Booked! - Coco View & Anthony's Key

[Fab]

Thinking I should buy the stuff at the resort,....instead of having to pack it? I think I'm going to need a few bottles of the spray stuff! Any idea how much it costs at the resorts?

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Wow,..crazy amounts of info here. Ok...I'm getting the
crocks for sure, because I now understand which platform
everyone has been talking about! Totally get it now.
(the shot of the beach cam on the site) I could use
one of those climbing hooks, and hook it on to that
pole with the flag? That would work,..wouldn't it?

The cactus juice: Thinking I should just buy it at the
resort? or I could buy it online? I would prefer the spray
stuff (repellent only) because I use a spray sport lotion
for the sun. "Umbrelle" Great stuff,...doesn't irritate my skin.

Dolphine Dive: I think that we have to do this. Definitely
like the idea of being "IN" the water with them...it's something
to see, for sure. The dive sounds much more interesting than
the snorkeling. I've seen video of the Dolphin dive,..and it looks
really cool.

All this talk of how to get out of the water.....rolling out this
way,..getting out that way, taking this off, and rolling on to
the shoulder. hahahaha....like a bunch of beached whales!
( not in a rude way)

Roatanman: I'm also curious about "Roatan is not known
for it's visibility" ????

I think Doc is napping.....Roatan has a lot of hills and mountains and they get a fair amount of rainfall so there is runoff and they don't have the fast currents to carry away the silt (like Coz) which clouds the water so the viz can be 80ft or it can be 30ft....Cayman is a flat island so no run off so 200+ viz....but that is not to say that you cannot get great viz it is just not great everyday....I am sure Doc will explain it much better than I

Cactus Juice....I recommend buying before you go so you can spray yourself as soon as you step off the plane....by the time you step foot at the resort the hungry buggers will have found you and gobbled you up....plus there is always a possibility they could be out....not sure how often they get shipments..

Laugh now...but you will be a beached whale before long too

 

[Fab]

Roatan has a lot of hills and mountains and they get a fair amount of rainfall so there is runoff and they don't have the fast currents to carry away the silt (like Coz) which clouds the water so the viz can be 80ft or it can be 30ft

Booo!.. Ah, what can you do,...All I can do is cross my fingers and hope for the best.

parrotheaddiver: Maybe I'll order a bottle of Cactus Juice, good idea.

Beached whale indeed....hahahaa.....ha.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Have you been over to cocochat....there are some underwater shots fm guests that are beautiful and will give you an idea of what to expect...CCV is my mecca I have going there for years and have been a lot of other places......so while the viz may not be great on some days....it makes it fun to really slow down and take a look at all the small critters that live on the beautiful reefs and walls....and of course the Prince Albert in front of the resort has a lot of critters to look at as well....

CoCo Chat

BTW I see you are from Canada...we have a member of cocochat that is Canadian and he loves it there look for Rudy if you stop by...he just got back

 

[Doc]

Booo!.. Ah, what can you do,...All I can do is cross my fingers and hope for the best.

When you spend a week there, you'll quickly realize how viz is really a non-issue.

If you understand that what you are going there to see is the unique offering of micro and macro critters. The South side of Roatan is uniquely known for this.

How close do you have to get to observe something the size of a butane lighter... or even smaller? I have to get anywhere from 6' to 6" away to spot some of the wonderful animals clinging to the reef.

Here are some examples http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/3037

If you are looking for larger fish that are off in the distance, you are in the wrong place. They used to be all over the Caribbean, but many other island with "great viz" no longer have them to boast of. You can still see some of these larger fish on the North & West sides of Roatan due to the Marine Reserve's efforts. Once you have logged your big Grouper and Barracuda, what's next?

The small stuff, the unique stuff, the kind of critters that fill the ID Books. For this, the viz of Roatan is more than adequate. You have to decide- do you want to go for a swim in a crystal clear bath tub or... are you ready to find some of the little guys that make us CoCoNuts all atwitter?

We often do night dives in what would be (in daylight) 30' viz... and honestly never see the difference due to the restricted range of a flashlight. It looks like any other night dive. When you are that close- you'll see what you need to see.

Thus- what I am saying is that South side Roatan diving is inherently advanced diving. No- no treacherous currents or downwellings- but to enjoy it for what it is- a macro paradise...

You must be ready to develop excellent buoyancy and observational skills. The ability to put your mask plate within 6" of the critter laden coral- then with one breath- float up and out.

Make it your goal to stick with the DM and good critter gitters. Take the Peak Performance Buoyancy class if you have any doubt.

Remember- on day dives, take your flashlight and magnifying glass. See what makes the South side of Roatan unique... viz or not.

 

[Fab]

parrotheaddiver: Ya, I've been using cocohat, and there's some good info there. Actually, there's a thread on Malaria, which was interesting. We're probably going take the meds, just in case. I'll check for Rudy, thanks!

RoatanMan: I'm with you on Macro paradise...and I'm really excited about that. Good visibility is always nice for not losing the group, or your dive buddy. And...for photos of course. The "bits" floating around can interfere with a picture. But, I'm sure I can manage.

How does the diving work at Coco View? Do you get dropped off at a dive site, and follow the DM's around, or,..freely explore in a large area?

 

[parrotheaddiver]

How does the diving work at Coco View? Do you get dropped off at a dive site, and follow the DM's around, or,..freely explore in a large area?

you can do either....they will give a good briefing and then you can do your own thing....a couple of the sites are led dives like Marys' Place or Calvins Crack but once you have done the swim through you are free to explore on your own...the second dive they will drop you at either CCV wall or Neumans wall or the Prince Albert and you are on your own and you exit as you would a shore dive in front of the resort...you can spend as much time as your computer and air allows.....if you stay shallow enough you can get almost 2 hrs poking around coming back in....

 

[Fab]

2 hours! Great, thanks for the info!