Help! Big Ooops on Roatan

[Doc]

I spent most of a summer on Roatan about 15 years ago…I've never been back. I just didn't think the diving was that great, and that applies to both north and south side.

A broad statement that I would (myself) qualify.

Yes, I too agree with your generalization, but only because I’ve seen the South Pacific, as likely you and many readers. To compare Roatan on that basis (or without specific stated qualification) is a bit of a reach.

Off Roatan, I have to search for Nudibranchs, Pipe Fish, really looking hard. In the SoPac, my little camera (with on-board flash) over heats as I’m dazzled with the verdant life.

I’ve also been diving literally off of every rock in the Caribbean- given that as a “universe of comparison”, Roatan (and the Bay Islands) still beats anything else I have seen in the Bahamas/Caribbean environ. [qualifying even that- anything in the Caribbean that the common man can get to, there are some untouched rocks out there- still. Note Cisne/Swan or even the “fairly” reachable Los Roques- there are Caribbean reefs that have yet to be crapped upon, thus a legitimate use for a LOB]

One of the swerves of this thread included reference to a Liveaboard from the Bay Islands. To me, this makes little sense, as you’re being dropped on dive sites that are accessible by land based resorts. To me, a LOB should take me to dive sites unreachable by resorts. The expense of the BIA RoAgg doesn’t make sense…to me, anyway.

I say this because my “expectation, like-dislike” is low current, warm water, night diving, micro/macro, easy quick travel, inexpensive cost per dive. My wife has 1,000 dives but she is not a candidate for Rescue Diver or many AOW skills, if you get my drift. Somebody has to be watching her. Roatan (esp CCV) is a place where we feel some respite vs our trips to the Red Sea, Galapagos, Maldives, and so on.

Roatan wins.

If I were given a choice, OK, the Philippines is my choice, but it is 12 hours of flying/travel, 1.5 hrs by boat, then diving off of pangas and lot of effort to get a similar number of dives, obtaining, yes- incredible dive experiences.

@halocline If you haven’t seen it in 15 years, don’t break your heart- stay away- it certainly has NOT improved in those intervening years. As all reef structures, it is headed toward the character of Cayman, Nassau and all over stressed popular developing destinations.

For a great many divers, Roatan is perfect.

 

[DiveProKoko]

Really liked Roatan when we were there in July.....Just got back from Curacao. Curacao wins! WAY underrated!

 

[leonfranken]

How about 16-23 of April 2022 Full Moon?

we will be there: “Doc’s Trip”. (Chicago)

You sure met a crazy one there during the full moon!

 

[scubadada]

Everyone has their favorite places. Some people go back to those places over and over again. Some people try out new places. I would be the last person to suggest they change their habits.

We had a timeshare on Grand Cayman from 1997 until it was blown down by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. After that, we broadened out and went to many new places, it was a good move. Many places are not better or worse, but are complimentary to previous experiences.

I have been lucky enough to have visited Cocos, Galapagos, Revillagigedos, and Malpelo. Which is the best? They all have strengths and weaknesses, but are complimentary. I'm glad I have been to all of therm.

I have a home in SE Florida, the diving is fantastic, equaling or exceeding the quality of much Caribbean diving.

Enjoy all of your diving, everywhere.

 

[Brodydog]

Really liked Roatan when we were there in July.....Just got back from Curacao. Curacao wins! WAY underrated!

For the diving only at both locations? Or are you including topside activities also? Curious what makes Curaçao better in your eyes, as I’ve never been there.

 

[Superlyte27]

I just arrived for a week of diving at CocoView, to be followed by a week on the Aggressor. As I setup my gear, I realized that I had left my single tank adaptor on a table in my home office. No, I cannot uses either backplate or wing without it. When I went to the dive shop at CocoView to see about replacing it, the proprietor had no idea what I was talking about. I am renting a BCD for now.

Questions:

1. Can anyone drive to my home in Colorado, get my STA off the table, and fly it down to Roatan in the next couple of days? I would pay $50--maybe more.
2. Is there any place on the island where I can get a replacement STA?

If you get it to FL, I’ll bring it to you

 

[DiveProKoko]

For the diving only at both locations? Or are you including topside activities also? Curious what makes Curaçao better in your eyes, as I’ve never been there.

I'm basing that on just the diving. The islands are so different topside that you can't really compare them head to head. Don't get me wrong. Roatan was awesome, but the diving in Curacao I thought was much better. In fact, if Roatan's topside (more laidback and "tropical") had Curacao's' diving, it'd be the perfect place to us. We did like topside options in Curacao and the Dutch islands all seem to have their stuff together, but there's a trade off there. It's got everything, but it's busier, etc. I'd go to either again in a heartbeat, but if I had to choose one over the other for diving, I'd pick Curacao every time.

 

[boulderjohn]

If you get it to FL, I’ll bring it to you

Thanks, Pete, but a tad late.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Duct tape!

With all the divers there, maybe a departing diver would sell you their STA and bands.

If you use duck tape, it tends to rip out the hairs on your back and chest.

I can't say zactly how I know this.

OMMOHY