How to Choose a Dive Master
Many dive masters in Belize are former anglers who began diving on the side and ended up doing it full time. The best have an intimate knowledge of the reef and a superb eye for coral and marine life.
When choosing a dive master or dive shop, first check the Web. Participants on forums and newsgroups such as www.ambergriscaye.com and www.scubaboard.com field many questions on diving and dive shops in Belize. On islands where there are multiple dive shops, spend some time talking to dive masters to see which ones make you feel most comfortable. Find out about their backgrounds and experience, as well as the actual crew that would be going out with you. Are they dive masters, instructors, or just crew? Get a sense of how the dive master feels about reef and sea life conservation.
Besides questions about costs and equipment, ask:
- How many people, maximum, go out on your dive trips?
- Is there a minimum number of divers before you'll make the trip?
- What dive sites are your favorites, and why?
- What kind of boats do you have, and how long does it take to get where we're going?
- Who is actually in the water with the divers?
- What kind of safety and communications equipment is on the boat?
- What's the procedure for cancellation in case of bad weather?
- How do you decide if you're going out or not?
If you're not comfortable with the answers, or if the dive shop just doesn't pass your sniff test, move on.
