Dive Review of Sun Dancer 2 in
Belize/Mainly Lighthouse Atoll region

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Sun Dancer 2: "Belize via Sun Dancer 2; Loved It", May, 2015, by Richard J Lunsford Jr, KY, US ( Contributor 14 reports with 12 Helpful votes). Report 8227 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	My 1st live-aboard trip was the Belize Sun Dancer 2, May 2 - 9, 2015. Belize's best diving is said to be well off the mainland, particularly the Lighthouse Atoll region, which is where we did 24 of the 26 dives (2 in the Turneffe Atoll region Friday morning heading back to Belize City). Fine general Caribbean diving; range of topography - flat bottoms with sand, sea grass or patchy coral, sloping 'hill side' reef (like Bonaire) to steep vertical walls, overall impression similar to Bonaire in reef quality with more varied topography. Viz. better than Key Largo or Jupiter, maybe not quite equal to Bonaire, but good. Water temp.s 79 - 80 via Oceanic VT3 computer (a guide thought actually temp.s about 2 degrees warmer than that). Usually minimal current & never serious. Top conditions while diving were nice. There's a guide on every dive; buddy pairs can do their own thing if they wish. Big stuff I saw - several reef sharks, a nurse shark, an eagle ray, some southern stingrays, green morays, black, Nassau & tiger grouper, tarpon. On the sun deck we watched 4 dolphin come right past the back of the boat. Saw 3 octopi & 2 very large, very clean channel cling crabs on night dives. Was shown a sea horse & a pipe fish. One dive with a perforated plastic bucket with lion fish carcasses was used to draw in a big reef shark on one dive. Not as fishy as Key Largo, but plenty. More big animals than Bonaire. Crew - Excellent good-natured staff who seem genuinely happy and happy to serve. Fin-tastic service (take your fins off before you climb the ladder & hand them up for you) & putting your fins on right before entry eliminates 'duck walking' onboard. Clean, comfortable rooms, good food, nice interior areas & and comfortable sundeck (partly shaded) up top. A pretty boat. Most rooms are on deck one; exit the hall, there's the dive area. Up one floor to eat when they ring a bell. They get a warm towel on you after you exit & get out of your gear & wetsuit. My more detailed review with photos is at ScubaBoard.com - [scubaboard.com link]
Websites	Sun Dancer 2
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Bonaire (8 trips, > 150 dives), Key Largo (20 dives), Jupiter, Fl (10 dives), varied Caribbean dives & some quarry & other freshwater.
Closest Airport		Getting There	Flew Nashville, TN to Belize (via Miami going, Charlotte, NC coming back). Round trip airfare maybe $650?
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	79-80°F / 26-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	50-75 Ft/ 15-23 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Max. depth 110 feet, back on boat with > 500 PSI. On dive exit, I was asked for max. depth & dive time only; nobody checked pressures.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	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		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Separate rinse tanks & the space for photo gear seemed adequate. Heard no complaints about any of this.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

Subscriber's Comments

By report author: Richard J Lunsford Jr in KY, US at May 27, 2015 19:00 EST

One minor bit: NItrox was 32% except for the Blue Hole, mixed for 24%, and we allowed a 130 foot max. depth as I recall. Viz. is subjective. Fritz Besch was on the same trip; read his trip report, too.

By Craig A Wood in PA, US at May 30, 2015 03:11 EST

Thanks drrch2, your SB review is very good, the photos add a lot Best, scubadada

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Dive Review of Sun Dancer 2 in Belize/Mainly Lighthouse Atoll region

Sun Dancer 2: "Belize via Sun Dancer 2; Loved It", May, 2015,

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):

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Sun Dancer 2 in
Belize/Mainly Lighthouse Atoll region