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THE DIVE TRIP: SCUBA
DIVING IN BELIZE
Looking for naturally-induced euphoria? Experiment with
the underwater experience. The dolphins, manatees, sharks, grouper,
tarpon, and barracuda will show you another world.
 Belize:
Long Caye
HIGHLIGHT: AN ISLAND TO YOURSELF
Private Island Getaway
The skiff bounces across the
whitecapped-water at a healthy fifteen knots, leaving port city Dangriga's
fishing boats bobbing in the wake. Where you're going there are no
airports, no hair dryers and certainly no computers. It's called Long
Caye, 35 miles off of the coast of mainland Belize, and the only
electricity you'll use is from the batteries in your Walkman. But that's
fine, because you've come to Belize to dive, not watch Spectravision.
Base camp is a tiny strip of land at the edge of one of the Western hemisphere's
most pristine marine preserves. Imagine a rectangular coral reef surrounded on
all sides by three tiny strips of land, none wider than a mile. As the boat
angles for the dock, a dozen thatched huts come into view. You've arrived on the
eastern edge of one of only four atolls in the Caribbean Sea. Long Caye is your
gateway to Glover's Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and host to nearly 700
coral patch reefs.Belize sits at the
southern base of the Yucatan Peninsula, just under Cozumel. Colonized by both
Spain and Britain, Belize's people are a mixture of European,
Mayan and Criollo.
There are numerous Mayan ruins. Belize feels more Caribbean than Central American. Still a member of
the British Commonwealth, the official language is English, though Spanish and
Creole are widely spoken. Among divers Belize is considered on par with Bonaire
and other top Caribbean dive spots. It's not Micronesia, but it's also not 14
hours from New York. Laws limiting development coupled with strict environmental
regulation suggest Belize has learned much from its neighbor to the north. On
the Cayes, the beaches are lined with low-slung guest houses, not Las Vegas
style megahotels.
When
you do get to Long Caye, the dive chief, Jim Schofield ("Lord Jim," as he humbly
prefers) shows guests around. It's rustic. But it's also environmentally sound:
With no indoor plumbing, it uses a composting outhouse equipped with four
toilets for the maximum 18 guests. Showers are taken communally, boys and girls
together, with solar-heated rainwater. Rooms are lit by solar-rechargeable lamps
and candles. Propane-fueled generators keep the drinks cold.
Belize's stellar diving owes mostly
to its unique geological position. For the past 80 million years, North American
and Caribbean tectonic plates have moved past each other under the southern edge
of the Yucatan. Fault lines separate the shallow Caribbean shelf from its North
American counterpart. Belize's Cayes— there are dozens—sit atop this
intersection, perfectly positioned to access the massive wall created by the
opposing plates. This wall plunges 12,000 feet down and teems with marine life.
Scuba Dive
Packages
Days at Long Caye consist of two
dives, plus an occasional night dive, punctuated by slow meals, warm sand, and a
hammock strung between palm trees. Downtime is spent playing volleyball, on low
tide walks or maybe organizing a crab race. Dinner each night features Belizean
cuisine, with staples of rice, beans and fresh fish. Evening entertainment
comprises an "interpretive talk" moderated by the trip leader. Topics range from
Belizean history to marine ecology. After a full day of diving and a hearty
meal, sleep arrives forcefully.
The diving dock is 100 yards from
base camp. There, tanks are loaded, weight belts secured, and everyone climbs
into the 25-foot runabout for the lo-minute ride to the reef. The boat pauses on
the outer rim of the atoll while a PADI-certified instructor gives a quick
briefing: Stay along the wall, don't go below 70 feet, and ascend at 1,000 bars.
The folks getting certified (certification is available here) look a little
nervous. Then begins a 35-minute drift dive.
What's to see? How about dolphins,
manatees, and black-tip sharks. Melon-sized grouper, tarpon, and barracuda.
Eagle rays and sea turtles. Coral to match any Gap T-shirt. Linger around 40
feet where the bulk of marine life thrives. Diving groups are no larger than
five, each led by an experienced instructor.
OUTFITTER IN
BELIZE: THINGS TO DO IN THE OCEAN!
Slickrock Adventures, USA
Slickrock is the sole outfitter on Long Caye. They've been operating in Belize
for 16 years. Slickrock Adventures' summer dive and paddle combo lets you dive
as much or as little as you want. Days off can be spent paddling.
8 days, $1,845, year-round,
800-390-5715, www.slickrock.com
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Scubadive Resorts in Belize