Roatan-2 weeks too much?

[Bratface]

Go to CCV for a week then take the ferry to Utila for another week. Different diving, different stuff to see, different islands. Actually, I would go to Utila for the first week and then toCCV on Roatan. I lived on Roatan last fall and enjoyed the diving there more than in Utila.

 

[Doc]

It's impossible to beat the sheer quantity of diving that you can get at CCV.

As was mentioned previously, the South side is shallower diving, and in my estimation this side's concentration of cool little critters is where Roatan shows its unique character. The South side is just plain different.... from anywhere else in the Caribbean.

If you "get tired of the same old dive" on the South of Roatan, you are not yet seeing all the little things that are so easy to overlook. The South side is a nursery with its shalow vertical walls. It rewards the slow and observant, people with great buoyancy and excellent observational skill. Otherwise, yes, many divers do go home disappointed because they saw none of the bigger fish that the rest of the Caribbean offers like the North Side. These people also often are the ones who prolaim the South side's Mary's Place as "a must do dive". Why? Because they noticed the u/w geography and landscape was different. OK, you swam through a deep chasm, next?

If it's BIG STUFF that is what you want, yes- head to the North side. With it's Marine Reserve status you'll see Groupers and Baracudas on every dive. If you have the eye to notice Seahorses, Pipefish, Arrow Blennies, Squid, Octopus, Jawfish and more, also on every dive, go to the shallows of the South.

Other places that proclaim an avertised welcome for DIR and TECH do so for a reason- they have to in order to keep people occupied. Tim from South Padre American Divers brings bunches of deep divers ("sand checkers" they are called) here on the North side for training. Man, if I was together enough to drag a rebreather to Roatan I would never leave the water on the Souh side!

I particularly enjoy the option of two (+) night dives each night, all on the CCV house reef that literaly starts at your cabana's doorsteps.

There's a lot of information on SB about this place. If you ant maximum dive time, here you go. It is not a resort that happens to offer diving. FIBR might be right across the channel, but it s a world away. CCV is a dive resort first (and only) and with no apoligies. Would everyone like it? Not hardly. There is no one resort for everyone, but I think they have a room reserved for you.

DIR people are all but invisible at CCV, but you gotta bring your own kool-aid as that Honduran stuff sucks.

 

[rleslie]

Wife and I spent 9 days on Roatan in June. She is a non-diver. We both had a blast. Dove with Coconut Tree and stayed in West End for 4 nights and West Bay for 5. Personally, I would not want to do an AI like CoCo for two weeks, but if you can handle a liveaboard for two weeks, it might be OK.. Next time we go we will spend our entire time in WE. Good restaurants and just a great laid-back place.

Roger

 

[rainmaker]

26 dives in 13 days...ON ROTAN??? What the hell did you do the rest of the time?

They were deep dives, and I was pushing the no-deco limits. The last couple of days, I spent some time talking the dive op into letting me keep diving everyday. They said I had dived on more consecutive days than they allowed their Divemasters.

The rest of the time, I suppose I wasted just lying on the beach off-gasing, snorkeling and taking in the local sights. :14:

 

[CODMAN]

Hi Jeff, yeah, they'll drop you off on the prince Albert and also, I believe, on the front wall and/or Newmans wall.

I've been to Coco 5 times now - does Fantasy have "drop-off dives" as per coco? This is much of my favorite diving - getting left behind on Menagerie and swimming in real nice and slow (90+ min).

Tx!

Jeff

 

[Bay Island Diver]

I would definately recommend a week of south side and a week of north side if you visit Roatan, Remeber though the south side can get pretty lumpy at that time of year.

Someone else suggested a week in Roatan and a week in Utila. This is also a good idea. There is a good chance you would be able to make the switch on Coconut Trees new fast boat which should be making trips to utila by then, if not captain vern vfine@hotmail.com may be able to take you, this is a much better option than the ferry.

Just a few ideas!

 

[ronscuba]

What times of the year are the north and south sides waters more calm ?

 

[scubamickey]

Thank you everyone for your input. As always, it's extremely helpful when I'm trying to make a decision about another trip. I've looked into going to Roatan a few times now and each time I walk away thinking that it's just not the place for us. I've thought about doing the Utila Aggressor instead but I just can't seem to get a handle on whether that particular Aggressor itinerary is good or not.

The idea of a resort is not appealing but one that caters to only diving seemed like a possibility. But I'm just not getting a good feeling about Roatan. Not in a bad way, just doesn't seem like our kind of place. I think we'll stick with liveaboards and a stopover in the Florida Keys on the way home.

Thank you all for giving me your thoughts and detailed information. It really is very helpful.

Irene

 

[Utila_ecology]

Check out Utila Centre for Marine Ecology for a different experience from your diving - but Utila not Roatan

 

[malcforrest]

Seems the more serious divers who also like some civiliation and beach time opt for West Bay, its close proximity to the point of the island where some of the healthiest reef is found makes it a sensible choice.