Bottom Time Productions writer and producer, Eleanor Willis, and her crew spent five days in Belize, January 15 through 19, producing an episode for the television series Dive Travel TV.
While in Belize, their visit took them to Placencia and San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, where they spent two nights in each destination.
Day 1
The Adventure Begins!!!
The group started their journey with a smooth transfer via Tropic Air, where with a glance outside the window, one could see pristine waters and winding rivers along the coast.
The 25 minute transfer to Placencia seemed like only a minute thanks to the magnificent beauty of the coast. Finally Placencia! The divers were very eager to get their first night dive underway, but first we had to check into our hotel and settle in. After a 20 minute rest, it was time for the adventure to begin. We headed over to Splash Dive Center and were met by Patty, the dive operator. For what seemed like an eternity later, the time had finally come for us to head for the open waters at Mosquito Caye. Mother Nature had blessed us with a gorgeous night. The moon shined bright from the sky, the gentle winds were blowing and the sea was calm. The water whispered to the divers, “Come in.” I watched in awe as the divers expertly prepared for their first night dive, making sure that all the gears were in place and ready to go. A few moments later, the “splash”… was all I heard as the divers disappeared into the night.
Day 2
The Sun Rose Gently Over the Horizon!!
The morning was stunning, the sun rose gently over the horizon overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea. The divers once again headed out suited up, this time for a morning dive at Pompian Caye.
Andrea Ocampo, co-host of the show was extremely excited as this was her first dive. Patty, our diving instructor, was an excellent coach and subsided any of Andrea’s uneasiness as she experienced Belize’s underwater world. As their tagline says, “It’s not just for divers.” Andrea was not a diver, but she was more than willing to give it a shot, and completed her first dive that day.
The 45 minute boat ride was a swift, as they were anxious to be one with the sea… They leaped into the water, fins flapping like fish and down they went into the deep blue.
For others who are not as courageous to explore the underwater world as Andrea did, there is always snorkeling, fishing, kayaking or just plain swimming.
After an active morning of diving, we headed back to the hotel for a quick lunch break, as we had an adventurous afternoon ahead of us.
The afternoon was awesome as we headed out for our Monkey River tour. The river was named after the troops of the black howler monkeys that made their home in the jungle. During our tour, one particular howler monkey was swinging from tree to tree, repeatedly howling, as if to get our undivided attention. The crew, having been on many river tours, absolutely loved the Monkey River Tour.
The mixture of wildlife was astonishing. From birds to turtles, crocodiles to Iguanas, sitting on the river banks observing us as we glided by.
Day 3
Welcome to “La Isla Bonita” San Pedro!!
The last leg of our journey was to the beautiful island of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. With its cobblestone streets and sandy beaches, Ambergris Caye is everyone’s idea of paradise. With just a small glimpse of the island, the group fell in love instantly.
After enjoying their dive the day prior, the group was itching to dive again. This time they dove at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, located only 10 minutes away from San Pedro. Hol Chan, Mayan for ‘little channel’, features an opening in the reef (called a quebrada) which is no more than 25 yards (23 m) wide and 30 feet (9 m) deep about 4 miles southeast of San Pedro.
The divers were truly amazed with the underwater world. They dived with nurse sharks, stingrays, turtles and octopus, among the various species of coral and fish.
Day 4
Good Morning San Pedro!!
The morning sunrise was gorgeous, and the crew was energized and ready to start their 4th day of filming, but first it was breakfast time. We headed over to Rico’s restaurant, located at Banyan Bay Resort and had a very nice Belizean breakfast which consisted of fry jacks, refried beans and eggs. It was truly delicious. After breakfast it was time to head out to the streets of San Pedro. The crew loaded up their equipment in the golf cart, and off we went to explore the island. We drove around, stopping several times for the crew to take shots and do their filming.
After several hours of filming, it was time for lunch. We had an amazing lunch at Elvi’s Kitchen. The food there was wonderful and the décor is out of this world. No shoes, no problem. Visitors can literally waltz in bare feet, as one of the restaurant’s unique features is the white sands of San Pedro that replace the old traditional floor boards.
Day 5
The Last Day…
The crew spent their final day in Belize getting their last bits of footages. They worked extremely hard and although it was a lot of late nights and early mornings, I truly loved being with them. I saw firsthand the hard work that goes into the making of a successful television show, it was truly amazing. Although the time was short, the memories will last forever…
The crew departed the country on Wednesday afternoon via American Airlines.
Be sure to check in for airdates of Dive Travel’s trip to Belize!
