Confused - AKR or CoCo View?

[Addict]

I was trying to decide between CoCoView and Anthony's Key Resort. Due to something that the booking agent told me, I chose AKR. Now I am having second thoughts...

Here is what I am confused about. I did not understand what the "Drop off dive" was at CCV. The agent for CCV told me that there were 2 boat trips daily. You would travel by boat to 1 site each trip, then have the option of being dropped off on the reef on the way in (for an optional second tank) and swim in.

Now I do more investigation, and a video on coco views website says that the morning trip is 2 destinations, and on the afternoon trip you can be dropped off (on the reef) after your 1st tank for a 2nd dive-then-swim-in.

Can someone please clarify which it is? If it is what the video states, that was the main reason I did not choose Coco view, as I wanted to dive alot, but didn't want to have to have the 2nd and 4th tanks go to the same place each day.

TIA

Addict

 

[NDH]

Now I want to know. We will be at CCV in Oct. If know one answers by tomorrow I'll give my LDS a call and find out.

 

[Addict]

NDH - what were you thinking was the deal?

Here is the email I got from Pat (the person I was talking to at CCV)
---------------------------------
7/21/2004 12:52 PM

CoCo View offers 2 boat dives daily. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. When you are returning to the resort after each dive site, the offer a drop-off tank. They will drop you at the Walls/Wreck and you dive one tank and swim back in. You actually get 4 tanks off the boat and 24 hr a day shore diving.

Thanks,
Pat
---------------------------------

Can anyone confirm or deny? What is the 'actual' dive plan?

 

[parrotheaddiver]

CCV has two boat dives per day first one leaves approx 8:30am and you go to a bouyed dive site you dive one tank. You do your SI on the boat and they motor back and drop you either on CCV Wal or PA shipwreck or Neumanns wall for your second tank, you do your dive and come on back in to the shore walk back to the gear lockers and your done. It is a great operation. I love it there and wouldn't stay anywhere else.

I have stayed at AKR several times (before CCV was there) and my husband has stayed at FIBR, & Romeo's. CCV is our first choice.

Shore diving 24hrs a day.

 

[Addict]

Parrothead - Thank you for the clarification. They should probably remove that video from their site:

http://mfile.akamai.com/6581/wmv/wpvideo.download.akamai.com/6581/WorldPub_CocoView_242.asx

That was just confusing me.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Addict, they are actually updating their website. When we were there a couple of weeks ago they were taking pics of the resort and the dive boats leaving etc. They are going to do a make over of the brochure as well. It's a great place to go and feel like your at home. They treat you like family, in a good way.

 

[scubaeric]

Hi Addict,

Each day the 2nd tank is a drop off on Newman's Wall and 4th tank is a drop off on CocoView wall. Both are part of CocoView's "front yard."

I've been to CocoView one time and will most definitely be going back, but I wish they would do what the Video describes. The video describes the following dive schedule:

Morning Dive Schedule - 2 tanks:

1st dive east or west of CocoView. After the first dive the boat passes by CocoView on route to the second site. Those wanting to skip the 2nd dive site can be dropped off in the "front yard" of CocoView. The boat then continues on to the 2nd site. You do your 2nd dive and head back in for lunch.

Afternoon Dive Schedule - 2 tanks:

A 1 site dive away from CocoView. After finishing the dive you head back to CocoView and have the option of being dropped off for a 2nd dive in the "front yard" of CocoView or having the boat take you in to the resort.

I had a great time at CocoView but I would have easily passed on the morning drop off on Newman's Wall for a dive on a 2nd site.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed and I'm hoping the new owners will offer a 2nd site dive in the morning.

Eric

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Yes that is the way they use to schedule the boats and even now on occasion they have been known to stop at a 2nd dive site on their way back in but it is not part of the planned diving. With all the great shore diving available some opt to skip the boat dives and just do shore diving. It is amazing how much you can see on the two walls and the Prince Albert.

Just to add. The reason other resorts offer more diving from their boats is because there is not really any quality shore diving from the resorts FIBR excluded since they are across the channel from CCV but it is a bit of a swim for them to reach CCV wall and Neumanns wall and a long trek from the gear lockers.

 

[scubaeric]

Yes that is the way they use to schedule the boats and even now on occasion they have been known to stop at a 2nd dive site on their way back in but it is not part of the planned diving. With all the great shore diving available some opt to skip the boat dives and just do shore diving. It is amazing how much you can see on the two walls and the Prince Albert.

Hi Parrotheaddiver,

I agree the two walls and the Prince Albert, both in front of CocoView, are great dives and I enjoyed diving them, especially at night and early morning.

We were lucky one day as we did do a 2nd morning dive site. Everyone on the boat was excited and most responded by asking why that was not offered each day.

Eric

 

[parrotheaddiver]

I am not sure why they stopped.

I guess we kind of hijacked Addicts thread to brag about CCV.

His original question or statement was that he chose AKR to get more diving in and didn't want repeat visits to same site.

AKR does give you more boat diving but you can get more diving in at CCV because of the easy shore diving. One shore dive before breakfast, couple off the boat lunch,nap 2 more off the boat, and afternoon and night shore dive, of course as your computer allows.

The best shore dives are at 30 to 40 feet loads of stuff to see only saw the same crab twice. Dive different depths and it will seem like a different dive site.

Another plus is no kids!!