.... The ONLY memorable dive was a shark dive done several miles offshore and FAR AWAY from Co Co View....
It's actually about 1/3 mile offshore and about 4 miles West of CCV. Yes, Sharks are memorable. Some people who have seen Sharks often then move on to prefer Pipe Fish or Nudibranchs.
Doc, your photos have the same healthy look as the area well offshore where I did my shark dive....I'm guessing the Co Co View area just gets WAY too much diver pressure and was VERY thrashed/worn out/silty looking with virtually zero fish.....so I'd reconsider Roatan if I was guaranteed it would be in an area like where you dove vs a trampled/empty area like Co Co View.
OK, so there's one "no" vote.
I think the reefs along the South side of Roatan, between Fantasy Island, CCV and Parrot Tree- they are a rare representative example of something that is
very unique in the Caribbean. There are many good days, there are a few bad days, but for some odd reason we return at least once or twice a year, among the 7+ weeks we are off doing dive travel. When I told my wife about the $60 exit fee, she barely reacted. We expect this stupidity from the Honduran government. We really don't react to the airline baggage fees. What are you going to do? I'll cut corners somewhere else to pay for it.
I do believe that there are enough fans of
this unusual South side Roatan niche environment, shallow vertical walls, always Sunlit... that careful, slow and observant divers will continue to pay the tolls and will keep diving even at a place as
downright awful as the waters around CCV. We are but two of that huge group. The place is booked solid, but the one next door is empty. Go figure.
Unfortunately, the dive-dive-dive mentality that fuels CoCoView is not pervasive on the island, actually it is unique. Thus, I got to wonder.... how is the rest of the island going to fare? Most of the other dive locations are as good as the current state of affairs in the Caribbean, the Marina Reserva zone is what most of the Caribbean looked like in the 1980's and is improving daily. But is that enough for the generally inexperienced fans to pay the extra toll?
Most divers who travel are not looking for the 28+ in a week that CCV will offer, so lets take the CCV fans out of the equation~ they will continue to pay the tax. Other visiting divers want some other activities, and Roatan's offerings are far behind any other Caribbean destination (Utila is not worth even referencing in that regard)... unless you like to drink, and if you want that- co to Cozumel.
Roatan is like the story of the Elephant being described by seven blind men- each has a different take based upon the very small area that they have touched.
No,
this tax is going to hit the islands very hard, but the die-hard fans who have the skills to see what they are seeing will still show up to the South side. Like I said, not a lot of openings in the reservation books.
