Great Blue Hole

[The Chairman]

My wife and I got up early the morning of our Blue Hole trip and walked about a 1/2 mile each way on the beach

In the snow and uphill both ways? This sounds like a perfect place to sidemount a couple of AL80s.

 

[Downing]

It will be interesting to see if the Belize Tourism Board follows through and issues a set of Belize Scuba Diving Standards, whatever they might be, which are supposed to be published this month.

It will be even more interesting to see how these standards are enforced.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Mike, I've never seen buddy teams discouraged and have been in the Hole with a buddy. Yes, we follow the plan, what is wrong with that?

AWMIII, it has NOT been my experience that the dive is invariably deeper than 130. 130 gets a diver deep enough to see the stalactites and dive amongst them if they so desire and most do. Yes, I suppose it could be considered a cavern dive in that the overhang with the stalactites obviously cuts back from the wall.

---------- Post added March 17th, 2014 at 08:37 PM ----------

In the briefing they tell you that your computer may show you in deco. I have no recollection of being told the long stop was to look at sharks though have been advised they may show up during the stop. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

 

[Mike]

Mike, I've never seen buddy teams discouraged and have been in the Hole with a buddy. Yes, we follow the plan, what is wrong with that?

AWMIII, it has NOT been my experience that the dive is invariably deeper than 130. 130 gets a diver deep enough to see the stalactites and dive amongst them if they so desire and most do. Yes, I suppose it could be considered a cavern dive in that the overhang with the stalactites obviously cuts back from the wall.

---------- Post added March 17th, 2014 at 08:37 PM ----------

In the briefing they tell you that your computer may show you in deco. I have no recollection of being told the long stop was to look at sharks though have been advised they may show up during the stop. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

Easier if you just read all about it for yourself : Google powered search results for "blue hole" within scubaboard.com

 

[The Chairman]

Geez Mike, he's done the dives. What's not to believe?

 

[Mike]

Hey Pete, I rarely see your around these parts, I usually have to find you in the Florida section, but it was a pleasure to get to see 'your perspective' on the subject at hand.

Just so you know - Chilly's a gal.

 

[KeithG]

Mike, I've never seen buddy teams discouraged and have been in the Hole with a buddy. Yes, we follow the plan, what is wrong with that?

AWMIII, it has NOT been my experience that the dive is invariably deeper than 130. 130 gets a diver deep enough to see the stalactites and dive amongst them if they so desire and most do. Yes, I suppose it could be considered a cavern dive in that the overhang with the stalactites obviously cuts back from the wall.

---------- Post added March 17th, 2014 at 08:37 PM ----------

In the briefing they tell you that your computer may show you in deco. I have no recollection of being told the long stop was to look at sharks though have been advised they may show up during the stop. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

Buddy teams are great, but this is always a group dive. You and your buddy are not allowed to wander off by yourself.

The dive can be done to just 130 feet, but you will most likely bump your head as you cruise about the stalactites. Everyone I know hit 140 or more including myself.

My computer did not go into deco as I headed up when I got down to 2 minutes NDL. I am not trained for deco so I made sure it did not happen. But I was way closer to NDL than I have ever been before or since.

I got 28 minutes total bottom time at the blue hole. Just slighty longer than my first ever tropical dive and well under half of a normal dive now.This is way too short to bother gearing up.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Nope you def do not hit your head at 130. Sorry if you and your buddies were having trouble holding at 130. yes, group dive not wandering off yourself with your buddy just like DIR oh my. I haven't gone into deco either according to my computer (s).

---------- Post added March 18th, 2014 at 12:13 AM ----------

Im not sure it matters whether or not NetDoc knows my gender. His point is the same. Near as I can tell from all the comments on all the threads in my time here on Scubaboard, ive been in the Hole multiples of times more than even the next most frequent Hole diver that has posted.

That said, hey, Mike., thanks for noticing I'm a gal.

---------- Post added March 18th, 2014 at 12:15 AM ----------

If you are an airhog, don't make this dive.

 

[CosFragger]

Nope you def do not hit your head at 130. Sorry if you and your buddies were having trouble holding at 130. yes, group dive not wandering off yourself with your buddy just like DIR oh my. I haven't gone into deco either according to my computer (s).

---------- Post added March 18th, 2014 at 12:13 AM ----------

Im not sure it matters whether or not NetDoc knows my gender. His point is the same. Near as I can tell from all the comments on all the threads in my time here on Scubaboard, ive been in the Hole multiples of times more than even the next most frequent Hole diver that has posted.

That said, hey, Mike., thanks for noticing I'm a gal.

---------- Post added March 18th, 2014 at 12:15 AM ----------

If you are an airhog, don't make this dive.

Maybe the tide was low making the group bump their heads on the stalactites.

I do agree with you that air hogs should not make the dive. Haven't been to Belize but will surely dive this at least once just for the experience.

 

[CosFragger]

Ooops my bad. I meant Belize...let me edit! I was checking out sites in Bahamas.