Just Returned from AKR

[dmoore19]

Just returned from AKR last night. All I can say is WHAT A TRIP!!!!

When we left Denver it was 18F degrees and snowing the plane had to be de-iced before take off. After that the flight to Houston was smooth and connections were easy. When we got to Roatan, AKR reps were there aand got us through the local paperwork very quckly compared to what I expected < 1/2 hour. AKR reps gathered our luggage and off to the resort we went. We were greeted by staff upon arrival with rum punch and big smiles and greets!. An orientation followed where the check-in was seamless. After the orientation we sent to our bungaloes and changed into Island attire. Then returned to a very well prepared and plentiful meal. Upon returning to the room our luggage was there and the room was clean and comfortable. We had a Key superior room out over the water where from our deck we saw starfish, urchins, lobster, and all kinds of life without doing anything but walking out of the room onto the deck and looking down. The next morning (Sunday Dec 27th) We came back to the dock and were again briefed on the resorts dive facility. Everyone did a weight check and mask clear exersize and off to the reef we went. The boats were comfortable and not over crowded. DM Alson and Captain Dean were friendly, extremely helpful and smiling continuously! Breifings were through and detailed. Overall everything was very well organized and perfectly executed. The reefs and wrecks were teaming with life and in good shape. I will post more details and pictures later with pictures. This is a VERY well run resort with lots to do for the divers and non-Divers alike. For now all I can say it it was the perfect vacation and everything I had hoped for! Will try to figure out the picture attachment thing and post more later.

 

[robint]

sounds like a great trip.

 

[Cajuncru Diver]

Hi dmoore 19; Sounds like you enjoyed your trip to Roatan an AKR as much as we did. I think that you came accross the same Seahorse that we did Was he this guy at Fish Den?

 

[CajunDiva]

Welcome back! I'm so glad to hear you had such a great time. Isn't Roatan awesome??? The reefs are so amazing that we are drawn back time after time.

Thanks for taking the time to post...can't wait to see the rest of your pics

 

[dmoore19]

Hi dmoore 19; Sounds like you enjoyed your trip to Roatan an AKR as much as we did. I think that you came accross the same Seahorse that we did Was he this guy at Fish Den?

Yes, he was around 80 FSW as I recall. I think my favorite dive there was on the El Aguilla. There were Groupers everywhere you looked. We did the New Years eve night dive. We had hoped for the full moon but the clouds blocked that out, it was on Melissa's reef. Still a nice dive though. Saw some squid and lots of lobsters on that one!

The day we left they were moving the boats to the south side because a norther was blowing in. I guess we timed it just right. Weather was beautiful (except for the occasional shower, usually at night) while we were there. I would go back in a minute. Seems as though the worst part was getting on the plane in Roatan, other than that it was a wonderful trip!

 

[dmoore19]

Welcome back! I'm so glad to hear you had such a great time. Isn't Roatan awesome??? The reefs are so amazing that we are drawn back time after time.

Thanks for taking the time to post...can't wait to see the rest of your pics

OMG yes it is awesome!!! Each dive was wonderful in it's own way. We took an afternoon and took a cab over to West End to look around. Had deepfried lobster for lunch at the Litehouse. $12.00 3 tails! West End was pretty interesting. I think we will be going back sooner rather than later.

The people and the island are both wonderful! Everybody smiles all the time, I totally understand why! We spent 2 hours on the phone this morning with my wifes sister and her husband. I think we talked them into a trip, I even talked myself into it though it didn't take much.

We did make it over to the otherside to dive Mary's place. That is a fantastic dive! I am not very experienced and so the 100' FSW seemed a daunting task but we were there with a group and my buddy was an instructor and divemaster. Never more than 3 feet away from me.

We will go back!

 

[dmoore19]

Sorry it has taken so long to get back. As I recalled, work is a pain.

Here are a few more pictures.

The diving in Roatan is absolutely spectacular. The reefs are in great shape IMO. I got 17 dives in while there. There were 2 dives that were done on the south side of the island, one of them was Mary's Place. The scenery there was fantastic. Water temps were 82 and the surface temps pretty much matched the water temp. Lot's of coral, sponges, turtles, lobster, crab as well as seacumbers and about every kind of marine life you can imagine and all kinds of fish, Angels of all kinds, damsels, parrot fish and even a few barracuda and nurse sharks. I signed up for the shark dive and was disappointed when they cancelled it because the sharks were reported to be out in the deep water doing the wild thing. Don't know how much truth there is to it but I was told they do this once a year and are usually gone for 4 or five days, it just happened they did it while I was there. We also dived the 2 wrecks just out from AKR the Oddessy and the Aquilla. The Aquilla had so many groupers I lost count, they were everywhere. The green moray made an appearance and was free swimming. Some of the dives were drift dives but the currents were nothing like I have experienced in Cozumel. Anyway here are a few more pictures. I am not really very good at the photo part, I am more inclined to be making sure I have my diving and boyancy under control than taking pictures but I did manage to get a few.