Belize With Reef CI

by Edward Haynes

BACKGROUND/PREPARATION
During the summer of 2004 I noticed a new company advertising in BSAC Dive offering holidays to dive in Belize, in addition I could continue to help survey the 2nd longest barrier reef in the world. I visited the website for Reef Conservation International (Reef CI) and also spoke to Polly the founder, which helped me decide to give them a go.

My booking was done vie e-mail and went smoothly, Reef CI recommended American & Worldwide Travel for travel to/from country. It cost me a little bit extra because I forgot to tell them the exact name on my passport - we all live and learn. By mid November 2004 all was arranged, including the dreaded jabs and I was ready to go. I also considered the Manchester > Cancun > Belize route, but decided against it.

SATURDAY, 27TH NOVEMBER
04:10 My lift was waiting outside to take me to Glasgow airport. BA's check-in for Gatwick was over in 2 minutes and just before 05:00 I was drinking coffee in the Exec Lounge. I collected my bags at Gatwick in the North terminal and checked-in with US Airways at the South terminal; the queue was only 30 minutes. An eight and a half hour flight saw me in Charlotte to face US Immigration and Customs (always an unknown), however, I sailed straight through and out to the hotel. The La Quinta Airport looked OK, but when I got to my room the door lock was broken. A new room was provided without any trouble, but I was still on edge all night - a bit unnerving for a single traveller. American TV, forget it.

SUNDAY, 28TH NOVEMBER
I had the 'Thanksgiving' breakfast in the Cracker Barrel, then back to the airport for check-in to Belize. Most Americans were returning home following hanksgiving so the flight out was nearly empty. Sunshine and heat greeted me off the plane - yes I was back in Belize. Once through Immigration and Customs I bought a return ticket to Punta Gorda (PG) with Tropic Air. Maya Air also fly this route. Mike was waiting at the airstrip to welcome me and take me back to the house. I met the other staff members Marie and Angie plus Lora and Ray who where at the end of their stay. It was now I found I was the only paying guest for the next two weeks.

I was disappointed to find it was going to be 2 days before going out to Seal Caye to start diving, and then the stay was only going to be 4 nights - so much for unlimited diving. Totally outside Reef CI's control was the unavailability of international calls and the Internet (a cruise ship had pulled up the optic cable feeding the Western Caribbean).

TUESDAY, 30TH NOVEMBER
By the time Mike got the boat (Jay Jay) launched and the Belizean dive guide had arrived from Monkey River Town, it was 13:40 before we arrived at Seal Caye. After lunch Mike ran through the safety briefing and discovered the one and only O2 cylinder was empty. A shallow checkout dive was done, but nothing else. Reef CI cylinders are 80 cu ft @ 3,000 PSI or about 11 Lt.

WEDNESDAY, 1ST DECEMBER
Mike set off for Placencia at 05:30 to get the plane to Belize City for a new O2 cylinder. Whilst he was away Marie (the scientist) ran through the Reef Check Reef Check methodology and gave me some identification (ID) training, this was followed by a snorkel in the island's lagoon - plenty of factor 20 on legs and back of neck. Mike returned at 13:30 with two O2 cylinders so real diving could start - I finally got below 10 m at 15:45. Marie had me IDing the fish we would be surveying (Butterfly, Parrot, Grunt, Snapper, Grouper and Mora Eels). We planned on a night dive, but the wind picked up so we played cards instead (gin-rummy).

THURSDAY, 2ND DECEMBER

Following breakfast at 07:30 we left to do two dives near the outer reef cayes; the first a fish ID, the second substrata ID. We spend most of the surface interval on Hunting Caye. The second was easy as I was already familiar with corals, but I was mixing up Grunts and Spanners on the first. Then back to base for lunch and another fish ID training session. A third dive of the day was undertaken to lay a transit line ready for my practice runs the next day. Mike and Marie spend the evening, until 10 pm, pumping cylinders. Oh! The joys of being a paying guest.

FRIDAY, 3RD DECEMBER
We returned to the transit location, but the buoy had floated off during the night. We dived to search for the transit line, fifteen minutes into the dive we found it. Marie (the slave driver) got me to practice fish, invertebrate and substrate IDs, the dive lasted over an hour. Reef CI were unprepared for marking the transit once it was located, I used my DSMB to mark the transit for the afternoon dive. On the second dive Marie had me doing substrate ID for all four sections, 20m each with a 5m gap between each section.

SATURDAY, 4TH DECEMBER
We were in the water by 06:25, this time I was practicing my fish ID with Mike. My mask kept flooding so on the boat back I stripped it down to clean the seals, it was fine for the rest of my holiday. We got back to PG at 10:10 just in time for our dive guide to get his bus home. Once lunch was out the way I went into town for shopping, the Internet and to do washing. The phones were working again so I could ring Flora, my wife.

SUNDAY, 5TH DECEMBER
A quiet day spend at the house reading.

MONDAY, 6TH DECEMBER
We again had to wait until the dive guides arrived before we could leave for Seal Caye. After lunch I had my first real pleasure dive on the outer drop-off near Hunting Caye. We dropped to 30m and gradually ascended to the top of the drop-off, followed by a long safety stop at 6. We spent time on Lime Caye during the surface interval and got attacked by sand-flies, which Mike had said did not exist on the Caye. The second dive was on the inner-fore reef, max 10m, were the swell pushed us around a bit. After dinner we once again played cards, this time the loser was to wash down all the dive kit the following day. I lost and my argument that as the only paying guest made me exempt didn't hold water.

TUESDAY, 7TH DECEMBER
Today's diving was dedicated to conducting a Reef Check survey. We dived before breakfast so Mike could lay a new transit line. Once the line was down we went off for a look-see along the top of the drop-off. Sometime after breakfast, I conducted my first live survey by counting invertebrates (Gorgonians, Pencil Urchins, Triton Shell, Flamingo Tongue, Banded Coral Shrimp, Lobsters and Diadema). We followed Marie and Elay (our Belizean dive guide) who did the fish ID. After nearly an hour upside-down it was strange to swim back along the line, a 100m seems a long way. At 15:31 we did the day's third dive, this time Marie did the substrate ID and I recorded the results onto a slate. Mike and Elay retrieved the line when we had finished. I completed my task of washing all the dive gear whilst Mike and Marie filled cylinders. When dinner was over we played cards until 10:30. I lost again with the task of buying some 'tacky' Christmas decorations for Reef CI.

WEDNESDAY, 8TH DECEMBER
This was going to be another surveying day, Mike laid the line on the first dive, but was not happy so went back with Elay and re-deployed it. At midday we did our second dive, this time I counted fish. I'm sure fish are taught in school to stay hidden until they hear the end timer alarm. The number of times fish appeared after the count was untrue. Mike and Marie did invertebrates. And the third dive was one again done on the transit. This time I did the substrate assessment and Mike recorded it on a slate. With a bit of current and the added depth (9m) we just completed the transit and recovered it and stayed within 50 Bar on surfacing.

When we got back to Seal Caye, we had some visiting Americans who had anchored their yacht on one of the Caye's outer buoys. After they had paid their mooring fee to Larry (the island's watch-keeper) they did some snorkelling and took over the bar area. Once again when dinner and cylinder filling was done, we played cards again. The penalty for losing was to swim/snorkel to the first outer buoy at first light. Odds were on for me to lose, but Marie got that particular honour.

THURSDAY, 9TH DECEMBER
At 06:30 Marie and me (safety cover) set off for the buoy, ½ hour later we returned, it was a bit further than it looked. A quick mug of coffee and off for the first dive of the day; a 35m pleasure dip on a West facing drop-off, with torches to see under the ledges. The second and third dives of the day were on the outer reef facing North.

FRIDAY, 10TH DECEMBER
I was given the choice of location for my last dive of this visit to Belize. I choose the West facing drop-off from yesterday morning's dive. We hit the water at the unearthly time of 06:07 and were eating breakfast by 07:30. Now all I had to do was wash down all my kit and pack it. We returned to PG and were back in the house for 10:30, now I could get my dive kit dry ready for the return trip home.

After lunch I want into town, the Internet was down again, but I did buy the 'tacky' Christmas decorations. An angel floating in a star (well that's what it was supposed to be) and nice little red bow ties for the staff to wear on the Day. I look forward to the pictures on Reef CI's Website:-)

Finally meet Polly, the founder of Reef CI; she was moving into her new house.

SATURDAY, 11TH DECEMBER
My last full day in country. Down to town again and Christmas shopping, well one 'T' shirt. The Internet was working again. Once back in the house I packed all my gear - it appeared to fit in easier than when I came out. Roy arrived, one of the guests for the following week. And in the evening we, yes you guessed it, played cards. Mike and Marie thought Roy and myself should see the nightlife in PG, so off we set into town at 23:45. We ended up in a karaoke bar with 5 people, that was after visiting other places which were empty. We had enough by 01:30 and headed back to bed.

SUNDAY/MONDAY 12TH/13TH DECEMBER
I left the house at 09:30 on Sunday and got home (in Scotland) at 14:00 on Monday. I had four flights PG > Belize City > Charlotte > Gatwick and finally to Glasgow. There was a 3 hour wait at each stage, but Immigration and Customs went smoothly.

CONCLUSION
Over all I enjoyed the experience and will go again probably in 2006, but what was marketed did not match reality, Reef CI's Website has since been changed. I will consider using the Manchester through Cancun route next time - not that it's cheaper, but less hustle. Unlimited diving does not exist, only 3 full and two ½ days per week; night dives are available on request. Reef CI staff's experience of diving does not include the UK, therefore, their awareness of the buddy system was lacking. Diving, including surveys, was organised along resort principles of all following a dive guide.

I hope I haven't put you off, because it is an experience worth doing. Just remember it's not a 5 star holiday, neither is the diving.


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