Roatan dive advice for first timer

[diversteve]

Hi, I'm Chris, an electrical engineer from Canada. Just got into scuba, havent even finished my certification yet, and I'm planning a 7 hour stop in Roatan. You seem knowlegdeable regarding Roatan,.. care to give me any advice of what operators will be able to take me to one or preferably two of the best dive sites the island has to offer during that short 7 hour period? we're arriving at 11am local, which seems to be a problem since most operators only do two morning dives and one in the afternoon. Do you know of an operator who could maybe start their day off a little later for some cruise ship customers?

Based on this, I'd have to suggest that you don't do Spooky Channel with AKR. It's an overhead obstructed dive for some of the dive so that's something you should probably do later. It's not all tricky but generally new divers shouldn't do that initially. (this from someone who did the Cathedrals off Lanai on his 6th dive..lol)

Check with Coconut Tree Divers in the West End. They do two in the afternoon on occasion - always one around 1PM and another at 2:30. fwiw, as laid back as they are, the boats left on time daily...partly because they have to get back for the 2nd dive, they return to the dock and exchange tanks/divers often.

The West End is going to be about 20mins. +/- by cab from Coxen Hole. As you'd expect getting a cab at the cruise port won't be an issue. I've heard fares go up when a boat docks so negotiate up front. I paid $15 one day from Coxen Hole to the West End but I was farther "downtown" than the cruise port. Per ride, not PP also.

Daily Dive Schedule - Coconut Tree Divers - PADI 5-Star IDC Dive Resort on Roatan, Honduras - scuba diving courses, divemaster internships, instructor development, tec diving, and more!

You'd be back around 4 so plenty of time to eat and catch a cab back to Coxen Hole and your ship. The cab stand for the West End is across the street from CTD. There's a good dozen places to eat around there and they'll watch your gear till you pick it up. Quite a few shops in the area also. Frankly I thought the West End was a lot nicer than Coxen Hole also.

There's some good dives off the West End. Texas, El Aquario and several others. And good wall diving that starts at various depths. You have a choice of going deeper off the wall or staying above 60'. During the week we dove with turtles, grouper, eels, barracuda and other fish. No sharks - pretty much the only place to see them is with Waihuka. Sometimes Nurse Sharks are on the sand at the Bight, but it's not a given. All their dives are DM accompanied - since they're also a training facility on some of the PM dives there were 4-5 DM's/Instructors training so we felt pretty safe...LOL

Good people also. Will, their course director and Gay, the owner post here. Should you want to do the shark dive, they can book it for you - they did for us. They'd be my choice if I go back.

Or you could dive with AKR. They're going to do many of the same dives approaching from the east. I had a really good time on the Dolphin Dive but like RM, I'd heard the encounter is more up close and personal - you get to swim/snorkel with them in the pens. We first met the dolphins there and then they followed us out to the divesite. On our dive one of the dolphins failed to launch (that's acceptable - they're not forced) and the other two spent 1/2 the dive elsewhere. But it was an awesome encounter when they did show up - they like to play around and let you get really close - touching them is permitted. I had one follow me to the surface, sonar me, then bump me gently on the chin - that's not something that happens to everyone.

One thing about the dive is that it's in 60' on a featureless sandy bottom. So if they don't show immediately about all you can do is work on your breathing. We had one poor crab stray into the area while we waited, he probably wished he didn't - several of my friends have cameras.

 

[diversteve]

thread split from previous thread.

 

[CODMAN]

There really is no comparison to meeting them in the wild! This is so true!

 

[Pembina]

I have dove with the sharks and do not feel as if it is a must do. It was a horrible boat ride out and back, you are packed tightly into a narrow boat and the water was extremely rough. Depending on the other divers and their dive skills it can be a miserable dive also. During our free to roam part of the dive I constantly had divers swimming over the top of me and kicking me in the face. Every time I tried to escape the crowd I would have others following thinking that I must have found something worthwhile for them to investigate. When leaving, there were a couple of divers panicking trying to get back to the boat climbing over the rest while we were holding the line waiting our turn to accend.

I guess it's nice to say "I've dove with sharks" and be able to add that to the list of things I have done but to be honest after the first 5 minutes I was bored to death. Other than the sharks and a couple of large grouper there really wasn't much more to look at. I would much rather dive a wall or reef.

An excursion I would really recommend (although it is not diving related) is one of the zip lines... that was a blast!!!!

 

[castaways01]

Hi. I agree with Roatanman, contact Coconut Tree Divers through their website or @gmail.com and make inquiry/reservation. They will either send a car or taxi to pick you up, or hop a cab OUTSIDE the fence when the boat docks. There isn't much to see at Prince Albert (I've been there several times) and you'll spend a lot of time on the road heading east. The seas can be bad on the north and south shores after October, but are generally calm off West End and West Bay. Coconut has a great reputation and they often deal with cruisers. Have fun, enjoy the island.
Marcia

 

[Thorin_II]

I have a dive bud who did CoCo View this past January, and like me, vowed never to return.....she rapidly lost interest in the diving there at the resort and was ending dives with 2000 psi still in her tank she was so bored by it all !

Really? Roatan? as in.. Honduras.. as in.. the same island that this board is on fire about... calling it Fantasy Island? that one? If you consider Roatan to be so poor, what would you consider to be good?

 

[Thorin_II]

You're just starting out- stick with the "big stuff". That shipwreck, being so shallow might be just the thing, but you'll need a few more dives to see all of the little critters that inhabit it and nearby. That South Side environ is "advanced diving", maybe not in the same way as the Shark Dive, but still requiring observational and buoyancy skills you develop later on.

AKR's Dolophin Encounter (Snorkel) allows for great touchy-feely interaction, the Dolphin Dive, not so much- but still a real thrill. A thrill only surpassed when you see them in the wild... and someday, if you keep diving, you will. Dolphins as well as Sharks. That'll make your butt pucker.

thanks for the brutally honest advice.. I know what you mean about being a beginer and thinking I have to hit a wreck.. and that eventually I'd see that the best dives would be reefs.. so ignore the less natural stuff.. but remember.. I'm an engineer.. we'll be stopping at the Tortugar Rum Cake Factory tour in Grand Cayman and I was dejected to find out I wouldnt be getting a tour of a distillery. I was looking forward to doing an "operations tour" of our cruise ship until I found out that meant seeing the dressing rooms, crew quarters, and kitchens. I was hoping for a tour of the engine room

so yeah, without any actual dive experience at this moment, I can see why you'd say "forget the wrecks" but.. I'm a huge tech dork. I want to see ships!

But I am seeing that the most likely place we'll end up diving will be in the north end's more natural offerings.. and that's great for me too.. just wondering what would be the best sites to dive.

I was looking at Cocoview, coconut tree, etc... AKR has two morning dives which leaves us with only making the one afternoon dive.. cocoview has some great pricing but their boats leave at 8:30 and 2:30.. and I think that may be cutting it a little late for getting back to our ship for 6 local. Coconut tree looks like it's got a great schedule that meshes with our itinery.. not to mention we may have a snorkler coming with us and coconut will accomodate that.

Las Rocas is high on my list right now cause they will pick us up in an air conditioned bus (fancy) and take us out for two tanks for the grand total of 75$ (park fees included)... any comments on this operator?

 

[Thorin_II]

Vetdrm, I'm not rushing anything, but I'm also a fan of spending my money as wisely as possible.. planning as much as possible, and not learning the hard way... learning from peoples advice!

yeah thats the itinery.. grand cayman, roatan, belize, then cozumel. grand cayman is going to involve stingrays (but of course) an island tour, and some snorkling off eden rock.. roatan is diving, but of course, belize will be a visit to altun ha, (lamanai is a little risky with the timeline) and cozumel will be a jeep tour to the cenotes... should be fun.. its been a while since I drove stick offroad..

should be a blast. just want to make sure i don't look back at roatan and wish the diving was better!

 

[Thorin_II]

Having been on said dive with fresh divers (2), Roatan Man is spot on.....

As the Doc said, when they say "everyone in" that is not indicating gear up. We had two toes and a finger that didnt make the trip unscathed to recall.

sounds exciting! I won't lie, part of the draw of scuba for me is how technical it is, how dangerous it can be,.. its a thrill! this dive sounds like the kind of challenge that I'd be up for.. really testing your abilities.. but I can see where you guys would be worried about some one doing that for their first dive and I wont proclaim that I'd for sure be able to do it incident free, be I'd up for the challenge..

but no need to get involved in something that crazy on the first run around. And that's ignoring the questionable (to say the least) operator.

 

[robint]

Thorin - you can NOT dive at CCV on their boats if you are on a cruise, from what I understand. They require you do a shore dive with a DM. You should really do some boat dives there on your stop at Roatan, but I would still say your best bet is the dives arranged with AKR through your ship.

Just my 2 cents.
robin