AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize by District Belize District Looking for operators I have been told about.....

I was hoping to find out if some facilities I was told about were still up and running. The Blue Hole Dive Shop was one place. Rock's Inn and Ruby's Bed and Breakfast were the other places that were passed on to me....this was several years ago that this individual used these facilities.....

Do they still exist and any feedback is welcome. My wife and I are looking to visit in March\April for one or two weeks and I want to do double tank dive each morning and then just hang out and eat and read in the PM....

Any suggestions are also welcomed and appreciated....We are in our mid fifties if that helps with suggestions....Thanks

We don't mind walking and a facility with kitchen would be appreciated if possible...THanks Hector

Blue Hole Dive Shop closed somewhere around 5 years ago. Rock's Inn is now called Blue Tang Inn http://www.bluetanginn.com/index.php

Ruby's is still around but when I called to book for some friends last weekend they were only accepting walk-in bookings for some reason. //ambergriscaye.com/rubys/

The whole island has changed considerably in the last few years , for the better i think.
lots of new businesses. Much better services.

Who would you recommend for booking my diving with? I would like to dive every morning, a two tank dive, and occasionally an afternoon or evening dive. I would be looking to put together about a 15+ dive package for the 9 days we would be there. Thanks for any help with this Elbert. I am trying to get my plane booking for the 28th of March to the 9th of April.
I would also like to access 100cubic ft tanks versus 80's...I have a 130 but don't really want to bring it unless I can't get the 100's.
Hector Pothier

Any number of operators can do that for you. You'll find it reasonably easy to get 100's so long as you arrange it beforehand. You won't find anyone renting 130's. Besides, do you really need such large tanks? Most people can do one of the "standard" dives here on an 80 and have plenty of air left at the end.

I think it's nice to use a dive operator that's local and within walking distance, even though most will pick you up by boat.

From your thread it seems you also want advice on an hotel. Is that correct? If so, what sort of place would you like, how near to/far from town, full catered hotel vs. condo, price range...?

Dive with the best: http://scubalessonsbelize.com/

Hector
You may be surprised at how diving is done here - I was when I first came here from California. I was used to going in the water with my dive buddy and going off in what ever direcion we choose, then returning to the beach of boat.
I have not found any dive operator here who does that. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. We have a five to ten minute ride to the other side of the reef, enter the water and go down as a group and follow the dive master as he leads us. Most dives are for 45 minutes which includes a three minute safety stop.
We do 45 minutes to an hour surface interval and repeat the process.
On the first dive we may descend to 80' or so then work our way back up. Most of the life is between 40 and 60 feet. Safe diving calls for us to, on our second dive, not descent lower than our deepest depth of the first dive.

That being said, I have occasionally been allowed to "stay behind the group" if I have something particularly interesting to photograph.

I'm sure we are all curious about why you want a large tank. Unless you are a gulper or hot dogger a 80 psi tank lasts the dive with plenty to spare.

Hector
Harriette gave a perfect description of the local diving you dive as a group, its very easy diving: typically first dive is about 80 feet then you go back to land for your 45-60 minute surface interval then its back out for your 2nd dive to probably no more than 60 feet and about an hour later you are back on land.
Most of the local dives are drift dives in finger canyons. Most of the time they will tie up to a buoy (depending on actual dive site) so you have a line to do your descent (if you need it) and then the boat will follow you along and pick you up at the end of the dive.
Tanks are filled to over 3000 and they will want you to ascent before you get to 600. A normal size tank gives you plenty of air for the 45 min dive (unless of course you are a gulper).

There are some very good dive operators on the Island..my personal favorite is Amigos Del Mar , Elbert also runs a very good operation (Jesse gave you the link earlier)

Colin

Good little map of the islands sites
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_88j5Da_5fWs/SYCZ3eHCHRI/AAAAAAAAAvI/Gos1n-F-Yho/s1600-h/ajusted+map.gif

Swanno,
Believe it or not, I also am a fan of Amigos Del Mar.
I book them exclusive for all my Blue Hole and Turneffe Elbow trips.They have the largest Boat in town, its new and operated by a professional crew. I wouldn't suggest doing the Blue Hole Trip any other way.
My shop does local diving and were good at that. :-)