Help Please! Planning 1st Dive Trip to Belize

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Accoording to these averages
Average Weather for Belize City, * - Temperature and Precipitation
it looks like February or March might be your best bets for both average temps and precipitation (weather fronts).
I'm surprised you're that concerned about weather when you live in Spokane? Cold, snow, wind, wet, winter fog, inversions.

My wife gets motion sickness on the water very easy. When we were down there last month she tried the Scop patch and not a single issue. If it works that well for her, I'm sold.
 
[/QUOTE]
My wife gets motion sickness on the water very easy. When we were down there last month she tried the Scop patch and not a single issue. If it works that well for her, I'm sold.[/QUOTE]

Has your wife every tried Queeze Ease?
Regards
Ralph
 
Temps might be what OP seeks for Feb & March but it can be windy then with seas a bit rough.
 
Peter, I don't expect guarantees. What I'm looking for are averages, so that I can improve my chances. I know I'm always taking a chance, which is maybe why it's been two years since I've gone diving. (And yes, I know that I'll need to arrange to have an instructor for a checkout/refresher dive. With only 116 dives logged, I consider myself an experienced beginner.)

It's hard, as you know, to guarantee weather. I've been waiting for good weather on a weekend all year. Finally took a beating Sunday and had a storm chase us 16 miles all the way in from the reef. (I live 10 miles north of Dangriga)
The safest bet for good diving in my opinion is to go to the atholls. Glovers, Turneffe or Lighthouse. Once you're there you can get to the lee side of the weather. All sides of the atholls have coral walls and are good.
I was at Glovers from Jan 27 to 31. We had beautiful weather driving out...overloaded. But two days later it was blowing 30 knots. It calmed down a bit for the drive home but it was choppy to say the least.
But, the west side of Glovers was really nice. As I crossed the reef at Bacon (Baking? I know where it is but not how to spell it :D) Swash, the water was very clear, calm and diveable.
There are nice all inclusive resorts. "not too rustic"...not sure where your measuring stick is on that but to me, Marisol is really nice. I think Turneffe Island Resort is more upscale.
 
[/QUOTE]
Has your wife every tried Queeze Ease?
Regards
Ralph[/QUOTE]

Thanks Ralph,
She hasn't, but I see it gets great reviews. After seeing how well the patch worked for her I don't think I'll get her to try anything else. Stick it on, forget about it for 72 hours.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

Spokane is mild compared to North Dakota, where I lived for 30 years. But its main selling point for me is that it's driving distance from the most spectacularly beautiful hiking country in the world: The Selkirk mountains of southeast British Columbia, and the close runner-ups, the Purcells and the Rockies. And Spokane is relatively dry.

I used the Transderm Scop patch for a while, but I find that on the first day the side-effects are too strong (dizziness and a severe sore throat) and on the third day the dose is too low. But scopolamine is the best medicine for seasickness, so now I use the same medicine in tablet form. Scopace is no longer available in the U.S. but I got some from Australia under the brand name of Kwells.

I've tried Queeze Ease. It does absolutely nothing for me. Nada. Zip. Zero.

When I was on Long Caye, Glover's Reef, we always dove on the east side, since to the west is the atoll and a long trip across to the west side of the atoll. Turneffe Island Resort looks like a good choice since it should have easy access to either the east or west side, to be protected from east or west wind. As long as the wind is not from the south. Right now, I'd be looking at March, April, or May, since I have another unrelated trip planned for June, and I spend the six or seven weeks from mid-July to early September hiking in B.C., Canada.

I like upscale. If I do decide to return to Belize, I think it'll be TIR this time.
 
Yes fred, you might see some wahoo there. Try to be out at sunrise or sunset off the Elbow. I've seen a lot of kings there but there could be wahoo show up. :D
 
I notice no one mentioned Caulker Caye.

You've got options:

Ambergris Caye - this is probably by far where most divers/snorkelers/beachcombers go. Advantage: lots of choices with respect to accommodations, dive ops, food and night life. Disadvantage: it's an island, so if you're planning to work in mainland stuff like jungle hiking, mayan ruins, cave tubing, etc, you'll have to deal with the logistics of getting back and forth to the mainland. It's not hard so much as time consuming. Another disadvantage may be dealing with crowds, especially if you go in high season.

Turneffe Atoll - there are several "resorts" out on the atoll. The big three are Turneffe Island Resort (stayed there twice), Turneffe Flats and Blackbird Caye Resort. All-inclusive and pricey but not terribly so if you take into account everything's paid for. Advantage: these places are like summer camp for adults. Great diving within minutes of the dock, good food and lots of relaxation. Disadvantage: even more difficult to do anything on the mainland, no night life to speak of.

Placencia - Not as big and popular as AC, it's an interesting mix of tourism meets fishing village. Again, lots of choices for accommodations and food. Only a couple of dive ops to choose from but Splash Dive Center there is excellent (used them twice). Advantage: even though it has a definite island vibe Placencia is actually a peninsula. The mainland is a quick drive up the one and only highway. Adventures abound. Disadvantage: the boat ride out to the reef and back is longer, about an hour each way. Not much of a disadvantage if you like boats, which I do.

There's also Hamansi, a resort up the coast from Placencia in Hopkins. I haven't stayed there, but I've seen it. Looks nice and enjoys an excellent reputation.

And Hatchet Caye, another inclusive resort about a half hour off Placencia. Haven't stayed there either but I've passed by it a number of times on my way to the Silk Cayes. Looks nice and is supposed to have an ultra-light fixed wing but I've never seen it in action.

There are probably more, but I think I hit the highlights.

And, of course, there's always a liveaboard.

As you probably know, the "bucket dive" is the Blue Hole. Somewhat controversial, at least here on ScubaBoard, you should probably read the threads on it before making up your mind. From AC, it's about 2.5 hours each way and is an all-day trip combined with some really great diving in the area. From the atoll resorts it's more like an hour each way and is also an all-day trip combined with the same great diving. From Placencia, Splash runs a two-day trip, diving along the way up and back with the BH being the first dive of the second day after spending the night on a nearby caye.

Belize is a fantastic place to visit and dive. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. And while it's a small country it's still a big place. I don't think you can see the best of Belize in a one-week trip. But that doesn't mean you can't try, lol.
 
I am an experienced diver (500+) but have never been to Belize. Which Island/Atoll or dive region should I visit to see the best Belize has to offer? Will be staying 6-7 nights, planning on 3-4 dives/day. Any recommendations?
We spent a week on the Belize Aggressor III last year typical day is wake up have breakfast go diving, have a morning snack then go diving, have lunch then go diving, have afternoon snack go diving, have supper then do a night dive, sleep wake up and repeat.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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