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Posted By: Gillsidots Diving/Flying - 11/05/01 09:04 PM
Hello, all. We are in the process of planning out our first trip to Belize (25 days and counting!) We would like to start off with some diving in AC before heading to the interior, but have heard that there is a "wait time" between flying and diving. The advice we are getting on this is across the board - must wait 1 day after flight, must wait 48 hours, only applies to diving first, then flying. Can anyone help to clear this up?
Posted By: diveron Re: Diving/Flying - 11/05/01 10:46 PM
I don't if there is a problem with diving after flying as long as you are rested and well hydrayted. After diving you should wait 24 hours before flying.Some will tell you 12 hours is sufficient, and it may be, but I prefer to play it safe. Hope this helps.

Dive safe,

Ron

[This message has been edited by diveron (edited 11-05-2001).]
Posted By: ScubaLdy Re: Diving/Flying - 11/05/01 11:09 PM
Ron is right. However, by the time you arrive you will not be in good condition for diving. Most flights get in late afternoon and it will be almost diner time by the time you get to A/C. Better to visit a few dive shops, decided who to dive with the next morning and get a good nights sleep. Unfortunately, nobody seems in a hurry to get in the water early (like in the South Pacific). My experience that, other than trips out to the atolls, most boats leave the docks about 9:00 A.M.
Posted By: seashell Re: Diving/Flying - 11/06/01 10:49 AM
If you are well rested and not dehydrated and have not had any alcoholic drinks on the plane, there is not reason that you could not dive as soon as you can get into the water. However, as Scubalady pointed out, it could be hard for you to get into the water your first day. If you are only going to be doing 2 dives a day and just for a couple of days at that, then 12 hours should be sufficient to wait before flying. Do you dive a computer? Your computer should give you a calculation unless it is just a 24 hour clock countdown. Are you in good physical condition? Will you be doing non-aggressive dives? If so, you shouldn't need to worry about waiting longer than 12 hours.
Posted By: Gaz Cooper Re: Diving/Flying - 11/06/01 03:38 PM
Hi

There are no requirments to diving immediatley after flying and this is possible, but as others have indicated it is not really feasible upon arrival on Ambergris.

If you arrive on the Taca flight which lands in belize at 9.30am you would be on island in time for the 2pm dive departure, other than that it would not work.

Flying after diving is another matter though and the Flying after diving procedures are as follows (they change frequently so chekc with Padi for confirmation)

Any day of diving within normal diving limits WAIT 12 HOURS (I still suggest 24 hours but 12 is the number the agencies give)

Any consecutive day of diving meaning more than 1 ie 2,3, or 4 days diving(WAIT 24HRS)

As an instructor it is my opinion that a good 24hrs is always a good safety idea.

After working in the chamber a few years ago the biggest problem I saw was dehydration which caused 95% of diving problems, keep this in mind and ensure you drink plenty of water and non citric juices such as apple and melon.

The water here is not enough on its own and not many people know this but it is reverse osmosis desalinated purified water and not good at replenishing the lost salts and minerals lost due to sweat.

What this means is it has absolutely no minerals or electrolytes in it whatsover and is really useless for rehydrating and replenishing lost salts due to persperation etc, therefore it has to be supplemented with Gatorade or another Juice.

A good rule of thumb when diving to see if you are dehydrated is the following

When you go to the bathroom to pee pee if its anything other than clear like water you are dehydrated and need to drink more fluids.

All the best

Dive Safe

Gaz
Playa Blanca Beach Resort www.divebelize.com
Posted By: Gillsidots Re: Diving/Flying - 11/06/01 10:49 PM
Good advice all, thanks!
Seashell, I am about to show my ignorance - what is a dive computer? We are in good shape, but are probably going to be doing non-aggressive, I would guess, since we have never been on a dive before. I am hoping we can still go pretty deep, but am not sure what the instructors will allow without certification. We plan to dive for two days at the beginning of the trip, but will have 8 days after in Cayo and (hopefully) Placentia doing other activities before we fly home.
Posted By: diveron Re: Diving/Flying - 11/07/01 01:23 AM
You will be diving no deeper than 60' I hope!!! I believe that is the max depth for a Resort Course Diver. Stay level with or slightly above your Instructor at all times. Please take Scuba Diving seriously, I'ts easy yes, but also dangerous even at shallow depths. I'm not trying to scare you, just don't take anything your Instructor says lightly
Posted By: seashell Re: Diving/Flying - 11/07/01 08:12 AM
Gaz can answer better but I believe the Resort Course depth to be 40 feet. That said, I was quite appalled on my last trip to SP to find myself on 80' Atoll dives with Resort Course divers.

Very, very simplistically, a dive computer is a tiny computer that goes in the water with you and keeps track of how deep you've gone, how long you've been under and how fast you are returning to the surface.

You won't need to worry about having a computer since you are only taking resort dives.
Posted By: KC Re: Diving/Flying - 11/07/01 03:43 PM
Gaz, That is interesting about the water... Does this apply to the bottled water available on AC alsO? (Desalinated... no minerals, etc?)

Thanks!
Kathy
Posted By: Mike and Daphne Ryan Re: Diving/Flying - 11/07/01 04:53 PM
KC --

I wonder about the rain water that fills our cisterns at the villas. We should get that checked by a lab. Maybe we will do that when we are down there in Jan.

Michael
Posted By: KC Re: Diving/Flying - 11/07/01 05:32 PM
Michael,
We have one of those refrigerated bottled water dispensers with the five-gallon bottles at Villa del Sol. The cistern water is perfectly fine as drinking water, but I prefer bottled water even in the States, and this way is a lot cheaper than buying those little bottles.

I was wondering about the bottled water as far as minerals/salts, etc., as Gaz pointed out.

Kathy
Posted By: seashell Re: Diving/Flying - 11/08/01 06:03 AM
I always drink a lot of soda water while I'm there too. I've even gone so far as to have friends tell the fellow at the pink supermarket (can't think of the name just now) that I'm coming so that he can stock up on Club Soda for me.
Posted By: Gaz Cooper Re: Diving/Flying - 11/08/01 02:34 PM
Hi Guys

Correct the bottled water sold in stores here that is any reverse osmosis or desalinated water is of no use in rehydrating the body.

Of course bottled MINERAL WATER such as EVIAN and the like are fine as is filtered rainwater which does have the minerals etc in them.

Soda's are not an option for hydration either as they are considered a diruetic and thats the reason why we do not provide sodas on our boats. (Club soda water is fine but I presume it is the same desalinated water just carbonated since it is made by the same manufacturer.)

The best scenario is to mix a concentrate with the desalinated water or drink non citric juices when diving such as apple, watermelon, and the like or filtered rainwater.

Dive Safe

Gaz
Playa Blanca Beach Resort www.playablancabelize.com www.divebelize.com
Posted By: KC Re: Diving/Flying - 11/08/01 06:17 PM
That's very interesting... and I had no idea! I thought water was water.

Kathy
Posted By: seashell Re: Diving/Flying - 11/08/01 06:55 PM
Oh dear! Gaz is that also true of the Canada Dry Club Soda? Surely not.

I can see what you are saying though about the clear bottles with the red and white labels.

So how about powdered Gator-aide?
Posted By: Gaz Cooper Re: Diving/Flying - 11/08/01 07:21 PM
Don't know about specific brands but gatorade in any form is excellent for replenishing the salts and minerals lost

regards

Gaz
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