General Roatan Diving Question

[cfelliot]

I can only ditto RoatanMan. The currents were very strong when we did the dive last month.

I had a difficult time getting back to the boat to get my camera on entry and the divers looked like semaphores at the safety stop.

At the dive briefing the DM said the dive would be called if someone lost the rope and drifted away. I wouldn’t want to be that person!

 

[sslkrissi]

Just to clarify, I am not saying that I want to exceed my depth limit, I am simply trying to find out more information about this type of dive trip. If it is beyond my capabilities as a brand new diver, then I will have to do without it. Trust me, I do not want to compromise my own safety.

Thank you all for the advice!

 

[SoSiouxme]

Hi,

My photos were all taken in sites near West End where there are a glut of day dive operators.

On any given dive in West End, you will see turtles, moray eels, juvenile spotted drums, spotted eagle rays, stingrays, lobsters, crabs. Plus a myriad of small stuff if you are really looking.

The challenge with getting on with a day operator in the West End is the schedule. They keep a pretty rigid schedule (i.e. two tank dive boat goes out at 9:00 a.m.) and this often doesn't work for cruise ship pax who have trouble getting off the ship and to the dive shop in time to make the dive.

If you e-mail some of the west end shops, they will be better able to tell you whether your schedule would work with theirs.

And FWIW, I think the Shark Dive should probably be saved for another day based on logistics alone.

Enjoy Roatan.

 

[Papa_Bear]

New diver and all, do the AKR dolphin dive! What a great experience for a new diver! SCUBA with live dolphins in the open ocean! Where else are you going to do that? It is a great dive experience!

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Hello,
I have been looking into spending my one day in Roatan at Cocoview in order to get a taste of what Roatan has to offer. I have read several threads that seem to indicate that Roatan is more known for seeing small types of aquatic animals versus the larger more recognizable things that a new diver like myself would be looking for. So, what I am trying to ask, is what is the diving in Roatan like? What is it that makes Roatan one of the top dive destinations (according to several articles that I have read) What can expect to see? Is there a specific place I could go where I would be more likely to see turtles, sharks, etc? Should I skip diving in Roatan and dive in Grand Cayman instead, if I am looking for these type of things?

Thank you

Yeah if you are wanting to see "big stuff" you may want to dive elsewhere....and I don't think the shark rodeo would be something for you on your first ocean dive.....with that said.....Roatan is a top destination because of the healty reefs....it has more soft corals and sponges than most caribbean destinations....it is like a garden underwater.....you will need to really focus on looking for critters hiding in the reef lots to see....and you will see the occasional turtle and nurse shark...I usually see at least one on every dive in Roatan...

if you choose CoCo View to dive then you will have one of the top divemasters give you a bit of a tour before they turn you loose on your own and they will show you plenty of little critters.....but there is plenty to see the shipwreck (Prince Albert) is chocked full of critters seahorses....eels....blennies....lots of hidey holes for them.....you can spend an hour just on the ship.....

to use one of my favorite "Doc-isms" go slow seymour.....or skip Roatan and dive Grand Cayman....but you will see move divers than critters IMO....

 

[Rule62]

Now you want to exceed your "depth limit" and go on a Shark Dive. A Shark Dive in potential strong currents doing backroll entries off of small boats and reboarding on vertical ladders (that thing I mentioned earlier). This is the thing that you completely glossed over in terms of previous real world advice, concentrating instead upon the depth issue. What you don't understand is that which you are being warned about could definitely kill you. You would likely hear the briefing for the Shark dive but probably not comprehend what is being said. It is not an intelligence issue, but a lack of prior experience issue.

I did the Cara Cara shark dive in Roatan recently and agree 1000% with RoatanMan. Given the issues "strong currents doing backroll entries off of small boats and reboarding on SHORT, ROLLING vertical ladders (that thing I mentioned earlier)" which we encountered, this is no place for a novice diver. Not only are risking ending up out to sea you'll screw up the dive for those that know what they are doing (as what happened to us!!!).

 

[sslkrissi]

Like I said before, I have decided not to do the shark dive, this time.... I'll just have to make a second trip back out to Roatan

However, I am shocked at the inconsistency of answers that I have received from dive operators as to whether or not the shark dive is suitable for beginners or is not. So far, I have received 3 responses stating that the dive is not for beginners and 2 responses stating that the dive is suitable for beginners.

Confusing...

 

[Rule62]

Like I said before, I have decided not to do the shark dive, this time.... I'll just have to make a second trip back out to Roatan

However, I am shocked at the inconsistency of answers that I have received from dive operators as to whether or not the shark dive is suitable for beginners or is not. So far, I have received 3 responses stating that the dive is not for beginners and 2 responses stating that the dive is suitable for beginners.

Confusing...

Those that say it's suitable for beginners are only looking for the dough and are NOT concerned with you or your safety/enjoyment!!!
You're better off taking the word of those who have dove it and do not have a financial stake in the response!!!

 

[adjuster-jd]

The shark dive is definitely NOT for beginners. Your need to be comfortable dealing with the current, lines, small boat, back roll, etc all with little help from the dive op.
I compare the current and surface conditions on this dive to that of say the Duane in Key Largo - but even on the Duane you're almost always on a bigger boat and get a fair amount of help from the crew and a decent ladder to climb back on board.
Get a few advanced dives under your belt before trying this one as a new diver.
Yes, it is a potentially thrilling dive once you get down to the bottom, but diving, just like flying on an airplane, has a large potential for risk of injury on the entry and exit.
Good choice to wait to do this one later.
Enjoy Roatan.