Belize
Sintra (2 days)
Reef Conservation Int'l
Overview
We found the program originally through IVHQ
This volunteer experience is for someone that:
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Loves to scuba dive (3 dives a day) and / or interested in getting additional scuba certification
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Is capable of setting up own dive gear
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Is comfortable in truly rustic wet and sandy accommodations
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More interested in helping to make a difference in the lion fish population than diving pristine coral reefs
OR someone who wants to push themselves out of their comfort zone to experience personal growth, while making a difference
Island -home base
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Size of a football field if that.
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Only have generator electricity evening to morning
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Rainwater fed drizzling cold showers, flush toilets
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Starts every Monday (we stayed the night before in Placencia) as you take a boat to the island around 10am on Monday and return back to Placencia on Friday (mid-day).
Across from our island, the owner of both islands resides. The couple are 80+. Didn’t get to meet them.
Island Resident dog “Waggie” and program manager dog “Dude” also sometimes stays
Typical schedule (Monday- Friday)
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3 dives a day, 10-15 min boat ride to most dive sites- wake up, 7:30am dive, eat, rest, 11am dive, eat, rest, 3pm dive, eat dinner, read or play cards, go to bed and do it all again.
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Plan may change based on weather but they really try to get in 3 dives a day. Will do a shore dive, if it is to choppy -shallow, but very good.
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First day (Monday) you only do a shore / check out dive - refresher and testing of your skills. Last day (Friday) there is only time for first dive as you leave the island around 9:30am
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One afternoon we went to another island and picked up trash that had washed ashore from Guatemala or Honduras
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If you are staying for multiple weeks you take the boat back to Placencia with everyone else on Friday, on your own for weekend, and then return to the island via boat on Monday.
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At night people would play Uno or poker, sit around and talk, or read. People were pretty tired from all the diving so went to bed early. Beer available to buy, but not a lot of drinking.
This is hands on
You are responsible for getting gear, setting up, and maintaining your equipment for the week.
Need to carry your equipment about 100 feet to the boat. When you do 3 boat dives, you only have to carry used/full tanks back and forth between dives
You are responsible for washing your dishes after each meal
Well managed
Run the day on time
Work around weather - Try their best to ensure you get in 3 dives a day.
Share short informative presentations before most of the dives
Teach you how to handle venomous lion fish and fillet them
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Truly care about your safety while diving and on the ground
Dives
Focus of most dives is to spear lion fish. These are invasive species that are ruining the coral reefs. Teach you the second day how to do it. Normally only have one spear per group but dive master does a good job of passing it around during the dive to ensure anyone that wants to spear a lion fish has opportunities to do so. Some dives have many lion fish (spear up to 20 or more), some dives very few. First dive is a walk in the water check out dive to ensure you remember how to do it.
Some varieties of dives, but all are drift dives- walls, open valleys. Visibility was only fair for most of our dives. Medium to stronger winds. Sometimes a bit rough, use seasick medicine, if you’re prone to it, but didn’t see anyone get sick
Volunteers
We had 13 volunteers for our week/group. We were told the week before there were only 5 volunteers. One of the volunteers said last time she did it there was 23 volunteers. Our group was the perfect size.
Our group was a third Americans, a third Canadians, a third Europeans. There was one couple in their 30s. Youngest diver was 17-year-old woman from California doing a gap year for her high school senior year, and the oldest was a man from the UK turning 70 shortly.
All seemed to be very capable divers, but that wasn’t required. Many were getting advanced scuba certifications and staying for multiple weeks (e.g., 2 - 4).
They were all very nice, inclusive, open minded Loved that once we got back to Placencia, everyone who was staying the night met up for drinks and dinner
Staff
We had 10 to support our group. Boat captains, dive masters, cooks, housekeeper, etc. All very nice, prideful of what they do, focused on making it a great experience for all. Being the least experienced, our dive master took me under his wing and really helped me gain my confidence and skills. Very patient
Food / Accomadations
Food
Very good. Lots of variety- eggplant Parmesan, veggie chow mein, chicken skewers. Veggie coconut curry, Fry Jack, etc. Ate the lion fish we caught -very good. Portions are a little on the light side, but you could always go ask the kitchen for more. 3 meals a day.
Accommodations
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This was the weaker link in the program although we were told they have plans to upgrade some of the rooms.
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We were the lucky ones as we had our own toilet, sink and shower, since our room had six bunks, but was just us. Many of the others has to share one toilet and one shower. If at full capacity, seems like it would be tough.
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Mattresses old, not great, but got tired enough to sleep ok the second night and on. Doubling mattresses made it worse. Note: not everyone complained about their mattress
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Toilets didn’t always fill. Most days needed to manually add sea water to toilet tank
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Floors were filthy due to sand and water that we tracked in
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Showers cold. Very little water pressure. Limited to once a day.
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Picnic tables for all to eat their meals together
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Hammocks and a few lounge chairs to use while relaxing, sunning
All in all
This was a stretch experience for me on multiple levels
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Took several dives to get my weights right, breathing down, and my confidence back after not diving for 20 years. I’m thankful for my patient dive master, Sam
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Took me several days to feel like I was sure I was putting my dive equipment together properly. Got it down towards end of trip, but still requested every dive for my dive master to check my gear
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Physically challenging to drag dive equipment down to the boat every day and swap out the air tanks 3 times a day (weighs 50+ pounds)
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4 nights was my limit to stay in the rustic lodging situation
I am grateful I had the opportunity to participate, and it was an incredible experience - lots of personal growth
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Regained my confidence to scuba dive
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Can handle any future rustic accommodation situations
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Met wonderful caring people
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Felt we actually made a small difference in helping to preserve Belize’s beautiful coral reefs
Would I do it again- no but would highly recommend it!!
Tip: If you are going to spend the night in Placencia on your return then leave your luggage at your new hotel and take to the island just what you need for the 4 days