Scuba Diving

The Belize Barrier Reef runs the length of the country just offshore and is the second-largest reef system in the world. From Caye Caulker the dive boats are on it in minutes. The reef here is shallow and clear, with sharks, rays, turtles, and tarpon, and there are swim-throughs, short tunnels in the coral that you dive down to and pass through. We went out with a local dive shop on our third day on the island, with guides Elvis and Alexia.

The dive

The boat ride out was fun on its own, and the reef delivered: sharks, rays, sea turtles, and tarpon that jump and will hit your hand.

The highlight was an underwater cave you dive down to and swim through. It's deep enough that John couldn't have gone much farther. On his first attempt the pressure built up badly because he wasn't equalizing well. Alexia showed him how to clear properly, he tried again, and he made it through. She asked him to do it a third time so they could get it on the GoPro, so he did. They probably missed it on the GoPro anyway.

Only John, one of the guides, and one other diver made it through, which at 55 made him the oldest by a good margin. Izzy, from the UK, went through three times. He found out on the boat afterward, when it was too late to match her, and isn't sure he would have.

The boat

The group was a good one: Izzy and Briar, traveling together from England and New Zealand with a third friend, a solo traveler from Taiwan, and Alexis and her partner from California.