Have you been to Honduras?

[Al Mialkovsky]

Our shop did a trip to Anthonys Keys this year and everyone had a wonderful time. Several of them stayed at CoCo View previously and preferred AK but I doubt you could have a bad time there.

 

[Allison Finch]

Went to the outermost island, Guanaja, back in 1975. At that time there was only a stick village and no "anglo" people living on the island at all. Man, I bet that place has changed a lot!!

 

[DiveWarden]

Thanks heaps! CoCo is what I am leaning towards now. Did you see whale sharks> I hear Utila is really good for them, but what do you think that my chances are seeing them in Roatan?

Thanks!

Bill

I have been to Roatan and stayed at Coco View. First the diving was fantastic and the shore dive off Coco View was great with the wreck right out there as well. The staff at Coco View was great and the place was fairly nice. Not quite as clean as I would like but not bad. The only real complaint I had were that the food was just OK but the diving made up for that. The main problem is the darn bugs there! They bite the daylights out of you and they are serious about it so be sure to bring tons on repellent and a few different types as nothing seemed to work for more than a few days. I also did the Dolphin dive at Anthony's, looked nice but I did not see much of it.

 

[DiveWarden]

Al -

Thanks! It does sound like either way is a win-win!

Thanks again!

Bill

Our shop did a trip to Anthonys Keys this year and everyone had a wonderful time. Several of them stayed at CoCo View previously and preferred AK but I doubt you could have a bad time there.

 

[Doc]

Whale Sharks are fine, but you'll see them... in your time.

Best bet? April thru June on any full moon.

Poetic, aint I?

Go to Roatan (pronounce it like a local: Rahh-ahhh-tahn) and take a magnifying glass, then follow your skilled DM closely. You will see the wonders of the micro world.

You can pay for a pretty good "canned shark feed" dive, as well, but those too, you shall see in the wild, in their natural state, if you keep diving long enough.

In Roatan, perfect buoyancy and careful observational skills make the day!

Have fun!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Thanks heaps! CoCo is what I am leaning towards now. Did you see whale sharks> I hear Utila is really good for them, but what do you think that my chances are seeing them in Roatan?

Thanks!

Bill

I just got back from a week at CocoView a few days ago. There were things I liked, and things I didn't like so much. I'll try to give you a fairly balanced view of the place.

First impressions weren't favorable. We arrived in Roatan at approximately 1:30 PM, and were met at the airport by Nora, one of the Assistant Managers of the Resort. Things went very quickly getting through customs and getting our luggage. Then we spent more than an hour on the sidewalk in front of the airport waiting for the resort bus to show up to take us to CocoView. We got to the lodge about 4 PM ... just in time to see the group that arrived a couple hours before us heading down the beach to do their checkout dive. We were not able to do our checkout dive till the next day ... and were not allowed to dive till it happened. I was at CocoView more than 18 hours before I FINALLY got to go diving. On a one-week vacation, that hurts.

The orientation the next day was much lengthier than it needs to be. It started at 8:30AM, and at 10:30 we were just starting to get into the water for our weight check and checkout dive. The intervening two hours had us sitting in the upper floor of the lodge listening to just about every assistant manager of every aspect of the operation. I can appreciate CCV's desire to inform its patrons, but given that I went there to dive, I really didn't care about most of what they had to talk about ... nor that they repeated themselves almost to the point of distraction.

But ... finally ... after getting through the weight check the DM took us on a nice tour of what we can reach from shore. He even found us a seahorse ... on our very first dive. That made up for a lot.

Now ... once you've managed to make it through this initial waiting, I have to say that you won't lack for diving opportunities. CCV is on one side of a lagoon ... with Fantasy Island (another resort) on the other side. There are two walls funneling into the lagoon, with a 200-foot ship and an airplane sitting on the sandy bottom in between. You reach these by following a chain out from the resort's swim platform. Both walls and the wrecks are easily reached in a single dive ... or you can pick a wall, or do a slow tour of the wreck, and spend your dive looking for seahorses and other cool critters.

The resort has boat dives going out twice a day ... one after breakfast, and another after lunch. Each boat dive gives you the opportunity to do two dives, because they'll take along extra tanks and drop you off at one of the walls on the way back in ... then you just swim back to the resort. It was easy to get in four to six dives a day.

CocoView serves buffet style meals ... the food is well-prepared and plentiful, but if you don't get there within the first half-hour or so the selections start to get limited. We learned after the first couple of days to schedule our activities such as to allow us to get to meals about the time they started serving.

Accommodations are pretty basic ... and if you want specific accommodations I found that their reservations office (which is in Florida, not Honduras) is not reliable. We went as two couples, and had specifically requested accommodations that would give us a cabana or something with a shared space for socializing. They have those ... but we didn't get them because the reservations office never passed along our request. We ended up in separate rooms, which consisted basically of two beds, a table, and one chair in each room. It lessened the experience for us, because it wasn't what we requested or expected. If we go back, I'll make the effort to contact CCV directly with my accommodations request ... I found out that a lot of "repeat customers" actually request the specific room or cabana that they want, and usually get it.

The shore diving is nice, but I was a bit disappointed with the vis in the lagoon ... sometimes it was as low as just a few feet, and about the best I saw around the ship all week was about 30 feet. But as soon as you got to the walls it opened up to what you'd expect in a place like that ... 75-100 feet or better. Very strange ... but fortunately we're used to low-vis conditions, so it was no big deal. The boat dives were spectacular, on the other hand, with awesome vis, incredible walls, swim-throughs, and more sea life than I had expected based on reports I had read prior to the trip. I was suitably impressed.

Nitrox was available, but apparently we hit it on a high-demand week. They can fill 10 nitrox cylinders at a time, and they had the fill station running non-stop 12 hours a day ... and if you wanted a nitrox cylinder you should be at the station waiting when the tanks were ready, because they were gone within a minute or two of coming off the fill whips. We ended up doing several dives on air simply because we didn't want to wait for the next batch to fill. From what I was told, this is really variable, and nitrox availability isn't usually so difficult.

But despite the little things that were, at times somewhat aggravating, I would go back in a heartbeat. Because what really makes CCV a special place is the people who work there. I really felt welcomed by the cooks, diving staff, and just about everyone else I came into contact with. And it wasn't just professional courtesy either ... these people are friendly. In fact, if smiles are infectious they could start an epidemic. That, more than anything else, impressed me and made me feel like I'd want to stay at CCV again.

Oh, and FWIW - I did manage to get in 26 dives in six days.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Doc]

I just got back from a week at CocoView a few days ago. There were things I liked, and things I didn't like so much. I'll try to give you a fairly balanced view of the place.

First impressions weren't favorable. We arrived in Roatan at approximately 1:30 PM, and were met at the airport by Nora, one of the Assistant Managers of the Resort. Things went very quickly getting through customs and getting our luggage. Then we spent more than an hour on the sidewalk in front of the airport waiting for the resort bus to show up to take us to CocoView.

Unusual for this to happen, but bad news, for sure

We got to the lodge about 4 PM ... just in time to see the group that arrived a couple hours before us heading down the beach to do their checkout dive. We were not able to do our checkout dive till the next day ... and were not allowed to dive till it happened. I was at CocoView more than 18 hours before I FINALLY got to go diving. On a one-week vacation, that hurts.

This is the disadvantage to arriving late in the day. A lot has changed over the years, and you were on a schedule arrival that we have had to live with for years- always having to wait until manana! So there's one great reason to take the earlier flight... if you can make the connections in the US! Guests who have been there before might be able to get it together in time for a night dive, but it's a hustle to do that.

The orientation the next day was much lengthier than it needs to be. It started at 8:30AM, and at 10:30 we were just starting to get into the water for our weight check and checkout dive.

The intervening two hours had us sitting in the upper floor of the lodge listening to just about every assistant manager of every aspect of the operation. I can appreciate CCV's desire to inform its patrons, but given that I went there to dive, I really didn't care about most of what they had to talk about ... nor that they repeated themselves almost to the point of distraction.

I tend to agree (especially after 25 trips there, but after your first trip you can skip a lot of the briefing and just go diving), but it is geared to the lowest common denominator, and does contain some good info. Since it began at 0830 and you were in the water, geared up by 1030, I would suggest the orientation was a bit shorter than the seeming 2 hours.


But ... finally ... after getting through the weight check the DM took us on a nice tour of what we can reach from shore. He even found us a seahorse ... on our very first dive. That made up for a lot.

And that is the point, it is indeed an "orientation dive". Without it, the treasure of the "front yard" would not be accessable to the new divers. The majority of that dive is showing the newbies the landmarks.

Now ... once you've managed to make it through this initial waiting, I have to say that you won't lack for diving opportunities. CCV is on one side of a lagoon ... with Fantasy Island (another resort) on the other side. There are two walls funneling into the lagoon, with a 200-foot ship and an airplane sitting on the sandy bottom in between. You reach these by following a chain out from the resort's swim platform. Both walls and the wrecks are easily reached in a single dive ... or you can pick a wall, or do a slow tour of the wreck, and spend your dive looking for seahorses and other cool critters.

The resort has boat dives going out twice a day ... one after breakfast, and another after lunch. Each boat dive gives you the opportunity to do two dives, because they'll take along extra tanks and drop you off at one of the walls on the way back in ... then you just swim back to the resort. It was easy to get in four to six dives a day.

CocoView serves buffet style meals ... the food is well-prepared and plentiful, but if you don't get there within the first half-hour or so the selections start to get limited. We learned after the first couple of days to schedule our activities such as to allow us to get to meals about the time they started serving.

That is disappointing, but then again, I am usualy never late for chow.

Accommodations are pretty basic ... and if you want specific accommodations I found that their reservations office (which is in Florida, not Honduras) is not reliable. We went as two couples, and had specifically requested accommodations that would give us a cabana or something with a shared space for socializing. They have those ... but we didn't get them because the reservations office never passed along our request.

Bungalows (four of them) would allow for that, but maybe they were booked? They are an extra fee and two (of the 4) of them feature king sized beds, but I think the mating units sharing proximity of the verandas have the two twin beds. Another quandry! Take a look at the Playa Miguel Beach houses which are part of CCV.

We ended up in separate rooms, which consisted basically of two beds, a table, and one chair in each room. It lessened the experience for us, because it wasn't what we requested or expected. If we go back, I'll make the effort to contact CCV directly with my accommodations request ... I found out that a lot of "repeat customers" actually request the specific room or cabana that they want, and usually get it.

Only if you're first to ask. All sorts of folks have their favorite spots. We really like the Cabanas that are over the water. Some folks like the on-land beachront units with elevated balconies. Like so many places, you don't know until you arrive. The first time we went to CCV (in 85) we asked for a queen bed and an ocean view. We got the view, like everyone else, but all they had back then were single beds. Quite the romantic getaway!

The shore diving is nice, but I was a bit disappointed with the vis in the lagoon ... sometimes it was as low as just a few feet, and about the best I saw around the ship all week was about 30 feet. But as soon as you got to the walls it opened up to what you'd expect in a place like that ... 75-100 feet or better. Very strange ... but fortunately we're used to low-vis conditions, so it was no big deal. The boat dives were spectacular, on the other hand, with awesome vis, incredible walls, swim-throughs, and more sea life than I had expected based on reports I had read prior to the trip. I was suitably impressed.

Viz may be played like a fiddle. Dive the 'front yard' at high tide and you're golden. Watching the CoCoCam (http://www.cocoviewresort.com/webcams.html) last week (stuck here in Chicago) , there were several days that were as clear as a bell, but when it rained (and we saw that on the cococam as well), viz musta gone to poop. As far as finding more sea life than you expected, that's more a tribute to your buoyancy and observational skills. Most divers that report on the net are barely aware of even large critters. Roatan is for a guy like you who can knock out 26 dives in a week, and will develop the skills needed to enjoy the hundreds of macro critters that Roatan is truly known for by the more advanced diver.

Nitrox was available, but apparently we hit it on a high-demand week. They can fill 10 nitrox cylinders at a time, and they had the fill station running non-stop 12 hours a day ... and if you wanted a nitrox cylinder you should be at the station waiting when the tanks were ready, because they were gone within a minute or two of coming off the fill whips. We ended up doing several dives on air simply because we didn't want to wait for the next batch to fill. From what I was told, this is really variable, and nitrox availability isn't usually so difficult.

The fill operation runs 19 hours a day, and I usualy get my 25 dives in a week, but I've never bothered with NitrOx at CCV, altho I am certified. Still, if you want it, you should well have it. I hope that you advised Osman and Billy of this disappointment. They have always been real responsive.

But despite the little things that were, at times somewhat aggravating, I would go back in a heartbeat. Because what really makes CCV a special place is the people who work there. I really felt welcomed by the cooks, diving staff, and just about everyone else I came into contact with. And it wasn't just professional courtesy either ... these people are friendly. In fact, if smiles are infectious they could start an epidemic. That, more than anything else, impressed me and made me feel like I'd want to stay at CCV again.

Oh, and FWIW - I did manage to get in 26 dives in six days.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

It's the great thing about ScubaBoard when travellers take the time to post their thoughts on a resort and destination. Nice to have your report, I pasted it over on CoCoChat, CCV guest reports at http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/ccv

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Most divers that report on the net are barely aware of even large critters. Roatan is for a guy like you who can knock out 26 dives in a week, and will develop the skills needed to enjoy the hundreds of macro critters that Roatan is truly known for by the more advanced diver.

I'm not much of a photographer ... seems like I get to see more if I'm not constantly looking through a viewfinder. But for five dives I carried around a Nikonos V with a 1:2 macro attached. All I wanted was a decent pic of a seahorse, and maybe a flamingo tongue. Of the 24 shots I took during those five dives, only two came out ... and here they are ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Doc]

Of the 24 shots I took during those five dives, only two came out ... and here they are ...... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Therein lies the basis for success. I, too, have a Nikonos (or four) and it is so hard to get the images that make people ooh and ahh with digital.

When we dinosaurs manage to get a good one, the silver atoms of Ektachrome blow away the pixels and 010101010 of the Digitals hands down.

Digital not only gives you a limitless "film" budget (in terms of cost as well as the number of exposures per dive), but in terms of depth of field and allowable contrast it is child's play compared to Ektachrome.

The photo pro at Dockside is known far and wide as an excellent teacher as well as the got-to-guy on Roatan for souping E6. He will be doing a stand-up at Houston Sea Space. http://www.docksidedivecenter.com/photo.html

2 good ones out of 1 roll of Ektachrome aint bad.

 

[DiveWarden]

Hey all -

Thanks heaps for the information!!

I went down and dove Utila at the Laguna Beach resort and is was simply AWESOME!!!

Thanks again!

bill