Diving the Atolls

Turneffe and Lighthouse Reef are two of the Atolls of Belize. When you dive off Ambergris Caye, you dive into deep spur-and-groove canyons. It's very different at Turneffe and Lighthouse Reef. When you dive the Atolls, you dive some of the most pristine walls in the Caribbean. These walls start very shallow at just 25-35 ft. Because more sunlight filters through at shallow depths, the marine life there is abundant and the colours are vivid. There is less diving pressure on Turneffe and Lighthouse Reef because they're not so close at hand. The coral and sponges are in an almost virgin state. We have had many divers tell us that the diving at these two atolls surpassed anything they've seen in the Caribbean!

Often the waters off Ambergris Caye can be too rough to dive safely. When the wind is blowing more than 15 knots from the east, most dive shops cancel their outside-the-reef dives, leaving on one or two shallow dives possible inside the reef. Turneffe and Lighthouse have dozens of sheltered brilliant dive sites, and the water is CALM. I'll say that again. Turneffe and Lighthouse give you access to sheltered CALM water. Don't let your vacation get "blown away". Dive the atolls.

The Great Blue Hole is a dive for Certified Divers who are comfortable in the water. You don't have to be Advanced; just a competent comfortable Certified diver. We would like it if you have dived recently. The Great Blue Hole is a deep dive to 130 feet. We don't go that deep for nothing. At around 110-115 feet we find huge stalactites, some of them 30-40' long and 5-10' in diameter. It is an incredible experience discovering these geological behemoths, and may of our guests have come away awestruck. Words will simply not do here, this is a dive that must be taken to understand.

Sandbore Caye is located at the Northern end of Lighthouse Reef. This picturesque little island covers about 25 acres and offers sheltered anchorage for vessels visiting the area. There's a fully-functioning solar powered lighthouse which towers 100' above the island... and guests can climb and enjoy the view of the entire Lighthouse Reef and the Caribbean from the top. Sandbore Caye is populated by the lighthouse keeper and his family. There are plenty of palm trees and white sandy beaches, with great snorkeling off the west point of the island. A wonderful place to spend the night and only rivaled by Half Moon Caye for pure romance!

Half Moon Caye At the southern end of Lighthouse Reef, Half Moon is home to 4000 red footed Booby birds, and hundreds of Frigate birds. The island and the surrounding waters are completely protected by law. You can't take anything from the island, except trash, and even then check to see if that soft drink can has become home to some small creature before bagging it.

There's an observation platform in the middle of the bird sanctuary, and in the spring you'll see the fluffy Booby Bird chicks that seem larger than their parents! Bird enthusiasts will enjoy dozens of other species that inhabit the sanctuary. Bring your binoculars!

Besides birds, Half Moon Caye is home to huge hermit crabs that scuttle around the underbrush. Don't worry, they're quite timid and keep to themselves. For a demonstration of animal camouflage, try to spot the iguanas lying stock still in the branches of the ziricote trees. Some reach five feet in length, but they are quite harmless.

Half Moon Caye has two distinct areas. The western side consists of dense ziricote and gumbo forest. This is the main animal/bird sanctuary and covers 30 acres. The other 16 acres has wide open sandy beaches scattered with palm trees. Half Moon Caye is the perfect stopover for honeymooners - it's hard to believe there could be a more romantic place on earth!

The FUN stuff! Here are some dives and trips we're offering now!

[One Day Trips on the Blue Hole Express ]

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