. I'm not sure why doing the Blue Hole on an AL80 seems to stand out as such a big deal. >>Nonetheless, God forbid I be the one to "call the dive" for everyone else by running >>"out of mix." Like I say, I'm sure I'd get through the deep part of it, but I'd be running [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > possible to rent them from a land-based operator. The Nekton Pilot > carries 95s, but they don't do the Blue Hole. I did the Blue Hole with the NEkton in January 2002. It was a dive boat request. It wasn't that great AFAIK, the Aggressor > and Peter Hughes boats there, like Aggressors and Peter Hughes boats > around the world, only carry 80s and if you're real brave, 63s. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > AL80s. I'm not sure why doing the Blue Hole on an AL80 seems to stand > out as such a big deal. > You might not want to get used to bigger tanks. They simply don't exist > in many/most parts of the divable world. Agreed... Get used to AL80s and have a way to combine them for longer time (banded independents, stage bottles, etc)... They're what you're pretty safe in assuming that you are going to find no matter where you go, so if you base a solution on these, you're going to be the most flexible... SignatureSee NNTP header field "X-Real-Email-Address" to reply by email. > Although, I do recall now having a conversation with the Peter Hughes rep for my district > about this. IIRC, they will allow you to build doubles (if you bring all the hardware - > bands, manifolds, double regs etc.). Either that, or you can bring your own pony if you > can transport it (they claim it "very unlikely" that you'll find one available for rent locally). Unless it's a deco-oriented trip, I doubt they'd allow you to assemble doubles because the only point would be to break their rule against mandatory deco diving. At the least, I'm certain they would demand proof of technical certification. Also, you'd have to have a buddy. While PH now apparently allows solo diving off a couple of their boats per their website, I don't think they'd allow you to combine solo with a decompression obligation. The main thing is providing support for your safety. If a DM isn't willing to do the dive with you, allowing you to complete it on your own profile will at the very least endanger their schedule, but I'm sure they'd fear it would endanger a lot more and would find it a lot easier to just tell you "no". As for a pony, they will allow you to bring one for a redundant air source, but not to allow you to extend your dives. As a matter of fact, they stopping filling the pony of a diver on my Galapagos trip who was guilty of doing just that, his Extended Range certification and 600+ dives notwithstanding. The only liveaboard I've been on that allowed use of doubles on their standard itinerary was the Truk Odyssey. >Unless it's a deco-oriented trip, It is not.... >While PH now apparently allows solo diving off a couple of their boats >per their website, I don't think they'd allow you to combine solo with >a decompression obligation. I don't intend to. I simply want to have sufficient gas with me to get a decent dive in (ie. whatever their standard run time is) and not have to go back early and perhaps disappoint those with whom I'm diving. > If a DM isn't willing to do the dive with you, allowing >you to complete it on your own profile will at the very least endanger >their schedule, but I'm sure they'd fear it would endanger a lot more >and would find it a lot easier to just tell you "no". And if they do, then I'll just have to live within their policy. If that means I have to ascend early, then I ascend early. Maybe they'll get the message and try to accommodate me somehow. They will if they want that nice 10% tip on the night before departure! :-) >As for a pony, they will allow you to bring one for a redundant air >source, but not to allow you to extend your dives. As a matter of >fact, they stopping filling the pony of a diver on my Galapagos trip >who was guilty of doing just that, his Extended Range certification >and 600+ dives notwithstanding. Again, I don't plan to extend anything. I just want enough gas with me to get in a decent run time. I admire some of you that can go 1hr on a single AL80 and come back with > 500psi. I can't yet. I'm closer than I was 1yr ago, but not quite there. I know I can't on a "Blue Hole" type deep dive. I'd be much more comfortable with a bit more back gas. ____________________________________________ Regards, Arnold > I don't intend to. I simply want to have sufficient gas with me to get a > decent dive in (ie. whatever their standard run time is) and not have to > go back early and perhaps disappoint those with whom I'm diving. You don't always get that choice. The best solution is improve your gas consumption. Otherwise, stick to those dive ops that at least allow individual divers to ascend on their own, that don't demand a specific "buddy". Then no one cares too much if you abort twenty minutes before the rest (though they still might if the dive gets turned too quickly). On wall dives, you can certainly stay shallower than the rest of the group to buy some time. And while skip breathing is hardly recommended, it does work in a pinch. > And if they do, then I'll just have to live within their policy. If that means > I have to ascend early, then I ascend early. Maybe they'll get the message > and try to accommodate me somehow. They will if they want that nice 10% > tip on the night before departure! :-) Screw that. Follow their suggested profile and if you run out air, grab the DM's octo. That will definitely teach them a lesson. > Again, I don't plan to extend anything. I just want enough gas with me to > get in a decent run time. I admire some of you that can go 1hr on a single > AL80 and come back with > 500psi. I can't yet. I'm closer than I was 1yr > ago, but not quite there. I know I can't on a "Blue Hole" type deep dive. I'd > be much more comfortable with a bit more back gas. Your Blue Hole dive won't last an hour. But all the Belize reefs tend to be deep. That's why I appreciated the 95s on the Nekton. Otherwise there's no way I would have lasted an hour each dive, especially with the light current. Greg Mossman <mossman@qnet.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :You don't always get that choice. The best solution is improve your :gas consumption. Otherwise, stick to those dive ops that at least :allow individual divers to ascend on their own, that don't demand a :specific "buddy". Then no one cares too much if you abort twenty :minutes before the rest (though they still might if the dive gets :turned too quickly). He's on a Peter Hughes liveaboard. He'll be fine. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. >>Unless it's a deco-oriented trip, > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > not have to go back early and perhaps disappoint those with whom I'm > diving. I hear you loud and clear -- I was in a similar situation on a livaboard here in Oz -- actually contacted the office prior to arriving and discussed the problem. I went out and purchased soft bands specifically for the trip. (At home I dive with manifolded twins with SS bands, but I started with independents.) When I got on the boat the DM freaked and refused to allow any sort of twin cylinders. I was less than impressed. >> If a DM isn't willing to do the dive with you, allowing >>you to complete it on your own profile will at the very least [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > they'll get the message and try to accommodate me somehow. They will > if they want that nice 10% tip on the night before departure! :-) Well, it won't happen instantly, but I believe that you will notice that tropical diving is a *lot* easier than temperate diving. Another point, (and I'm willing to potentially embarrass myself here) is that really nailing neutral buoyancy makes a vast difference in gas consumption. In my open water course, the instructor kept us somewhat negatively buoyant so we didn't bounce all over the bay. And, with a background of swimming a lot (high school and university) I just automattically compensated for being negatively buoyant by adjusting my trim. Finally, after over 200 dives I'm learning what I should have learned at the start. Go to your intended maximum depth, get really neutrally buoyant -- then cruise around. What it does for air consumption is amazing. (OK, before someone else says it, Yes, I should have learnt this a l-o-n-g time ago.) But what I found was that my gas consumption dropped to about 60% of what it had been. (I won't quote numbers since I'm used to litres per minute and I'm not sure how to convert to the US system.) But I really reduced my gas usage. Note that, with a thin wetsuit or just a skinsuit, this whole neutral buoyancy exercise is a lot easier. Another point is that, if you are correctly neutrally buoyant, it is a lot easier to avoid crashing into the reef and damaging the coral. So it's a good thing all around. What you need is a buddy who is sufficiently relaxed to help you to relax and get to the point where you use less gas. Looking back at my 6 days on a livaboard, my dive times increased by over 50% from the start to the end, partially thanks to some of the people I dived with. When I got there, I had the idea, "I'm an air pig" idea firmly in my mind. By the end I wasn't so sure. And, a couple of weeks ago I did a dive (in 5-8 metres under a pier) with a consumption rate lower than I usually plan as a deco consumption rate. I'll say it again -- get really neutrally buoyant and watch your consumption drop. -Don (Let the abuse begin. But I've been as honest as I can be about my mistakes in the hope that others may learn from them. I'm a big boy, I can take it.) By the way, if you're interested, I've got a couple of photos up on my web page at http://www.cs.rmit.edu.au/~gingrich -- look at the bottom. >>As for a pony, they will allow you to bring one for a redundant air >>source, but not to allow you to extend your dives. As a matter of [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Arnold Don Gingrich <gingrich@cs.rmit.edu.au> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Let the abuse begin. Your mother was a hamster and your father smells of elderberries. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > Don Gingrich <gingrich@cs.rmit.edu.au> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: > > :Let the abuse begin. > > Your mother was a hamster and your father smells of elderberries. Since he's from Australia, wouldn't it be something like: "Your mother was a sheep and your father was a dingo" SignatureSee NNTP header field "X-Real-Email-Address" to reply by email. On Feb 24, 10:22 am, Grumman-581 <grumman581-usenet-2...@spambob.net> wrote: > > Don Gingrich <gingr...@cs.rmit.edu.au> pounded away at his keyboard > > resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > "Your mother was a sheep and your father was a dingo" "Your mother was a wallaby and your father smells of dingoberries" > On Feb 24, 10:22 am, Grumman-581 > <grumman581-usenet-2...@spambob.net> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > "Your mother was a wallaby and your father smells of dingoberries" Umm... I assume that this abuse applies to my countrymen as well??? -Don > > On Feb 24, 10:22 am, Grumman-581 > > <grumman581-usenet-2...@spambob.net> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Umm... I assume that this abuse applies to my countrymen as well??? Yes, but only if you accept the responsibility of handing out all of that abuse upon your countrymen :-) -hh > Umm... I assume that this abuse applies to my countrymen as well??? Well, you know what ya'll Aussies say... If the sheep fits, f.ck it... SignatureSee NNTP header field "X-Real-Email-Address" to reply by email. Don Gingrich <gingrich@cs.rmit.edu.au> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Umm... I assume that this abuse applies to my countrymen as well??? None of your countrymen requested abuse. Just you. Now go away or I shall taunt you, a second time. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > Don Gingrich <gingrich@cs.rmit.edu.au> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Dan Bracuk > Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. Sorry; I had to do it. ********************* You don't frighten us, English pig-dog! Go and boil your bottoms, son of a silly person. I blow my nose on you, so-called Arthur-king, you and your silly English K...kaniggets. I don't want to talk to you, no more, you empty-headed animal, food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. You mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries. Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time. Ha ha! Hello! Smelly English K...niggets ... and Monsieur Arthur King, who has the brain of a duck, you know. We French persons outwit you a second time, perfidious English mousedropping hoarders ... how you say: "Begorrah!" How you English say: I one more time, mac, I unclog my nose towards you, sons of a window-dresser, so, you think you could out-clever us French fellows with your silly knees-bent creeping about advancing behaviour. I wave my private parts at your aunties, you brightly-coloured, mealy-templed, cranberry-smelling, electric donkey-bottom biters. No chance, English bed-wetting types. We burst our pimples at you, and call your door-opening request a silly thing. You tiny-brained wipers of other people's bottoms! Yes, depart a lot at this time, and cut the approaching any more or we fire arrows into the tops of your heads and make castanets of your testicles already. And now remain gone, illegitimate-faced bugger-folk! And, if you think you got a nasty time this taunting, you ain't heard nothing yet, dappy k...niggets, and A. King Esquire. You couldn't catch clap in a brothel, silly English K...niggets ... *************** >> Don Gingrich <gingrich@cs.rmit.edu.au> pounded away at his keyboard >> resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >> >> Now go away or I shall taunt you, a second time. W-e-l-l... given that I' a US citizen, let the abuse spread. (Also an Australian - but that's irrelevant in the current context.) <ducks and runs> BTW, the abuse I was expecting involved admitting that I'd been a bit slow to recognise the extent of the benefits of neutral buoyancy. But telling about my experience was the only credible way to make the point. -Don > >> Don Gingrich <gingrich@cs.rmit.edu.au> pounded away at his keyboard > >> resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > neutral buoyancy. But telling about my experience was the > only credible way to make the point. European or Caspian? Don Gingrich <gingrich@cs.rmit.edu.au> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :BTW, the abuse I was expecting involved admitting that I'd :been a bit slow to recognise the extent of the benefits of :neutral buoyancy. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO-body expects the Spanish Inquisition. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: > > Here's hoping your Blue Hole dive is exciting like Chilly's and not > boring like mine. I hope that for you too! It's true it is not a long dive, nor is it a pretty coral dive . . but the magnificence of the stalactites, the history of the hole, both the geological and the diving history makes it a cool dive. But for me, it is really about the sharks. "Again, Again, I want to do it again!!!!!!!" I'm still saying that everytime I come out of the water at the Blue Hole dive. All that said, I haven't gone out to the Blue Hole lately. I'm spoiled now and won't go out on anything less than a Pro48. > Will the dive ops (eg. Peter Hughes) let you do that (ie. make a pair of > doubles)? I guess for a fee, they may, if it's not a liabilty risk to > them. Technically, you're not making "doubles", but rather a set of independents... You might still band them, but no manifold on them... Most of the time when I have 2 tanks on my back, I dive that way... Especially if I'm somewhere that I have to use AL80 rental tanks... It's probably easier to just sling an AL80 as a stage tank if you normally only dive with a single tank of back gas... The problem with a lot of these dives though is that they expect you to be back on the boat at a particular time, not necessarily when your tank is near empty... Personally, I figure that if I surface with more than 500 psi in my tank or without having to do at least a few minutes of deco on the way up, I didn't get my money's worth out of the dive... SignatureSee NNTP header field "X-Real-Email-Address" to reply by email. >> Will the dive ops (eg. Peter Hughes) let you do that (ie. make a pair of >> doubles)? I guess for a fee, they may, if it's not a liabilty risk to [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >though is that they expect you to be back on the boat at a particular >time, not necessarily when your tank is near empty... My concern would not be time so much as gas consumption at that depth. With a single AL80, I'd have enough to get down there and back up to say 50fsw to do the wall and the sharks, but would I have enough to finish the dive? I would with my trusty Steel 120 at full HP (3442), but I haven't done an AL80 in a long time. One option would be to carry my pony as I do for my GB boat dives. The difficulty there is transporting it to Beilze and back. We'll see. ____________________________________________ Regards, Arnold mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :My concern would not be time so much as gas consumption at that depth. :With a single AL80, I'd have enough to get down there and back up to say [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] : :We'll see. You worry too much. Plus, there is no wall. You go down the hole, hang about for a few minutes, come to the top, and finish your dive in 20 odd ft of water. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. >You worry too much. Plus, there is no wall. You go down the hole, >hang about for a few minutes, come to the top, and finish your dive in >20 odd ft of water. Hmmmmm. If that's the standard profile, then yeah, that would be a tad disappointing. ____________________________________________ Regards, Arnold mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Hmmmmm. If that's the standard profile, then yeah, that would be a tad :disappointing. Depends what you see when you are down there. Chilly said she had sharks. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Depends what you see when you are down there. Chilly said she had > sharks. Not only have I seen sharks every time, I've had a shark approach me. Cool, very cool. . > Not only have I seen sharks every time, I've had a shark approach me. > Cool, very cool. IMO its still a waste of time and gas. There are much, much nicer places within recreational diving limits to go where, if the sharks don't show up, at least there is something else to see. For spelothems, I'd rather do a cenote dive ... or a real cave dive. SignatureArt Greenberg artg at eclipse dot net > > Not only have I seen sharks every time, I've had a shark approach me. > > Cool, very cool. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > For spelothems, I'd rather do a cenote dive ... or a real cave dive. I've said it before and I'll say it again. To take the trip all the way to the Blue Hole, just to do a 130' standard recreational dive is definitely not worth the time and trouble. However, if one is going on the 3 tank day trip out to the Atolls and will be doing the two followup dives at Halfmoon Caye Wall and Aquarium, then it is a heavenly trip. Those two dives are world class. Throw in lunch on Halfmoon Caye, arguably one of the loveliest of islands and you've got yourself a very very nice way to spend a day. > >You worry too much. Plus, there is no wall. You go down the hole, > >hang about for a few minutes, come to the top, and finish your dive in > >20 odd ft of water. > > Hmmmmm. If that's the standard profile, then yeah, that would be a > tad disappointing. It is. Its a stoopid dive. If I ever found myself there again, I'd spend the time on the boat doing something more interesting ... like sleeping. When Tina and I did that dive off the Aggressor, the most interesting part was watching most of the other divers in the shallows doing the "mandatory extended safety stop" at the end of the dive. Talk about lack of buoyancy control .... SignatureArt Greenberg artg at eclipse dot net Art Greenberg <none@none.invalid> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :It is. Its a stoopid dive. If I ever found myself there again, I'd spend :the time on the boat doing something more interesting ... like sleeping. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] :"mandatory extended safety stop" at the end of the dive. Talk about lack :of buoyancy control .... If the boat's there anyhow, I'd go in the water. Then I'd lie to you about how good it was. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > Art Greenberg <n...@none.invalid> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > If the boat's there anyhow, I'd go in the water. Then I'd lie to you > about how good it was. Amazing how many whale sharks can fit in that cavern. Too bad your left your macro lens on or you could show him the pics. > If the boat's there anyhow, I'd go in the water. Then I'd lie to you > about how good it was. It's 450 ft deep... There's got to be *something* interesting around there to look at... Whether it is worth the boat ride out there is another question... Especially if they limit you to only diving to 130 ft... Make it a deco dive with double 120s and an AL80 stage and it might be worth it... I really suspect that the issue becomes whether it is worth the boat ride out there... If it was close to shore, it would be better... I guess we'll have to wait until the next Ice Age so that it'll both be a bit shallower plus closer to shore... <grin> SignatureSee NNTP header field "X-Real-Email-Address" to reply by email. > mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > You worry too much. Plus, there is no wall. Well, there's the wall of the hole. I call that a wall. > You go down the hole, > hang about for a few minutes, come to the top, and finish your dive in > 20 odd ft of water. the hanging about is swimming in and around the magnificent stalactites. And if you are really lucky, while doing the extended safety stop at 20 feet, you'll still be seeing lots of sharks. Cool, so cool. > Dan Bracuk > Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. Grumman-581 <grumman581-usenet-2008@spambob.net> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Technically, you're not making "doubles", but rather a set of :independents... You might still band them, but no manifold on them... Most [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] :do at least a few minutes of deco on the way up, I didn't get my money's :worth out of the dive... That's less of an issue on liveaboards where you can spend up to 5 hours a day in the water. More if you ask for a dawn dive. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > That's less of an issue on liveaboards where you can spend up to 5 hours a > day in the water. More if you ask for a dawn dive. Agreed... On an overnight trip to the rigs, Flower Gardens, and Stetsons Banks, I in the yellow on my dive computer on nearly every dive and I didn't do every dive that I could have... If I remember correctly, I had a mandatory deco of nearly an hour on the last dive of the trip when I tried to do a quick bounce dive... SignatureSee NNTP header field "X-Real-Email-Address" to reply by email. Star <lclee1@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :I, too, found the Blue Hole highly overrated. 130 ft for 10 minutes :on a single Al80 was stupid; next time I would at least take bands so :I can make a set of independent doubles, or sling an extra 80 as a :stage. To accomplish what? Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > Star <lcl...@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > To accomplish what? Probably to spend a bit more time actually seeing the formations, rather than simply punching the "I did the Blue Hole" ticket. Given what one can expect to find off of a generic diveboat/ liveaboard, I think that Independent doubles would be the way to go, with a loooong explanation in advance to the DM that you're interested in being first in / last out, and want to get in some extra photography @ depth and on the way back up...main goal is to assuage his fears, which would be that the real reason you're asking is because you instead intent to dive-bomb down to 200fsw, or something else grossly out of line with their customer hand-holding of a deep 'special' dive. -hh >> Star <lcl...@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: >> [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > -hh Just sling the extra 80, but tell the DM and or Captain your plans at the beginning of the week, at least then you have a chance to convince them you'll be safe, and demonstrate you can handle the configuration you plan to dive. John > > We are taking our first trip to Belize in the end of April and staying > > at Ramon's on Ambergris Caye. Since this is our first trip, I'd love [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > time was worth the trip. Just being out on the water in January (escape > from the cold) was worth the trip One of my finest days ever spent out at the Blue Hole, Halfmoon Caye, Halfmoon Caye Wall and the Aquarium, was during an April trip. I do believe that the whole day, i.e.: the BH dive, lunch on Halfmoon Caye, the follow-up dives and a few rum punches on the run back to Ambergris Caye, is one helluva great way to spend a day. As for Ramon's, you've already booked it, so go ahead and enjoy. I do hope that you have a beachfront unit. Oh, I'll just add this . . when you are on Halfmoon Caye for lunch and you go over to the booby bird sanctuary, do yourself a favor and return on the other side of the island instead of walking back the same way you got there. > We are taking our first trip to Belize in the end of April and staying > at Ramon's on Ambergris Caye. Since this is our first trip, I'd love > to hear from anyone that has stayed at Ramon's and can give us their > opinion of the resort and what to do/dive (Blue Hole already > planned). Thanks in advance for any help! Wait a week or so for chilly to get back from her latest dive trip then ask again. She's the local infosource on diving in Belize. JF On Feb 19, 7:01 am, muffinnman <muffinn...@aol.com> wrote: > >We are taking our first trip to Belize in the end of April and staying > at Ramon's on Ambergris Caye. Since this is our first trip, I'd love > to hear from anyone that has stayed at Ramon's and can give us their > opinion of the resort and what to do/dive (Blue Hole already >> planned). Thanks in advance for any help! >Wait a week or so for chilly to get back from her latest dive trip >then ask again. She's the local infosource on diving in Belize. Thanks John. I'm back!! Anyone interested, ask away!
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