Showing posts with label barrier reef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label barrier reef. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Dive Site: Chasbo's Corner


Named by Hugh Parkey after his son, Chuck Parkey, also known as Chasbo. This dive site on the Northwest side of the atoll is located at a point on the reef and is a fine example of wall diving on the Northwest side. Top of the wall is 45 feet and drops down to a ledge at 180 feet. Top of the wall consists of mostly scattered corals with defined sand patches in between covered in a forest of gorgonians. This point on the reef creates a slight current when the tide is changing bringing in plankton streams that nourish the corals. The wall consists mostly of plate coral and covered in soft corals with huge specimens of deep water sea fans and various other gorgonians as well as a variety of sponges. The current also attracts plankton feeders like huge schools of creole wrasse and smaller schools of scad and herring. They get so excited in the feeding frenzy that they attract predators of all sizes. Schools of black grouper, tiger grouper, dog snapper, cubera snapper, king fish, and cero stalk the water column. Solitary barracuda can be seen hovering close to the coral and sponges stalking prey. Schools of black durgon and yellow tail snapper are also in abundance here. Chasbo’s Corner is unique because we are occasionally treated with a pleasant surprise of unusual and strange sightings. Hammerhead, silky sharks, reef sharks, sailfish, pods of dolphin, pods of false orcas and even manatee have all been seen here before. This site is also excellent for a variety macro life. Various types of pipefish, slender file fish, decorator crabs, blennies, gobies, shrimp, cowries, and colonies of yellow head jawfish as well as the elusive sea horse are all present throughout this site. This unique site has been featured in international dive magazines before and is sometimes called the “Mini Elbow” by some dive operators.

Photo by Tony Rath

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Upcoming Trade and Dive Shows


Stop by our booths and get the opportunity to win a prize or simply take advantage of our specials!!!!!

Beneath the Sea Dive Travel Show in New Jersey

Join Hugh Parkey’s Belize Adventures at “Beneath The Sea Dive Travel Show” in Secaucus New Jersey, March 26, 27, and 28, 2010. We will be set up at Booth 743, at the Meadowlands Expo Center, waiting for you to stop by and get detailed information on all the packages we have available and custom packages we can create to fit your specialized itinerary. We will also have specials to launch our dive shop at the Sunbreeze Hotel in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye.

London International Dive Show 2010 in London

27th - 28th March 2010
Excel London, Royal Victoria Dock, Newham, London, E16 1XL
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8943 4288

Discover the aquatic world that is the International Dive Show in London Excel. The expansive and renowned Excel exhibition centre in London will transform into a water wonderland as Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure Lodge joins the Belize Hotel Association along with hundreds of diving companies from all over the globe to showcase their products.
London International Dive Show 2010 will attract thousands of visitors into Excel London, all eager to sample the latest in the diving industry. We will have packages and giveaways to launch our dive shop at the Sunbreeze Hotel in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and our continued dedication to dive consumers at Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure Lodge on Spanish Lookout Caye, Belize City.
London International Dive Show 2010 in Excel London is London's premier scuba diving show and shouldn't be missed by anyone with an envy of gills.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Good morning from HP Belize Adventure Lodge


I got out of bed this morning after a much needed rest. Before stepping into the office I walked along the dock (yes, I live at work) and immediately noticed literally millions of sardines in the shadow of the dock. Crevalle jacks were darting in and out of the bait ball while a huge barracuda lay motionless a couple feet away getting cleaned by a juvenile Spanish grunt about 2 inches in size. About 5 large bonefish silted up the bottom of the shallow end irritating several upside down jellies. As I walked in front of the dive shop I carefully examined the bottom through the unusually crystal clear water and noticed 3 juvenile yellow stingrays. The largest was about 3 inches across. Yes, that's right, inches not feet. They seemed to be hatch lings in their settling stage. The sun was slowly rising over the horizon and I felt like I had just discovered something new for today. I remember working with Richard Foster filming fish migrations for National Geographic last year and I know he would have loved to be here with millions of fish just under the dock. We searched Turneffe Atoll for schooling fish and after a week, including 2 days at the Elbow during the full moon, he probably got 15 minutes of usable video but he got plenty of stock footage and was happy. If I had only known then.

How many people can say that they look forward to an exciting morning on the way to the office?
Photo Credit: Sunrise at Belize Adventure Lodge by Tony Rath.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Crazy 8s Special extended thru the Fall


We have extended our Crazy 8's Special thru November 15, 2009. That's 6 days of 2 tank diving for only $888.00 plus 9% hotel tax based on double occupancy. Accommodations on over-the-water cabanas, airport transfers, all meals and the best part is that there is no limit on arrival days.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Lionfish Captured


It was bound to happen. After 3 reported lionfish sightings at "The Arena" and "The Finger", 2 dive sites in the immediate vicinity of Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure Lodge; we have caught our first lionfish. The difference is that this one was not out at the reef but just in front of the lodge. While conducting a routine boat cleaning in a shallow grass bed our crew noticed the lionfish swimming around a sunken log no deeper than 10 feet. Instructor Emicel Tepaz and Dive Master Roberto Carlos Vasquez managed to guide the fish into a bag and brought it up to the boat where it was placed into a bucket. The lionfish is a juvenile about 3 inches in length and similar to native reef fish species had settled in the protective area around grass beds and mangrove roots. The fish is being held in captivity and its future is yet to be decided.

Photo: Aldo Perez

Friday, July 10, 2009

Crazy 8s August 8 Day Dive Special


It's Summer time and we are going crazy with our "Crazy 8's August Special". Our 8 day dive package is being given away through the entire month of August for only USD$888.00. based on double occupancy. This includes meet and greet services at Belize International Airport, transfers from the airport to our private island, 7 nights accommodations in our over-the-water cabanas, breakfast, lunch, dinner, daily bar snacks, 6 days of 2 tank dives, at the Barrier Reef and Turneffe Atoll, tanks and weights. As usual you get complimentary use of our kayaks. No restrictions on arrival days therefore you can take advantage of last minute flight specials. You can also check out our websites for Belize Dive Connection and Belize Adventure Lodge for more information or drop me a note right here and i'll adress your concerns.