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Dive Review of Aggressor Fleet in
Belize/Turneffe, Lighthouse Reef

Aggressor Fleet: "Belize Aggressor III, August 2017", Aug, 2017,

by David M. Stanwick, CA, US ( 1 report with 1 Helpful vote). Report 10026 has 1 Helpful vote.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments Aboard the Belize Aggressor III:

We started off with one day of diving before returning to the dock due to approaching hurricane Harvey. When we started our return the crew wasn't sure if we were going to have to move to a hotel while they moored the boat up in the mangroves, but by the time we arrived the decision was made that the passengers could stay aboard. As it turned out, the storm passed silently over us as a weak tropical depression before it reconstituted itself to hammer Huston about 5 days later. I am grateful to Aggressor management, both in Belize and stateside for carefully monitoring weather conditions and taking conservative action to protect passengers and crew. I'm sure the Wave Dancer tragedy weighed heavily in their decision processes:
[undercurrent.org link]


This is only my second liveaboard, and on a very similar "crew boat". What seemed unique about this boat is that it would swing 100 to 150 degrees around its mooring pin even in the slightest breeze, and quite quickly too. The crew admitted this odd behavior and tried to explain it. I recall holding onto the trapeze preparing to descend on a night dive. The boat would swing, and I lost visual contact with my dive buddy. Likewise, swimming back to the boat you can burn through a lot of air chasing after it. You have to watch the boat for a while and then time your ascent to catch it. Not a huge big deal once you understand this.

I was satisfied with the usual Caribbean critters, large and small. We spent a lot of our time muck diving and my buddy got some amazing photos on his new $600.00 camera, to the embarrassment of a fellow diver sporting his $10k camera rig.

Many sites had only medium visibility, probably due to currents. Skies were overcast most of the time, which actually helped with my photography.

While waiting for the dive briefings for the first couple of dives we were eaten alive by mosquitoes. This was mostly resolved after the crew sprayed the deck while we were underwater.

Night dives were marred by those annoying underwater "sea flies". I therefore kept my lights off most of the time on those dives.

The Blue Hole was tightly choreographed by the crew so that everyone can check that box. It was interesting, but little time to soak it all in. Watch your depth and time -- I entered DECO mode by being slightly deeper and longer than prescribed. Watch your assent: water was quite clear and the walls are mostly featureless, so it is easy to underestimate your assent rate. As a result of these two rookie mistakes I took an extra long safety stop between 15 and 10 feet.

I had the upper bunk in our cabin. My buddy wanted the AC on full blast but I was freezing up there. On the second night I needed to knock on one of the crew cabins to ask for an extra blanket. This was cheerfully taken care of.

23 safe dives; good crew; good food, but not fabulous; limited snacks (which might not be a bad thing); safe voyage.
Websites Aggressor Fleet   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Northern California, Cayman Islands
Closest Airport BZE Getting There via. MIA

Dive Conditions

Weather cloudy, dry Seas calm
Water Temp -°F / -°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 40-200 Ft/ 12-61 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Blue Hole: group dive; 130 feet/5 minutes.
Generally: stay within recreational limits; dive with buddy.
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins Schools Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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