Dive Review of
Blackbird Caye Resort in
Belize/Turneffe Atoll

 Within the past year, Cabo San Lucas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Honolulu,
Seattle.  

Dive Conditions

Depth & time limits.  

Accomodations seemed pretty limited, to this non-photographer.  We did not
see any serious photographers there during our stay.  

Overall Rating

Blackbird Caye is a small, remote, low-key diving resort located on
Turneffe Atoll, in Belize.  A 1 ½ hour boat trip from Belize City
transports guests to and from the resort on Saturdays and Wednesdays.  Our
group of five family and friends stayed one week in July 2004.

Diving operations were well-suited to our group’s different levels of
skill & experience, which ranged from snorkeler to divemaster.  Most of
the dive sites are located along the barrier reef wall, less than 10
minutes from the resort.  Surface intervals were spent on-shore.  Dive
depths were generally less than 70 feet.  A divemaster led the dives,
spotted points of interest, and provided supervision where appropriate.

Reef conditions were quite good.  Corals looked healthy and tropical fish
were abundant.  We had excellent encounters with green turtles, stingrays,
spotted eagle rays, barracuda, groupers, tarpon, drums, morays, and squid. 
We had just a glimpse of a shark and saw no manta rays.

At the Blue Hole we had a deep dive to 130 feet as part of an all-day
excursion to Lighthouse Reef, about an hour away from the resort.  This was
the only place we saw other groups of divers all week.  We went ashore for
a cook-out lunch and visited the bird sanctuary to see the Red-footed
Boobies and Frigates.

The resort is well-managed and maintained.  A schedule of activities was
posted daily and events occurred on time.  These included three dives, two
snorkeling trips, afternoon beach volley ball, mealtimes, a “happy hour”,
and a fish identification slide show.  Cabana-style accommodations were
basic yet comfortable.  The food was well-prepared and tasty, with enough
choices and menu flexibility to satisfy everyone in our group.

There is no shopping, no nightlife, no restaurants, no television, no
radio, no internet, no newspapers and no telephone.  So, take everything
you need, including plenty of insect repellant and sunscreen.  If you can
deal with these “negatives”, you should enjoy the diving at Blackbird
Caye.
 

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