19 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Live Trip Update:

Hey everyone...we've all safely arrived and only one person had some bag issues but got everything the next day as expected. The new dive shop we are using was extremely kind and let her use gear without charging her.
And speaking of diving...its been GREAT!!!

The weather has been warm with only a little breeze. The water is 80-81 with the Blue Hole yesterday a crisp 78. However the boat ride was NOT breezy so everyone stayed warm. Sadly we had a few mechanical issues with our boat so we did a modified schedule at the Blue Hole and surrounding area and still made it back by 6pm including stops at Caye Caulker to pick up divers. Again our dive shop was great and stayed open for us so we could deposit gear back with them and deal with tanks etc.

We've been lionfish hunting with several new prototype spears and while we've been successful the lionfish problem is WELL UNDER CONTROL IN BELIZE!!! The dive guides here as so vigilant in hunting them that they are very scarce between 0-130. I am not sure how fast the fish population will respond but even at the Blue Hole I only killed 5 and Doug about 4-5 himself and we expected to see hundreds of them. I noticed when I cut the fins & spines off the lionfish that yellow tailed snapper were eating them.

We head up north today so hopefully will bag a numnber of lionfish we intend to eat New Year's Eve as our pre-party and then go have dinner at Crave and party at Fido's!

More later...just wanted to check in. Oh yes...my Christmas present is working really awesome so far! I am working on posting a few shots! Kamala

[ScubaSis]

Thanks for the report Kamala! Sounds like a wonderful time! Happy New Year to you!!

[georoc01]

This trip for me started with me leaving from South Florida on the morning of December 26th. Flight went fine (although getting to the Miami airport can be a bit stressful), and I took the next flight over from Belize City on Tropic Air. The attendant at Tropic air baggage claim called the Blue Tang Inn and they sent their driver. Within about 15 minutes I was at the inn. Turns out they had no room and I was in overflow next door at Paradise Villas. While not truely paradise, they were very nice, with a full kitchen, a bedroom with a queen size bed, and a living room with a futon couch. Very comfortable, and good air cond.

The Dive op, Reef Adventures, was very good. I did 9 dives with them over 4 days, and they made an effort to accomodate us. We had my first day in two trips to Belize with perfect dive conditions. The sea outside the barrier reef was perfectly calm and visiblity was Cozumel like. We did kill alot of lionfish on this trip. This was the first one however, I had ever seen where we could feed them to the nurse sharks off the speer.

Given I had a kitchen, I had breakfast in my room, costing me about $5 for the week. Lunches where split between Mathieu's bakery and Ambergis brewery. Both made good sandwiches for a reasonable price. Ate dinner at a variety of places, all were reasonable.

I didn't do the Blue Hole trip or the Nothern trip this year, so I will let others post about them.

Most of my diving lately has been in either Cozumel or Roatan, so working in Belize was a nice change. Looking forward to a chance to get back there again!

[WreckWench]

Glad you made it back safe and sound...sorry you had to leave on Dec 31st to be safe.

Actually several of our guests were upgraded to the condos as we maxed out the Blue Tang's room pretty early. And while the condos were nicer..it would have been great to have us all together. However they were just next door so a very short distance indeed.

And yes I have video of nursesharks swimming up to your spear looking for lionfish to eat off of it. In fact I even have video of them trying to eat an empty spear...

I recorded the videos in a new format so I could record longer so I need to figure out how to convert etc and upload but I will as soon as I can!

[Deepblue962]

Sounds awesome! Jealous here, back in cold Wintery Missouri. My gills are so dry.

Deepblue

[MNJoe]

Another Great Trip!!!!

Thanks Kamala and all of the people that do so much to make these trips work, but are behind the seens!!!! And thanks to everyone that went on this trip!!! It truly was a Great Group of People that got together for this Trip!!

Great Diving!! Doris, you are a Great Dive Buddy!! Doug, you are a Great Room Mate and Lion Fish Hunter!! Great Trip!! A Great Group of Divers!! I had a Great Week!!

I will have to sift through my pictures, but will post them later.

Keith

Edited by MNJoe, 04 January 2012 - 10:24 AM.

[Ariesno1]

It was a great week with fun people and enjoyable dives.

Thanks Keith, you are a great dive buddy yourself.

Amy,thanks again for cooking breakfast and letting me get into the shower first to warm up after the last dive of the day. You are a great roommate.

I miss Belize alrerady. It is cold here in D.C.

Doris

PS: pics will follow.

[AnemoneAmy]

I am back home and also had a fantastic week of diving with Kamala and crew. We definitely had fun as a group and my dive buddy Francis and roomie Doris were great! (Thanks buddies Keith and Doris on the last day!) Our "cabana boys" were all a great bunch of guys as well. Teamwork was very good and we all looked out for one another, which you don't get on a typical boat by yourself.

Highlights included a nice school of reef sharks at the Blue Hole, the "puppy"-like nurse sharks following us and begging for their lionfish Scoobie-snacks, and the amazing reef formations in San Pedro area. Lots of large sea fans, barrel sponges, and big dropoffs gave one a sense of flying over the Grand Canyon underwater.

We had a great fish fry at Ambergris Brewing Company to chow down on those invasive lionfish (Thanks Doug!) -- who knew lionfish was SO delicious? Even the non-spearfishers were into the action by the end of the week.

Our dive guides Michael, Ched, and Chucky were all great and worked with Kamala to provide everything we asked, and kudos and thanks again to Peter for being so helpful with the local area.


This was a trip that both seasoned and newer divers like me enjoyed. I'm sure many of us would rate the trip highly on the scale for adventure and exciting dives! It really has been a Happy New Year!



Congrats to Keith on dive 200 and Doris for dive 500! WOW!!!!

Edited by AnemoneAmy, 04 January 2012 - 01:25 PM.

[peterbj7]

It seems very quiet here now you've all gone...

[WreckWench]

It seems very quiet here now you've all gone...

Peter we miss you too! And Lady as well!

[WreckWench]

Here are some of my u/w shots...more are in the Gallery HERE!!!

Please post a few of your shots in the gallery!



We had LOTS of Rays...

[WreckWench]

And while not great pictures...the spotted eagle rays were magnifacient!

[Ariesno1]

I posted some pics as well. Did not feel like cleaning them up before posting

[WreckWench]

Great shots Doris! I really like the one of Tranquility Bay!

[scubaski]

Congratulation to 500 dives!! Love those spotted rays....Nice resort and UW phots, thanks.