Passports are required.by Gordon Adair © 1994
Are you looking for a dive location different from the norm, away from the busy resorts? A place where you can take a walk on a desolate island's shoreline without seeing another soul, that can still offer unique diving and adventure like no other place can. You should consider going to Lighthouse Reef in Belize. Belize is located on the south end of the Yucatan Peninsula on the Caribbean coast of Central America. This country is small in size, approximently 9,000 square miles. It hosts dozens of Maya archaeological sites, a 150 mile long barrier reef, more than 200 coral cayes (cayes means island in Belizean) along with three atolls (islands that are surrounded and protected by coral reefs) which were formed by shifting plates instead of volcanic eruptions as in the pacific.
Passports are required.
Currency is $1 US to $2 Belizean
Temperatures: air 75F to 90F, winds are strongest between March and October. water 80F in the winter and 84F in the summer.
Water visibility ranges from 50 to 150ft depending on the weather. Diving is available for all levels of experience.
Lighthouse Reef was the atoll that I choose for my diving destination. It lays 50 miles southeast of Belize city, encompassing 22 miles wide and 41 miles long, with numerous reef lagoons with depths ranging between two and 200 feet. Wall diving is also available on the out side of the reef.
Transportation and lodging is provided by live-aboards, overnight boats, day trips, and the only resort available is on Northern Caye, obtainable by boat or plane. The boats have no problem finding shelter from the winds and waves giving their guests a comfortable stay.
Our boat docked at Sanporn Caye where a lighthouse stands to warn ships of the dangerous reefs that surround the atoll. From atop of this structure were able to obtain an excellent view of the area, what a beautiful site. Below palm trees gently swayed with the oceans breeze, connected between these trees were a number of hammocks that offered us a great place to sleep that night. I had no trouble falling asleep with the desolate caribbean atmosphere that the island provided placing me into a deep dreaming state. During that night I thought that my dog was trying to join me in the hammock, I awoke with the startling thought that I was in Belize and he was at home. Slowly I pulled the sleeping bag down from over my head to see a critter with long ears looking at me, needless to say I wasn't able to get a good look at my visiter while shooting five feet out of my hammock to the ground. No one was able to identify what it could have been accept one rodent I did not want to consider. Later while visiting Lighthouse Reef Resort on North Caye I was able to identify the critter as a very curious and friendly wild native cat. This episode gave the trip the name of "Here kitty kitty" in the captains log. The next night no one chose to sleep on the island.
The Blue Hole is the best known dive site in the lagoon which was a subterranean cave that collapsed filling up with seawater. It measures approximately 1000' in diameter and 400' deep as if made by a cookie cutter. The five foot shallow reefs which surround the Bluehole restricts water exchange causing a low level of oxygen in the water so very little marine life is present, outside of the jellyfish on the surface and the two sharks we saw deep inside. What makes this dive so special is at 130' to 140' there is a cave indented sixty feet or so inward, inside are stalactites formations around 20ft to 30ft long pointing downward and stalagmites formations pointing upward. Down time is very limited due to the depth (six minutes) which did not allow me to properly explore the cave especially while caring for a narked dive buddy.
Half Moon Cay Natural Monument is the home of the red-footed booby bird. Even though Belize gained its independence from Britain in 1981, the British military was camped on the island for R&R. We were able to trade filling their dive tanks in exchange for much appreciated american beer. Here we dove Halfmoon Caye wall know as Tarpon Caves where tunnels provide divers an interior view of granite to which the corals cling to. Stingrays were found in the sand at the top of the wall, they can be approached if you move slowly. Other dive sites in the area are at Long Caye Wall Aquarium where numerous species of sponges, horse-eyed jacks, tarpoon, angle fish, and eels along with a possible sighting of a manta ray at a distance. Nearby is a site called Playground which is home to barracuda and a nurseshark who likes to hide under rock formations.
Pita is the best known resident at Lighthouse Reef. Pita is a bottlehose dolphin which was first seen with a mate then later by herself looking for affection and as many playmates as she can find. My personal introduction was during our visit to Northern Caye. Eight of us chose to snorkel off the shore where Pita was waiting quietly. Her energy changed quickly into a "flipper act a like" circling and weaving between us, swimming through our legs to flying over our heads in great excitement only slowing down for an occasional wave of her tail flipper above the water. It was amazing the accuracy and care she used not to hurt anyone at that speed. Pita soon captured all of our attention and love. That night everyone talked highly of their own special interpretation of that days encounter with Pita. During most of my dive trips I traveled alone and at nighttime, I like to find those remote quiet places to think and enjoy the beautiful caribbean nights. This particular time was on the boats dingy with my feet dangling in the water. Within seconds Pita was there to greet me with a slow friendly brush of her body against my legs. She was definitely showing another side of her personality. During the second pass she paused briefly to allow me the opportunity to pet her. Soon a trusting friendship was formed between us with her staying by my legs egging on more petting by blowing water at me whenever I stopped. It was amazing how affectionate and gentle she was. The excitement of bonding with Pita distracted me from how late it was getting and how tired I was from the days diving. It was time to say goodnight to Pita and return to the dive boat where I made my bed on the deck. The sound of Pita splashing and calling out for me to return made me sad that I had to leave yet happy about experiencing a once in a life time experience that I would never forget.
Cabo / Belize / Havasu / Maui / Rocky Point / Two Harbors /