How deep in Belize's Blue Hole to see the Stalactites?

[DandyDon]

Did you do it on air?

28% Nitrox would have a soft bottom of 132, hard bottom of 155, so - if I can get a custom blend, that would be better, wouldn't it...?

And how long does it takes the boat from Ambegris Caye? Should I take a sleeping mat like I do out of Morehead City NC...?

thanks, don

PS: I Searched, but looking for more details...

[RoatanMan]

[QUOTE=DandyDon]Did you do it on air?

There is nothing that can not be seen at 140'

It's a long way out from anywhere- and it's a real long way back if someone goofs up.

I've done it on mixed gas back when, and air more recently.

I like shallow and long. Go for it, nevertheless.

When you going?

[Aeolus]

I am going there on April 16 for a little over a week. We plan to dive Nitrox on all of the dives EXCEPT the Blue Hole. We will be using air on that one. I do not want to risk getting the "wrong" blend for that one. Since it is going to be a rather short dive, I do not see any advantage to trying to use 28% EAN. The two dives later that same day will be on 32% EAN anyway. From waht I understand the boat trip with Amigos del Mar is abou 4 - 4.5 hours each way. When are you going to be there? We are staying at Banana Beach Resort, maybe we will run into you. Enjoy your trip.

[txg8r]

Your bottom time is only 10-12 minutes - not worth the extra expense in my opinion. BTW - I think travel time is 4 - 4.5 hours roundtrip - not one way. You usually leave (the AMD dock) around 7:30 - 8 and get back around 5 or so. 3 dives, surface intervals and a great lunch in between.

[gj62]

I did it in January. Our DM was on 28%, but I declined. From Turneffe, the ride was painless (~90 mins), but from elsewhere it can be long, and rough. Go on the biggest ride you can find (there are some 50'+ that go out from Ambergris). Anything else could be a chum bucket unless it's smooth. If you are susceptible, take pills, avoid b-fast (you'll be leaving early), etc... Above all, enjoy!

[DandyDon]

Your bottom time is only 10-12 minutes - not worth the extra expense in my opinion. BTW - I think travel time is 4 - 4.5 hours roundtrip - not one way. You usually leave (the AMD dock) around 7:30 - 8 and get back around 5 or so. 3 dives, surface intervals and a great lunch in between.

"Amigos del Mar" is on Ambegris Caye...? So, it's 2 to 2-1/2 hours each way. Yeah, that's significant, but I've done that every day of a 3 day North Carolina dive trip, twice in one year. No big deal, for real divers anway. I'll sleep both ways. From what I've heard elsewhere, this is one of dives you gotta' do once, even if you wouldn't do it twice. Kinda like the U-352.

I'm above 3,000 feet elevation now, so I cannot compare this on my dive computers at this time, but I'll look again at sea level. From the charts I have handy, Air @ 21% O2 would give me 8-10 minutes Bottom Time (depending on the chart), but Nitrox @ 28% O2 would give me maybe 12-15? That's why I do Nitrox to start with, to get 50% more bottom time.

The Soft Bottom for 28% is 132 feet, with a Hard Bottom of 155 feet - unless I've made a mistake here, so that sounds safe to me...?

[gj62]

Don,

You'll go down to 130'+ but won't spend much time there - a quick look is all you'll need. We spent a good deal of time looking at the big fish on the way up (something you don't see much of in the rest of Belize).

Don't plan on sleeping. Most of the boats we saw out there were fairly small and crowded - ours (at 54') was the largest (and made the shortest trip). Of course, you may be able to sleep standing/sitting, in which case, more power to you. About the 4th time my head bounced off the bulkhead, I was up for the morning and went and drank caffeine with the capt...

[pitah]

Dandy Don.
I think will be good to use nitrox 28 if the guide and other´s in your group will be using it, since will be good to have simmilar bottom times, otherwise if everyone is using air, will you stay alone for 3 minutes there?? its something i will evaluate, and also check with the guide before decide. (our guide, from amigos del mar, told us he wont aloud solo diving on that location)
also check the mod of the mix, so you won`t be diving on the limit, when i was there, we went to 140 ft. cause we saw below us, three sharks... you never know where and when the sharks will show up...

good luck there..

[txg8r]

You can use Nitrox to extend bottom time, but in my experience with Amigos Del Mar, the Blue Hole Dive is pretty tightly controlled. The profile they laid out was for everyone, diving Nitrox or not. 2 DMs making sure nobody got below 150' and then made sure everyone got to the safety stop at the same time. I'm not sure they would let you get more bottom time, but they'd probably let you hang out at the safety stop/shark feed for a bit longer if you were on Nitrox.

Don - can you do air for the Blue Hole and switch to Nitrox for the other Turneffe dives?

[DandyDon]

Dandy Don.
I think will be good to use nitrox 28 if the guide and other´s in your group will be using it, since will be good to have simmilar bottom times, otherwise if everyone is using air, will you stay alone for 3 minutes there?? its something i will evaluate, and also check with the guide before decide. (our guide, from amigos del mar, told us he wont aloud solo diving on that location)
also check the mod of the mix, so you won`t be diving on the limit, when i was there, we went to 140 ft. cause we saw below us, three sharks... you never know where and when the sharks will show up...

good luck there..

Thanks Pitah!

I have solo dived to 132 feet, but I wouldn't try it there, and I'm sure they wouldn't let me. I'm pretty sure there will be others in my group doing 28% with me, though, if we can get it okay.

Even though - if I was the only one using Nitrox, as I have been in ohter groups, I would be the only one with less N2 loading. DCS is not a big risk, but there are other factors with N2 loading.