Roatan dive advice for first timer

[smfcpacfp]

Just got back from a week on Roatan. We stayed at Fantasy Island and dove with their dive operation. We were very satisfied. Here is a short clip of the shark dive movies that I made. It was a lot of fun. Everyone seemed pleased:

YouTube - Caribbean reef sharks

 

[Thorin_II]

MBothe, first is first, I'm new to diving as well, havent even done my certification dive yet (3 weeks away)...

you wont get much say in where you dive. unless you do the shark dive, or the dolphin dive.. the operators will decide where you dive. if you spend a week there and keep going with the same operators.. maybe they might swing something for you.. but as my friends here on the board and in the real world have told me,.. the operators chose the daily dive sites based on conditions.. this is true pretty much anywhere.. but if youre nice theyd probably consider requests.. mind you if you want to go to the top rated sites.. theyve probably seen them far too many times and they know that those sites are trashed as well.

but i know what you're asking for and the answer is, in no particular order: shark dive, dolphin dive, mary's place, prince albert wreck, valley of the kings,... these are among the most talked about dives on roatan.. but again.. if you want to get on a boat knowing youre for sure going to a certain site.. youll only get that with the shark dive and the dolphin dive.

the dolphin dive sounds like one of those hit or miss things where if the dolphins dont want to play that day.. well.. youre sitting around looking at a muck bottom. the shark dive, or anything for that matter on the south side, are more advanced dives and if you dont have 30 or more dives under your weight belt, well, you may want to consider the reef on the north side.

and i have to say it, but if youre thinking about the shark dive.. you may want to check out another thread on this forum regarding that matter.

 

[Thorin_II]

Chris,

Being an engineer, you've probably already thoroughly checked out the Coconut Tree website Just in case you didn't, they have a section devoted to dive sites around Roatan as well as difficulty level and a description of the site when you click on the link:

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

its like you know engineers well or something.. how'd you know?

yeah ive already become familiar with many of the sites on roatan and i've got my pick of the ones id like to see but as people on SB have told me.. as well as the operators ive emailed already.. you cant just schedule a dive at a particular site...

this concept nearly broke my brain.. to me that's like buying a plane ticket and not knowing the destination until you show up at the airport.. then again scuba is one of those "its not about the destination but the journey" things isnt it?

needless to say i nearly crapped myself when I saw the geology from mary's place and valley of the kings.. I'd love to check out these areas.. but I guess as an unproven diver.. that's asking a bit much. Id be up for it but operators wouldnt.

I guess I'll just have to make plans to arrange for a week or two in Roatan when my wallet recovers from this cruise eh?

the local dive club rents out one of the small live aboards that cruises the bahamas.. 5 dives a day for a week.. thats a good way for a new diver to fill up a log book huh?

 

[castaways01]

Thorin, I'll jump in on this thread one last time. As a brand new diver, you are going to love any dive site you go to in Roatan. I promise that. Just go out with Los Rocas, Coconut or whomever and don't worry about geology. Anyway, you may be so busy trying not to suck up alot of air and have your bouyancy perfect, you won't notice geology.

Even though I'd love to start another debate over how shark baiting screws up the environment, harasses and exploits the sharks, alters their natural feeding habits, while making big $$ for the operators who don't give a ____ - I won't go there <grin>! I am guilty of doing 3 shark dives at Walkers Cay in the early-1990s because I didn't know any better. Now, I'm more into marine conservation and protection, and try to be a good steward of the environment. Don't support shark dives. You'll see "real" sharks when you start doing some "real" diving. Yikes!

 

[robint]

Thorin, I'll jump in on this thread one last time. As a brand new diver, you are going to love any dive site you go to in Roatan. I promise that. Just go out with Los Rocas, Coconut or whomever and don't worry about geology. Anyway, you may be so busy trying not to suck up alot of air and have your bouyancy perfect, you won't notice geology.

Ditto........ get certified, and just relax. If you enjoy it, you will have many more trips to plan where you can stay longer than a single day.

 

[Snappahead]

Chris,

If you really want to see sharks, go diving in North Carolina during the summer months. Seeing them cruise around WWII wrecks is an awesome sight. These aren't "shark dives" where some dive operator attracts the sharks--these are sharks in their natural habitats. We usually go through Olympus Dive Center out of Morehead City, NC.

I think you hit the nail on the head....diving is more about the journey, than the destination. You can pretty much find something amazing in each dive. Don't worry about filling up your dive log...that'll happen on its own.

Next time, bag the cruise and just book a week (or two) in Roatan

 

[Bay Island Diver]

unless you do the shark dive, or the dolphin dive.. the operators will decide where you dive.

In the six years I have been a divemaster on the island, the biggest decider in the divesites we visit is where the customers want to go. Weather allowing, we will take them. With an average group size of approximately four to six it makes it easy to get a consensus opinion and that is where we go. I rarely ask them specifically which site they want, i ask them what they want to see, what sort of terrain (swim throughs, walls, current, wrecks, caves, soft coral garden) and then take them to the most appropriate place, Hole in the Wall, the Aguila, West End wall, Spooky channel, canyon reef tend to be the ones that make the biggest impression on the north side.

 

[Bay Island Diver]

unless you do the shark dive, or the dolphin dive.. the operators will decide where you dive.

In the six years I have been a divemaster on the island, the biggest decider in the divesites we visit is where the customers want to go. Weather allowing, we will take them. With an average group size of approximately four to six it makes it easy to get a consensus opinion and that is where we go. I rarely ask them specifically which site they want, i ask them what they want to see, what sort of terrain (swim throughs, walls, current, wrecks, caves, soft coral garden) and then take them to the most appropriate place, Hole in the Wall, the Aguila, West End wall, Spooky channel, canyon reef tend to be the ones that make the biggest impression on the north side.

 

[Thorin_II]

Will;

How do you guys handle cruise divers? no sort of "hold my hand" dives are there? Seems a lot of dive shops on Roatan at least like to take you for a training course, even if you have your PADI.