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Was wondering about the experience needed
for diving the blue hole. I just received
my cert this past Sept in Cabo and I really
would like to dive the BH.
Any suggestions? Also My friend is a non-diver
is there any place that we can both dive/snorkel
at the same place?

Throw out the C-card and the required cash and you're good to go. Not much experience is required, it's the CA$H that counts...

I don't recommend the Blue Hole trip to inexperienced divers. Please note the sarcasm in Idaho's post. Yes, there will be operators willing to take you if you wish to go. However, *you* should not waste your money on it at this point. It is deep, it is dark and it is scary for a newbie. You will be paying a lot of money for not much.

Once you are much more experienced and comfortable diving, then do the Blue Hole, you will find that you will enjoy it a great deal more, you'll see a lot more and it will have been money well spent.

i agree totally. get some experience first. i really enjoyed snorkeling the blue hole as the divers went down, that was a few years ago before i got a few dives under my belt.

I have 50+ dives in now, and i still won't dive the blue hole. i'm sure i COULD, but i'd rather be totally comfortable and very experienced first. things can and do go wrong occasionally.

Well put Seashell & Marty,
It never ceases to amaze me how dive operators will take newbies or anyone else who is not certified to go below the 60' level to do a deep, or dangerous dive.

Now I have only read about the Blue Hole - about the depth, the sharks and the cavern type atmosphere with limited overhead access to the surface.
While I have advanced open water and nitrox certification and around 60 dives under my belt, I find the dive information on the Blue Hole to be a little intimidating.

There have been some very experienced divers who have not returned from this dive (NEVER FOUND THE BODIES). An encounter with wild life can cause a "newbie" (or anyone) to panic and if they are put into a circumstance they have not been trained to deal with they may "doomed". Personally I don't want to be on a dive with anyone not qualified for the dve - it puts everyone in the group at risk.

Marty's right get some experience first, then get your advanced certification, then you won't have to ask about "the experience needed" - if you have to ask you shouldn't do it.

This is only my opinion - I COULD BE RIGHT!

The Shark

Thank you all for your replys. It made me think
ALOT !!!!
I will wait until I get more dives under my
belt. Hay Snorkel Will do. I can still say
I was in the BLUE HOLE !!!! Right.
Thanks again all !!!!

I've been in the Blue Hole 6 times or something like that. The first time was pretty scary but thrilling none the less. I had around 50 dives or more at the time but did have my Advanced certificate. I have considerably more dives now. The last few times in the Hole have been the most enjoyable because I am so comfortable, have complete control over my bouyancy, am so comfortable in the water that I can look around and be amazed instead of just worrying about my skills.

Seashell, That was a bit sarcastic wasn't it, and I meant it to be. For your info your most favorite dive shop 'Amigos del Mar' will take out a newbie that just finished their dive training, one who just got their C-card hot off the press machine. Fact is, we went out with several of them on our trip out to the BH, had to save one of them on a different dive because she run out of air at our safety stop. That dive only went down to 90', can't imagine what would have happened had we went to 140'. Also there is much more to deep diving than 'controlling your buoyancy' how about carefully monitoring your depth gauge/computer, spg, air consumption... have you ever noticed yourself being 'narked' out? Or have watched other people who are overtaken from nitrogen narcosis... But I tell you Seashell, it's nice to see a few folks here will admit that the BH is not for a newbie...

Yes, Idaho, I am aware that Amigos is as guilty as all the other operators in that regard. I have also reported here on this very board and more than once, my displeasure with that practice.

By the way, and as you well know, I am very aware that there is more to it than bouyancy control, however, I didn't feel that it was necessary to give the OW course here to make my point.

Fortunately, we have you with us for that. It is always such a pleasant addition to the board, when you deign to join us here. (how's that for sarcasm?)

the snorkeling in the blue hole is really great. incredible diversity