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Scuba Forum / Scuba Locations / February 2006best part of Belize to dive?
I'm heading to Belize in March and was wondering if anyone here can recommend a good spot to dive the "2nd Largest Reef in the World" (tm) ? Preferably less touristy! Thanks, Peter  Signaturefiddlewidawiddum > I'm heading to Belize in March and was wondering if anyone here can > recommend a good spot to dive the "2nd Largest Reef in the World" (tm) ? > > Preferably less touristy! You want a goos spot to dive the "2nd Largest Reef in the World" (tm)"? What do you mean? You want to know one good site on the reef? You want to know where to stay? Do you care how far you are by boat from that site on the reef? Do you care about your acco or the price? Do you care about the dive op? > Thanks, > Peter You are welcome. Glad to help. > I'm heading to Belize in March and was wondering if anyone here can > recommend a good spot to dive the "2nd Largest Reef in the World" (tm) ? I thought the 2nd largest was the Palancar in Cozumel. Take a liveaboard and dive the outer reefs (Lighthouse Reef), and dive the biggest Blue Hole in the world, and other sites around. :-) Just finished crossing from the fjords of NZ to Hobart, Tasmania. No diving, and the only souvenir I bought in Hobart was a monthly calendar featuring some chubby, old wimmin of Tasmania. Several of the pix are in http://baretobedifferent.com.au -- Bob. >> I'm heading to Belize in March and was wondering if anyone here can >> recommend a good spot to dive the "2nd Largest Reef in the World" (tm) ? [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Take a liveaboard and dive the outer reefs (Lighthouse Reef), and dive > the biggest Blue Hole in the world, and other sites around. :-) hmm... might jes do that... ya I dunno if it's the 2nd largest reef, that's what I read in lonely planet :) Signaturefiddlewidawiddum > >> I'm heading to Belize in March and was wondering if anyone here can > >> recommend a good spot to dive the "2nd Largest Reef in the World" (tm) ? [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > hmm... might jes do that... ya I dunno if it's the 2nd largest reef, > that's what I read in lonely planet :) It is and you can read that most anywhere. For example, just last night, I read in my Paul Humann Coral Identification book. And you can read it here: http://wonderclub.com/WorldWonders/BelizeHistory.html http://www.coralcay.org/science/belize.php http://www.earthdive.com/front_end/home/ecoregion_9.asp (see second last paragraph) http://gomexico.about.com/cs/belize/a/belize.htm http://www.unep-wcmc.org/index.html?http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/reef.htm~main http://www.belizediscover.com/Belize_diving.htm All that said, it should be noted that the Belize Barrier Reef, is a part of the Meso-American Barrier Reef system, the world's second-largest barrier reef which stretches more than 450 miles from Cancun to Honduras (the majority of which lies just off of the country of Belize). Here's a map of the reef area: http://www.mbrs.org.bz/english/map_of_project_area.htm >> I'm heading to Belize in March and was wondering if anyone here can >> recommend a good spot to dive the "2nd Largest Reef in the World" (tm) ? > >I thought the 2nd largest was the Palancar in Cozumel. The Great Barrier Reef is supposed to be the largest reef and the Belize Barrier Reef is the largest in the Atlantic and the second largest in the world. It is 620 miles long, and I think the north end is contiguous with the reefs off Cozumel and the south end with Honduras. >Take a liveaboard and dive the outer reefs (Lighthouse Reef), and dive >the biggest Blue Hole in the world, and other sites around. :-) [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >-- Bob. >> I'm heading to Belize in March and was wondering if anyone here can >> recommend a good spot to dive the "2nd Largest Reef in the World" (tm) ? [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > -- Bob. Best part to dive: Tackle box canyons and related tunnels - north about a mile from the canyons. Stay in Ambergris Caye. Take a day trip if you must to the Blue Hole so you can say you have been there. It's a one time trip - you won't repeat it. But you will repeat the canyons. Fantastic. >>> I'm heading to Belize in March and was wondering if anyone here can >>> recommend a good spot to dive the "2nd Largest Reef in the World" (tm) ? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > one time trip - you won't repeat it. But you will repeat the canyons. > Fantastic. looks good. I'll check them out. cheers! Signaturefiddlewidawiddum But you didn't cite anything I wrote. > > Best part to dive: Tackle box canyons and related tunnels - north about > > a mile from the canyons. Stay in Ambergris Caye. If that were true, the Belize liveaboards would have stopped there EN ROUTE to the Lighthouse and Outer Reefs. > >Take a day trip if > > you must to the Blue Hole so you can say you have been there. It's a > > one time trip - you won't repeat it. But you will repeat the canyons. > > Fantastic. The Blue Hole is hardly the only attraction in the Outer Reefs, compared to Ambergris Cayne. while it is true the Belize Blue Hole is mostly a one-time thing, but that's mostly because the liveaboard restricts the divers to 130 fsw which was where you can hardly see the stalactite formation as you could at 150 fsw or deeper into the Hole. I dived that Blue Hole 4 times, for lack of anything else to do during that dive from a liveaboard (both the Aggressor and the Peter Hughe's). -- Bob. > But you didn't cite anything I wrote. >>> Best part to dive: Tackle box canyons and related tunnels - north about [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > -- Bob. I have been to 150 +/- feet to see the stalactite's (and the sharks for that matter) and the mini-caves. One time thing. Sure there are other great spots in the outer reefs (Turneffe Islands, etc.), but the reefs just off Ambergris Caye will give any first time diver to the region a great feel for what Belize diving is about - and you will return time and time again inexpensively. I would stay at the lIghthouse Reef Resort. In my opinion it's the best in Belize. It's remote, has really nice dive spots and it's near the Blue Hole. The resort is dive dedicated and just great > > But you didn't cite anything I wrote. > >>> Best part to dive: Tackle box canyons and related tunnels - north about [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > diver to the region a great feel for what Belize diving is about - and > you will return time and time again inexpensively. > I would stay at the lIghthouse Reef Resort. In my opinion it's the > best in Belize. It's remote, has really nice dive spots and it's near > the Blue Hole. > The resort is dive dedicated and just great I'm guessing that there ain't much to do out there besides dive. If that's the case, why would the Lighthouse Reef Resort be preferable to a liveaboard? >> I would stay at the lIghthouse Reef Resort. In my opinion it's the >> best in Belize. It's remote, has really nice dive spots and it's near [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > the case, why would the Lighthouse Reef Resort be preferable to a > liveaboard? It's less likely capsize or sink? >>> I would stay at the lIghthouse Reef Resort. In my opinion it's the >>> best in Belize. It's remote, has really nice dive spots and it's near [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > It's less likely capsize or sink? And holds still even in a storm . . . usually. Lee >>>> I would stay at the lIghthouse Reef Resort. In my opinion it's the >>>> best in Belize. It's remote, has really nice dive spots and it's near [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >And holds still even in a storm . . . usually. And you can walk around without having to hold onto something. Probably less crowded bunking. grandma Rosalie Rosalie B. <gmbeasley@mindspring.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Probably less crowded bunking. Not necessarily. Nekton has much roomier beds than a couple of motels I have stayed at. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. >> I would stay at the lIghthouse Reef Resort. In my opinion it's the >> best in Belize. It's remote, has really nice dive spots and it's near >> the Blue Hole. >> The resort is dive dedicated and just great > I'm guessing that there ain't much to do out there besides dive. If > that's the case, why would the Lighthouse Reef Resort be preferable to a > liveaboard? Shore diving? Unlimited use of showers? The ability to drive to someplace that does have something other than diving to do (I assume)? I like liveaboard diving OK, but I usually prefer land based accommodations. That may be because I can do liveaboard trips on my own boat. Lee > Shore diving? Doesn't compare to boat diving the same reef, unless one really likes surface swims and sand in his gear. Even in Bonaire, boat diving the sites can be preferable since you don't have to worry about your stuff getting stolen. > Unlimited use of showers? I've never been on a liveaboard that didn't. The good ones have warm showers w/shampoo placed right at the ladders so you can have your suit off and be clean within a few minutes of your ascent. And they hand you a warm towel. > The ability to drive to someplace that does have something other than > diving to do (I assume)? Drive from Lighthouse Reef? Here's a picture: http://www.lighthousereefresort.com/ Do you see any bridges? According to the website, this is what you can do when you're not diving: "We welcome non-diver friends and family too! The water is warm, clear and calm. Guests enjoy snorkeling and swimming and revel in the enchanted marine life. There are plenty of hammocks to enjoy a good book; kayaks to explore lagoons; and jungle areas to photograph sea birds and tropical flowers. Saltwater fly fish (permit, tarpon, and bone) or catch a fish for dinner. Our cook loves to cook fresh fish! Or...... just do nothing." So you can sit in a hammock, crawl around in the jungle, or . . . just do nothing. Meanwhile you're getting eaten by bugs. Belize is a malarial country and that lush atoll jungle looked mighty buggy to me. In any case, it's a moot point for now. The website also notes that the place is closed until 2008 for rebuilding. In Belizean time, that's more like 2010. See you there in a few years. I'll be the one mooning you from the liveaboard moored offshore. > I like liveaboard diving OK, but I usually prefer land based > accommodations. That may be because I can do liveaboard trips on my own > boat. Give me a holler next time you're taking your boat down to Belize, after you get a water maker that allows for unlimited showers. "Lee Bell" <pleebell2@bellsouth.net> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Unlimited use of showers? That has never been an issue on any liveaboard I have been on. And I've been on a dozen and a half or or so. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. |
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