Belize Blog – Belizeadventure.com

We have been hearing rumors from people signing up for our trips that flights are unbelievably cheap to Belize right now. I just did a search on 26 US and Canadian cities and it’s no joke! All US cities are UNDER $400 round trip right now for dates in January. I have not seen an across the board price cut like this in at least 5 years! Visit our website to see fares that we found: http://www.slickrock.com/belizeflights.html

If you want to visit Belize BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW.

Meg Griffiths was out on the island our first week of the season teaching wind-sports. She sent us a report via Belize City!

Waves, windy days, calm days and glorious sunshine; we couldn’t have asked for a better first week on the island, and the Thanksgiving celebrations were pretty fun too…

Everyone got involved in the surf kayaking as the waves built over the first half of the week. 6ft faces on the inside for the guides to show off their awesome paddleboard skills and little waves on the outside for the beginner surf kayakers. The water is super warm, not a wetsuit in sight, boardies all round.

The wind gave us a three perfect kiting days. Our trainer kite sessions with our 2m kite were great fun, everyone got involved. Two of the guys loved it so much they went straight on to a ‘big’ kite lesson; this is the first stage of learning to kiteboard. We head out on our teaching raft to the pristine and incredibly perfect ‘sand flats’ and the students learn to fly a full size kitesurf kite, they get pulled around, learn to get lift and of course how to stop! Davis Farrar of Carbondale, CO said: “It was exhilarating to get the kite in the air and feel the power of the wind as I learned to use the kite to pull me through the water, it was great fun; I highly recommend it.”

The windsurfers also got out for some ‘ripping’ sessions on 5 and 6m sails. We have a wide variety of equipment from beginner to expert. Our calm lagoon provides a perfect haven for the newbies while the regular windsurfers were out in deeper water screaming along reaches well over a mile long. I got a couple of great sessions in the strong winds then when the wind dropped to 9m kite weather I hopped on my kite board and demo-ed a few aerial tricks, landed some on my feet others ended in a big splash…so much fun.

Just when we were thinking a nice easy snorkel over the wall would be popular the wind cooperated completely and gave us a completely calm windless day and perfect visibility to check out the ‘wall’ 30ft below, grouper, lobster, lion fish, small sharks and even a turtle.
Turkey and the works was served up for Thanksgiving dinner after cocktails on the surf dock.
Long Caye life…its so great.

(All photos by Bryony Swan.)

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about whether to get a dive skin or a wetsuit for Belize snorkeling or diving, and whether to get a shortie suit or one with long arms and long legs.

Many guests wonder why they need a wetsuit or skin at all (also called hydroskin, swim tights, and rashguard). And there is a general misconception that you need a suit more for diving than snorkeling. We regularly snorkel for an hour or more, and although the water is 80 degrees, it is not 98.6, and with a skin or wetsuit you can dive or snorkel much longer. Without one, you will likely want to quit after 20 minutes. When you are snorkeling, you also have a wind-chill factor because you are on the surface, which is not an issue when scuba diving. I get colder snorkeling than diving. A full-body skin or suit also greatly reduces sunburn.

Also it is impossible to predict when marine stinging creatures will be present, and a tight-fitting wetsuit/skin protects you from them. Our most common stinging creature is pica-pica, a thimble jellyfish larvae. They arrive in a swarm, like dust in the air; there is no avoiding them when they show up. There is no schedule they adhere to, sometimes we won’t see any for months, then suddenly there they are, two times in one week. We have experienced them every month that we are open (November – May). A full body suit protects you from their sting.

So yes, I do recommend long arms and long legs over a shortie, because of the pica-pica and because of sunburn, which is a real issue in Belize.

However, when deciding whether to get a skin or a wetsuit, that is a personal choice. I advise people to consider if you get cold easily (a wetsuit is warmer) and where else you might use it later. If you live in California and want to go into the sea there, get a thick (3mm) suit. If you only plan to snorkel and dive in the Caribbean, a thin lycra suit will probably suffice.

I get cold easily and wear a full body 3mm suit every time I snorkel in Belize. But that’s just me! Others don’t get cold that easily.

Snorkelers cannot rent suits from our dive shop, they only rent to divers diving with them. If you do not bring a wet suit or skin you will regret it!

Here is a great site with inexpensive wetsuits and skins: Scroll down, there’s a full body suit for $58.

When we say we have a “multi-sport” adventure package in Belize, we aren’t kidding. Nobody in Belize, and as far as I know, nobody in the entire Caribbean has a kayak/surf/board fleet anything close to ours. We can’t help it, if we see some cool new gear, we just have to try it out on the island, so we then buy one, or two, or ten of them. It’s a great excuse to get all the cool stuff.

We took a lot of new gear down this fall, and I just updated the list. Here is the newly updated list of everything we have down in Belize. Thinking of buying a new paddleboard? Better come down to Belize and try out several before you decide which one to get! (We ALL need excuses sometimes, don’t we?)

 

 

Island sport equipment:

Sea Kayaks: Singles: Sea Lion, Eclipse and Shadow 14.0 (for small women) by Perception; Looksha-14, Looksha-17, Looksha IV, Elaho and Eskia (for tall men) by Necky; Sealution II XL by Wilderness Systems, Whistler and squall GTS by Current Design, Doubles: Seascape II by NW Kayak, Amaruk by Necky
Sit-On-Top Sea Kayaks: Peekaboo by Ocean Kayak (kayak with window in hull), Tarpon 160 by Wilderness Systems, Versa by Liquid Logic
Fishing Kayaks: Tarpon 160i and Ride 135 by Wilderness Systems

Surf/Playboats: Kaos by Wilderness Systems; 5-O by Perception
Surf Skis: Malibu Kayak 4.4
Surf Boards: 6’10” Epoxy Fish by Yancy Spencer; 6’10” & 7’10” Funboards by Blue Surfboards; 7’6” MBB Thruster by Channel Islands; 9’0” & 9’2” Performance Epoxy Longboards by Colbalt; 9’0” beginner hard-bottom foam board

 

Paddleboards: Laird Soft Tops by Surftech, 12 and 11’6”; custom 10’6, 10, 9’2 boards by Corridor, 9’6” PSH AA Wide, 9’6” Waa by Paddle Surf Hawaii, Versa by Liquid Logic, Rapidfire by Imagine
Cruiser Paddleboards: 12’6” Pau Hana Crossfit, 12’ Bombora by Jimmy Lewis
SUP Paddles: Surftech, Aquabound, Werner and Kialoa

Windsurfing Boards: Beginner: Start by Starboard; Intermediate: Go by Starboard, 2009 133 L Starboard, Classic 103 L by Mistral, Flow 105 L by Mistral; Advanced: 2010 120 L X-Cite Ride by JP, 2010 140 L Fun Ride by JP, 2010 85 L Freestyle Wave by JP, 2010 102 L Freestyle Wave by JP, 2008 105 L by Exocet, 2008 84 L by Exocet

 

Windsurfing Sails: Full range from 3.0 to 7.0; Ezzy, Naish, Sailworks, Northsails, Loftsails; Advanced sails: 2010 Firefly 4.1, 4.5, 4.9, 6.9 by Neil Pryde, 2010 Zone 5.0 by Neil Pryde, 2010 Alpha 5.8 by Neil Pryde, 2010 Hellcat 6.2, 7.2 by Neil Pryde
Windsurf Dry Land Trainer

Kitesurf Kites: Slingshot 2 meter trainer; Trainers by Ocean Rodeo 2010, 2010 4, 7, 9, 12, 14 meter kites by Cabrinha
Kiteboards: 2010 directional, twin tip
Harnesses: Da Kine chest and seat harnesses; expert sailors should bring their own
Lifejackets: Extrasport
Paddles: Werner
Kayak Helmets: Protech, NRS

Inland sport equipment:

Rafts: Super Puma by Aire
Inflatable Kayaks: Lynx by Aire, Extreme Padillac by Hyside
Whitewater Sit-on-Top Kayaks: Big Yak by Ocean Kayak, Torrent by Perception
Hardshell Whitewater Kayaks: Diesel, Ace, Foreplay by Wave Sports, Huck by LiquidLogic

 

 

I flew into Belize this season a little early to tune up my motorcycles, catch up on paperwork and escape the snow. I learned something very important that I thought I would share with everyone. Belize requires a passport valid for six months for an entry visa. Now I knew that coming into the country for my tenth year. What I didn’t realize until about three days prior to leaving the states was that my passport expires in February. This could have been an ugly scenario stranding me in Salt Lake City, Houston, or worse being turned back at immigration at the Belize City airport. Turns out not many people know these rules. I only thought to look it up a while back because I was in front of some people at an airport in Europe when they got denied boarding because their passports didn’t have 6 months on them.

Here is what I did just to be sure I had a less likely chance of getting denied:

• Got on my iphone at the airport and pulled up the US embassies web site for Belize. I pulled up the page explaining passport renewal options.
• Used my license to board all but my international leg
• Waited for the airline employee who seemed the most casual about checking passports during preboarding

I got through in Houston and knew the Belize guys wouldn’t check thoroughly so I was home free. As soon as I got into Belize city i made an appointment at the US embassy and wolla! New passport in 7-10 days. Same price as the US and way faster turnover time.

Im officially over being anywhere in Belize but on Long Caye and I’m headed there tomorrow.

 

Cully is in Belize City and just sent me some pictures of the construction he has been supervising out on the island. We have had a huge crew out there in preparation for the upcoming season. Every year we do a big building project, sometimes it’s cabanas, this year it is a complete re-do of our island wash stand.

Our facility is an eco-resort. We use only solar and wind power and we flush nothing into the sea. No cabana has private restrooms, everyone must walk to the restroom and shower from their cabana. Our island wash-stand has RUNNING RAIN WATER, which is super cool. We used to have 4 sinks, now we will have many more. Cully tells me there will be 7 sinks and 2 laundry sinks, with more protection when we have bad weather.

Click on the pictures below to see the full images. The first one is “before”, the last 2 are “during”. It will take a few weeks to get some “after” shots.

Off topic a little for a Belize travel website, but it was too good not to pass on. What do you think? Will dressing better get you better treatment on a plane? This professional travel watchdog thinks so.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-hobica/do-airlines-treat-you-better_b_1065081.html

Tomorrow is Garifuna settlement day in Belize, a national holiday. Many of our island staff are Garifuna, an ethnic group with their own language and religion. The Garifuna of Belize live in Dangriga, Hopkins, Seine Bight, and Monkey River, as well as other parts of Belize.

 
 

Today I found a blog post with an excellent summary of how the Garifuna people came to Belize. This is a very good read:
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?storyid={78089bfc-0700-4fcb-b0dd-51297c1041a4}

Great photos make for great holiday memories, but there are some places where taking snaps isn’t all that easy- under the sea for example. However, it’s not as difficult as many people assume and it’s well worth giving underwater photography a try. There are certainly plenty of things to see and shoot in the seas around Belize so finding a fantastic subject won’t be a problem.

First off, you don’t need to buy a whole new camera if you want take great pictures while diving, snorkeling, or swimming. Nor do you have to switch to a disposable film camera. These days most popular digital compact cameras can be slotted into a clear plastic underwater housing. The right housing will allow you to zoom normally and use most other functions (including the flash) while keeping your everyday camera safe and dry. A good housing for a digital compact costs about $100, but it’s well worth investing in quality.

Before sealing your camera up in a housing, make sure the batteries are fresh and the memory card has plenty of free space. You can’t change the batteries while diving!

If you need to buy a new camera anyway, it’s usually best to buy a kit containing a camera that can be used on the surface or under it, a housing, and maybe other accessories like an external flash. The Nikon L24 kit is a good starting point and a complete kit will cost about $380. If you want to invest a little more, try the Olympus TG-610 or TG-810 ($560-$660, great cameras underwater and above it). Those who really want to take stunning underwater photo might buy something like the Sea & Sea Underwater DX-2G, which is sold as a professional package with a camera, external strobe, a full set of fittings and cables, and a heavy-duty case to keep everything safe from harm while out on the water. The whole bundle costs about $2480.

When you’ve got your new camera it’s time to get to know it. Always practice on the surface first. Take a few pictures with the waterproof housing in place to make sure you’re comfortable with the functions. This is always a good idea even for experienced underwater photographers, because if there are any problems with the camera or the housing it’s better to find out before jumping in the water.

Unless the water is really clear and bright, close up macro shots are likely to come out better than wide ones. Shoot through a lot of water and colors will tend to wash out or look very blue, so shallower shots have much better color than deep shots. Small particles suspended in the sea can also bounce light back towards the camera lens. This “backscatter” effect can make photos come out grainy and spotted especially if you’re shooting with a flash, so avoid the flash if you can. The color balance can sometimes be corrected with Photoshop or a similar set of tools but backscatter is hard to edit out.

Professionals know to use the minimum level of artificial light. It’s often better to turn off the flash altogether, otherwise reflections off bright, shiny silver fish or even white sand can cause ‘hotspots’ or burn patches in the image. Some camera housing systems allow for the use of an external flash or strobe, which can be very handy. Try playing with lighting angles to capture the texture of corals and sponges.

 

When using an external flash, try pointing it a little away from the subject rather than directly on it. This will reduce backscatter and make the lighting seem more natural. It’s also good to try positioning the flash away from the camera a little instead of keeping it close in. The professionals usually use two strobes, both positioned on the edge of the subject.

 

Remember, great underwater photography isn’t just about strange and wonderful wildlife. What your loved ones most want to see in a picture is you, having the time of your life underwater. Other divers or swimmers can make great subjects and don’t be afraid to hand your camera to someone else so you can be in the pictures too!

 

Underwater video is also a great way to remember your trip. JVC make some excellent underwater video cameras- take a look at the GZ-HM550 for example. If shooting video is a priority you’ll almost certainly need a special light source as well. Again, it’s easiest to buy everything you need as a package. In this case, you’ll need a camera, housing, external light and a positioning arm to keep it steady. A diffuser for the light will come in handy in poor conditions but these are not always included with the set (which retails from about $2000).

Because movement is sometimes a little awkward underwater it’s also worth finding a video camera with image stabilization. Take care how the strobe is positioned when you take video footage underwater- getting the angles right is even more important than it is when taking stills.

Daylight balance (making the lighting look natural) can also be a problem when shooting a video, especially in good conditions and close to the surface on a sunny day. A video light with a color temperature of about 5000K will simulate sunlight reasonably well. When conditions are not so great, the color temperature isn’t as important and any good video light will help bring out bright colors.

Jess Spate loves diving and photography, and both together. She works for a camping gear store and travels whenever possible.

When you sign up for one of our Belize trips, you will receive a “What to Bring” list in the mail. You might think all you need is a couple of t-shirts, your swimsuit, and a toothbrush, but there are a few other things you will need to fully take advantage of our adventure sport program. You can request the full Belize packing list from us by email, but in a nutshell the other items include a dive skin, booties, mask, fins, snorkel, and flashlight. In addition to this, you still need your t-shirts, shorts, raingear, and toothbrush, plus a few other items.

So it IS possible to do it using only carry-on luggage, but in my opinion it is not worth it.

The Belize airport is small, you get your luggage quickly, and at best you will get to your initial Belize destination about 15 minutes faster by doing carry-on only.

And what do you sacrifice? If have seen people leave their fins at home, or buy these horrible tiny fins just to avoid checking luggage. I don’t get it. You go to one of the top snorkeling destinations in the entire world, and you don’t bring your fins, just to save 15 minutes?

That’s nuts!

To see our full Belize packing list, shoot me an email and I’ll send it to you: slickrock@slickrock.com.

Here’s a list of airline carry on luggage rules. Belize airlines are Continental, American, Delta, and US Airways.