Dive Review of
Nekton Pilot in
Belize

 The Caymans, Hawaii, Cay Sal Bank, Great Barrier Reef, Catalina California,
La Paz Mexico 

Dive Conditions

First drink = Last Dive and they asked you to take an
hour surface interval.  

E6, Light tables, large carpeted camera table, good rinse tanks  

Overall Rating

The Good:  Whole schools of fish (I loved the schools of Creole Wrasse
best) but there were schools of Jacks and other fish too.
Beautiful Walls, several moving Conch, Baracuda, goat fish, puffer, nurse
shark, box fish, cleaner wrasse and shrimp in business, rays and peacock
flounder in the sandy parts, and squid on display on every night dive. 
Hunting eel on night dive too!  Reefs very healty and beautiful.  Great
food and great people in the crew and passengers.

The Bad:  Two count'em two diving accidents.  Woman found at 100 feet
alone (when she had gone down with 2 buddies) groping the coral.  Fellow
divers brought her slowly to the surface as she seemed disoriented.  She
stopped breathing and no pulse could be found.  CPR perfomed by doctor and
nurse on board as guests, oxygen and airlift to Belize City from one of the
islands.   She lived and seemed just fine when she met the boat in Belize
City when we got back.  She vowed never to let her priority to get to the
gym slip again.  Second 
accident was much more minor, but the man was placed on oxygen for rapid
breathing and airlifted to Belize City.  He was given a chamber treatment,
but they decided it was not DCS.  He also recovered fully
and met the boat when we got back.  We were never sure exactly what
happened to either of them.  

Tips and things I wish I had known:  Their onboard water tasted salty this
time (our previous trip with Nekton Pilot did not have this problem).  Get
lots of beverages at the liquor store that they take you to before you get
on the boat.  Belize City shuts down for four days at Easter.  The Raddison
will rent you a day room by the hour for $10 Belize = $5 US/Hour (I don't
know if that is offical policy or if we just got a desk clerk with some
initiative.  Get your air tickets from TACA online.  Very cheap!  TACA lost
one couple's luggage and it was sent out several days into the trip.  Storm
made the going rough one night and seasick meds were a good idea.  

Great trip, more schools of fish than the Caymans.  Side trip to ruins
okay but they are pretty ruined.  Belize city is poor, hot and not
interesting.  (Some poor, hot cities are tremendously interesting but this
one didn't seem to have much history, museums, unspoiled cultures,
handicrafts etc.)
  

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