Dive Review of Isla Marisol in
Belize

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Isla Marisol, Jul, 2008, by Jill Rain, WA, United States ( Sr. Reviewer 9 reports with 4 Helpful votes). Report 4218.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Off-season at a remote site with excellent staff translates to as good as diving gets in the Caribbean. Isla Marisol is successfully creating a comfortable and dedicated dive destination. 22-acre Usher family island at south end of Glover's reef is the only high-end accomodation on the atoll (beachfront cabanas with en-suite showers, toilets, netted doors/windows, 24-hour power, fans and AC). Manager Eddie Usher was preoccupied on the mainland working out financing to continue improvements on the island, which was a problem for one of our party who had paid for a cert referral (fortunately it was worked out by the end of our stay), but his very gracious and helpful mother was there for a few days, from whom we learned many things about the history of the island, the family and the area. What to be aware of before you go: (1) Sandflies are aggressive any time the wind dies a little, especially at the boat dock (what we came to call the Death Zone). Even the bar deck at the end of a long dock will have sandflies unless there's a moderate breeze. Keep covered, or use repellant, even for a few minutes outside (Picaridin easier on a wetsuit than Deet). Interestingly, even though the netting on cabana windows was mosquito-size, the sandflies didn't come in - yay);(2) The ride out from Dangriga on a 36' planing open boat is fast but WET and bumpy - assume you will get soaked; (3) Our dives were limited to 45 minutes, even though we all had lots of air left - maybe because we had a new diver? Ask if you can get an hour bottom time. Here are some notable excellent things about Isla Marisol: (1) The dive master (Giovani) and boat captain (Lyndon) were excellent: competent, friendly, helpful in every way, and a lot of fun; (2)the dive boat can handle big swells (5-6') so we went out to good windward sites regardless of the weather (note: the wind kicks up in the afternoon so viz decreases then); (3) The reef is protected and full of life: great lush huge corals and sponges, high fish diversity and numbers, sharks, turtles, giant groupers. There were only 2, later 3, of us divers, and we never saw any other group. Drifting through wildlife. (4) Topside: The food (cooked and served by Aurora) was excellent and ample, including treats, the fresh fruit juice all day - mango, papaya, watermelon, lemonade, coconut - an island specialty. Beaches raked daily and clean of flotsam. Solar powered path lights for walking back to cabana after dinner. The snorkeling couple reported a really good time, both where they were boated out to, and right at the resort under the docks and in the creek (she identified 108 different species of fish). Isla Marisol wants to maintain a family operation at a high level of service; we hope they can. They are putting effort and money into the right things: top-notch staff and comfortable accomodation. This is a place we plan to return to.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	[Unspecified]
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather		Seas
Water Temp	85-0°F / 29--18°C	Wetsuit Thickness	0
Water Visibility	20-70 Ft/ 6-21 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	[Unspecified]
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

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Dive Review of Isla Marisol in Belize

Isla Marisol, Jul, 2008,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Isla Marisol in
Belize