DIVE TOURS

Southern Barrier Reef

Departure time: 8:00AM
Approx. return time: 1:00 PM
Number of dives: Two
Snorkeling: Yes

These trips explore areas from just north of Tobacco Caye to a cut five miles south of South Water Caye called Grand Channel. The trip out to the Barrier Reef is ten miles and it takes 30-40 minutes to get to the first dive site.

The pristine southern section of the Barrier Reef sees few divers and is typically a wall dive that is interspersed with sand channels and spur and groove sections. With literally dozens of dive sites the Divemasters will show you a wide variety of this area.

You will rarely dive the same site twice. You may often see turtles, moray eels, barracuda, king mackerel, eagle rays, southern stingrays, as well as several shark species. Divers have seen Manta Rays, Hammerhead Sharks, Jew Fish and Dolphins up close during Barrier Reef dives. Some typical dive sites include Jason's Wall, the Aquarium, South Cut, Carrie Bow Ridges, South Water Wall, Trick Ridge, Hell Hole, Little Blue Hole and The Abyss. On these trips you may stop by a "postcard" coral isle, such as Tobacco Caye or South Water Caye, perched right on the Barrier Reef.

Glovers Reef Atoll

Departure time: 7:30AM
Approx. return time: 4:00 PM
Number of dives: Three
Snorkeling: No

This remote island group probably best shows the incredible diversity and pure diving potential that Belize has to offer. You'll be sixteen miles out past the barrier reef which takes just over one hour to the first dive site.

If visibility is good you may get the opportunity to dive "The Pinnacles" which has big coral heads rising up 40 feet or more from the bottom. Your second and third dives are on the East side of the Atoll where the water depth quickly drops off to more than 2000 feet and visibility is usually over 100 feet. You'll dive several sites on this side of the Atoll and always dive Long Caye Wall; a world class dive that is always memorable. You'll drop onto a big field of bright white sand at 40 feet, home to southern stingrays and garden eels. While descending you can spot eels slowly dropping into their holes. As you approach the wall running the length of the sandy area it looks like the coral is growing out of the sand bottom in big chunks.

Just as you crest the wall the sand appears to be running like small rivers down through the coral into mini canyons. With the usual 100+ feet visibility the view down the wall gives the impression of limitless space. In reality, the wall is a 2000+ foot drop-off into the deep blue. Follow the top of the wall and explore the sand channels exploding with fish and marine life.

Turneffe Island Atoll

Departure time: 7:30AM
Approx. return time: 4:00 PM
Number of dives: Three
Snorkeling: No

This 3 tank trip heads northeast cruising past remote fishing camps and idyllic cayes before punching out of the protective Barrier Reef for a short crossing to Turneffe Atoll.

Our first dive is one of Belize's most famous dive sites, "The Elbow." This has a convergence of several ocean currents passing by several canyon-type formations. Here we may swim through enormous schools of horse-eye jacks, Atlantic Spadefish, snappers and permit, as well as see sharks, turtles and eagle rays! During surface intervals we go into the sheltered lagoon surrounded by mangrove islands. On the next two dives you experience sheer walls for which Turneffe is famous. It is common to see moray eels, turtles, rays, big barrel sponges and large coral formations while drifting along over the edge of the abyss.

We usually end our trip with the shipwreck site Sayonara. It is a broken wreck sitting at less than 60 feet depth on top of a steep wall. This site has a proliferation of fish and big coral formations including swim-throughs.