Located approximately 60 miles from the capital Belize City, The Blue Hole has every right to be mentioned amongst our list of the worlds best dive sites. It’s unique and dramatic geological formation, have resulted in a dive site that remains long in the memory all who have the opportunity to dive it.
The Blue Hole is situated in the middle of Lighthouse Reef, and was originally formed by the collapse of a series of underwater cave systems in the reef. Today, the resulting Blue Hole measures approximately 300 feet across, and is over 450 feet deep.
Barely visible from the surface, the diving at the site starts with a descent down to around 25 metres, where the gradually sloping sand banks give away, and the Blue Hole opens up properly. As you continue your rapid descent, these sheer walls gradually give way to stunning stalactites, up to 25 feet in length, lining the outside walls of the lower cavern.
The Blue Hole is a short, deep dive, and you will level out at approximately 40 metres, before slowly making your way around the incredible underwater landscape created by the stalactites. Following a short exploratory period examining the stalactites, you begin a slow, gradual ascent whilst trying to catch a glimpse of one of the wide varieties of sharks which have made their home in the dive site. Here it is possible to come across Hammerheads and Bull sharks, although reef and lemon sharks are much more commonly sighted.
Throughout the dive site there is not a huge amount of marine life, although given that Belize is host to the worlds second largest barrier reef, this is not that far away. The lack of marine life in the Blue Hole itself is due to the low levels of water exchange, coupled with the low level of light which manages to access the deeper recesses of the hole.
Ever since Jacques Cousteau made the dive site famous in the late 1960’s, increasing numbers of scuba divers have been travelling to Belize, and to the Blue Hole in particular. Given the totally unique nature and location of this incredible dive site, it is easy to see why, and undoubtedly this trend seems only set to continue.
By: Mark J Burns
Posts Tagged ‘Dive Sites’
Cook Islands Diving – Diving in Rarotonga and Aitutaki
April 19th, 2010
Cook Islands Diving
Of the 15 islands that make up the Cook Islands, two are known for their diving potential. Rarotonga is the main Cook Islands diving location and at present it has three full time diving operators. Aitutaki is located 140 miles north of Rarotonga and has just one dive operator. The scuba diving and snorkelling around both islands is top quality, and as most of the dive sites are within 10 minutes of the shoreline there is no wasted travelling time.
Diving in Rarotonga
Rarotonga is surrounded by a coral reef, however it is much more developed on the north side of the island. Here you can find a wide selection of reef dwellers and also species such as turtles, sharks and Napoleon Wrasse. The sea life is used to divers being present and it not uncommon to be able to get close enough to take decent photographs. As with the rest of the island, the sea floor drops sharply just past the reef and the 50m sheer drop is one of the top attractions of the north side.
The south side of the island has a shallow lagoon and much less coral. The lagoon floor is known for its trench-like passages where sharks, manta rays and turtles dwell during the day. These passages have to be reached by boat, however the trip is again only about 10 minutes long. Just past the small growth of coral the seafloor plunges in a near-vertical drop which is plainly visible through the clear waters.
In addition to the coral reefs and sheer drops, Rarotonga also has a couple of ship wrecks that are suitable for exploring. These used to be one of the main attractions of Cook Islands diving but a recent cyclone has left them badly damaged and slightly dangerous in some areas.
Diving around Aitutaki
Diving around Aitutaki is very similar to diving around Rarotonga except that you get the best of both worlds. Aitutaki has a large lagoon and a number of small islets, all of which are surrounded by a thriving coral reef. The diving here offers the sea life of the lagoon and that of the reefs plus the spectacular drop offs of the sea floor.
Learning to dive in the Cook Islands
Cook Islands diving is perfect for beginners and those that only dive occasionally. There are few challenging sites and all the popular dive sites are within 25 meters of the surface. Rarotonga alone has over 30 sites to choose from, many of which are accessible from the shore. There are three full-time diving operators on the island of Rarotonga plus a few that only work part-time.
The full-time operators all offer trips out to the dive sites and most run scuba diving courses for beginners as well. Before being allowed to dive in the ocean, divers have to have passed the basic techniques certificate while on the island or be able to prove they are already qualified. If this basic training is not completed then divers are not allowed to use the company equipment for their Cook Islands diving experience.
Cook Islands diving excursions
Diving excursions are run year round in virtually any weather. The water temperature around the two main islands is always warm – 25
Diving Suits
April 2nd, 2010
Diving suits are what divers normally wear when diving and are generally categorized into two kinds: soft and hard diving suits. They are used to protect the divers from different elements to which s/he is exposed when diving. These elements may include pressure, water, wind, even animals. Diving suits are designed to fit specific dive sites and the conditions in these sites.
Ambient Pressure Suits
Ambient pressure suits are also referred to soft diving suits and are further divided into four main types: wetsuits, dry suits, semi-dry suits, and dive skins. Ambient pressure suits are not limited to use by divers but are also used for thermal protection by water sports enthusiasts. Soft diving suits protect divers from the cold, abrasive, and sharp objects as well as dangerous underwater life but do not offer protections against water pressure. They are made of heavy-duty plastic coated fiber called neoprene and are subject to added buoyancy when used underwater.
Wetsuits are inexpensive soft suits used for water temperatures between 10 to 25
