Someone talk me into this...

[robint]

Hi Christi,

Girl, go to Roatan. Cocoview Resort is the bomb. Okay, now seriously, I think you will love it. It is cozy, little diver hotel on a fantastic reef. The shore dives in front of the resort, including those "boring" dropoffs are better than you think. Waaaay better.

Here is my trip report, with Ron's photos:
CoCoView Resort, 2008
I fl*** my camcorder on day 2, it rained almost every day, and we still have a FABULOUS time and will go back there. That says something.

Christi, you love photo, you love finding critters like pipefish and seahorses? Well, those boring shore dives are the best place to find them we have ever been! See Ron's photos.

Sand fleas, yeah, they are there. We used the Cactus Juice which actually smells good and doesn't eat your skin off. It worked great. Its Central American and just part of being in the jungle. No biggy! We actually put off going to Roatan for years because we heard the same horror stories about bugs. Once we were there and got used to putting on the spray we laughed about it. Why miss such a great place because of a few bugs. Yeah, we both got a few bites but I have gotten a few bites everywhere I have gone diving, including the mosquitos in Bonaire and Cozumel.

Vis - well, the vis sucked when we were there in Nov for the beginning of the week. It rained alot though. By the end of the week we were getting 80=100' vis. Not Cozumel but ..... no current either. One of the coolest things about Roatan is that you don't have to fight current. You can do a dive and if you find something cool, just hang out there shooting pictures of it as long as you like! Ron and I were both in heaven as we found so many new critters!!!

I hope this helps. I do think you should go. We loved it.

robin & ron

 

[Cozoholic]

I was just in Fiji 6 months ago...loved it and I WILL go back...just not this year.

Thats nice, wait for me this time...how about bonaire this year?

 

[jayjoans]

I know your choice is not between Fiji and Roatan, but I just got goose bumps all over again just READING the word Fiji and knowing you have $1200 to spend on airfare to somewhere.


If I'm going to drop that kind of coin in this economy, the answer for me would clear if I need to be talked into it.

 

[Christi]

I know your choice is not between Fiji and Roatan, but I just got goose bumps all over again just READING the word Fiji and knowing you have $1200 to spend on airfare to somewhere.


If I'm going to drop that kind of coin in this economy, the answer for me would clear if I need to be talked into it.

Well, that's my point...I DON'T have that kind of money to throw away on airfare I've already set a maximum amount that I can/will spend on airfare for this trip if I go. At this point, it's all about the airfare

 

[Doc]

Well, that's my point...I DON'T have that kind of money to throw away on airfare I've already set a maximum amount that I can/will spend on airfare for this trip if I go. At this point, it's all about the airfare

Since we're swerving all over the highway on the topic of this thread, let me take an off ramp....

Fiji? Not so sure what's the draw other than the name is one we know. I have had same and better diving at a much cheaper cost in the Philippines.

I agree, Fiji is much easier to spell than Philippines, but then again, very few people can pronounce Roatan correctly...

The Texans call it Roytan. The born-there locals say it as Rahh-ahh-tahhn.

Wonder how the Cozumelians say it?

 

[leadweight]

Fiji, that's where the bottled water comes from, right?

 

[Doc]

Fiji, that's where the bottled water comes from, right?

Yes, and the Newtons.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Christi and I went to Fiji last June she is not considering Fiji for this year...she was only using it as a comparison...saying that for the same price she could fly to Fiji....that's all....

we are all watching our budget for this trip to CCV and trying to get the best of the best for the best price...I am surprised that the fares have not dropped more....but I think when we are three months away from going they will drop ..... I hope..

so once again Fiji is not in the mix this year

 

[divin'dog]

Hi Christi,

Girl, go to Roatan. Cocoview Resort is the bomb. Okay, now seriously, I think you will love it. It is cozy, little diver hotel on a fantastic reef. The shore dives in front of the resort, including those "boring" dropoffs are better than you think. Waaaay better.

Sand fleas, yeah, they are there. We used the Cactus Juice which actually smells good and doesn't eat your skin off. It worked great. Its Central American and just part of being in the jungle. No biggy! We actually put off going to Roatan for years because we heard the same horror stories about bugs. Once we were there and got used to putting on the spray we laughed about it. Why miss such a great place because of a few bugs. Yeah, we both got a few bites but I have gotten a few bites everywhere I have gone diving, including the mosquitos in Bonaire and Cozumel.

Vis - well, the vis sucked when we were there in Nov for the beginning of the week. It rained alot though. By the end of the week we were getting 80=100' vis. Not Cozumel but ..... no current either. One of the coolest things about Roatan is that you don't have to fight current. You can do a dive and if you find something cool, just hang out there shooting pictures of it as long as you like! Ron and I were both in heaven as we found so many new critters!!!

I hope this helps. I do think you should go. We loved it.

robin & ron

I have to agree with what is said above although I have not stayed at CCV, but just got back from FIBR this Sun. Not every dive trip I take will be as good or better than the last one, but being different has it's value. I think Roatan is different. I love the topography. It's really rugged with lots of overhangs, small caverns, chimneys and swimthroughs. There's always something to see along the walls unless you're speeding by them. Then finishing the rest of the dive on top of the reef was always a good way to see plenty of life. The reefs are in very good condition. Better than I remember when I was there in '06.

One thing you don't want to do is go there during rainy season. The water is more silty and there's less light penetrating. It rained everyday on my trip in '06. This year, the weather was beautiful. I was surprised at how much better everything looked when the sun is out.

I used Cactus Juice as a repellant for the no-see-ums. I think it works well. It also is not greasy and it has a pleasant smell (and it's not bad for you unlike deet). Not sure what it's like at CCV, but there were times I went out without any repellant and was not bothered by the bugs.

As far as vis goes, I know that there were a couple of sites that seemed to have a certain silty bottom and the vis was not as good as other sites. Overall, I could clearly see a diver who was at 100' while I was just below the surface. I think it was at least 80'-100' on average possibly more.

The wreck in the channel is a great shore dive. You can literally dive there every day and see something different. The one time I missed a night dive, my buddies came back and told me of a moray eel that was as long as one of the holds... 9'-10'! Went back the next day and found nothing. The diver that was in the hold when she saw it, refused to go back in to look for it.

If you go to Roatan, I think you'll like it unless your putting expectations on it to be better than Coz.

dd

 

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

I had a great time at Anthony's Key and would definitely return but that being said I was somewhat disappointed with the diving and the visibility in Roatan. I found a few of our dives to be a little boring with little fishlife. We did enjoy the wrecks and saw some interesting creatures (especially during those dives) but I personally feel like Cozumel has much clearer water, more fishlife and better coral. We definitely had a lot of bites and it was essential for us to put something on (especially once dusk hit) and/or cover up more. Reading your list, it just sounds like most of your concerns are probably going to come to fruition and are you going to regret that? Again despite the lack of fishlife (and I'm not just referring to big critters) and the bugs and whatever else, I would still go back more for the island feel. Personally I would rather know what to expect prior to arriving than to think your going to see pristine teeming reefs and then be disappointed, bug bitten, broke and bored to boot. But you'll probably have some fond memories with your friends!:consolation: