Underwater Photo Course on a Livaboard Ship in Belize

Since becoming a scuba diver in 1978, I perused the scuba magazines with lofty visions of just this trip, a livaboard ship, where you were right in the water. It look me a few years to arrive at this dream and I really wish my late husband Randy were here. I’ve been wanting to improve my underwater photography. I booked a photo course, Originally planned to visit the Cayman Islands. However with the CV Pandemic , it was cancelled. So it changed to visit Belize. I’ve been there a few times, I was fine with it. See previous old posts on this blog. I had some interesting times in Belize!

I chose:

Belize Photography Workshop Safari on the Belize Aggressor IV

We arrived into Belize City. Snorkel venture picked us up at the airport and took us right to the boat, the Aggressor IV. We boarded after 3 pm and were greeted with snacks and a briefing about what to expect this week. Met my fellow crew members.

Aboard ships the tour is booked per bed. So if you do not have a travel partner, you may elect to share a cabin. I’ve stayed in 8-12 bed hostels in Europe and really enjoyed it. So, good with me. Then you start analyzing it and worry a bit who your cabin mate may be?

I was really lucky to meet Donna. Snorkel Venture gave me her email a few days before the trip and we made contact. Actually met at the airport “on the road”.

We have a lot in common. First of all, she only lives about 30 miles away in Texas. She’s worked in health care and now is going to the University to become a Social Worker. She thinks that of all the services that help people, she has seen the social worker do the most to make a difference in peoples lives. That’s the reason she chose social work. That kinda says it all about a person, I know we were like minded people, as well as our love of the ocean.

Checked into our cabin

SNORKELING AND PHOTOGRAPHY

The first night we headed out to the reef. The plan is that we’d snorkel 3 times a day, weather permitting.

TO THE REEF

As we were heading out to another part of the Reef. we encountered bad weather.

Did get a pic of this manta ray

Crawling into Tender

One of the challenges of snorkeling and diving is crawling from the water and into the boat

After the snorkel, we shower off, wash our snorkel gear.

We had our class every evening after dinner. We are given guidelines, suggestions and techniques. Our professor is Alex is available any time to assist us or give advice or opinion. The one on one help is really valuable.

One of my photo questions, it how to photograph sea critters, when you approach them, they turn their back and run away. Alex said instead of following the animal, swim slowly by their side and keep pace with them, then when the critter determine that you are not a threat, you can get in front of them and take the photo. Some fish, you swim up to them and they run away, if you just hover for a minute, some will come out of the hole and engage with you.

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Today we go to an out island for lunch.

That’s a reef shark swimming in the shallows

Medical services are well represented in the group. we have several dentists, and even more nurses.

The ship staff gave the guests a farewell party.

Jerry, the Chef and Carlos. He brings me coffee in the morning

The last night we spend on board, the ships were docked at the hotel, the Fort George Radisson Hotel. We left the boat at 8am the next morning. Im planning on staying in Belize a couple of days.