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#165791 07/26/04 12:53 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
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I am planning to be in San Pedro on Nov. 19th and have been looking at the the different dive sites. I especially want to dive in the Blue Hole but I'm a bit apprehensive due to such depths of 155ft. and also shark feedings on request. I am a certified diver with about 48 dives but I want to hear from someone that has done it. Any comments? confused

#165792 07/26/04 07:41 PM
Joined: May 2002
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kicks ass....

#165793 07/26/04 11:38 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 63
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You should really get your advanced certification if you haven't already done so. If not I would not worry about a thing as all dives in Belize are guided (by law) and you won't get anywhere near 120ft. Though the Blue Hole is a must dive, upgrading to one of the Atolls dives is strongly recommended (great reefs). I may sound like an expert but I'll be diving BZE for the first time in October. Ive done my homework (I think...).

#165794 07/27/04 12:22 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,880
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Slim, did you mean Scubacat won't get anywhere near 120'? The stalactites are at 130' approx. Maybe you meant to type 150', as Scubacat had 155', in the original post?

To Scubacat, go up to the search feature up on the right under the words "add topic" "reply" and plug in Blue Hole. You'll get a bunch of posts. Some of us were just talking about it this past week as well.


A fish and a bird can fall in love, but where will they build their nest?

#165795 07/27/04 12:40 AM
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 63
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Well as far as I know recreational diving ends at 130 ft. Period. I've dove The Diane and The Bibb in the FL Keys where the floor is at 120/130ft. almost no one touches the sand as all that does is kill your bottom time. Instead we dive the decks at between 70 and and 105 ft. Help we out someone! Although I would love to see 130' no dive operator in his right mind would let the group anywhere past 110 feet. May be I'm wrong and if I am please let me know and I will certainly bring my backup dive computer with me.

#165796 07/27/04 03:24 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,880
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Sorry to say, you are wrong Slim. You've got to control you own buoyancy as you descend. The floor is more than 400' below and you don't wanna go that deep. smile You want to level off at around 130', swim in and out of the stalactites for a bit, watch for sharks, and then after a short bottom time, begin your slow ascent with the group. There's a long safety stop before final ascent to surface.


A fish and a bird can fall in love, but where will they build their nest?

#165797 07/27/04 08:10 AM
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 25
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Seashell - you know your stuff. Yes, I have done extensive research on the Blue Hole and the fun begins below 130' which I've done in the Maldives when my dive team were doing their advanced dive course and they allowed me to go with them. I understand the descent must be fast and bottom time wold only be 10-15mins due to depth and slow ascend with stops in between to release nitrogen. I am pretty excited and anxious at the same time as I have read in many of the books I've done research in that this is a technical dive and not for everyone - let alone having a divemaster chum sharks - I don't very much like that idea.

Thanks so much for your advice and I will continue to read some more - I can't wait to meet all the wonderful underwater creatures and see the beautiful colors of the reefs.

Thanks again!
:p

#165798 07/27/04 03:07 PM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 29
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Our family of 4 dove the Bluehole in June 2004. We were diving with Ramon's diveshop. I believe they use Amigos del Mar divemasters for that trip. There were 2 that accompanied us on our dive. My daughter (20) and I had no desire to do the Bluehole, but decidied since we were in Belize we had better do it! I like to dive shallow where the light shows off the pretty fish smile Hubby and son (17) are always up for caves, dark, and large creatures. The Bluehole turned out to be one of my most memorable dives ever!!! I am so glad that I didn't miss it. We dove at 140 feet. My husband dove the Bluehole 5 years ago and was ho-hum about it. They did not see sharks. Apparently because so many dive shops do shark feeds in there now, the chances are high that sharks will be around. A nice narc buzz helped calm the fleeing instinct that comes from being surrounded by sharks. I remember seeing them everywhere...above, below and to the side...close. They were 8-10 feet in length. Hubby counted 16 but dive master confirmed that there were over 25 in our near proximity. It was quite a rush. I was mesmorized in a narcosis sort of way by 2 bull sharks below me and didn't realize that I dropped to 150 feet...the dive master was quick to pull me up and kept a good eye on everyone. It is easy to just keep going deeper! The additional dives done that day were outstanding...clear and lots of pretty fish smile Diving from San Pedro is only fair, but diving farther out was exceptional! Enjoy your trip. Thanks, Kathy

#165799 07/27/04 04:14 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,880
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chattykathy, good story! Thanks for sharing.

On the other hand, I was surprised to see you describe the diving from San Pedro as only fair. Makes me wonder what sites Ramon's got you out to while you were there. Sure, the fish don't show up on every dive, but there are some dive sites there that are pretty reliable and even if I don't see rays, nurse sharks and turtles, I'll still see a plethora of reef fish. Some of the corals, hard and soft are amazing and the little critters that you really have to keep your eyes peeled for are great. (flamingo tongues, Pederson cleaning shrimp, etc) I also really enjoy passing over the finger formations. Down one chute, up another, then across. Watch the sand chutes below you, sometimes you'll see free swimming morays and other large fishies. Tell you DM to slow the heck down, so a person can take a look around once in a while. wink

Yeah, it's not Sipadan/Mabul, but it still can be some pretty nice diving. smile


A fish and a bird can fall in love, but where will they build their nest?

#165800 07/27/04 05:50 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 790
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chattykathy, that is a very cool story. WOW. I would love to have been there right next to you on that day. mobunny cool

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