Might there be interest in putting together a low budget trip to Roatan?

[kathydee]

Thanks for info Deba and Kathy!

So is the diving "better" on Roatan or Utilia? I don't care about night life, perfectly happy to cook for myself and read a book on the beach.

Looks like Continental has a direct flight from Newark on Saturdays, which is nice 'cause all the other ones I saw were in the 25 hour range with layovers at LAX or Houston...I don't have enough vacation time to waste it in airports more than I have to.

I don't know. I did one dive in Roatan and 4 weeks in Utilia. Didn't see much of a difference, but sorry I don't have enough experience to compare.

The dives on the North side of Utilia are quite nice. But you'd probably have to find a way on to one of the "resort boats" at the larger shops or dive with Captain Morgans to dive that side daily as most shops don't want to waste the gas.

Top side in Utilia was more relaxed. I was there Jan 09 so don't know what's changed.

 

[sololady]

Thanks for the input, Kathy, I'm pretty aware of the shops and lodging on Utila, and I know we can do the backpacking thing there as well. But my personal experience on Utila is an AI. Hi Steve! Love ya buddy, but I just don't have the budget this year. You can bet that next time I do, I'll be right back to be spoiled by you, Foxy Lady and your wonderful staff at Deep Blue, my very favorite AI anywhere!


Kathy, anything else you have to share about Utila backpacking style diving is very much appreciated here. That goes for anyone else who has experience with this kind of dive travel on the Bay Islands. If you can't join us at this time, please share what you think would help us plan.

Who knows, this could be the start of a new and different fun-loving dive group. I want to dive Guanaja and Cayos Cochinos someday, too. Anybody else?

 

[kathydee]

Kathy, anything else you have to share about Utila backpacking style diving is very much appreciated here.

Thanks . Sure, I'll just add that often tourists stick to the resorts, but the island of Utilia is quite pretty. It's great to rent a bike and check out the island on an afternoon ride, hike or jog around the airport side of the island, on the beaches and up Pumpkin Hill - beautiful ;-).

If you're truly a backpacker - then one treat is to stay at Jewel Cay - and after diving catch a ride to one of the little Islands - I think it was Diamond Cay -grill fresh fish purchased from the local fishermen over an open fire - you can even kayak there and/or camp out .

Night diving from Jewel Cay is a treat - one night I saw 5 Octopi in one dive. Some of my favorite dives were Blackish Point, and Pinnacles.

I'm in love with diving the North coast of Bali Indonesia & much of SE Asia ;-)!

 

[sololady]

Thanks for info Deba and Kathy!

So is the diving "better" on Roatan or Utilia? I don't care about night life, perfectly happy to cook for myself and read a book on the beach.

Looks like Continental has a direct flight from Newark on Saturdays, which is nice 'cause all the other ones I saw were in the 25 hour range with layovers at LAX or Houston...I don't have enough vacation time to waste it in airports more than I have to.

I love, love, love diving Utila and will go back anytime I can, but you can't fly directly there so you automatically add a level of cost that you don't have if you dive West End. The sites visited daily by all the shops are more numerous and varied from West End than from Utila Town or the cay with Captain Morgans.

As for your book on a beach...ahhh...not so much on Utila...not much beach

Download the free version of Google Earth and take a look. You'll easily see what we are talking about.

 

[rob@diveinutila.com]

There are several dive centers on Utila that dive north side every day. Kathydee has all the pricing correct. In fact $265 for 10 dives including taxes and reef fees. Once again, you'll find several dive centers with good (i.e. well maintained and/or new) equipment. The cays don't have much in eating out options anyway. You just gotta dig into these things a little and make sure you check things out.

$18 per night sounds like Rubi's Inn - very clean, with great rooms. Rooms can be upgraded to a/c for increased price. They are still $18 a night this year. Most dive centers will offer backpacker level accommodation as well, typically in the $3 to $5 per night range. Some have private rooms, some only dorms.

Vern has been taken out of action by the port captain for the foreseeable future. As I understand it he is working on getting the go ahead to start business again.

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi Deba ....Hope you are well

You know that if you want to come to Utila to do the backpacker thing I can always help

 

[kathydee]

There are several dive centers on Utila that dive north side every day.

The impression I had was that many of the larger shops dive the north side daily, but those boats are generally reserved for the "resort packages." The standard diver walking into the shop is often scheduled on a boat filled with OW or AOW students that does not head to the north side (often back to the same training sites over and over). Captain Morgan's was the one shop that seemed to be the exception.

I'm curious what other shops take walk-in customers staying in outside lodging to the north side on a daily basis. I did find that most shops offered several North Side trips a week with the standard boat -- but it also seemed that many shops reserved the North side boats for live-in customers who were taking courses.

The cays don't have much in eating out options anyway.

Agreed - in fact the choices were very limited.

Vern has been taken out of action by the port captain for the foreseeable future. As I understand it he is working on getting the go ahead to start business again

Curious if anyone else is running a private boat service across?

. Most dive centers will offer backpacker level accommodation as well, typically in the $3 to $5 per night range. Some have private rooms, some only dorms..

But my impression was these rooms were reserved for students taking courses. If there was space, sure they were available to other customers, but if students showed up, you took a few topside rest days, or dove with another shop (to dive the north side) -- you could be asked to leave.

I didn't check will all dive shops though - perhaps some opperate differently.

 

[sololady]

Looks like Continental's Fri, Sat, and Sun flights out of LGA jump from around the middle of Nov, first of Dec, and again the middle of Dec. It's all high season.

Delta's Fri and Sat flights are the other option. The prices normally run about the same. Since my dates are always pretty flexible, I just keep tweaking my searches until I find my best. My prices won't be the same as those of anyone else because my time in-country is normally 85-90 days. It's interesting what can be done with prices when you juggle arrivals and departures over different rate sets, like I'll go long before Thanksgiving and come back on one of the full flights going TO the island for Christmas holidays. I get good deals that way...just pick the opposite from everybody else on a flight by flight basis. It takes a lot of restarting searches, but I've got more time than money

 

[sololady]

Hi Deba ....Hope you are well

You know that if you want to come to Utila to do the backpacker thing I can always help

Wow guys, now THAT'S an offer we can't refuse!!!

Steve, ask your mom if she remembers that she tried to farm me out to the backpacker digs the first time we met...she thought I was your new DMT! jajaja!!! Jim had to tell her..."ahhh no...she's with us"... Talk about a compliment!!! I guess I just come across as a free spirit since I'm much closer to her age than any of your DMT,s at least at that time. Give her a big hug for me. I'd LOVE to see you guys this trip or any other!

By the way, I know you have mentioned the whale shark vs oil slick issue here on SB and suggested to those who have asked to contact USM. You know I live at ground...oops...OCEAN zero for this problem. If you know of anything specific I can personally do to help, please PM me.

Beyond that, I would never consider it hijacking this string to talk about it here. I know how connected you are so please keep us informed. I'm sure everyone else is as concerned as I am. Where is BZ001? And isn't this about the time for the spawning that brings so many of them here?

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi Deba

Yes we all remember you very well.

BZ - 001 is doing well as far as we know he has been seen 12 times the last time in Mexico, so that is very cool.

As I say any help you need on Utila just ask.