Scared Silly
Contributor
New Years in Utila
A short report and ratings
Flights ATL->SAP on Delta : D
Honduran Immigration & Customs in SAP : C
Hedman Alas Bus : B
Utila Princess Ferry : B
Cross Creek Dive Center : B/B-
Utila Weather during the "rainy season" : A
Dive Experince : C
Food and town: B+
Overall B/B-
Side trip to Copan
Hedman Alas Bus : B
Haciendia San Lucas : A
Copan Ruins and Museum: A
Overall A-
Of all the trips my wife and I have done this one would rank last. But not becuase it sucked or anything like that just that we have many others that were simply better.
So the details.
About three weeks before leaving Delta moved our flight arrivial into SAP. Our 2 hour layover went from 2 hours to 40 minutes. Folks on SB said that we should have no problems getting through Immigration and Customs and be able to make the flight going on to the La Ceiba and Utila. Unfortuately, they were really really wrong. The Delta Flight attendent said to let the gate agent know, the gate said Sosa knew we were on the flight. We walked into imigration, another flight arrived before ours and immigration officals took no pity on us. We were put in what turned out to be the longest line. To add insult to injury, the officials took families out of line and moved them through quickly. In the end we were some of the last people through. By the time we got our bags and were over 30 minutes past the time for the Sosa flight.
Plan B - Hedman Alas bus to LaCeiba and the Ferry. This worked fine just made for a long day. Though the bus company is realy anal about the size of your carry on bag. We stayed at the Carib Hotel. Very basic room (i.e cold showers) but at $10 what does one expect. The ferry the next morning was fine - except that we did not realize they charged us for round trip tickets until after buying our return tickets a week later.
Cross Creek Dive Center - made a reservation in July with $200 deposit in August for diving and a Cabana. In the first part of December I confirmed only to find out the reservation was lost and no cabana. They did offer a free room in return which was decent of them. In the end we got a cabana which was nice enough. It was on the creek and got a nice evening breeze.
We dove the first day we got there as they had a boat going out. So though we had to take the ferry that morning we still got some diving in. The DM asked to stay with him on the first dive so he could see what kind of divers we were. On the second he said do whatever. In the end they made sure were we typically were first in a last out (FILO).
After that dive we went to get set up for the rest of the weeks diving. Seem the boat the next day was already full. Hmm, we are staying with you but we can not dive cause the boat is full. Seems they lent their other boat to UDC (which is their sister center). UDC latter broke that boat ... Anyway they were finally about to get us on another boat they were using and we got a couple dives in that day.
Nitrox was a bit of a hassle as Cross Creek gets it from UDC. Their bender worked hard but whined a little initally about my request for nitrox every day. Finially, when he saw that I had my own analyzer he just gave us tanks and off we dove. In the end 50% were on air the others on NITROX.
The wind was up so we dove on the south side only. We did one dive on the Haliburton. Average depth 40' max 80' typical range 60' down 30' on the return. Viz was mediocre because of the wind. One dive was a non dive cause it was at 30' had poor formations and viz. We commented more at the weight belts falling from the boat than the dive.
We did see one turtle, arrow crabs, drum fish, one lobster, cleaner shrimp, three spotted eagle rays, the highlight was probably seeing nine squid hanging out together. However, in several places the bag fish were way too plentiful which was sad to see. Overall though the diving was okay.
Eating - three nights was at Dave's which is BBQ at Cross Creek. Good value and friendly. One night we tried Evelyn's. We walked out. We waited over 30 minutes for dinner but then they served others who waited less than 15 minutes before us. My wife got her plate and finished it yet I still had nothing. We left.
We also ate at the Italian place for new years eve. Excellent. We spent New Years Eve at the Treetanic bar. Lots of the fun as it is probably modeled after Park Guell by Antonio Gaudi in Barcelona.
Because flights are every other day in the off season we did the ferry ride back after our last dives. It was rough - I about lost my cookies. Others were not so fortunate.
We spent the night in LaCeiba also at the Carib Hotel and ate at the Expat Inns. Good food. The next morning we took two 3 hour bus rides to Copan. Staying at Hacienda San Lucas (http://www.haciendasanlucas.com). Nice and relaxing. We did town one day and the ruins the next. Certainly worth the side trip. You can stay in town but the Hacienda has lots of charm and is above town and the ruins.
Finally, taking a bus back to SAP where we saved our last travelers check for the exit tax of $32.50 per person). Except they would not take a travelers check. Cash only. Unfortunately, on Saturday the exchange place closes at noon and we found this out at 12:10pm. Fortunately, one of the little shops could make change so my wife bought a $15 blouse.
Delta then decided to get in early to Atlanta only so that we could sit on the tramac for 30 minutes with no air and forced to sit in our seats. Better than the 8 hours I heard AA made some folks do in Texas.
Overall the diving we experienced is great for newer divers. The operations really seemed better geared towards that. More experienced divers like us quickly tired of it. As such, unless the time of year allows you to get to the north side which I understand has better more diverse sites I would be hard pressed to reccomend it to others. I would certainly reccomend it to the colleage students that I DM for a spring break place to visit.
A short report and ratings
Flights ATL->SAP on Delta : D
Honduran Immigration & Customs in SAP : C
Hedman Alas Bus : B
Utila Princess Ferry : B
Cross Creek Dive Center : B/B-
Utila Weather during the "rainy season" : A
Dive Experince : C
Food and town: B+
Overall B/B-
Side trip to Copan
Hedman Alas Bus : B
Haciendia San Lucas : A
Copan Ruins and Museum: A
Overall A-
Of all the trips my wife and I have done this one would rank last. But not becuase it sucked or anything like that just that we have many others that were simply better.
So the details.
About three weeks before leaving Delta moved our flight arrivial into SAP. Our 2 hour layover went from 2 hours to 40 minutes. Folks on SB said that we should have no problems getting through Immigration and Customs and be able to make the flight going on to the La Ceiba and Utila. Unfortuately, they were really really wrong. The Delta Flight attendent said to let the gate agent know, the gate said Sosa knew we were on the flight. We walked into imigration, another flight arrived before ours and immigration officals took no pity on us. We were put in what turned out to be the longest line. To add insult to injury, the officials took families out of line and moved them through quickly. In the end we were some of the last people through. By the time we got our bags and were over 30 minutes past the time for the Sosa flight.
Plan B - Hedman Alas bus to LaCeiba and the Ferry. This worked fine just made for a long day. Though the bus company is realy anal about the size of your carry on bag. We stayed at the Carib Hotel. Very basic room (i.e cold showers) but at $10 what does one expect. The ferry the next morning was fine - except that we did not realize they charged us for round trip tickets until after buying our return tickets a week later.
Cross Creek Dive Center - made a reservation in July with $200 deposit in August for diving and a Cabana. In the first part of December I confirmed only to find out the reservation was lost and no cabana. They did offer a free room in return which was decent of them. In the end we got a cabana which was nice enough. It was on the creek and got a nice evening breeze.
We dove the first day we got there as they had a boat going out. So though we had to take the ferry that morning we still got some diving in. The DM asked to stay with him on the first dive so he could see what kind of divers we were. On the second he said do whatever. In the end they made sure were we typically were first in a last out (FILO).
After that dive we went to get set up for the rest of the weeks diving. Seem the boat the next day was already full. Hmm, we are staying with you but we can not dive cause the boat is full. Seems they lent their other boat to UDC (which is their sister center). UDC latter broke that boat ... Anyway they were finally about to get us on another boat they were using and we got a couple dives in that day.
Nitrox was a bit of a hassle as Cross Creek gets it from UDC. Their bender worked hard but whined a little initally about my request for nitrox every day. Finially, when he saw that I had my own analyzer he just gave us tanks and off we dove. In the end 50% were on air the others on NITROX.
The wind was up so we dove on the south side only. We did one dive on the Haliburton. Average depth 40' max 80' typical range 60' down 30' on the return. Viz was mediocre because of the wind. One dive was a non dive cause it was at 30' had poor formations and viz. We commented more at the weight belts falling from the boat than the dive.
We did see one turtle, arrow crabs, drum fish, one lobster, cleaner shrimp, three spotted eagle rays, the highlight was probably seeing nine squid hanging out together. However, in several places the bag fish were way too plentiful which was sad to see. Overall though the diving was okay.
Eating - three nights was at Dave's which is BBQ at Cross Creek. Good value and friendly. One night we tried Evelyn's. We walked out. We waited over 30 minutes for dinner but then they served others who waited less than 15 minutes before us. My wife got her plate and finished it yet I still had nothing. We left.
We also ate at the Italian place for new years eve. Excellent. We spent New Years Eve at the Treetanic bar. Lots of the fun as it is probably modeled after Park Guell by Antonio Gaudi in Barcelona.
Because flights are every other day in the off season we did the ferry ride back after our last dives. It was rough - I about lost my cookies. Others were not so fortunate.
We spent the night in LaCeiba also at the Carib Hotel and ate at the Expat Inns. Good food. The next morning we took two 3 hour bus rides to Copan. Staying at Hacienda San Lucas (http://www.haciendasanlucas.com). Nice and relaxing. We did town one day and the ruins the next. Certainly worth the side trip. You can stay in town but the Hacienda has lots of charm and is above town and the ruins.
Finally, taking a bus back to SAP where we saved our last travelers check for the exit tax of $32.50 per person). Except they would not take a travelers check. Cash only. Unfortunately, on Saturday the exchange place closes at noon and we found this out at 12:10pm. Fortunately, one of the little shops could make change so my wife bought a $15 blouse.
Delta then decided to get in early to Atlanta only so that we could sit on the tramac for 30 minutes with no air and forced to sit in our seats. Better than the 8 hours I heard AA made some folks do in Texas.
Overall the diving we experienced is great for newer divers. The operations really seemed better geared towards that. More experienced divers like us quickly tired of it. As such, unless the time of year allows you to get to the north side which I understand has better more diverse sites I would be hard pressed to reccomend it to others. I would certainly reccomend it to the colleage students that I DM for a spring break place to visit.
