In years past, diving the Great Blue Hole has been a strenuous day trip requiring early departures and late returns in the dark. Hugh Parkey's Belize Dive Connection is now offering the capability to go out from Belize City, the most direct route and the most comfortable route to dive the Great Blue Hole. The Great Blue Hole is almost due east of Belize City about 45 miles as the crow flies.

Departing from the city means that over half of this trip is done in calm water. The short hop from the Barrier Reef to the west side of Turneffe is only 5 miles of open water and then from the east side of the Turneffe Atoll to the west side of Lighthouse Atoll is only 13 miles of openwater. The balance of the trip is done in protected lagoon waters, insuring a nice comfortable ride. This means that not only is this famous dive now closer, it is also a much calmer ride.

The Great Blue Hole was formed sometime during one of the ice ages that covered the North American continent several millions of years ago. At this time it was dry and because of its limestone makeup, stalagmites and stalactites were created drop by drop of limestone rich water. Some of these stalactites are nearly thirty feet long and nearly eight feet in diameter.

The top edge of the Great Blue Hole is nearly 1,000 feet across and is ringed by fringing coral that makes for an excellent snorkeling adventure. The base of this fringing reef gradually slopes at about 40 degrees until at a depth of 50 feet it suddenly drops into the Great Blue Hole. A sheer, pockmarked wall, covered in some places with an algae called Halimeda, is the only reference as descent is initiated. Most of the time there will be a slight thermocline felt at around 90 feet and at this point the visibility will improve substantially. The stalactites start at a depth of 120 feet and are plainly in view at the limits of sport diving, 130 feet.

This amazing geological formation is not home to a variety of marine life, especially at depth. On occasion, you will see groupers, sharks, horse-eye jack, squirrel fish back up in a nook, and even schools of Reef Sharks. This really does make for an eerie, almost surreal setting.

One aspect of the Great Blue Hole is that the dive is over almost before it starts. Due to the depth, at most, there will only be a 8 to 10 minute bottom time. A slow, controlled ascent back up the wall, to a safety stop at the base of the fringing reef is definitely in order. Another aspect of the dive into the Great Blue Hole is that for some it is the dive of a lifetime and for others it is less exciting, but for any diver it will be worth the price of admission.