Thinking of AKR in May 2016, need some answers please

[Doc]

Doc, are you saying a good night dive was under the pier or out "West into the actual 'lagoon' between mainside AKR and the Key"? Regardless, what did you have to do to arrange a night dive under the pier or out in the "lagoon"? From another trip report I read, the 2 night dives included aren't really night dives as they dive too early, and you can't do the advertised shore dive as a night dive because they close at sunset (per another trip report), so I'd be interested if one could do a "true" night dive (i.e., starting around 8pm) in the areas you mentioned and if so, how could that be arranged.

And finally, why is this not good for first time night divers? We're night certified and have been on a couple, but this sounds like easy night diving to me.

Yes, that's the location.

Boat night dives at AKR do start early, they want the staff back to work bright and early at o73o the next day.

Their shore dive entry is more problematic in terms of what physically lies just offshore, or better said...what does not. It is a shore dive by definition only, not much anything alive nearshore due to the eons of heavy weather...when it storms, this is where it's full force is felt. Note, as a proof, even the deep wrecks placed around Y2K at 125fsw are now quite tattered, unlike the ones in 50' on the South side- where the reef lies very close to shore and because of the weather, has grown quite verdant.

AKRs shore dive has lead them to offer the boat night dives, it's simply more inviting in every way. It is an additional quandary as to why guests at CCV would ever bother to pay for a boat night dive when there is a great shore access right at their feet. I believe it is the sense that you'll get to see "new terrain", or something slightly less obvious...

Could it be that making a giant stride off of a boat while bolder divers are already illuminating the clear depth below with flashlights... Versus wading into dark shallow water of a shore entry? I think that's a big chunk of it.

i am rather adverse to night dives in water below 40', all the cool stuff is shallow, but boat moorings are usually deeper, certainly along the West and North. I'm spoiled after many hundreds of shore entry night dives at CCV in vibrant Coral, rarely below 35fsw.

Now to your other question, as to the likability of night dive sites at AKR. I did the shore access a few times, then I did it at night. That was the end of that. My DM said that we must now go muck diving, yes- in that area we have described. I don't think there's any permission needed to dive there, but I would confer with the DM and get his best advice about the minor boat traffic you may encounter in the night hours. Obviously the immediate caveat is in regards to the launch ferry to the Key from Mainside.

Where I was going with the warning about "not for everyone", doing a muck dive can be quite disconcerting for many first timers. I grew up in the MidWest, so muck diving is all we knew. If you think about it, doing this with a flashlight does amp up the Heebie-Jeebie factor. There is little to orient yourself and vertigo is always present, well- it is for me after 1000+ actual muck dives.

Compared to diving from a boat over a reef, illuminated by 15 other flashlights, enjoying the spatial clarity and visual depth of field, flopping in over a moonscape can be quite a freaky thing.

And very rewarding.

 

[diversteve]

and you can't do the advertised shore dive as a night dive because they close at sunset

They advertise it till 9PM. Roatan Shore Diving | Anthony's Key Resort | Roatan | Honduras

It's really dark/quiet at night there so if you wore a tank marker in the lagoon I'm sure any boats would easily see you. We were there for a few hours one night midweek - sitting mostly on the diveboat dock waiting for my friend doing a chamber ride. I didn't see a single person use the water taxi past about 8PM - even the driver went somewhere else. None of the dive boats moved either. There were a few people in the bar - we could occasionally hear them. Otherwise the resort was mostly quiet.

Here's a map. Anthony's Key Resort Map | Roatan | Honduras Since the taxi goes straight across I don't think it would be an issue. Maybe if they took staff over to Bailey's for some reason.

 

[nippurmagnum]

I've enjoyed this thread.

My wife and I are booked on AKR for May 22-29, 2016 (Juardis, maybe we'll see you there!), and I had many of the same questions that you did about AKR, as it will be our first time there.

We did CoCoView the second week of January 2015, and I really loved it. I averaged 5 dives a day there, and did a night dive pretty much every night. I thought it was a perfect place for someone who just wants to dive all day (and night), and who enjoys solo diving. My wife enjoyed it also, but she dives less than I do (she has about 75 lifetime dives), her comfort zone is more in the 2-3 dives per day range, and she does not like having to lug her gear after a shore dive.

We were drawn to AKR for 2016 by their 2-for-1 offer. I know that I will miss the solo diving that you can do at CCV, as well as the night dives. However, I am hoping that there will be some good trade offs at AKR for a husband-wife trip:

(1) My wife will get 3 true end-to-end boat dives at AKR, rather than the 2 at CCV -- so she will get to do more diving to her liking.
(2) I look forward to seeing how the northern island sites compare. I liked the sites on the southern side, and I am into macro photography so it was great for that -- but I also like big critters, and saw virtually none of that on the south side (other than a Goliath Grouper that I ran into on a couple of night dives at the Prince Albert wreck).
(3) There is really nothing to do at CCV other than dive (which I like), but at AKR there seems to be other activities as well, to round out the week.

Ultimately, we just decided to take the plunge at AKR for next year because I couldn't find any place else in the Caribbean where you could get a 7-night all-inclusive dive package for two for $1,500 + tax, for TWO divers. Nothing came even close. We'll find out in May whether it was a decent trade off.

 

[Juardis]

nipper, hope you enjoy your week. We're considering AKR for the same reasons as your wife. 3 boat dives with an occasional night dive is about right for us and you just can't beat the 2fer1 deal. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we're also considering Little Cayman Beach Resort. Talk about your extremes.