April Fantasy Lake Cert. Dive and Belize Blue Hole

[NCSCUBADOOBA]

Hello there!
I'm new here and just about finished becoming SSI certified. I was wondering if anyone has gotten their certification dive at Fantasy Lake in Rolesville, NC in April? I am nervous about how cold it will be and just wondered I'm going through Gypsy Divers and love them!!!

Also, I'm making a trip to Belize in May for a Blue Hole Dive. Anyone done it??? I'd love to hear stories and see pics.

Angela

 

[kb2ehj]

Hi Angela,

I was already certifed by the time I moved here and started diving Fantasy Lake, however I have around 90 dives logged in that quarry todate. Most of which were helping students when I was going for my Dive Master cert.

I checked my log and although I don't have any April dives I do have a bunch of May dives. What I saw was temperatures between 55 and low 60's. I suspect Gypsy will have you wearing wet suits, 3mm should be fine in that temp of water.

Viz will probably be still very good in April, by middle of summer it will turn to almost zip because of the algee blooms.

Good luck

Mark Wright
PADI Dive Master

 

[Damselfish]

Hello there!
I'm new here and just about finished becoming SSI certified. I was wondering if anyone has gotten their certification dive at Fantasy Lake in Rolesville, NC in April? I am nervous about how cold it will be and just wondered I'm going through Gypsy Divers and love them!!!

Also, I'm making a trip to Belize in May for a Blue Hole Dive. Anyone done it??? I'd love to hear stories and see pics.

Angela

Hopefully you're going to Belize for more than the Blue Hole, there's plenty of nice diving there. As far as BH, some people think it is cool, but others (myself included) think it's overhyped and weren't all that impressed - a "been there done that" sort of dive. If you're doing it from land (rather than a liveaboard) it's a long trip for a short dive, though the other diving out there is very good. Also, this is a deep dive with no bottom, for all practical purposes. Although most of the operators will take anyone that pays, it may not be the best choice for a new OW diver, for which most agencies recommend limiting your depths to 60 ft.

 

[Bratface]

I did my Stress and Rescue in Fantasy Lake last May. It was a sunny weekend with air temperatures 74-78 degrees. The water was a brisk 57 degrees. You will definitely need more than 3mm. I wore a 3mm long sleeved shorty over my 3mm suit, a 5mm hood, 5mm gloves and 3mm kayak socks under my 3mm boots. I'm a cold water wimp and did well. You will too.

It's true, as the water warms up the viz goes down in Fantasy Lake. It will be clear in April and you'll get a cool tour of the quarry. Try to contain your excitement as you view the "German wreck" (VW beetle), the school bus (ooohhhh), and the Rock Crusher!

People bash the quarry, but it really isn't that bad. It's a great training opportunity and it's low cost as well.

 

[dkktsunami]

Blue Hole will be about a 2 hour, fairly rough trip from Ambergris Caye. This should not be a dive for someone new to scuba, however they will take anyone who can swim. Dive is appx. 135 - 140 feet and the small amount of decompression is disguised by a long slanting swim to the 20' level. I would not recommend this for you unless you are extrordinarily comfortable in the water, and with an overhead environment. They will allow you to remain at the 60' level and the trip may be worth the bouncing just to see the hole.

 

[Darnold9999]

On my way to Belize for the second time. Have not done the Blue Hole, don't plan to this time. Nothing I have read or seen makes me too excited about this dive. Its a long way out and very deep, if you take the usual trip you will have a bottom time that is about 10 minutes maybe 15 and it will be dark. Belize has some terrific diving along the reefs, some of the best in the Carribean. Lots to see and do, leave the Blue Hole until you have lots more dives. As a brand new new diver your bottom time would be even shorter than most, measured in seconds, not minutes, as you will be burning air way too fast for a dive that deep.

Not saying it is not worth seeing, and I will probably see it one day, but Belize has so much more.

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board.
I know the Gypsy staff well. I did my OW certs with them in 92. It's going to be a little chilly in April, 3mm would not be enough for me. I need more insulation. I would opt for at least a 2 pc 5mm+hood+gloves. You can always let water in if you get too hot but being cold stinks. Here is a trip for you. Take an ice chest full of gallon jugs of hot water. Just before the dive, pour a gallon or 2 into your wetsuit. It helps eliminate that cold water coming in that you have to warm up....*&%%^@@@!!! I hate that feeling.
Please come join us on the NC board. When you get done with your cert dives, you are welcome to come join us for more quarry dives and the coast. We have an experienced group and enjoy helping new divers along. It's a great way to quickly improve the skills Dave and the crew have taught you.
If Bratface is your DM.....make that DC, watch her, she will get you in trouble.
www.ncdivers.com

 

[SStrecker]

I dove the Blue Hole recently, on December 30. It was a great dive but a long ride out and back. While the total bottom time was a little over 25 minutes, only six and half minutes was actually spent around a maximum depth of 138 fsw. At that depth, the visibility was well over 40 ft and the temperature was 78 degrees. You will see cavern structures with stagmites, stagtites and columns. Nurse sharks and tiger grouper swim nearby. There is not much color but the experience is amazing. Fortunately, most of the dive shop charter boats provide three dives in the local reef area and include lunch on a local island with a boobie bird reserve. In my opinion the twelve hour dive excursion was definitely worthwhile (for an experienced diver).

 

[yakivet]

Hello there!
I'm new here and just about finished becoming SSI certified. I was wondering if anyone has gotten their certification dive at Fantasy Lake in Rolesville, NC in April? I am nervous about how cold it will be and just wondered I'm going through Gypsy Divers and love them!!!

Also, I'm making a trip to Belize in May for a Blue Hole Dive. Anyone done it??? I'd love to hear stories and see pics.

Angela

Here's a couple of pics of my wife diving the Blue Hole, Belize. Dove with Amigo's del Mar, First pic on the boat, second one before diving, and third at 140 feet.



Enjoy, Ken :42:

 

[NCSCUBADOOBA]

Wow! Thanks to all of you for your tips (warm water is a must! thanks for that idea) and the pics of Belize. I think I'll do a couple of shallower dives first and see how well I can control my buoyancy. If I'm not comfortable, I'll just snorkel the Blue Hole. I also want to do Shark Alley, anyone done that in Belize?
Angela