Kim & Randy's Belize 2007 Trip

Peter Hughes' Sun Dancer II

  

 

This was my second trip aboard the Sun Dancer II.  My first was in February of 2005.  This trip spanned 29 June through 7 July 2007.  Water temp was a fairly consistent 84 Suunto degrees, sometime warmer towards the surface.  I made one dive in a 2 mil shorty and found even that to be warm.  With the exception of the night dives and the Blue Hole, the remainder of my dives were made in trunks and a rash guard.  The other dives were made in a 1/2 mil skin.

The topside weather was nice but windy.  We hit maybe two squalls that lasted at most 10 minutes each.  The wind and resultant air borne debris caused underwater viz to drop sometimes as low as 40-50 feet.

Sadly, Jerry and Elia were off this week.  I did meet up with Elia upon our return, but I really missed Jerry's cooking.  Capt. Bert did double duty as a dive master and Carlos was an able substitute for Jerry.  The entire staff did a great job on the boat keeping us all happy and entertained..

 

Left to right facing camera, Capt. Bert, Boat Manager Anne-Marie, Elsie (DM), John (DM), Carlos (Cook), Jean (Cook Asst.) and Bob (Engineer).  Barbara is sitting and hiding from the camera.

 

First thing Wednesday morning the Sun Dancer made a mad dash to the Blue Hole for a pretty anti-climatic dive.  It's the only escorted dive of the trip and other than a few sharks cruising by was very uneventful.

This is followed by a land based tour of Half Moon Caye to observe the infamous red footed booby (birds, you idiot, like I didn't hear THAT joke a 100 times on the boat!).  It was a actually a welcomed change to take a small hike, climb up the observation platform and snap a few photos of some boobies (again, I've heard it) and then walk around a very picturesque island.  On the left here is the old light house, presumably built in the 1860s and now fading into the ocean as the beach erodes.

 

 

Night dives were a pleasant surprise this time for me.  In winter 2005 the water temp was about 78 and the wind chill gave me shivers after every night dive.  This time with 84 degree water and a warmer breeze they were down right pleasant.  Also, the tarpon, for whatever reason, were a lot less obnoxious.  This allowed more night critters to come out.  Above is a small school of squid that kept us amused on one of those night dives.

 

I'm sure the sunrises were very pretty every morning.  But I'm a bit of a slug and only got up early on Friday, the last day of diving.  That's because diving started at 6:00 a.m. that day to fit in 2 dives before the boat heads back to Belize City.  I was conscious enough to snap this one picture before getting ready for my next to last dive of the trip.


Some people had more trouble getting up early than I did!

Everyone on the boat probably knows I have a "thing"
for squid (see picture up the page a bit) and tunicates.
We like tunicates! Woo Hoo!!

 


More Pictures on This Web Site

White Boards of the Dive Sites

Above Water Pictures

Embarrassing Moments: The Fashion Show

Into the Depths... Pictures of the Fishies
 


Other Links

Rob's Pictures

Ray's Pictures

Greg's Pictures

Peter Hughes Diving

My thanks to my new friends and fellow passengers from the Sun Dancer: Peter, Terry & Paula, Bob & Dana (soon to be Mrs. Bob), Norm, Larry, Allan, Ray & Pat, Michael and Jay, Rob, Greg, Mike, Scott and of course my wife Kim (for "strongly suggesting" we needed a vacation NOW!)  I have to say this was by far the most experienced bunch of divers that have ever had to put up with me!  Even with Jay bringing down the curve on that score!
And thanks to the great crew of Sun Dancer II: Bert, Bob, Anne-Marie, Elsie, John, Carlos, Barbara, Jean and David!

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