We asked Ronan (Half the dynamic Duo of the Hannan brothers – ahem – owners.) about his experience diving Belize’s famous Blue Hole!

What was your first thought when you saw the Blue Hole?
First sight of the Blue Hole – way bigger than it looks in photos.  Everyone has seen photos of it from the air but when you get there it is pretty incredible since it is such a perfect circle even with such a large diameter – boating from one side to another takes a while!  Overall one of the greatest things about going to the Blue Hole is actually “going” to the Blue Hole. It does takes a couple of hours to get there, but as you stop to snorkel or dive, viewing the spectacular colors of the reefs and marine life along the way, you can’t help but be amazed with its awesomeness.

Was this your first time scuba diving?
No.  I learned to dive on Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.  I’ve dived the Great Barrier Reef, as well as in the Maldives and numerous other warm water destinations.  I have to admit I have never dived in cold water!

How does the Blue Hole experience compare with other scuba diving excursions?
The Blue Hole is a very different diving experience due to its size, and obviously fish need to feed, so away from the walls there isn’t much sea-life.  In the center it can get quite confusing as to which way is up and which way is down!  It’s like an abyss!  But over by the wall there are multiple stalactites and innumerable small cave systems.  This is where the sharks hang out so its certainly interesting from that perspective.  It is one of those dives that any diver absolutely has to do in their lifetime!

Swim with Whale Sharks in Belize!

The whale shark is the largest fish in the world, and one of the largest creature of any kind alive today. They are most often seen in Belize from Placencia or Hopkins. Unfortunately, since whale sharks are night feeders, there really are no guarantees as to when they show up.

3 or 4 days before and after the full and new moons in April and May are the best times to interact with the sharks, they are often sighted through the summer months as well. They roam up and down the coast, the Gladden Spit area about 26 miles off the coast of Placencia is known to host large concentrations of whale sharks during April and May when Mutton and Dog Snappers are spawning (the whales ingest the spawn as food).

Despite their size, whale sharks are a remarkably gentle and curious creature. The whale shark’s gentle natures makes swimming with them a special treat for divers and snorkelers. The whale shark’s curiosity even pulls fishing parties into its thrall. We have sometimes had whale sharks seem to be asking to be petted as they glide alongside our fishing boats.

An opportunity to share the water with a creature larger than a school bus does not come often in life – and is definitely not soon forgotten!