Rain In Roatan

[cxg31s]

hit Coz or somewhere like that in Jan and then do Roatan in May or so. The only way I would go back to Roatan in Jan is if I got a deal like I did this Jan--it was $799+taxes and that included RT airfare, transfers, 7 nights hotel, all meals and 3 dives/day! Why do you think all the resorts on Roatan are giving out great deals in Jan--they're desperate for people to go during that time! Check the TravelNews section in the latest issue of Sport Diver if you don't believe me.

 

[Doc]

referring to your post about 6 above this.

We got delayed in Houston 01/04/03 for two days and one night in Salvador. TACA gave us about a 30% experience in Houst9on on the holdover (as Miami passengers were comped rooms and meals) but they gave us a 5* experience in Salvador at a world class hotel. Not a lot of reassuring communication, but fabulous food and accomodations- plus a free 3 minute phone call to anywhere!

We made it to CoCoView on Tuesday at 0800 instead of Saturday night, 1800.

We dove and had a ball for a week, rain notwithstanding. The viz ranged from dismal to stunning, but was irrelevant as the real Roatan fans go there for the micro stuff.

Saturday Jan 11 was an easy flying day, in and out- but we stayed for another week- which was bright and clear!

When we prepared to leave on Jan 18, the airport was again closed for three days- we flew out on Monday, instead.

NOW- Here's the DIFFERENCE in experiences:

1) CoCoView NEVER charged us :mean: for extra nights or food or a free nightly "Rum in the Rain Party". (FIBR had sold divers their week for $550 total, but wanted $250/night to extend during the rain delay) Other resorts such as AKR comped rooms as well.

2) CoCo View gave us vouchers against a future trip for three nights FREE stay :mean:, due to the weather delay that they didn't cause. How cool is that?

3) CCV transported our luggage under tarps saturday, Sunday and Monday and put it inside at security every morning. I saw AKR guests scrambling atop a truck to fetch their luggage as it was getting soaked under the Roatan Airport awning (waterfall). I never :mean: touched my bags, ever.

Trip insurance? Hell- I came out ahead on the deal. I just wish I'd have had a crystal ball to know my departure fly time- I woulda kept shore diving from CCV's "front yard".

Customer Service goal should be "remarkable service", CCV sure gives it every effort, every time.

 

[cxg31s]

didn't you post a trip report about that trip? I remember reading a trip report from someone who had stayed at CocoView during that time and they had some of the same comments you just said about CocoView comping rooms and the guests not having to deal with their luggage in the rain, while AKR people were trying to keep theirs dry, etc. It definitely sounds like you had a GREAT experience during the Big Rain of 2003. I'm just glad it was over by the time my trip came around...although an extra week in Roatan sure doesn't sound like a hardship to me!

 

[Doc]

I liked our trip to Roatan in August a whole lot better. Water temps in the "front yard" were in the mid 90's (in the top 5" of water) and it got HOT swimming in to the resort after drop off dives! :mean:

In January, what with all of the rain, it was a bit cooler. It didn't matter, as my Nephew met me from college in Austin TX for his fifth open water dive. He & I arrived on Tuesday morning. By the end of the week, he logged 5 and 6 dives a day, plus four night dives- he doubled up one night. He went from bumbling newbie to bouyancy expert and his young eyes were very good at spotting the little treasures. [It was an eye opening experience for him- he fell in love with several Salvadoran hotties working at the hotel in Salvador while I liked the buffet where I worked my way through it with Larry from the Bay Islands Aggressor.]

After furious and intesive rain diving, the skies cleared, He left, and "Herself" came in. Now she is a 48 yo female exothermic 5' 112# size 6. She is prone to lose heat rapidly. She spent the week in her 5/7 mil and slept in her Polarfleece. (just joking, but she did wear her PolarFleece trench coat that she snapped up from Dockside Dive Center at CoCoView)

She logged her standard 5 a day with a night dive in that total. As bad as the topside conditions were the week before, they settled down for the second week and she had great interactive experiences with squid, octopus and eels.

Yeah, you can sit and whine about the weather- before going or while you're there, but there's a whole lot less whining when you're underwater. Shut up and dive.

What I didn't mention above is that altho we couldn't predict our actual departure- so we could keep diving- we did keep snorkeling at night as well!

We made out like bandits.

 

[sngatlanta]

cxg31s

That’s what I was thinking. Cozumel was actually the first thought we had but we have always wanted to go to Honduras. We take two trips a year so it won’t hurt to wait for a few more months to get there…although maybe we could go and get stuck for a few extra days…no Cozumel will do nicely.

 

[Doc]

Okay, by all means go to Cozumel- but before you say it's the greatest thing in the Caribbean, be sure to try Roatan (and a few others!)

P.S.- Since the original thrust on this thread was weather related, you have read that Huricanes do track North of the Bay Islands, leaving rains in their wake.

But where, you should ask, do those huricanes go? As they track WNW to NW above the South American coast- well- look at a map!

Those that do not swing North to Texas and Louisiana usualy track to Belize and just North. That may be somewhere near Cuzumel. :wacko:

 

[sngatlanta]

We are going to Cozumel in January not during hurricane season.

We dive for a total of 4 weeks a year and split it up into 2 separate 2-week periods. I’ll be in the Bay Islands for the spring or summer, hurricanes be dammed and I’m sure we will love it. I’m not as worried about hurricanes as I am about 2 solid weeks of wet weather. I wouldn’t even complain about flights getting canceled and having to stay a few more days.

We have been all over the north, south and eastern Caribbean during hurricane season and never had any bad luck and are accustomed to occasional storms or showers. We have also been to Cozumel in the winter before and had a great time with very little rain.

I’ll be down don’t worry!!

 

[beepbird]

Hi,
I just got back from AKR Saturday. Conditions were awefully soggy. A tropical storm started on Friday and did not let up until a week later when we left. Just like every one has stated my suitcases were pretty wet starting from the airport to the time my suitcase was delivered outside my door in a torrential downpour. AKR pretty much only did 2 dives a day due to conditions. No night dives. Trying to wait for the boat in 15 ft chop was no fun either. I chummed on every one of the 10 dives I made. One night it rained 10 inches with the driving rains, crashing surf, and wind howling through the room. I didn't get much sleep either.

The bright side..... They say it only happens less than once a year. Good luck for everybody else.

Beep beep!

 

[Doc]

If "they" said heavy Northers only happens once a year, "they" are out of their pea pickin' minds. :dork:

Northers shut down diving on the North side of Roatan often enough that once it's happened, most go & dive the South side, instead. Always breezy, rarely rough, most always divable.

Now that we're coming into winter, it bears restating- when arctic cold dips down thru the plain states and hits TX or FL with :struck: freezing temps, expect roug weather in Cozumel, Belize and the Bay Islands.

Pick your resort well. hat:

 

[beepbird]

Yup, we dove the south side of the island for 3 days... that's where we encountered the 5-15 ft chop. The northside was even worse. For what it's worth, the Aggressor boat didn't even dive the day with the 15 ft chop.

Beep beep