Dive Review of
Ramon's Village + Amigos Del. Mar/Ramon's Village in
Belize/Ambergris Caye

Bahamas, Cozumel, Tangalooma Island (Australia), Local quarries as Asst
instructor

Dive Conditions

Stay within sight of dive guide, surface with reasonable reserve air
supply.  Those of with computers and cameras were pretty much left alone
while divemaster concentrated on less experienced divers. (Same with both
operations)  

Smaller 30ft boats had no provisions for cameras and minimal safety gear.
This may have been due to dive sites being 15 min from the dock! 
Barrier Reef is in sight of of dock.  I used digital, so had no problems
other than safely stowing camera while in boat.  30 foot boats are open
with sun shade and twin outboards. Dive masters/guides were friendly and
experienced.  Boats not crowded (shoulder season) so no real problems.  

Overall Rating

Hotel is first rate, if a bit expensive. Food was very good, but not
gourmet fancy.  Non-diver wife wants to go back.  Beach is shaded and
wonderful. San Pedro town is small but safe,friendly, and close by. Ramon's
Dive operation is canted toward "average" diver with decent
rental gear.  Barrier reef is recovering from severe hurricane damage in
earlier years.  Lots of nice smaller soft corals and little critters.
Because it is adjacent to Hol Chan, nurse sharks are plentiful, as are big
grouper and turtles.  Booked trip to the Blue Hole/Lighthouse Reef through
Ramons' but they put me on Amigo Del Mar's big boat, since they had
insufficient registration to use their own 46' Pro Dive. Despite long bumpy
run to Blue Hole, Amigo Del Mar's trip was well run, food was plentiful,
including unlimited Rum and Cokes on the return trip!  Once there, dive
guides were fully occupied with unskilled divers and keeping them safe at
100+ feet where the cave architecture begins.  Again, left me and other
advanced divers to our own profiles.  Did shark feed before getting back on
boat at Blue Hole.  Then did Half Moon Caye Wall...a real stunner of a dive
and the best dive I have ever done!  NYC Diver who I met up with on Blue
Hole trip stayed and did Turneffe trip on Ramon's 46' Pro Dive and said it
was not as well run or as comfortable as Amigo's. 

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