2000 Chapbook

Inside the world's second-largest barrier reef, English-speaking Belize sports three major atollsbut not much in the way of beaches.... Most of the good diving is reachable from live-aboards or from resorts on the offshore cayes.... The deeply-cut, spur-and-groove coral reefs of Ambergris Caye, the largest and most developed of the Belize's cayes, are interesting, but not as adrenaline-producing as the rugged underwater scenery of the outer cayes, where the walls are among the more spectacular in the Caribbean. There's a chance to see large schools of fish, a big one here and there, and plenty of large nurse sharks.... When comparing package prices, find out if they include the cost of transfers to and from the caye and what taxes are included.... There's good diving off Placencia, a funky fishing village in southern Belize, and, since it's on the mainland, you can visit Mayan ruins, the Jaguar Preserve, or take river tours. The trade-off? It's an hour's boat ride to the pristine barrier reef.... Flying to Belize is easy (only two hours from Houston) and it's simple to fly to Honduras for a second week.... Avoid Belize City at night, it has a reputation for serious crime.... Belize lies at the edge of the hurricane belt....

For full reviews of the following Belize destinations, see:

Blackbird Caye Resort - Turneffe Islands, Undercurrent- January 1998

Jaguar Reef Lodge Mainland, Undercurrent- July 1997

Rum Point Inn Placencia, In Depth- April 1995

Ambergris Caye

Amigos Del Mar/Coral Bay Villas, February 1999, Fred Schroedl (fred@thincactionwear.com), Portland, OR. Beautiful place, get out of Belize City ASAP. Lots of great ruins to see west of Belize City, caves, etc. Hurricane did some damage (i.e., surge to 80-100 ft on exposed barrier reef cleaned it pretty good. Good diving is on the three outer Atolls (a 3 hour boat ride each way). (Ph: 011-501-26-2706, Fax: 011-501-26-2648)

Gaz Cooper's Dive Belize/Sun Breeze Hotel, June 1998, Joan J. MacInnes, Port Washington, NY. Vis: 60 ft., Water: BO-82 degrees. Dive operation poorly run, no organization. Diving off small outboard boat and swim ladders over side of the boat. Reefs almost dead, no life or color. Waves were a constant 8 feet high which we were told was "normal". Saw almost no fish except in a "protected marine park". Disappointing trip. I felt robbed of a dive vacation. (Gaz Cooper's DIVE BELIZE, P.O. Box 96, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize; phone 800-499-3002 or 954-489-7724 (U.S.) or 501-26-3202 (Belize); fax: 954-351-9740 e-mail gaz@btl.net; website: www.divebelize.com)

Gaz Cooper's Dive Belize/Paradise Villas, September 1999, Jerry D. Finley (pirate@nashville.com) Nashville, TN. Vis: 100+. Water: 84-85 degrees. Gaz Cooper's Internet special for Sept./Oct. $399/diver/$240 non-diver, 7days/6nights accommodations at either the Paradise Villas beachfront Condos or Seabreeze Hotel, 5 days of 1 tank boat diving. For $15/day you can upgrade to 2 dive a day package. Bought our R/T air tickets through PRICELINE.COM (e-mail me for advice on dealing with them and bidding) for $500 ea. (lowest price of $564 through travel agents). $84 dollar R/T flight from Belize City to Ambergris (which Gaz arranged). Met at the airstrip by a rep. Opted for A/C in bedroom only with full kitchen to cook meals. Paradise Villas condos are beautifully landscaped, clean, furnished with cable TV, kitchenware, fridge, stove, a small patio, ceiling fans in every room, daily maid service, a fresh-water pool with swim up bar. Gaz and his lovely wife own two condos. Seabreeze: clean, nice pool, every bit as delightful, 2 minute boat ride from the shop, 100 yard walk down the beach. Good restaurants within a 10 minute walk including Elvi's (everybody calls it Elvis), Big Daddy's, and Lily's. A well stocked grocery store behind the condos. People speak English. Gaz (an ex-pat Brit) is an affable guy. Funny, educated, serious about running a quality dive operation. My 12th trip to the Caribbean and this is among the best run I've seen. Scuba speeders are available for lessons and rent (like Jet-ski's for "under" the water). Blue Hole trips weekly for $130. Divemaster, Elija, 20 years old, first-class. Good briefings, informative. After discerning your skills, he let experienced computer divers dive as wish as deep as we wish. Never obtrusive, yet always there to assist, or point out the critters. Leave your gear on the boat and the crew rinses it and sets it up for the next day. Water 84 degrees, viz consistent 100ft+. Numerous rays (sting and spotted eagle), turtles, lobster, and nurse sharks most every dive. Reefs are healthy, lots of canyons, swim throughs. One cheesy wreck dive. Don't waste your time. I'd compare it to the best diving I've seen at Glover's Reef, Guanaja, and Roatán. Reef is half mile offshore. Within that mile the water is mostly calm and wave free. Outside the reef, where serious diving is done, the water can be rough, especially on windy days. Sites are 15 minutes. At reef-break we'd suit up, cross to the outside, do a drift dive (little current), then surface get picked up ASAP, and then run back into the protected area. I got sick on two days even with a full dose of Triptone motion sickness drug. Some divers it bothered... some it didn't. Ambergris is more rustic than say Cozumel. All roads are sand. It's a quarter the size. The people were friendly. A dozen shops for tees, trinkets, and basic shopping. Got my money's worth, ate great seafood, met great people, did excellent diving with a world-class dive operation.

Hustler Tours/Banana Bank Lodge/Sunbreeze Hotel, October 1998, Karen Pasquariello, Wash, PA. Water: 83-87 degrees, Vis: 130-160 ft. Took 16 with my Dive Store, Dive In and Sea. Sunbreeze was great. Large A/C rooms, pool, great location, Rasta Pasta Restaurant: excellent food, service and prices. Hustler Tours did all our diving, incl. The Blue Hole and snorkeling/ sailing, excellent guides. Did everything for us. Two nights in the jungle at Banana Bank, a unique time. Horseback trip in jungle, explored Mayan Ruins, awakened by the howler monkeys in the wild. Ian Anderson's River Cave trip was the experience of a lifetime. Incredible guides took us on inner tubes up river, climbing thru caves with ancient Mayan pottery, beautiful rock formations, a great adventure. I lived in Belize for 5 years, so when I take groups it's like going home. (Hustler Tours, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Belize, Central America; phone 011-501-26 2658, 24-hr. Cellular 0149550, fax 011-501-26 2693; website: www.hti.net/scuba/hustler.html)

Offshore Express/Coral Beach Hotel, February 1999, Ken Paff, Detroit, MI. Vis: 50-90 ft. Water: 80 degrees. Sunny. Two divemasters with 11 on boat, kept group somewhat together. Coral Beach, which operates the "camp aboard" boat Offshore Express to the outer atolls, is a friendly, in-town, family-owned hotel and dive operation. Two-day/one night trip to Turneffe and Lighthouse is their mainstay. Five dives, including the Blue Hole, which had black tip and lemon sharks at 130'. Diving at Turneffe and Lighthouse is much better than at San Pedro, especially Lighthouse. Reefs in better condition, though not lots of big fish and coral bleaching. Lot of travel time between dives, decent meals, beautiful evening on Half Moon Caye, a sanctuary for boobies and other birds. Tent on beach (no bugs) better than staying on the boat. Staff virtually all family of Allen Forman friendly. They fly a huge Bob Marley Freedom flag on the boat, which sums up the atmosphere. Dive guides and crew competent. $250 for two day trip. $50/day for two dives in San Pedro. Hotel is reasonable and comfortable. Book direct via e-mail as US booking agents will push you into packages. (Coral Beach Hotel and Dive Club/Offshore Express, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize; telephone 011 501 26 2013; fax: 011 501 26 2864 e-mail: forman@btl.net; website: www.belize.com/coralbeach.html)

Ramon's Village, April 1999, Ron and Sarah Sykes, Virginia Beach, VA. Vis: 60-100 ft. Water: 80-82. Sunny, windy. Friendly staff, accommodating, clean, neat facility, attractive, designed for divers. Housekeeping was exceptional and the stay was great because of the dive shop manager (Rick), the employees, the helpful security guard. San Pedro full of friendly people. New supermarket made acquiring necessities easy. (Ph: 601-646-1990, Fax: 601-649-1996, e-mail: ramons@c-gate.net)

Tropica/Naturally Naughty, January 1999, Frankie Smith, Phoenix, AZ. Vis: 40-80 ft. Water: 78-82 degrees. Restrictions: computer limits. Belize has $2/tank chamber charge. Hotel is in good location, walking distance to restaurants, bars. No glitz. Snorkeling Shark Ray Alley is incredible and worth the money! Dive boat and crew were excellent and cater to small groups. (Tropica Beach Resort, San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, Belize, C. A.; Tel. 011-501-26-2701; Fax 011-501-26-2699; U.S. Booking Office Tel. 973-835-2350 Fax 973-835-5955; e-mail vacation@tropicabelize.com; website: www.tropicabelize.com)

Blackbird Caye Resort, July 1999, Sherry Arledge, Nashville, IN. Vis: 60-75 ft, Water: 78-82 degrees. Restrictions: 80ft for 20 min. then 60 ft for 20 min. Thank goodness for the wind. Though it affected visibility and made for clumsy boat entries, it saved us from bloodthirsty mosquitoes and "Doctor" flies. (One day the wind was calm we had to run for our lives). Repellent a must! Resort is great, staff friendly, dive staff knowledgeable and helpful, set up our gear first day and we didn't have to touch it again. Accommodations Spartan but comfortable. Food good, but how can you go to a tropical island surrounded by myriad of fish and be served frozen fish shipped from mainland? Easy diving. Saw big fish at The Elbow. Dove the Blue Hole. (Tel: 1-888-271-DIVE (3483) or 305-9697945; fax: 305-9697946; or e-mail: dive@blackbirdresort.com; website: www.blackbirdresort.com)

Glover's Reef

Manta Resort, June 1999, Anthony Binggeli, Southlake, TX. Vis: 50-90 ft. Water: 81-83 degrees. Dive restrictions: One hour. More than satisfied with my trip! New management wants to make this resort work. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Island is paradise, food excellent, cabanas clean and comfortable. Divemasters gave complete overviews plus allowing some freedom during the dives. Reefs are not that colorful but have variety of fish: two spotted eagle rays, 12 sharks, 3 large sting rays, 8 dolphin, 2 octopi plus tropicals galore. Great complete package! (Ph: 800-326-1724, Fax: 310-937-6473)

Lighthouse Reef

Lighthouse Reef, March 1999, Janet Caudill, Akron, OH. Vis: 80-150 ft. Water: 80 degrees. Restrictions: Max depth of 100 ft. with each subsequent dive shallower. They were not overbearing. Had a wonderful time. The accommodations were delightful, the staff superb. Had a new diver along and this was a great first trip. Calm waters, many corals teaming with fish. Squid on the last dive. The experienced divers (500 dives) enjoyed it as well. (Ph: 941-687-4593, Fax: 941-687-9428, e-mail: wwalt@aol.com)

Lighthouse Reef, April 1999, Judith A. Kratky (robjud@chaffee.net), Nathrop, CO. Arrived on Saturday October 24 and departed on Sunday October 25, because Hurricane Mitch was on the way. They paid our night in Belize City honored our week whenever we wanted to return. Because they had a large group they brought in a boat from Caye Chaulker, Frenchie from Frenchie Dive Shop. Most of the week, it was just my buddy, me, Frenchie and his helper. For the first three days, we would just go our own way and the boat would follow us on the surface. Jumped in with a school of dolphins. To watch and hear them was an experience to remember. Saw turtles, including one that must have weighed 700 pounds. Dove Blue Hole with Frenchie; saw two large reef sharks. Price included everything and taxes; extras were bar bill, tips (volunteer), souvenirs. Food was much better than average. Staff was wonderful, rooms comfortable. No tv or phones. Had a cottage on the beach. Some bites from no-see-ums.

St. George's Caye

St. George's Lodge, November 1998, Jean & Bob Kirkpatrick. Russellville, KY. Vis: 40-75 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Dive restrictions: Depth limits for Nitrox. Fred Good is an excellent knowledgeable divemaster, and so is his partner Fran Chang. Fred spent much time helping us improve our skills even after 18 years of diving. After Hurricane Mitch so big swells many days. Lot of silt on the reefs, lot of coral bleaching. However, the reefs and fish are as good as any in the Caribbean. Had one of six cabins over the water, with ceiling fans but no AC. It was spacious and clean and comfortable. The main lodge is well done. Food was excellent, and service was outstanding, both in the resort and in the dive operation. Resort is 20 minute boat ride from Belize. (Ph: 800-678-6871 or 011-501-24-4190, Fax: 011-501-23-0461)

St. George's Lodge, January 1999, Campbell Wood, Houston, TX. Vis: 30-80 ft. Water: 78 degrees. We had not been for several years and had forgotten how nice St. George's is.

St. George's Lodge, February 1999, Catherine & Chris Weld (cweld@tellink.net), Wilton, NH. Vis: 80 ft. Water: 78 degrees. Sunny. Fran and Fred run a superlative lodge and dive operation. Both give personalized instruction and one emerges a more knowledgeable diver. Fran can calm the most nervous of divers with her gentle, expert, instruction. Everyday we planned the dive together and then reviewed it. The food is equal to any 4 star restaurant; it is healthy and uses local ingredients. Nitrox was encouraged and Fred's instruction understandable. Corals were exquisite; dove a number of times with dolphin and sea turtles. The fish population was average but Fred was able to identify many creatures and fish we would not have otherwise seen. The lodge was clean and the service excellent. We have been diving for 20 years and this is the best!

St. George's Lodge, February 1999, Charlie & Judy Choate, Carson City, NV. Dove with Fred and Fran on two visits, May 1998 and Feb. 1999; they are the class act described in your reviews. Fred knows the dive sites and sea life well. He, Fran, and the entire staff worked hard to ensure the guests had great dives and an enjoyable stay, even if Mother Nature did not cooperate. No other dive boats. Number of guests ranged from two to six. Fred certified us for Nitrox on our first visit. We recommend Fred's course. Healthy reef with abundant fish life. Fran and her kitchen staff presented varied and delicious meals: homemade breads, soups, fresh fruit and vegetables, interesting entrees and great desserts. Day trip to the mainland for a boat ride through a jungle to tour Mayan ruins, with lunch at an outpost resort. Worth the experience. Great all day dive trip to Turneffe with a picnic on the boat. A submerged log was spotted in deep water. Fred and Fran encouraged everyone to check it out with snorkel gear. The log had a colony of open water fish, including juvenile ocean triggers and a small curious silky shark.

St. George's Lodge, March 1999, Richard Kneipp, Friday Harbor, WA. Vis: 70-100 ft. Water: 78-80 degrees. No current. Fred and Fran run an excellent operation. Food is excellent. Accommodations simple but comfortable and clean. They treat you like family. Island is small and you either dive or enjoy the peace and quiet. Take a good book and enjoy.

St. George's Lodge, March 1999, Hilary and Bill Greenberg, New York, N.Y. 5 day visit; logged nine dives and got Nitrox certified. Picked St. George's by reading Undercurrent. A driver met us at the airport, took our luggage, and drove us to a boat in Belize City Harbor. Ride to the lodge lasted 30-40 minutes. Greeted by Fran, one of the innkeepers, and offered a welcome rum punch. Six quaint thatched roof cottages in a semicircle on the sheltered side of St. George's Caye, and the main lodge on the other side, which housed several more rooms. The lodge can accommodate 34 guests, but Fran said that rarely happens - only around Christmas. The day we arrived, only two other couples were there, but one was leaving the following morning, and the other arrived the same day we did. They like fewer guests there, because they can have more time to get to know people, and tailor the dives to the desires of the guests. Cottages are made of wood, have built in shelving (no dressers; kind of like cubbies in camp), and are outfitted with a shower stall (the nozzle is like a kitchen sink) and a sink and toilet. Fresh water for showers and drinking collect in tanks. Cottages have plenty of hot water but one must start the hot water circulation pump five to ten minutes before hot water is needed. No electrical outlets in the lodge (so no blow dryers). But this hardly matters, because the atmosphere is so laid back. There was no need to bother with make-up either. No air-conditioning, but the fans in the rooms were kept the room cool. The only other problem was mosquitoes, particularly when there was little wind. The fans helped, as did anti-bug coils in the room, but bring lots of Off, Deet, and Skin So Soft, because you will need to saturate yourself, the bed, and your bedclothes to keep them away. I got 70 bites but my husband only got 10. The lodge did have a large array of antibug sprays the guests could use. No TVs in the room - was only one phone in the main lodge. Fred Good (the other fantastic innkeeper) allows guests to use his e-mail account to send and receive e-mail. Lots of time for reading. Not much to do - one couple went fishing every night with Isaac Reyes, a lodge worker, and there were a few kayaks. No beach to lay out on; this is really a divers lodge. One couple, who were not divers, inadvertently thought there was more to do, but since there really wasn't anything else to do they decided to give diving a try, loved it, and became certified! At 6:30 AM, fresh squeezed juice and coffee/tea was quietly delivered outside your door. A dolphin occasionally swims into the area by Cottage 1 in the mornings, and sure enough, like clockwork, around 7:30 AM our first morning there, the dolphin came for a visit. Breakfast was at 8 AM (fifteen minute warnings were given for meals) and eaten at long wooden communal tables in the main lodge. Fred, who started this lodge more than 25 years ago, and Fran, joined you at every meal, which are very informal. Quality and variety of food was impressive. Fran plans all the meals. Breakfast: eggs (poached one day, scrambled another, frittata, etc.), muffins, or pancakes, or waffles and breakfast meat (which also varied daily) along with home-grown bananas that taste like apples, and sliced fresh fruit. Homemade yogurt, and a cereal (which you put together yourself, combining home made granola, home made grapenuts, and full cream powdered milk). Fred has enormous gusto for food, and will suggest different concoctions which he eats with relish. After breakfast, the first dive was discussed, and the plan was decided. If there were people getting certified for Nitrox or beginning divers, Fred and Fran (both phenomenal divemasters) gave instruction. Fred goes over the tables for Nitrox (he uses 32% O₂ and 68% N₂). Fred places safety first, and believes Nitrox gives that extra margin of safety with regard to depth and time spent under water. Boat rides averaged 10 minutes, and the gear is set up for you. Reefs are pristine. Never saw another dive boat. Fred and Fran observe the comfort level of all the divers, and adjust the profiles accordingly. Beautiful barrel sponges, and many types of corals. Lots of grouper, parrotfish, snapper, and on two occasions we saw large nurse sharks. Saw turtle, and a 12-foot stingray sleeping. Fred shows you how to touch the sponges and corals without harming them, and is big on buoyancy control. Vis 80-100 feet, with no current. On Nitrox we were generally down at 120 feet for 20 min., then 40-50 feet until our tanks reached 300 psi, another 20-30 minutes. We arrived back at the lodge around 11:15. Lunch at 12:30 ­ homemade soup, homemade fresh bread everyday, salad, and pizza or eggplant parmigiana, giant chefs salad one day. Homemade cookies or brownies. Fresh watermelon juice fantastic. Second dive boat left at 2:30, dive plan discussed after lunch. Generally, 20 min. at 98 ft, followed by "forever at 50" meaning surface whenever you get to 300 psi. My husband dove with a 95 cubic foot steel tank, and I dove with a 72 cubic foot steel tank, so we used the same amount of air. After Nitrox, we were less fatigued, and I had less dry mouth. Went to Turneffe for the day. They packed us a picnic lunch, and we headed out for a 1-hour ride. The reef was beautiful, with plenty of fish life. Did one night dive, which was great; saw Moray eel, huge lobsters and crabs, battle stars feeding on coral. Hors d'oeuvres and drinks at 6, dinner at 7 consisted of another homemade soup, fresh bread, and starch (rice with cilantro, brown rice, mashed potatoes, pasta with oil/garlic, etc.), protein (steamed fish in banana leaves, flash fried fish not greasy!, chicken breast with poblano cream sauce, braised beef, shrimp), and fresh and delicious vegetables. A delicious homemade dessert served on the other side of the lodge where the chairs and swing were, accompanied by lively discussions followed. Most people retired early. Fran has purchased a crib and babysitting will be available for those who need it. Great personalized vacation with great diving!

St. George's Lodge, April 1999, Judy Duncan. First went there in 1988. Fifth visit. Fred Good has better electrical supply and good fans add to the comfort. Fran's kitchen turns out great, healthy meals. Fresh salads and fruit, largely because of her gardens. First two days windy with huge swells. Still managed good dives; Coral and sponges abundant and healthy. Turtles, nurse sharks. Large schools of jacks and blue chromis. Great variety of reef fish, but adults smaller than in the past. My two sons-in-law came to be certified; can't think of a better, more pleasant way to learn to dive than with Fred. His careful use of Nitrox and teachings about multi-level diving as opposed to single level or decompression diving is refreshing. Both loved the experience and showed considerable skill. Fred's attention to guest comfort and fun continues to be our main reason for returning to St. George's.

St. George's Lodge, September 1999, Dr. Bernard and Lou Rosenfeld, Houston, TX. After 15 years of diving, we keep returning to the same place, where we can immediately rest, relax, and enjoy the ocean world diving. The hospitality and cleanliness of Disney World with the service of the Ritz-Carlton. Effortless diving is 10 minutes away. Friendly, personable staff takes care of your every need. Through Fred and Fran's years of experience, they really know the reef. Request seeing a certain type of rare fish the next dive Fred takes you to a spot, points in a crevice and there is the requested fish. It takes a very short time around Fred Good to appreciate how smart he is and feel secure with his diving recommendations. He makes sure that your every diving desire is satisfied.

Turneffe Atoll

Turneffe Flat Resort, June 1999, Mark Caplin (sailmedic@earthlink.net), Livermore, CA. Vis: 40-80 ft. Water: 80-88 degrees. Must dive with a computer, if you don't have one, They give you one! Though a flyfishing resort, they have had diving for 6 years. You don't touch your gear until you leave. They set it up and rinse it for you. A luxury resort on a budget. Boat rides are bumpy, but Pete, the divemaster is interested in your safety and you having a good time. Great briefings, mandatory safety stops. Food great, accommodations great, the staff couldn't be better. Lots of bugs, so bring DEET. We put so much on (95% stuff) that we got toxic effects. You only need 35% minimum. You are usually the only boat at sites. Night dive off the end of the pier is "moderate" at best. One trip to the Blue hole, saw 5 black tip Reef Sharks at 130 feet. Off to the bird sanctuary for lunch. Be sure you dive the "Elbow" and see thousands of those fish that the anglers are going for. Good Caribbean diving. You may get sick of the same, coral, though. Tip: you leave way early on Saturday for your departure, so get a cab and go to the Belize Zoo. Well worth the trip. (Ph: 800-815-1304 or 605-578-1304, Fax: 605-578-7540, e-mail: flats@blackhills.com, Website: www.tflats.com)

Turneffe Island Lodge, August 1998, Bill McGrath, Scottsdale, AZ. Vis: 75-100 ft. Water: 82-84 degrees. sunny. Water calm. Restrictions: 130 feet, one hour dive. Boats not large enough to have extra facilities for equipment. No processing, but photography friendly. Resort on its own 12 acre island, maximum 24 people, half divers and half fishermen. Owners from Georgia were there with families. Nice, concerned people. Facilities and rooms are elevated buildings (for hurricane survivability) which puts them up into the ever-present, delightful breeze. (AC rooms at a small additional charge, but save your $$ for the bar.) Dive boats in good shape. Dive shop is run by an Englishwoman named Jessie. (My girlfriend did her Advanced O/W and liked her teacher and the course.) Divemasters did a great job of pointing out all kinds of critters. Food the best I've ever had at a resort, and I'm fussy! Meals were sit-down, multi-course affairs with appetizers, salad, entree, starch, veggies, bread and dessert. Crab claws, Belizean chicken, broiled fresh fish, pork tenderloin, steak. Wait staff friendly and fun. Romantic setting! (Ph: 800-874-0118, Fax: 770-534-8290, Website: www. turnefflodge.com)

Turneffe Island Lodge, December 1998, Jill Rain, Lopez, WA. Water 80-83, vis 80-150. Dive restrictions: depth (except Blue Hole): 100' 500 psi, allowed anyone to stay down until they were at limit, not required to come up as a group. Photographers accommodated, divemaster found specific animals they were looking for. Warm, comfortable, personable, relaxed, light-hearted atmosphere. Fabulous staff. Food a delight. 3 dives a day, from 1 to 8 divers, usually 4-5. Many sites visited as wind and current were optimal. Underwater topography not as dramatic as other places, but health of reefs, diversity and abundance are unexcelled. Fleets of small fish, communities intact and fascinating behaviors. Large things: many, from nurse sharks, one black-tip, spotted eagle rays, turtles, dolphins. We were the only divers out there, since other resorts have to come from a distance and get there later. Divemaster Tony had great eyes for spotting things. Kept track us of unobtrusively always felt safe. Day trip to Blue Hole and Lighthouse Reef. Frenchy's from Ambergris: they cut us off at high speed, knocking us and our equipment around our boat, all to get to the closest mooring at the Blue Hole.

Turneffe Island Lodge, December 1998, Mike de La Chapelle, Bellevue, WA. Overnight in Belize City to make our boat connection the next day. Fiesta Inn, an unappealing hotel, went into bankruptcy days after our stay. Toured Mayan Ruins (Altun Ha) about an hour out of town. Walked around downtown Belize City which wasn't particularly interesting or charming. Managers of the Turneffe Island resort met us on the Fiesta Inn dock and loaded the guests on a boat for the 30-mile trip to the resort. Upon arrival to the 5-acre island we were escorted to our cottages. Comfortable, but not luxurious, with good ventilation, ceiling fans and ac (which we never needed). All buildings were elevated off the ground to catch more breeze, allow storm waves to pass underneath, and to reduce sand fly exposure. Meals served in a comfortable cottage having a dining area, bara. Cooking was good but heavy for my tastes. Fresh seafood for every dinner, portions generous and seconds available. Guests shared large dining tables encouraging lively conversation. Island is covered with sand and a few palm trees on the windward side and mangroves on the lee. Nice sandy beach with a few coconut trees, a couple of hammocks and kayaks. We enjoyed paddling around the nearby keys in protected waters. Reef and wall were only a few minutes paddle away, but no snorkeling or diving accessible from the island. Dive operation well managed by Andy, and divemasters and boat crews were competent. Wall was off the resort so most boat trips were only a few minutes, with the boat returning to the resort after each dive (3 a day standard). Group diving the common practice. The boat would drop us off, follow our bubbles and pick us up. No currents, no waves, no grueling boat rides, no navigation back to the boat, no need to swim, no challenge. Most diving along walls, which started at 40 to 70 feet. Diving about as good as it gets in the Caribbean. Grouper, permits, jacks, eagle rays, sting rays, turtles and nurse sharks. Vis usually greater than 100 feet, but sometimes poor above 20 feet. Day-long dive trip to Half Moon Cay and Blue Hole once a week. Can be rough, but worth it. Blue Hole dive was OK; To see the stalactites you must go 130+ feet, which limits your bottom time to a few minutes. Wall dive at Half Moon Cay was much prettier and more interesting. Walking around the small island and booby nesting sanctuary. Owners have invested lots in facility improvements such as desalination (superb quality water), large electrical generators and a massive dive compressor. Towards the end of our stay, the resort treated us to a fine Belizean Christmas dinner (Turkey and much more) and gift exchange party.

Turneffe Island Lodge, May 1999, Tom Rain, Irving, TX. Vis: 50-75 ft. Water: 82-84 degrees. Restrictions enforced: follow divemaster and pre-set profile. Great resort on a 12 acre island. Accommodates 24 guests. Excellent food (three meals/day part of package). Rooms not air conditioned but a stiff breeze allowed comfort once you get used to the humidity! Fans in rooms.

Turneffe Island Lodge, July 1999, George Colby, Staten Island, NY. Water: 83-84 degrees, Vis: 50-150 ft. Everyone treats you like family. Jessica made sure everything went smoothly, from delicious meals to the diving. Drift diving not too fast. Divemaster and captain knowledgeable about sites. Elbow: huge schools of cabana snappers, permit, grouper. Diving from small boat so brush up on your roll offs. Most sites 3 mins. away.

Turneffe Island Lodge, August 1999, Joseph Rach Family, Newark, DE. Vis: 50-80 ft. Water: 81-84 degrees. Dive your computer. No crowds! Relaxing, friendly, professional. Excellent, personalized service. Condition of reef perfect. Alternate activities. Gourmet food. A family get-away to paradise. Dives 5-10 minutes away. Back roll entry. All equipment well cared for, we did nothing! Beach front beautiful. Staff very helpful. Blue Hole and night dive require experience.

Southern Belize

Jaguar Reef Lodge, December 1998, Mike de La Chapelle, Bellevue, WA. 20 minute flight to Dangriga from Belize City where rather scruffy looking German ex-pa named Walter met us at the airstrip and drove us to the Resort 1.5 hours to the south in the small town of Hopkins Village. Walter, it turned out, was an interesting guy and a hard worker (mechanic, maintenance man, carpenter, security guard and bar tender) for the resort. Rooms spacious and well furnished, with original artwork on the walls. The main building containing the bar, dining room, reception desk and terrace has a high cathedral ceiling made of thatch, as do the guest cottages. The Lodge is on a nice sand beach. Kayaks and mountain bikes free of charge. Initial positive impression quickly began to wear off. Water pressure in my room was near zero, and never got better. Turned on the ceiling fan and opened the windows to get some breeze. After dozing off I was awaken by many insect bites over exposed portions of my body. Dreaded sand flies that had passed through the large screen on the windows. No way to turn on the air conditioner: front desk said I had to pay $20 a night extra to get it activated. Manager explained that each room is supplied with a fogger (fuma kilas) that is safe to use with the windows closed (yeah right!). So suffocate and fumigate at the same time. After vigorous pressure, the manager did relent and provided air conditioning for free. Tip: insist on free AC before you go. Dining room and terrace nice, and the food was quite good, but while the guests ate, the sand flies devoured the guests, so nobody could really enjoyed the food or the surroundings. No safe area to congregate and escape the sand flies; so most guests retreated to their rooms after the last bite of food. Glacial service by the waitresses only prolonged the agony. Cover every square inch of your body with clothing not very comfortable in the tropics. Or coat your body in DEET. Two people suffered swelling of their limbs. It's sad to see an Eco resort that has to constantly apply pesticides in a pathetic attempt to fight Mother Nature. Reading their webpage and brochures, you would think that the jungle was teaming with life; exotic birds, primates and cats. Perhaps the new age elevator music played every morning at breakfast was meant to elevate us to a higher level of consciousness so we could ignore the swarms of sand flies and see the hidden animals of the jungle that were not visible to our naked eyes. Found the local jungle almost devoid of life, the local village was awash in garbage (as was the ocean and beach), the reef was miles off shore. The lauded 5 shades of blue lake (and recent National Park) was actually 5 shades of green with visibility less than 10 feet (bad for an aquifer). Saw very little life at Jaguar Preserve and other short treks into the jungle sterile compared to what we saw in Costa Rica. For water sports we took the "river & reef" tour that brings guests up the nearby Sittee River (several crocs and iguanas sighted, but not much else) followed by a long ride to the off shore coral reef. Visibility was not good but there was lots to see. I was impressed with one snorkeling spot that had an abundance of eagles rays and sting rays. On the long boat ride back to the resort we stopped at a small Cay that was a booby and frigate bird nesting sanctuary. We probably had the most fun walking or kayaking into Hopkins Village (2 miles down the beach) to play with the kids although the grown ups were often cold to us. The Garifuna people of Hopkins still have a distinct culture, and many villagers make a living by paddling dugout canoes to the offshore reefs to catch a few fish. Development around the lodge threatens its secluded nature and the burgeoning population of Hopkins Villages is likely to exert more environmental pressures. (Jaguar Reef Lodge, General Delivery, Hopkins, Belize, C.A.; Ph./Fx.: 1-800-289-5756; e-mail: jaguarreef@btl.net; website: http://www.jaguarreef.com)

Rum Point Inn, December 1998, Mark S. Reckman, Cincinnati, OH. Vis:50-60 ft. Water: 78-80 degrees. Dive restrictions: reasonable. Resort and dive operation were fine. Service good and food excellent but not abundant. Take snacks for afternoon dinner is not until 7:30. Reef was disappointing, topography was interesting and the coral and sponges were abundant, but dull/colorless. Fish life sparse except for dolphins. Palcencia is wonderful! Very basic, no commercialism. Rainforest is wonderful, land travel is difficult. Take the Monkey River Tour. Also, side trip to Tikal in Guatemala, it is fantastic! Rum Point Inn can arrange it. (Ph: 800-747-1381 or 504-465-0769 or 011-501-623240, e-mail: rupel@BTL.com)