Highlights of scuba diving Belize from the Aggressor Fleet's Sun Dancer II (now the Aggressor Belize IV). 27 dives on Lighthouse Reef, Turneffe Atol, Half moon Caye and other dive sites.
Featuring Open Water Diver Certification dives and the Lionfish Divas. With the most awesome dive team Island Divers Belize!
Marine life highlights: Diving The Aquarium Belize
Scuba diving a swim through tunnel at Punta Arena Canyons Belize
Scuba diving in Belize with Chuck and Robbie's acting as the dive operator. Giovanni, in the baseball cap, was out dive master. He took us through a tunnel on our descent down to our max depth at 100 feet.
More about Punta Arena Canyons
Also known as Small Cut, the Punta Arena Canyons are famous for their tunnels, which are covered in brilliant red algae growth. The reef begins sixty feet beneath the surface here, and is covered in splendid gorgonians, some of which are very large. Stands of elkhorn and staghorn coral, swirling heads of lettuce coral, and beautiful specimens of brain and star coral can be found, all with small crabs, shrimp, fairy basslets and wrasse in attendance.
As you make your way through these magnificent canyons with their vertical walls, you'll find the most popular swim through of all, which has a triangular opening. Approximately seventy feet long, it exits at a depth of 100 feet, and inside, you can experience complete darkness if you turn out your light for a moment. You can come back through the tunnel if you like, or you can make your way back up to the reef top along the wall, which is covered in soft corals, sea fans, and sponges. Along the way, watch for Nassau groupers and pompano, spadefish, jacks, and some large pairs of angelfish.
Featuring guest divers Tamara and Scott with Island Divers Team. Guest divers are advised to "not" touch or handle the sharks unless under the guidance of the divemaster. You can help with our efforts to create awareness of reef conservation and preservation.
Noone will argue that its OK to touch the marine life or corals while diving or snorkeling the reef. Any trained guide knows not to do this for a number of really good reasons. When asked why they do it, San Pedro Tour Guides will answer its to entertain the tourist and entertaining the tourist gets more tips. That tells me the most powerful influence can be an educated public that shames the Tour Guide and doesn't reinforce the negative behavior with tips.
Not reinforcing negative behavior includes not posting videos of said behavior or, at the very least, providing a disclaimer that the practice is wrong and not condoned. Obviously, Island Divers endorses the practice and concerned divers should go to other providers for their tours.
You and I have just done that, however Island Divers is no different in this respect than any other dive operation on the island, including mine and a more effective approach IMHO is to educate the tourist (we're doing that right here)and discourage tipping the Guides. As for posting the video, well it just afforded us the opportunity to speak out, didn't it.
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