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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,

by Richard J Lunsford Jr, KY, US (Contributor 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 4 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
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
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

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

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Separate rinse tanks & the space for photo gear seemed adequate. Heard no complaints about any of this.
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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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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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