Considering Roatan & looking for dive opinions on underwater life

[Mike]

I don't think you'll find Roatan as generally fishy as the other places, however your mileage will vary greatly depending upon how much diving you're going to do. The more dives sites you experience at a destination will greatly effect your perceptions. There are some dive sites on Roatan that are exceptionally fishy and some that are just the opposite. If a diver came to Roatan and only did a couple of dives and by chance hit the fishy ones they'd have a completely different take away than a person who came an only did a couple of dives and they ended up on the less fishy sites. Roatan in my opinion is not a destination where no matter what you do you'll say, wow there are tons of fish life there, but Roatan is a place where you can find some really great fish life at the right sites. Overall if you dive a lot of it during your stay you'll take away that it's not abundant, crazy fish life, but there were some really memorable experiences.

 

[jlevine]

I didn't see anyone else mention this in an earlier thread so I will. I'm not clear on the length of your trip but you mentioned possibly doing the divemaster course if you have time. If you want to do the divemaster course, then I suggest that be a focal point of your trip because of the amount of work involved. The DM course (at least if it's the PADI course) involves course work, exams, swim tests, dive leadership training, mapping a dive site, and some other things and in some cases an internship. I did it several years ago and spent 1.5-2 months on the island. Any PADI instructor can certify you up to the DM level so it might be good to spend some time e-mailing shops beforehand and see what "vibe" you get and then meet the instructors when you get on the island. I did the course with Anja and Liber who are now at Mayan Divers in West Bay. There are many good shops on the island.

...We're considering doing the Divemaster course this trip if we have time. ...

 

[dolesorchard]

My wife and I were in Roatan for two weeks this time last year, at Cocoview. We were both surprised at the lack of fish. We had been to Bonaire the previous two years at close to the same time and there was no comparison in fish numbers. On the other hand the reef itself is much prettier in Roatan. The corals are in way better shape. We saw some things in greater abundance in Roatan, lots of sea horses, I don't think we did a single dive without seeing at least one and on one dive we saw four. Our first night dive we saw seven octopus. We also saw a school of over 100 squid, had never seen more than four or five together before.

I don't remember if you said what time of year you were considering, but I would caution that if you go during the winter you may want to bring something really warm for surface intervals. While we were there a cold front came through and afterward the highs were around 70 and the only people on the boat who were comfortable between dives were another couple from Maine who had experienced this before and had winter coats with them.

 

[jawfish]

There is a lot to consider - besides underwater viewing (been to most and more of the locations you have mentioned). GRand Cayman is great! But expensive. Roatan is much more inexpensive but the diving is different. MY advice, watch videos posted here and elsewhere! YOu will get a feel for the diving that way. Then pick the place that fits your budget you like the most!!

 

[Coco7]

I don't think you'll find Roatan as generally fishy as the other places, however your mileage will vary greatly depending upon how much diving you're going to do. The more dives sites you experience at a destination will greatly effect your perceptions. There are some dive sites on Roatan that are exceptionally fishy and some that are just the opposite. If a diver came to Roatan and only did a couple of dives and by chance hit the fishy ones they'd have a completely different take away than a person who came an only did a couple of dives and they ended up on the less fishy sites. Roatan in my opinion is not a destination where no matter what you do you'll say, wow there are tons of fish life there, but Roatan is a place where you can find some really great fish life at the right sites. Overall if you dive a lot of it during your stay you'll take away that it's not abundant, crazy fish life, but there were some really memorable experiences.

Thanks, this helps!

---------- Post added December 19th, 2012 at 12:03 PM ----------

There is a lot to consider - besides underwater viewing (been to most and more of the locations you have mentioned). GRand Cayman is great! But expensive. Roatan is much more inexpensive but the diving is different. MY advice, watch videos posted here and elsewhere! YOu will get a feel for the diving that way. Then pick the place that fits your budget you like the most!!

Great idea to look for posted videos. Thanks!

---------- Post added December 19th, 2012 at 12:04 PM ----------

A couple more questions. Is it noticeably chillier in the winter months? Sport Diver article suggested 5-7mm suits! Also, are sand fleas a big bother?

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

Hi Coco7...I have been to Roatan a number of times, stayed at Inn of Last Resort, CoCo View and a couple of other. I must be an oddball as CCV was my least favorite. Also been to Utila about 15 times in the past few years along with the Caymans, Cozumel, and a couple of other Caribbean destinations. I believe I have seen diminished fish life in all locations and larger and greater numbers of lionfish. I'm not a biologist so can only observe but did see one lionfish opened up that had 15 fish of all species in its belly. That said I have seen fish populations raise and fall around Utila seemingly unrelated to lionfish...go figure. I'm not sure of the success of behavioral training were folks are trying to get big fish like groupers to see lionfish as their next meal. I have seen groupers go after a speared lionfish, but have not seen groupers go after live lionfish. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen, I just haven't seen it. I'm also not sure what success lionfish hunts and restaurants adding lionfish to the menu have been. When you understand how many eggs they can spawn, the number is staggering.

So, my point, I'm not sure I would blame lionfish for the decline on every reef but they certainly must contribute to some degree as they are voracious eaters. I personally believe the rise and fall of various fish populations can be the result of other natural events. I believe you take your chances on every dive. Are you going to see lots of fish, turtles, eels, mantas, groupers, octopus, etc....no guarantee.

I will say that the one draw for me going to Utila and specifically the Laguna Beach Resort is that the surface interval between morning dives is almost always spend cruising the coast looking for whale sharks, dolphins, pilot whales (rare) and other critters. I have not seen this on any other location's dive boats. I have most often enjoyed swimming with pods of dolphins and whale sharks in the waters off Utila that any other Caribbean location. The drawback for me on the Bay Islands is the bugs as they eat me alive, DEET or no.

We were in Coz this past November and Little Cayman this past October and I would say the fish popuations were abundant in both destinations.

---------- Post added December 19th, 2012 at 12:20 PM ----------

Sand flies on Roatan and no-see-ums on Utila can be brutal. And they are not the same critters. I use a product called BuggSpray(dot com) that I get online, best stuff I have found and it has a not-so-bad vanilla scent. The bugs seem to bother about half the folks and leave other alone....go figure.

Regardless of the time of year, I have never worn anything more than a 3mil in the Caribbean.

 

[ivakdiver]

Yes, Chilly, I agree. My friend and I don't mind a comfortable cabin, with several good restaurants nearby. We are comfortable with the accommodations and dive operation at Native Sons. Won't appeal to all, but the owners and staff are super. A little restaurant a few minutes away provided wonderful local food.

 

[dmoore19]

I was in Grand Cayman last December. I never put my 3 mm on. I just wore my LavaCore sleeveless over a skin with a pair of LavaCore pants. I never got cold but then YMMV. I have been to Roatan in December/January and never wore anything but a 3 MM. Again YMMV.

Having been to Roatan in December and August I didn't wear anything different.

We didn't have any problems with bug bites either trip. There were a couple of people that looked like they had measles though. We always use DEET in the mornings and again in the evenings.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks ivakdiver, yes, Native Sons has a good rep and the little place with rooms, is very cute from the outside. Can't remember why I wasn't interested, no AC perhaps? Did you ever get down to the other side of West End for a meal? Sunday night BBQ at Barefoot on the beach, is great, and I always make sure to catch a couple of meals at the Chicken Rotisserie. On the upscale side of having dinner, it's my understanding that Besos has moved from roadside beachfront West End, to somewhere near Sandy Bay? That's so sad for me, just loved that place and Diane the owner, coincidently is a Canadian from my home city.

dmoore19, glad you never got cold. Have often been to Roatan in Dec/Jan, and froze my butt off when not in water, had to put my hood on (I too dive a full 3/2). No problem with the bugs? Must have been because they were chewing me to pieces.

Can't remember who said it (earlier in this thread) but 100 squid!!!! Wow!! I'm sooooo jealous, so jealous.

 

[dmoore19]

I am not sure why but I just don't get cold, in or out of the water when I am on vacation in the Caribbean. No the bugs didn't get to us on any of our trips. Between the DEET and (I think) the grounds keepers at AKR we haven't had a problem. I love that place!

Thanks ivakdiver, yes, Native Sons has a good rep and the little place with rooms, is very cute from the outside. Can't remember why I wasn't interested, no AC perhaps? Did you ever get down to the other side of West End for a meal? Sunday night BBQ at Barefoot on the beach, is great, and I always make sure to catch a couple of meals at the Chicken Rotisserie. On the upscale side of having dinner, it's my understanding that Besos has moved from roadside beachfront West End, to somewhere near Sandy Bay? That's so sad for me, just loved that place and Diane the owner, coincidently is a Canadian from my home city.

dmoore19, glad you never got cold. Have often been to Roatan in Dec/Jan, and froze my butt off when not in water, had to put my hood on (I too dive a full 3/2). No problem with the bugs? Must have been because they were chewing me to pieces.

Can't remember who said it (earlier in this thread) but 100 squid!!!! Wow!! I'm sooooo jealous, so jealous.