AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Chat Area AC or elsewhere in Belize in August with 2 boys, scuba and snorkel

We are planning a Scuba trip this August and AC has been suggested. I have 2 boys, one 12 who is newly PADI certified. Any advis=ce on visiting and diving this time of year.
Thank You.

Hi

I consider August to be one of the best diving months we tend to have calm seas not too many people etc.

There may be the odd shower but they tend to move away quickly and the sun comes back out.

We have some great diving for all skill levels including a few excellent beginner sites very close to our resort that we are currently developing we already have thousands of fish there that meet the boat as it arrives at the site we also have several resident stingrays and an eagle ray that shows up and we can actually hand feed him however he is still a little shy and only shows when he feels like it.

We also have some intermediate sites that are perfect once your new diver has a check out under his belt.

Feel free to check my Dive resort www.playablancabelize.com where we focus on small groups of divers and a high level of personal service.

Belize is truly a wonderful destination with many exotic adventures above and below the water.

have a great time

Gaz Cooper
Gaz Cooper's DIVE BELIZE

Thanks for the info. Where are you located and are you connected with a resort or lodging.

Hi

I own my own small dive resort that you can check out at www.playablancabelize.com

everthing is here including accomodations dive shop right onsite we are located in a beautiful area north of town called Playa Blanca.

All the best

Gaz

Hi Toad (interesting name)

Fish feeding is a very controversial subject and I do not wish to get dragged into a heavy debate on the pro's and cons of fish feeding or shark feeding or any other feeding.

There are as many people pro, as there are against fishfeeding practices and I do not feel I have to defend anything when there are multitudes of experiences such as this all around the world.

My personal views as are 99.999% of operators here who do exactly the same as I do and visit such places as Hol-Chan and Shark Ray Alley and feed the fish is that as long as the fish are fed natural foods and not cheese whiz or bread etc I do not feel that it is detrimental to there well being, especially as they are in a protected area.

There are arguents that it is detrimental to the fish and where sharks are concerned the banning of shark feeding in Florida in my opinion is a travesty.

All evidence presented by the world diving community was blatantly ignored by a majority of Non diving lawmakers whom are ignorant where sharks are concerned and who still think that JAWS will attack them anytime they enter the water.

Maybe they should learn to dive and go on one of these Shark feeds and learn about the animal rather than condemn it through ignorance.

The thousands of divers whom have had the opportunity and privilage to dive with these magnificent creatures in an organized shark feed have had the opportunity to learn about there behaviour and learn't that they are not the rampant maneating monsters the media makes them out to be, they leave the dive wiser more educated and an Ambassador to protect the shark species from the indiscriminate massacre by the longliners and Asians whom are dessicrating the worlds Shark populations.

I have had been lucky enough in my diving career of being able to dive many of the Shark feeding dives including Nassau,Freeport,Walkers Caye and most recently Great white Sharks in S Africa, I have also had the pleasure of experiences natural Shark behaviour in the Cocos islands 360 miles offshore on the pacific side of Costa Rica, these waters are literally Shark Infested and no feeding of any kind (with the exception of watching them hunt) is done on this trip and all action is totally natural.

Which do I prefer

The Natural non feeding encounters of Cocos which is awesome and truly goes to show that you can swim in the middle of 500-1000 15ft Hammerhead sharks and not be in any danger.

The point of all this is while I had the luxury of going on a once of a lifetime adventure to learn about Sharks and there behaviours many other divers and non divers do not have that luxury but they still need to have the opportunity to learn that the Shark is an integral part of the Eco-System and an absolute necessity in our worlds oceans, it is with Shark feedings that people can get up close and see that these creatures are magnificent and not be feared but be understood.

I again reiterate it is a hugely controversial subject and a million people can come back at me and rip what I have said apart but then another million can come back and rip what they say apart so the best thing is to AGREE TO DISAGREE.

Dive Safe

All the best

Gaz Cooper
Gaz Cooper's DIVE BELIZE

Hi boysrus:

You might want to try Caye Caulker too. We are San Pedro's neighboring island, a little slower and half as expensive. We also have great diving here. In fact, my then-ten-year-old, but now eleven year old daughter was certified just last December.

Please visit this website for a brief internet tour of Caye Caulker www.cayecaulker.org.

Cheers,
Wendy