I see this thread as an interesting entre' into
the viability of liveaboards as a marketable product.
If you're going to charge more, you have to have the appearance of providing more.
.... If by "avoid dive sites named Coral Garden" you mean you're not much into pretty reefs with fishies and little stuff, understand that's a fair bit of what's there. What is it you are looking for?
Actually the closest thing to a liveaboard in Roatan would be a liveaboard, namely the Caribbean Pearl II mentioned. (Which also spends time at Utila.) Might be the most likely place to find a group of photographers to hang out with, of course that depends who happens to be on the same charter as you. Cocoview has it's points - it does fall in that "land-based liveaboard" category - and is very popular. And has larger boats, which often have few people on them because they're all off shore diving or sleeping after a couple days. But it's on the south side and I'd say the area they dive falls even more into the "Coral Gardens" category than the north side, or even the south side of the west end, which seem to have more structure and some chance of a few larger things.
Roatan liveaboards have come and gone, all for the same reasons that I can see.
If the CP2 is operating on any given week, that's an issue of
getting enough passengers to make it workable. The schedule is on 15 different website which agent/manage the sales for the ship.
I would contact them before assuming you can "pick a week".
Nothing negative there about the ship, but geography and dollars have a large part of the decision making choice for the ship's management and divers, too.
The most cogent post, from
Damselfish to boot
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...ts/474775-caribbean-pearl-ii.html#post7366622
Any ship's itinerary (dive sites) is primarily dictated by: 1) fuel costs and 2) prevailing wind and wave.
Bay Islands fuel isn't cheap, and if you are using local crew (which is either required by law or local pressures and payroll cost savings), the fuel might easily be the higher cost. There isn't much impetus to move the ship a lot, certainly not pointing it SSE for a long chug over to Cayos Cochinos, which can be a rough crossing, but would be the single best reason to have a Bay Islands Liveaboard trip. A liveaboard venturing anywhere East past Mary's Place (Roatan, fairly far West on the South side) is an unlikely event for a couple of reasons: Fuel coast and complete lack of moorings capable of holding the ship. This ship was in it's original Bay Islands Aggressor (BIA) management when it tore-up the standard Mary's Place mooring They finally built one for themselves that would be adequate for such a vessel. No other such pins were placed on the South shore that I am aware of. (maybe there are more?)
They made forays to other local dive sites from that mooring by small boat. The boat was usually visible form CocoView for the week, at the same time, the passengers had the same but reverse view of CCV. They would ferry divers over to CCV's shore dive maybe four times a week, doing two night dives. Maybe CP2 is being operated somehow different? As many days a year I spend at Coco View, I've never seen her operational as the CP2. Maybe it was an off-week, or maybe they didn't come to Roatan from Utila, but locals told me she was not chartered during this or that period, nor have they seen her running much at all.
The predecessor BIA itin was it's downfall. If the guests spend most of a week bobbing around off the Southern coast doing the same dive sites as CCV, that kind of clientele quickly does the math. $900 for airfare first off. Why pay $2800 for a liveaboard for essentially the same dive sites (and less BT) for $1400 at CocoView? Most folks just don't see a $1400 advantage.
Note the similar issue with the Wind Dancer Tobago liveaboard. The Wind Dancer in Grenada? Cost vs. benefit. Some of the best diving in Grenada (NE Barrier Islands) which would have been the perfect "hook" for a Grenada itin? Too far of a chug to pay for the gas. Smarter to go land based, same diving, cheaper.
Any Bay Islands liveaboard is limited to operation in the wind shadow which is the Southerly coast. Not likely that they are going to expend the fuel to go very far West much less make the crossing to Cayos. The BIA had one grand idea which was to shoot up to Swan (Cisne) Island which is part of the Bay Islands, way NE of Roatan. They had a hassle with permits, mostly the expense. The permitting is also the reason the Utila based liveaboard will not actually dock at Roatan, the wharfage fees at any commercial dock capable of having her would add too much to the already high price tag. So either you fly over to Utila, or they pick you up in Roatan by shuttle launches, while they are in the neighborhood provisioning at the only reliable grocery stores. Why she doesn't tie up at Parrot Tree (Roatan) where she sat idle for years is anyone's guess.
These above kinds of issues killed-off the Hughes Antares II in Los Roques. Logistical issues cost lots of money.
I ponder as does
Damselfish- the OP use of "
coral gardens" is a bit vague. The South is shallow, Sunlit and florid vertical walls with many macro critters. The North is deeper, darker, much more stark, and more frequency of larger Pelagic specimens.
If that is the definition, whichever type of u/w experience you might desire- there are much cheaper ways to do this in the Bay Islands rather than on a ship.
