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Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Boat Captain

The morning had been delightful. My nap had been enjoyable and now it was time to get to work. Eager to finally have a chance to see the reef and go for a swim I quickly booked the trip, tried on my fins and snorkel and then made my way down to the boat. The captain and guide (pictured above) quickly appeared, jumped in the boat, introduced himself and then we were off. As luck had it the trip only had a total of 3 people booked on it and after a brief detour down the coast to pick up the other two we were skipping across the surf towards the reef.

Hol Chan Snorkeling Crew

As we made our way towards the reef and Hol Chan Marine Reserve I quickly got acquainted with the other two people on the trip – Mannie and Catherine. We shared the usual details, made sure we had sunscreen on, and then set to putting on our gear – just as we arrived at the Hol Chan Reserve.

The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is part of the Belize Barrier Reef, which in turn is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The Mesoamerican reef is the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world. Second only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The Belize Barrier Reef itself is home to more than 100 species of coral and a wealth of marine species. The Hol Chan or “little channel” in Mayan is a break in the reef that serves as a major gathering point for marine life.

The following video has a mixture of video from both Hol Chan and the 2nd stop along our trip – Shark Ray Alley:

As we jumped into the shallow water we kept in mind the requests our guide had made – don’t touch the coral. Don’t chase sea turtles and above all don’t stand on the reef.

Before long we were snorkeling along as our guide pointed out various interesting fish popping his head above the water just long enough to call out the name of the animal or coral we were looking at. It was incredible. The fish were relatively tame and prolific. The coral was vibrant and diverse and the water was crystal clear and as warm as bath water.

As we snorkeled along we encountered hundreds of fish, a nurse shark and even a small sea turtle…and then as quickly as it had begun it was back into the boat and off to the next destination.

Snorkeling with Sharks at Shark Ray Alley Belize

Shark Ray Alley

As we hooked the anchor rope and tied up to the buoy we quickly realized that a greeting party was already eagerly waiting for us. Our hosts? A group some 10 or so nurse sharks ranging between some 4 and 6 feet in length. As we pulled on our snorkeling gear and paused for a quick photo or two our guide chuckled at our slight anxiety encouraging us to jump in and join our surprisingly gentle hosts. Eager to oblige I paused just long enough to snap this photo before slipping over the side…careful to make sure I didn’t land on one of the sharks.

Snorkeling in Shark Ray Alley Belize

It was an exhilarating experience. Despite the knowledge that nurse sharks are largely harmless, and that these were basically pets – it was still enough to get my heart racing. I was doing it – one of my main goals for the trip: to swim with sharks. It was every bit as enjoyable as I had hoped. The sharks were gorgeous, friendly and at times nearly within reach.

I quickly realized that the sharks had a system. Drawn by the sound of the boat’s engines they’d approach, spend several minutes circling and waiting for chump or bits of food used to bait them in by guides, and then as the food supply dried up or failed to appear would move on to the next boat to arrive.

The sharks were anything but alone though! Our guide pointed out boundaries for us and then set us free to wander at will. As I snorkeled along enjoying the reef, vibrant colors of the reef fish and incredible mixture of large schools of fish, small solo fish and large predatory fish I could not help but smile. No small task since the smile inevitably broke the seal on my snorkel and flooded my mouth with saltwater.

Large schools of large yellow tailed jacks and permit followed the Shark’s lead as they schooled in the shade the boats created. All the while I dove, barrel rolled and floated along the barrier reef. Truly, it is a must see stop along any trip through Belize.

San Pedro Sunset from Boat

Tired, thirsty and with pruning hands we made our way back to the boat and prepared for the quick (albeit windy) ride back to San Pedro.

Sunset in San Pedro

As the sun slipped away and the evening settled in I paused briefly on the dock to reflect. Enjoying the sunset and letting the richness of the experiences i’d enjoyed over the last 24 hours sink in. Truly, it had been an incredible day.

VirtualWayfarer.com


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Why Mexico Rocks Is A Snorkel Favorite from San Pedro Town

The east coast of Ambergris Caye is blessed with heavenly snorkeling and diving sites that attract thousands of visitors every year, considering the island is Belize’s most visited destination in the country. With the Hol Chan Marine Reserve to the south, there is another stunning area heading north filled with spectacular marine life and coral reefs. This is the unmistakable Mexico Rocks, a favorite place for snorkelers and divers just learning to dive. Undoubtedly, it’s an attraction in Belize to explore: here’s what to know about making the San Pedro snorkel favorite, Mexico Rocks.�

How to get there.�

The site is very popular, therefore the majority of tour companies on Ambergris Caye offer daily tours either in the morning or afternoon. And interestingly, tours leave either by sailboat or speedboat; you’ll be picked up from your hotel or any public dock on the island. Although scenic, it only takes about 15 minutes to Mexico Rocks from San Pedro Town, and a tour typically lasts about three hours.

Average prices start at US$45 with a US$10 entrance fee to the marine reserve. Some day trips in bigger vessels offer different packages which come with a higher price; water and refreshments are included.�

What to expect on the tour.�

On the tour, there’s more than one section to explore. The first stop at Mexico Rocks to snorkel or dive is about 45 minutes before heading to stop number two, commonly known as Tres Cocos. You’ll spend another 45 minutes alongside an abundance of healthy marine life like starfish, lobsters, eels, turtles, spotted eagle rays, and reef fish. This range of rock formation spans 10 to 12 feet off Ambergris Caye’s north coast and is filled with elkhorn and staghorn corals. Notably, these two species are very important to the Belize Barrier Reef System (BBRRS), given elkhorn is considered a reef-building coral in the Caribbean. .�

What to bring.�

Don’t forget your change of clothes if you are just snorkeling, although a swimsuit is ideal with a rash guard highly recommended for maximum sun protection too. If you opt for sunscreen instead, make sure to use an environmentally-friendly one. And because you’re guaranteed marine life, b ring your underwater camera to capture those memories of a lifetime. The tour is available year-round unless the weather is bad. On marine tours, the maximum capacity is 8 guests.�

It should be noted that since 2015, Mexico Rocks has been part of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. This beautiful protected area now forms part of Hol Chan's Zone G, designated as a General Use Area for snorkeling and diving. Ready to jump in and experience why Mexico Rocks is a snorkel favorite from San Pedro Town? Discover it for yourself with a local operator.


Diving Belize's Hol Chan Marine Reserve with Manatees

Underwater videographer Michael Davis of Discover Belize Now had an amazing time filming underwater this week. He took to diving at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve off San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, just before the weather conditions went downhill as tropical depression two made its way over Belize. He was able to capture this amazing video footage of a rich and active marine life in the reserve. He even caught a family of manatees passing through the reserve.

Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Spent the day at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize. Snorkeled with manatee, turtles, moray eels, sharks, rays, and too many fish to name. Brilliant.


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

Hol Chan Marine Reserve, with Manatee

Local Dive and Snorkel Combo. Amazing marine life and on this dive we were fortunate to encounter a family of manatee.

Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Video: Snorkeling Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Snorkeling in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve off Ambergris Caye provides a view healthy coral reefs that provide habitat to a variety of marine life. While snorkeling Hol Chan, you may encounter sea turtles, southern stingrays, spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks and small reef fish.

This video of Hol Chan snorkeling was shot with the Nikon AW100


Hol Chan Marine Reserve Ambergris Caye Belize Dive 2014


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Snorkeling in Hol Chan, Belize

Hol Chan Marine Reserve is off the coast near San Pedro, Belize. The reef became a reserve in the late 1980′s and is now a flourishing ecosystem of colorful coral and various species of aquatic wildlife. In fact, thanks to conservation efforts snorkeling Hol Chan is like swimming in an aquarium.

Snorkeling Hol Chan

During our two-hour snorkeling trip in August we saw barracuda, sting ray and even a turtle! We’ve snorkeled in Bali, Exuma and The Florida Keys and Hol Chan is my favorite because of what you are about to see…

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Snorkeling Hol Chan Grouper

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Snorkeling Hol Chan

We gave it a big thumbs up!

Snorkeling Hol Chan

Booking snorkeling tours in easy. We recommend advance booking between November and late April as this is high season. Otherwise, you can likely wait until you are in the country as we did. Happy Exploring!

Source


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This is what I'm talking about. Perfect........


Namiste/Have a blessed day
Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Video: Ambergris Caye - Belize, Snorkeling at Shark Ray Alley


Hol Chan & Shark Ray Alley Snorkeling

In Belize for Danny and Joy's wedding and had the chance to do some amazing snorkeling!


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Belize Scuba Diving Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley

Belize has some of the best scuba diving in the world! This footage was taken with my GoPro Hero3+ at Shark Ray Alley and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. We dove to an average depth of 60 feet and the coral and fish are breathtaking. Thank you to Chuck and Robbie's Dive Shop in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, for such a great time.


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