Roatan - early April 2011

[mnscuber]

First of all, thanks to the regulars and contributors in this sub-forum for sharing all your previous advice. I've read a fair amount here to try to educate myself.

I have the green light to do a quick scuba trip early April 2011, and I've come to the inevitable and obvious conclusion that Roatan is the destination of choice! However, I'll probably only have 4 nights to stay.

In addition, my brother is thinking of joining me and would be getting OW certified (perhaps classroom/pool here in MN, we'll see). I suppose having a buddy along opens up the possibility of shore diving together. Additionally, he's interested in a slightly extended stay, so that complicates the lodging equation.

I don't have a strong opinion on east vs. west - reading posts here, it sounds like both offer respectable diving and have reputable operations. I'm mostly interested in convenience, both in getting there and in day-to-day operations since my time is so limited. I'd prefer to have meals available at or near the dive operator/resort. I understand that, unless we go with an AI dive resort, three dives a day is the norm.

In the first couple weeks of April, what side of the island would be more desirable to dive? The reason I ask is that a friend said he stayed at FIBR (I think around February) and he said divers would come around the island from the north just to avoid the rough seas there. However, searching SB, I found a post (by roatanman?) that said Sept-March were the months that saw more stormy weather on the north side. I guess the short question is: would we be alright diving the north side in early April?

What dive operator/lodging do you think would work well for our needs? Luxury is not a requirement for us. Also, my brother is vegetarian... does someone know of a particularly vegetarian friendly resort or restaurant?

I've assembled a somewhat shortened list of places that appear to be well regarded and offer what we're looking for:

south/east side resorts:
*Coco View - seems a little on the spendy side, but sounds like its worth it
*Barefoot Cay
*Fantasy Island - their website seems to be on the outs (at least with my computer... gets hijacked, I guess??)
*Reef House - seems like it would be a long trip from the airport

West End diver operators:
*Coconut Tree Divers (and Cabins)
*West End Divers
*Reef Gliders
*Anemoma Divers (with Foster's)

West End lodging:
*Posada Arco Iris Hotel

West Bay:
*Luna Beach

I know that's a lot to be asking, so thanks a lot for reading and thanks in advance for responding!

 

[Doc]

In April, either side of Roatan should be quite nice.

I am not sure why you fixed-in on shore diving, as most new kids (like your pal) prefer boat diving, but the only place that could offer you that would be CCV/FI or RHR.

In answer to some of your comments....

CCV: seems a little on the spendy side, but sounds like its worth it - yes, it is, but...if you want 4 and 5 a day, it's your best bet. That's a lot of diving. CCV will do vegetarian, but I don't know if they accept anything less than a 7 night stay.

RHR: seems like it would be a long trip from the airport - about 1/2 hr more than most, but you're only going to make that trip twice.

FIBR: their website seems to be on the outs - Yes, it looks like they got hacked. But there isn't all that much dive related infor there, anyway. See the ongoing thread in this forum.

I don't have a strong opinion on east vs. west - reading posts here, it sounds like both offer respectable diving and have reputable operations. I'm mostly interested in convenience, both in getting there and in day-to-day operations since my time is so limited. I'd prefer to have meals available at or near the dive operator/resort. I understand that, unless we go with an AI dive resort, three dives a day is the norm.

It's really North/West vs. South. Yep, they're both interesting. You will likely have a favorite after having tried them both.

As to 3 dives a day- to get that and maintain your sanity, you'll need to go to an AI resort. Three a day at an AI is easy, CCV you can bang out an easy 5 (or 6 if you decide to push it). Guest houses and day dive ops, you are more in the 2 per day range, limited by boat schedules, meal planning, and the cost of diving. 2/day and you are better paying by the dive. More than 2/day ? Go AI.

In that your friend will be getting certified- he really won't be making best advantage of the all inclusive price at an AI for unlimited diving... unless he bangs out the classroom and confined water while at home in Minnesota. Then he can go nuts, as likely he will.

 

[RTBDiver]

IMNSHO,
Four nights is not a good trip to plan for roatan. If you were familiar with it, both certified and money is not issue then fine but basically your looking at most at three dive days and even that would really be limited on your day prior to departure. Roatan is just more set for the week long or more traveller unlike say Cozumel or other destinations that regularly market the shorter stays. Also, If your buddy is not certified yet he will be limited to the dives per day until he is.

 

[Bay Island Diver]

As to 3 dives a day- to get that and maintain your sanity, you'll need to go to an AI resort. Three a day at an AI is easy. 2/day and you are better paying by the dive. More than 2/day ? Go AI.

Lets not get into this again, statements like that are what destroy your credibility ROATANMAN, 3 dives a day at ANY dive op in Roatan is easy. Have you even ever tried it anywhere but Cocoview in the last two years? Why deliberately mislead people like that, i just don't understand it?

As for time of year, April is one month that it does tend to be reasonably calm on both the North Side and South, but if it is going to blow at that time is will almost certainly blow from the south, so the Northside is a marginally safer bet.

HTH

Will

 

[RTBDiver]

so the Northside is a marginally safer bet.

HTH

Will

Do dives get cancelled on the Southside more than on the north on average?

 

[Doc]

Assuming we're talking about going SCUBA Diving. A dive vacation, not a vacation with some diving... just like the Original Poster laid out....

Lets not get into this again, statements like that are what destroy your credibility ROATANMAN, 3 dives a day at ANY dive op in Roatan is easy. Have you even ever tried it anywhere but Cocoview in the last two years? Why deliberately mislead people like that, i just don't understand it?

Let's return to the math class.

The last time, I ground through all the figures, the costs per dive, the boat departure times, the whole nine yards.

Oh do please, lay it out for us... your turn this time.

What I said in long-ago posts, and I will say now: Anything more than two dives per day, an AI makes better sense in terms of pure dollars and sense economics.

Will, at your favorite dive-op, you charge $30 per tank. There it is at Coconut Tree Dive Packages Or, it shows that for about $690~$1140 you can get a package that will give you 7 nights rooming and 12 dives.

Do dives get cancelled on the Southside more than on the north on average?

Maybe so.....{Note that the photo on that above web page showing that West End boat is taken waaaaaaay over on the South Side, right in front of... CoCoView.}

At an AI, such as Fantasy Island, for $499 you can get the same seven nights sleep, plus an easy 3, if not four dives in a day. Even when it goes back to full price of $1050, they are still going to feed you. Looks like they're blowing the doors off of a day-dive op in terms of cost/benefit.

But... math is hard. Right?

...........................................

Now, lets take a gander at day dive-op type boat schedules.... Coconut Tree Divers Dive Schedule.

At 09:00 a two tank "advanced dive trip", and 13:00 & 14:30 for "single tank fun trips".

Well, I bet they're all fun, not just those two.

And sure as the clock ticks, one diver can't make it to get on both of the afternoon boats... unless you're keeping the Bottom Time to 30 minutes maximum. So, it's either one or the other of the afternoon boats.

And for that 09:00 two tank advanced trip, you have to be AOW.

(That leaves the Original Poster's buddy out of the equation)

Let's see... leave at 09:00, moor up and be in the water at 09:25, everyone back out at 10:25. Then do a :45 surface interval (these are AOW deep dives, as it said), move the boat and be back in diving at 11:10. Okay, do the dive for 1 hour and climb out at 12:10, then motor back in to the pier, disembark at 12:35

Go find lunch and be on ONLY the second of two of the afternoon "fun dives".... IF you want to pay that $30 per tank to do that third dive.

Night dives? One day a week, if the weather is good, and only if enough people sign up.

An AI offers some distinct monetary and time advantages... If you came to dive.

But, we've been through all of this stuff before. Write a coherent rebuttal argument showing any different. Use your posted data, count in US Dollars, and use a watch that keeps good time.

Have at it. Show me where this logic is faulty.

 

[Brodydog]

 

[robint]

I agree with RoatanMan... doing more than 3 dives per day is very difficult, and tiring, unless you are staying at an all-inclusive. We have tried it at multiple locations all over the world, and it is just too rushed, not enough time to relax at all, and not enough time to change batteries for cameras etc, get charged, ...hydrate properly. It is also best to use nitrox for days like that, especially back to back dive days.

As far as going to CCV in April, you will need to stay a full 7 days, Saturday to Saturday, and it might be booked full already as that is peak season. The place only has 26 rooms, and many groups book during spring, so finding an empty room for less than a week isn't going to happen most likely. Is it worth the price??? Yep, I think so. Vegetarian? YUp, just tell the kitchen staff and they will make sure they have something for him (they always have salads, beans and tortillas, rice, fruits every meal already). Personalized service, that's what you get in a small resort like this. CCV is awesome..

 

[RTBDiver]

I agree with RoatanMan... doing more than 3 dives per day is very difficult, and tiring, unless you are staying at an all-inclusive. We have tried it at multiple locations all over the world, and it is just too rushed, not enough time to relax at all, and not enough time to change batteries for cameras etc, get charged, ...hydrate properly. It is also best to use nitrox for days like that, especially back to back dive days.

I too agree with much that has been written on the suject as it pertains to Roatan and other places with similar profiles with one minor exception regarding

It is also best to use nitrox for days like that, especially back to back dive days.

There are many factors to consider when it comes to breathing gas. More often than not my gas of choice is a nitrox mixture, mixed by GOD, with roughly 21% O2. If it is included at no added cost on a trip I may use nitrox but other than that most likely will not.

 

[Doc]