Roatan Tec center, coconut tree divers, half moon bay cabins

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Candiru

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Im looking for feedback on Roatan tec center, coconut tree divers and half moon bay cabins. My dive club is planning a trip in 2020 and we are headed to Roatan for some tec training. We are considering the tec training with Roatan tec center and staying at half moon bay cabins. Any feedback?
 
We were there last January. Was ok. Disappointed in what they think is a wreck dive. They took us there. Spent maybe 5 minutes on the wreck. Then it was time to go. That’s not a wreck dive for me.
 
I rented a house just east of HMBR and walked by there every day to Coconut Tree. It's about a 5-8 min walk - there's a road that runs along behind there and joins up with the main road into town. It's not on all the maps but parallels the bay. Kind of dark at night so bring a light.

Here's what I know about it. (not much) Gay (owner) at CTD recommended their restaurant. IIRC the Stanley Sub is based there but we never saw it - and rode by daily on the water to go dive.
There appeared to be good snorkeling off the resort - most days there were people in the water there. You can also do one of few shore dives on Roatan - walk about 5mins east to Seagrape Plantation and go off their concrete slab, the current will help as you drift around the point and get out at HMBR. I don't know the dive name but we saw the Aggressor there one day so it must be decent. FYI I believe HMBR has an affiliated dive operation also but I don't believe it's onsite.

It'll be quiet since the loud bars in town are past the water taxi dock farther west. You sometimes hear music from Sundowners bar but it's usually just a singer later in the week. Also the waves break on the iron shore which is nice to sleep to. Kind of buggy but so is most of Roatan...lol.

I like Coconut Tree, they are very friendly and accommodating. Their website is fun but they're also serious when needed. Gay knows everybody so if you need something ask her. Decent boat although I think they sold the one we used since then. They did all the good north side dives with us, weren't afraid to burn a little gas/time. We dove farther east than Spooky Channel (did it also) and all the way west to the west point of the island for Texas, Bucho's etc. Also they shuttled us over to Barefoot Cay for Mary's Place - 2nd dive we rode over to Cocoview and dove the Prince Albert. (it's not deep)

CTD also set up the Shark Dive and the AKR Dolphin Dive for us since we mentioned both.
Some afternoons they use the dives for DM training so you may have one or more shadowing you. I film and go slower than my friends so many times I had my own DM - no charge. They're really a great crew, everyone is just really nice - not dive customer nice but genuine. Their course director Will seemed to do a good job, he held a class at the table behind me on their patio once.

You've also got to love a shop where beers are on the honor system and always available after diving. I couldn't even help move gear - one of the staff told me the first day - "You're here on vacation so chill...

I can't stress it enough, they're just really nice people. One of our divers may have gotten bent, she fainted out front of CTD around 6pm. Will was just closing up but stopped, got us cabs, set up an appt. with a nearby doctor and called the chamber at AKR to tell them we might be coming. At that time I don't think we'd met him yet nor did he know we were diving with them. The next day as Gay saw me walking up the street she ran over to ask how our friend was and offered to help with anything we needed - my friend and others in our group were staying in one of their cabins behind the shop.

They also have an affiliation with GoProCaribbean if anyone in your group is looking for DM/Inst. training.
 
We were there last January. Was ok. Disappointed in what they think is a wreck dive. They took us there. Spent maybe 5 minutes on the wreck. Then it was time to go. That’s not a wreck dive for me.

Maybe you had air hogs in your group. I dove El Aguila with Bill Perkins at Island Diving in March. Small group - Bill, my sister and a guy from Montreal who dives wrecks in the St. Lawrence. Everyone is great on air. We spent a lot of time on the wreck - penetrated in 3 places.
 
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Can't provide any input on your choices, but for places to stay we like the set up at Cocolobo. Choices of rooms overlooking the water just around the corner from Half Moon Bay (can get in the water at Seagrape and drift snorkel over the reef around to the bay). They also have larger lodges available for families. Full disclosure: we have ownership in one of the lodges. We have stayed at Cocolobo for 5+ years and really enjoyed their low key atmosphere, with great service, nice rooms, and close walking proximity to West End.

For dive op we use Sun Divers. 2 smaller boats with 4-8 sized groups usually. They've been fantastic with our family, getting 6 of us certified and just started with our youngest getting her competent and confident under water!
 
What was the typical boat size?
Katie pointed out CTD's boat page, other shops usually have a picture of theirs. AKR has about 6-8 good sized dive boats - we had exclusive use of one (4 of us on a boat sized for 24) for the dolphin dive.

A few of the West End shops uses panga-sized boats but they beach them overnight. Native Sons had one nice looking, fast boat - it's shown on the Chillies hostel web page - both owned by the same people. They used to ride around to Mary's Place once a week, that would be the boat for it as it's pretty far.Most dives off the West End/West Bay are 10-15 mins out. Except Spooky Channel or the two wrecks near AKR, Once or twice CTD told us to start gearing up at the dock, the West End wall is 5mins out and has several known sites. They offered to drop us off out there once to swim back into Half Moon Bay.

Many of the West Bay shops use panga's you wade out to since there's a lot fewer docks.
 
I've been to Roatan several times, and I always dive with West End Divers. They're located in West End. Small groups, long slow dives, super friendly and chill. It feels like home. They'll change the dive sites if you want to go somewhere specific. If you get a chance, do a blackwater dive with them.
 
Can anyone comment on Roatan Tec Center? Like the OP I will be heading to Roatan in 2020 and I would like to get in one tec dive while I'm there. (I will be rec diving with the wife the rest of the time.)
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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