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MASS Diving is an Authorized Aggressor Dealer
Let us book your next Aggressor dive trip!
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Belize
Aggressor |
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In October 1997, the 18-passenger Belize Aggressor III ushered in a new era for Caribbean
dive yachts. Spacious staterooms with en suite baths, TV/VCRs and individual climate controls
are just a few of the personal amenities this floating dive resort offers. Every week this 120-foot
yacht speeds 30-60 miles offshore, far out of day operators' reach, exploring the world's second
largest barrier reef.
If you arrive on Saturday, a crew member will greet you at the Belize
City airport and drive you to the boat. Guests may board the Belize Aggressor III Saturday afternoon after 2:00 p.m., then
unpack, relax and enjoy a delicious dinner served by the onboard chef. Sunday morning the
Aggressor moves to the first of many excellent dives sites. Divers are awakened by the smells of
coffee and a home-cooked breakfast. After a dive briefing, the pool is open-no boat rides, no
hassles.
Throughout the week, the Belize Aggressor III explores the reefs and
walls along Turneffe Islands, Lighthouse Reef and the Blue Hole. Some of the marine life divers may encounter
include eagle rays, nurse sharks, grouper, stingrays, eels and tarpon-especially on the night
dives. You may want to capture some of Belize's colorful sponges, gorgonians or macro critters
on film with one of the onboard rental cameras. There is a full line of rental camera equipment
and dive gear available throughout the week, as well as certification and specialty courses. With
the on board E-6 photo lab, divers may view their slides just hours after they were shot.
Weather permitting, guests are shuttled ashore to Half Moon Caye for a walk on the beach and
a hike through the bird sanctuary.
Friday afternoon, the Belize Aggressor III returns to Belize City. Guests
may take a tour of the Belize Zoo, explore Mayan ruins or just relax onboard until the evening cocktail party hosted by
the crew. (The tours are not included in the charter price.) After the party, everyone will dine
at a local restaurant. This is the only meal not included in the charter. Check-out is 8:00 a.m
Saturday morning. If you are flying out Saturday morning, the crew will arrange your
transportation to the Belize City airport.
 The Vessel
Click on the vessel for larger picture
The Belize Aggressor III is a 120-foot, all aluminum yacht built and powered for
comfort, safety and stability. She is diesel-powered, cruises at 15 knots and has 110-volt power on board.
Accommodations include 9 double staterooms, 7 of which have a double and single berths and
one cabin (Cabin #1) with 2 single berths. All staterooms, except Cabin #9, are located on
lower level. Cabin #9, or the "Honeymoon Suite," is on the upper level and it has one double
bed. All staterooms offer private heads and showers, individual climate controls and TV/VCRs.
The dive deck, salon, galley and dining room are on the main level. The
air-conditioned salon is attractively furnished and designed for comfort and relaxation. It includes an entertainment
center with TV, VCR and stereo with compact disc player. A slide projector, screen and built-in light
table make slide view easy. Meals are prepared by a trained chef and served on the buffet
counter in the galley. The dining room is in the bow of the boat. There is a TV and VCR so
guests may watch a movie or video while they dine.
Exiting the salon and traveling toward the stern of the boat, guests enter the
large dive deck. This is the area where divers suit up and prepare their gear. Each diver has his own personal dive
station complete with seat and locker. All tanks are filled in place with either air or nitrox. There
are several 80-cubic-foot cylinders on board and two 60-cubic-foot cylinders. After donning
their gear, divers take a few steps down the ladders to the dive platform. Entries are made easily
with a giant stride and exiting is simple with the aid of two ladders extending underwater. Two
freshwater rinse showers and a fin rack are conveniently located on the dive platform. A dive
briefing area, three-tiered camera table with low-pressure air hoses, camera rinse tank, head
and E-6 photo lab are all part of the roomy dive deck.
A few steps up from the dive deck is everyone's
favorite spot, the sun deck. This partially shaded deck features a wet bar, gas grill, hot tub, chaise lounges and deck chairs.
Lunches and between-dive snacks are often served on the sun deck. But, there's even more to the Belize
Aggressor III! A stairway near the wet bar leads to the fourth level, the fly bridge. Guests may
sun bath up here or just relax and take in the beautiful panoramic view.
Questions and Answers
1. Where is Belize?
Belize is located in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the east and the Caribbean Sea to
the west. Belize City is on the eastern coast.
2. What is included in the charter?
Accommodations aboard the vessel, diving, compressed air tanks, weights and weight belts, airport
transfers on day of arrival and departure, meals and snacks, non-alcoholic and local alcoholic beverages are include in the charter
rate.
3. How many days is the charter and how many dives can I
make?
The Belize Aggressor III charter is seven days, Saturday afternoon to Saturday morning with
five and one-half days of diving. Most guests make up to 5 dives a day. Diving begins on
Sunday morning and finishes about midday on Friday when we return to the dock.
4. When should I arrive in Belize City?
You should plan to arrive in Belize City on the day of your charter, Saturday.
5. Are there any taxes or fees not included in the charter price?
Yes, each guest must pay a $45.00 US port fee which includes the
Government cruising tax, the Half Moon Caye park fee and the recompression chamber fee. The port fee is collected at the
end of the week when you settle your tab. A departure tax of $15.00 US will be collected at the
airport. *These fees are levied by the Belize Government and are subject to change without
notice.*
6. Do I need a passport?
U.S. citizens are required to have a valid passport for entry into Belize. Non-U.S. citizens must have a valid U.S.
visa for traversing the United States via Miami, New Orleans or Houston.
7. How do I meet the Belize Aggressor III on the day of
departure?
If you arrive in Belize City on the day of your charter, you will be met at the airport by a
uniformed crew member and taken to the boat. If you are already in Belize, you will need to
make your way to the boat anytime after 2:00 p.m.
8. Where does the Belize Aggressor III dock?
The Belize Aggressor III docks at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City.
9. What is special about the diving in the Belize?
Belize is home to the second largest barrier reef in the world, which is alive with colorful
corals and sponges and a tremendous variety of fish and invertebrates. Exceptional visibility is found
along the vertical walls. The Blue Hole is a unique dive site, unlike anything else in the
Caribbean.
10. What is the water temperature?
Will I need a wet suit? The water averages 80F, rising to a high of 82- 84F in July, August and
September, and dropping to a low of 74F for a few weeks in December and January. A 3mm
wet suit (1/8") or heavy lycra suit (Polartec) is recommended apart from the warmer months of
summer, but even then, at least a thin lycra suit is suggested, as divers often make
four or more dives a day and may develop a chill.
11. What is the best time of year for diving?
The dry season (all months except June and July) is best.
12. What type of topography can I expect to see in Belize?
The mainland is relatively flat, but rises to 2,000 feet inland, where tropical
pines, hardwoods and rainforests create a lush landscape. The barrier reef however, is comprised of hundreds of
small atolls, cays and coral drop-offs.
13. Is there dinghy diving?
No, most of the diving is done directly from the dive platform of the Belize Aggressor III. We
have a dinghy, but seldom use it for diving.
14. Is there night diving?
Absolutely. The night diving is terrific.
15. What is planned for Friday afternoon and evening after we
return to port?
This your opportunity to tour a Mayan Ruin, visit the Belize Zoo or just relax on board. (The
tours are not included in the charter price.) The Belize Aggressor III crew hosts a farewell sunset
cocktail party Friday evening. Dinner is not served on board. The crew can recommend a
local restaurant and arrange transportation. This meal is not included in the charter price.
16. When is check-out time on the vessel?
Check-out is between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning.
17. Where is the nearest recompression chamber?
The nearest recompression chamber is on Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Dive Sites
Black Beauty: Known for sightings of turtles and eagle rays, this area
features long mounds of coral with sandy bottom channels. The wall begins around 50 ft. Elbow: This advanced dive
boasts one of the best opportunities to see large pelagics such as eagle rays and reef and
hammerhead sharks. Strong currents are often present.
Grand Bogue: This site is home to the elusive white spotted, white lined and
large-eyed toadfish.
Wreck of the Sayonara: Remains of a 50 ft. boat with coral growth around
the wreck and numerous barrel sponges, along with many other sponge varieties.
West Point 1 & 2: The visibility at these sites is highly dependent upon winds
and tides, but the labyrinth of reef buttresses makes this site great even when visibility is down. The walls are very
vertical and start in only 20 - 25 ft. of water. Loads of black coral and deep water gorgonians
abound, as do giant barrel sponges and red finger sponges. You are likely to see mangrove
tunicates here. The shallow sandy area is alive with garden eels, peacock flounders, and
southern stingrays. In the sandy areas, blue throated pike blennies can be found.
Triple Anchor: Three anchors are very well hidden on a beautiful reef in 45ft. of water. Look
for big barrel sponges, eagle rays and a cleaning station.
Eagle Ray Wall: More arrow blennies that you will probably see anywhere
else, plus loads of decorator crabs.
Painted Wall: There are many clusters of small painted tunicates, within the
depths of 40 - 70 ft. These walls have shallows inhabited by species of parrot fish, black durgeon, queen trigger
fish, and many more. The sheer walls begin around 25 ft. and are overhung in many places with
black coral trees and rope sponges covered with light bulb tunicates.
Aquarium: A sheer drop-off begins around 30 ft., with an abundance of fish
life at the top. About 40-60 ft. deep along the wall are large baffel sponges, giant deep water sea fans, and the
richest collection of deep water gorgonians almost anywhere in the world. Giant elephant ear
sponges, yellow tube sponges and azure vase sponges make this a very colorful area. Comical
groupings of spotted truck fish are often seen on top of the wall, and the very corner of this reef
is a very good place to see reef sharks, big black groupers, swirling schools of horse eyed jacks
and hawksbill or green sea turtles.
Silver Caves: The large swim through is frequently inhabited by thousands of
silver sides, and the vertical wall starts in only 35 ft. of water. Lots of big black groupers collect under the boat,
as do the ubiquitous school of horse-eyed jacks, yellow tailed snappers, and creole wrasses.
Cathedral: Colorful formations resembling cathedral steeples with sandy cuts
in between signify this site. This site is home to many black groupers and jacks, as well as three species of angel
fish, scorpion fish, several varieties of eels and silver sides. Spanish dancers are sometimes
sighted on the night dives.
Long Caye Wall: Named for a protruding ridge of reef and numerous swim
throughs with grooves which cut the wall running directly to the open sea. Interesting soft corals and sponges
are abundant here, and many eels are found here, as well.
Que Brada: Named for a cut in the reef (the wall and shallows), this is an
extremely sheer and active stretch of wall. Because it projects out into the current, the extra flow of plankton around
it supports an incredibly rich diversity of marine animals. Green moray eels, spotted drum,
lobster, crabs, and tarpon on the night dives.
Half Moon Caye Wall: Marked by tunnels and grooves which slope down
toward the open water, several different species of grouper and snapper can be seen in the tunnels. Just off the
wall, one can spot eagle rays, sharks and turtles.
Angel Fish Wall: Many friendly grey angel fish give this site its name. The
top of the wall teems with small fish. Eagle rays and an occasional shark cruise
the wall.
Elk Horn Forest: Located on the east side of Long Caye, the shallows grow
large mounds of lettuce leaf coral that projects towards the depths. In the shallows are elk horn corals inhabited
by numerous species of juvenile fish.
 Blue Hole: The world's largest blue hole, it was made famous by Jacques
Cousteau in the 1970's. The first shelf of this collapsed underground cavern begins at 110 ft. Here stalactites
descend from the ceiling. A healthy reef exists around the edge of the blue hole and is home to
an abundance of juvenile sea life, as well as schools of parrot fish, squid, flaming scallops and
several varieties of angel fish.
Tarpon Caves: A tall reef buttress rises straight up from the whitest powder
sand to within 30-35 ft. of the surface and is honeycombed with caves and cuts. This vertical wall is covered
with huge yellow tube sponges, black coral trees and monster barrel sponges projecting from
the many small ledges. The sand areas are rich in garden eels, midnight parrot fish, razor fish and
southern stingrays. Tarpon patrol the inside edge of the reef. This dive site features
several tunnels and chimneys in which tarpon and grouper like to hide.
Half Moon Caye: Weather permitting, the Belize Aggressor III anchors just
off the caye. Guests are shuttled to the island and enjoy a relaxing walk along the beach to the bird sanctuary.
Here you can observe red footed booby birds and frigate birds from observation deck built at
the canopy level. Located on the east end of the island is an historic light house built in 1848,
which by the way is the lighthouse for which the atoll is named. The guests may have the
opportunity to snorkel with several nurse sharks around the docks of this tropical island.
Dive sites are selected by the Captain and may vary due to weather conditions
and logistics.
Call or email us for a quote
on your Belize Aggressor Vacation. MASS Diving can arrange
your Air and your Aggressor diving package!
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