cubbiegirlem
Contributor
I am making a return trip to Ambergris Caye this year and am considering diving the blue hole. I fell in love with scuba during a discover scuba course in Belize last February, and I have not stopped diving ever since. In the last 6 months, I have my AOW, have logged 30 dives and I expect to log another 15-20 before my trip to Belize. (I am going on a 10-day dive trip and I have several local dives planned throughout the summer.)
Now I know, I know... You're going to tell me not to dive the blue hole. And I may not. Rest assured it is not a decision I will make without thinking it through. My buddy and I are going on another dive trip first with an instructor we trust, who may also be offering a deep cert on the trip, so we'll consider our experience and talk to her before making our decision. I'll meticulously read all the (numerous) threads on here about the GBH, even though I already know what the majority advice will be. But if I DO ultimately decide to go, I want to make sure I go with the best and safest.
So the advice I need is: IF I do go to the BH, which dive op should I use? I will watch my computer like a hawk, I refuse to exceed 130 ft or extend bottom time and go into deco, I have a buddy who agrees, and we will thumb the dive if either of us feels uncomfortable. But I've read stories on here about dive shops refusing to let you seperate from the group, pressuring you to go into deco/dive to 150, and otherwise eschewing safety concerns. If I do dive the blue hole, I don't want to end up with a DM who I feel is unsafe. Even if everything goes according to plan, I want my buddy and I to feel free to thumb the dive at any time or stop at a shallower depth (together, or course) if either of us is uncomfortable even if the rest of the group moves on. I know there are at least a few people on here who have had enjoyable GBH experiences, so which dive ops have you used that you'd recommend? (Even if I don't dive the GBH, I'm still going diving this trip, so the advice will be helpful regardless, but I want to make sure I'm at least looking at shops that offer GBH trips... Of course maybe they all do?) I did my discovery scuba course with Chuck and Robbies, and I felt comfortable with the instructor, but they're not coming up on the PADI website search. (Anyone know what's up with that? They were a PADI shop when I was there...)
Thanks in advance for your comments.
---------- Post added August 21st, 2013 at 04:26 PM ----------
As an additional note, we have means to splurge on a reputable op (though not a private trip), and definitely would like to avoid a cattle car.
Now I know, I know... You're going to tell me not to dive the blue hole. And I may not. Rest assured it is not a decision I will make without thinking it through. My buddy and I are going on another dive trip first with an instructor we trust, who may also be offering a deep cert on the trip, so we'll consider our experience and talk to her before making our decision. I'll meticulously read all the (numerous) threads on here about the GBH, even though I already know what the majority advice will be. But if I DO ultimately decide to go, I want to make sure I go with the best and safest.
So the advice I need is: IF I do go to the BH, which dive op should I use? I will watch my computer like a hawk, I refuse to exceed 130 ft or extend bottom time and go into deco, I have a buddy who agrees, and we will thumb the dive if either of us feels uncomfortable. But I've read stories on here about dive shops refusing to let you seperate from the group, pressuring you to go into deco/dive to 150, and otherwise eschewing safety concerns. If I do dive the blue hole, I don't want to end up with a DM who I feel is unsafe. Even if everything goes according to plan, I want my buddy and I to feel free to thumb the dive at any time or stop at a shallower depth (together, or course) if either of us is uncomfortable even if the rest of the group moves on. I know there are at least a few people on here who have had enjoyable GBH experiences, so which dive ops have you used that you'd recommend? (Even if I don't dive the GBH, I'm still going diving this trip, so the advice will be helpful regardless, but I want to make sure I'm at least looking at shops that offer GBH trips... Of course maybe they all do?) I did my discovery scuba course with Chuck and Robbies, and I felt comfortable with the instructor, but they're not coming up on the PADI website search. (Anyone know what's up with that? They were a PADI shop when I was there...)
Thanks in advance for your comments.
---------- Post added August 21st, 2013 at 04:26 PM ----------
As an additional note, we have means to splurge on a reputable op (though not a private trip), and definitely would like to avoid a cattle car.