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#38687 05/05/01 09:19 PM
Joined: May 2000
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We hate to start a new thread about this, but we found this board so informative when we planned our first trip(of many,we hope)to AC,that we had to have our say.We have relied on message boards for many of the trips we have taken, however,you have to put everything you read into perspective. We feel that Idaho was only stating his point of view,i.e.,one from a diver who had been many places and found AC to be lacking FOR HIM. If others don't agreee, and they had a better experience,all the better. We do not snorkel or dive, as we have said before,but vacation for the sun,ocean,reading,peace and quiet, and hopefully wonderful native people to talk to and get a feel for their native land.We have never been disappointed. Whatever information we glean from message boards we take with a grain of salt,as everybody has different ideas regarding what they are looking for on vacation.For us, we totally disregard any info about the diving, as we just don't do it.In Idaho's situation, it sounds as if he read that the diving was "all that and more", yet found it lacking FOR HIM. So be it. Let it go, already! We are all different, and we all want different things from a vacation..we see this on all the message boards we visit. So,take what is said with a grain of salt,go and see for yourself.We had some negative comments about Elvi's steaks(a place everyone loves);they were horrible and tough,but the service was top notch.However, it was only one small aspect (one meal of many)of our trip.If you go to AC totally for the diving,and you find it lacking, we can see Idaho's point of view. We have always found the readers and those who contribute to this board to be the nicest and most friendly of any..so stop the Idaho bashing,please.Let him speak his mind. He continues to follow the board, so he must have had somewhat of a good time.We only hope that Idaho was able to embrace,even for one morning or evening, the spectacular sunrises/sunsets, and also revel in the peace and tranquility that we found on AC. Peace, folks!


Mary and Scott
#38688 05/06/01 01:15 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 955
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I have been selling diving vacations to Ambergris for close to 10 years and Idahos experience is unfortunate but a common mistake made by experienced divers and travel agents and wholesalers.

There are a hell of a lot more inexperinced divers that frequent the message board and those divers who rave about the diving on Ambergris rave because they think the diving is great and to them it is, however it is my experience that a well travelled seasoned diver may have the same thought process as Idaho and be a little disapointed with the diving on Ambergris.

Prior to selling a dive trip to someone I first try to gauge what type of experince the diver has, and also what they are looking for from there vacation.

If the diver like Idaho is an experienced well travelled and is visiting SPECIFICALLY TO dive the best belize has to offer then i will not reccomend Ambergris, I will reccomend a liveabord out at one of the Atolls, I am then guaranteed that the experienced diver will have a great time and the diving will be above there expectations.

Of course by going on a liveaboard all you do is dive dive dive and thats fine for someone looking for that.

If the experinced diver has a non diver companion or is looking to do some other things than just diving them Ambergris is perfect as it affords nice diving with easy access to the Atolls and has many choices of restaurants, shops, trips into the mainland for the day etc.

So basically the key is for the experienced diver is to determine who is rving about the diving and gauge there diving experince and look for answers from other experinced divers who have previously visited, a good resource for you Idaho is www.scubadiving.com, the message board there is frequented by some very experinced divers and you will be able to get a true report of diving destinations from across the world.

You will find they say the same thing as I am about Ambergris but you will also find some GREAT trip reports from divers who have dove with me who are also very experienced divers

Ambergris has some great diving and I can make any diver even the experinced one go back with positive comments on the diving from Ambergris there are more than enough good sites for 5 days diving if an effort is made.

regards

Gaz
Gaz Cooper's DIVE BELIZE www.divebelize.com

#38689 05/06/01 01:41 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,976
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Thanks GAZ--- Great Info...

Hey email me.. Got Questions... Thanks, Rick

#38690 05/06/01 05:29 AM
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Gaz, Your link to 'www.scubadiving.com' does not work. It seems to indicate the Rodale's scubadiving board, does it? If it does I go there also and many other boards. I also subscribe to many dive mags. with 'Undercurrent' being the latest. I agree with the problem as you suggested 'the travel agents and wholesalers' as most don't have a clue about diving, as I ask if they dive or been there, and most of the time they don't dive or not even been there, its just a job to them. I also wonder about all the stuff in 'The Travelin' Divers Chapbook' published by Undercurrent, a non-advertising publication, only supported by the subscribers. If you are not aware of the chapbook it is a book about other divers who subscribe and tell their tales about all the places all over the world. The problem I find with their publication is the publisher says he reads and edits every comment, does that mean he only corrects spelling, grammar? I only hope so, but who really knows? So my best resource is the bulletin boards on the internet, but I'm finding that is very inaccurate also.
You say, "Prior to selling a dive trip to someone I first try to gauge what type of experience the diver has, and also what they are looking for from there vacation."
With that, where would that put us, I've been diving for about 15 yrs and have logged several hundred dives, max depth 165' , several deco dives, tot a camera every time I dive, the daughter age 13 (she says almost 14) at the time has two trips under her belt and many local dives, about 40 total (also our black water would test most clear water divers). Would you put us on a boat full of newbies because of my daughter lack of ocean experience? Or would you take us to the more advanced, better sites and let me take her under my wing? As I mentioned in one of my posts someplace here, I was in Coz in Oct. and was in a boat with a guy who just got certified, first ocean dives (I guess a cert. is a license to die if you want to) he was a newbie sporting a video camera and wanted to go to devils throat, a 135ft dive, 40 min. bottom time (yes it did put the wife and I in a deco dive, I was in a deco mode before I got back to a 100ft), first dive of the day, second dive after a 1.5 hr surface interval we made a second dive, but the newbie decided to chase a ray to 120ft. What a idiot I thought. So, how do you determine who goes where? I'm sure you have seen all the crumpled coral and idiot divers that you can stand, so what do you do? As I said in my trip report their were newbies onboard and we were trying for the blue hole. But did not make it due to rough seas, one gal ran out of air on a 85 to 90ft dive, hell who knows what would happen if she made it to 130ft. plus at the blue hole.

Mary and Scott, You are right about taking things with a grain of salt. I would just like to know why we can't believe people, are most telling the truth? Or is it their first impression of their first trip abroad? (I know my first ocean dive will never be duplicated) I believe most post a lot of bull. As to why I come back here, it should be quite obvious, I want to see who wants to trash me, but you know by now, I don't mind stirring the pot. As many don't mind trying to get me pi## off. But to answer a question for you, no I did not care for the local food, Do you want me to start another trip report about the food there? I think not.




[This message has been edited by Idaho_diver (edited 05-06-2001).]

#38691 05/06/01 09:32 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,677
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Great points made by all. This kind of points out the value of a board like this. We can't believe the magazines, as it seems like only the positive articles make the cut. The ads do the same thing. Expectations are built on these things, and it is much more informative to take the word of someone who has been there and done that. One thing that should be made clear is, if something sucks (an opinion), why does it suck? What were the circumstances? Was this an isolated occasion? Experience is the greatest teacher. If something negative is reported enough times, it will change.


Been there, done that, the washing machine ate the T-shirt
#38692 05/06/01 11:07 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 955
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Hi Adaho

You ask what I would of done with you and this is it

I would of recommended based on your experience and diving requirements NOT to visit Ambergris Caye but to put you and your daughter on the belize Agressor or The Wavedancer.

The weather then would not have been an issue as the big boats are able to dive the lee sides of Turneffe and Lighthouse reef whatever the weather you would have calm diving.

The diving from the big boats would be up to your expectations and would be perfect for your daughter as most sites start at 25-30ft and thats the top of the walls and the diving is awesome, if you did not like the diving at Ligthouse reef its time to hang up the fins.

You will find that the reports you find in undercurrent and the like are individual persons experiences and everyone is different, I can take divers to the same site and have TOTAL opposite opinions on how good the site was from 2 different divers one would say it was crap and the other would think it was his best dive ever.

You mention your first dive was memorable I guarantee if you dove that same site today you would probably think it was aweful due to your now vast diving experience.

I have many thousands of dives under my belt and I have dove many places around the world and even if I get to a destination and I dive I never compare to a past visited dive destination as i would never enjoy any dive again, you have to take the destiantion for what it is and make the best of it, every destination has a uniqness.

Ambergris has some dive and animal life experinces that you cannot find anywhere else in the world it is unique destination but again its not for everyone.

Dive Safe

Gaz
Gaz Cooper's DIVE BELIZE www.divebelize.com

#38693 05/06/01 12:18 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,976
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well said Gaz!!! in all reality...One CHOOSES how they will experience situations, and what they allow themselves to retain from those....peace be with you. And no, we don't want another thread w/your perceptions of food on AC....unless you choose. I still wonder why you don't focus on places you like and help people on those message boards make good choices?? we all know now your feelings on AC...thanks for your input....C

#38694 05/06/01 08:07 PM
Joined: May 2000
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Well,Idaho,we are certainly not going to try to P### you off,as it seems you make an effort to look for any opportunity and jump on it. We were very serious in our post,and were indeed sorry that you had received such negativity.However,our intended attempt at letting you know we understood how you felt was met with a rather sarcastice remark about not liking the food either,which we did not ask about on this post.Rather, we asked if you had a chance to enjoy the tranquility of the island and the sunrises and/or sunsets.But,since you already stated you did not enjoy the food either,please don't bother starting another thread.We get the point that AC was a total waste of time and money for you.At this point,we agree that you should find another board where you can regale others with your diving expertise(which we do not doubt,we are just tired of reading about it).Otherwise, we would suggest to all that we just ignore you and maybe you will go away.


Mary and Scott
#38695 05/06/01 10:34 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
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oh thank you, haven't laughed for days...Rick kept making me hold back LOL just makes ya wonder??? BEAUTIFULLY said. C Ditto on the sunrises/sunsets

[This message has been edited by rickcheri (edited 05-06-2001).]

#38696 05/07/01 08:08 PM
Joined: May 2000
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Rickcheri...thanks! Now we can get on to more important things,and try to help others who are REALLY interested in the great aspects of AC. Thanks again for making us laugh!


Mary and Scott
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