Hi All,
Had posed some questions on the Bay Islands a while back, returned last Saturday from Utila - only to find the 'board out of business! Muchos gracia to the team for putting it back up! So here's my concise report FYI.
Utila Well where to start better than explaining why I chose for Utila over Roatan? The truth: didn't have a clue and it sounded from the comments on the board Utila was a bit more orientated to backpackers as compared to Roatan. Never one to skip on USD 3 per night accomodation, I dediced in favor of Utila. My flight got me only to San Pedro Sula only anyway, so took a cab from SPS to La Ceiba in the early morning, neatly in time for the 9:30 ferry. The ride on the ferry was loads of fun and after 60 minutes or so we arrived at the little harbor of Utila. The port, like most dive shops and places to stay (except for the more upscale Deep Blue and Mango Inn, and perhaps some others...decided they were out of my league for this trip so did not explore) is at the south side of the island, principally a large but very stretched bay. There's a paved road from the harbor jetty to downtown (50 meter walk), which put you at a crossroads. Both to the left and right: bars, restaurants, places to stay, diveshops. Its all cozy and central and close together, like it could have been designed by an European... took a left and after may be 5 minutes walked into a big guy from Baltimore.
Alton's Asked him were the action was at night, he mentioned the Utila Dive Center and Alton's dive shops, so I checked those out (I firmly believe in the power of collective thinking: if all hang out in one place, its because it makes some sense somewhere). UDC was first, but Alton's was a bit further out. Hot day and I had read good things on the Board about UDC before, so was thinking check this Alton's place out, discard it and go for UDC and settle and be proud of yourself that for at least once you didn't settle for the first thing you walked into. So came to Alton's, where the latest European sounds were aired over a large open dock in the deep blue see with a bar in the middle, and a chill out looking giant hammock stand thing at the end. After a cool beer or two and being convinced they sortied two times a day for four dives in total, with daily exits to the North Shore weather permitting - and, okay, I admit, instantaneously falling in love with the Danish divemaster trainee twins - I decided I'd look no further. Alton's it was for my next seven days of diving and fun in the sun. They provided the budget accomodation for a paltry USD 3 per night, 12 dives were USD 240 all equipment included (I got some more, USD 20 each for additional dives), reef fee USD 3 per day. Food and beer came courtesy of the Snack Shack halfway the dock at almighty friendly prices.
so that was al good. My fellow divers at Alton's were mostly those still wet behind the ears European youngsters who these days travel to places I had never heard off (probably cause they were no go zones when I was being taught the great places of the world and where to find them on the map...so the world is gettin' a better place after all!) Which is good cause know I now that El Salvador has great surfing and there's sharks in Lake Nicaraqua (good to know if I ever get to swim there) and a place called Bocas del Toros in Panama which puts everything else to shame, apparently. Moreover, it made me feel 15 years younger and remind me of the days I travelled Asia like that, full of dreams and plans, and although there was no air-co and we shared bathrooms, it was fun. Most were learning to dive so there were lots of estactic conversations, or was that the ganja and rum?
The Diving at Alton's was good. Although the place is squarely focussed at training new divers (I counted one PADI course director and at least 3 full time instructors, and uncountable divermasters and divemaster trainees), they took great care of their few fun divers as well. We had a small group of advanced fun divers, (Darryl the tugboat captain from Egyptland and Mike the Photographer from London, had seen a big marlin the day before i arrived) and the team did a great job of letting us do our own thing on the dives (on which there were always student divers with us). We were allowed to dive our own profile using our computers and routinely stayed under up to an hour - the only comment we got was after a 8 minute deco stop in the shallows and we managed to explain that away w/ the short surface interval (they where a bit short, and my considerate Suunto hates short surface intervals). Nothing but praise. We had a bit of a windy week, which was good cause it kept the bugs out, but we couldn't make it to the North Shore for two or three dives. There's plenty to dive in the South too, and as long as you stay away from the coral gardens, its fun enough. The walls on the North are like an abyss, not dissimilar to the Drop-Off at Sipadan. Of course that is not a valid comparison - Sipadan (in 2003) compares so many more times favorable to Utila's North walls, no kiddin. There is little fish on the walls in Utila, nothing like the big schools on your average wall in the Philippines (Pescador Island, Balicasag, Napantaw) or fantastic walls of Sipadan. We did spot one big fish in 15 dives: a beautiful eagle ray. But otherwise, it was smallish groupers, the occasional lobster / crayfash, lone big barracuDA couple of small morray eels, a stingray, cool blennies, a scorphionfish, jawfish and the usual surgeons, triggers and parrotfish. In the critters department: Peterson' shrimps and Arrow Crabs, no nudi's, Coral Banded Shrimps. And nothing in sheer abundance, always sparsely.
Final thoughts With good viz upto perhaps 30 or 40m, water temperature of 29 C good enough to dive without wetsuit, and considering the relative proximity to hometown NY, I consider Utila a perfect place for a short dive break. I did 15 dives and have not seen nearly 20% of the dive spots....but think I have seen most of the underwater life. Adam, Alton's resident fish expert who makes fantastic pictures and did a great fishtalk presentation, explained that the Caribbean has only 350 species of fish, whilst Asia has many times more. You notice underwater - it becomes all similar rather quickly. Since its all good and comfy that's perfectly acceptable for a week or so. But if you're planning to travel halfway the world for a longer dive trip - I'd divert your plans to Asia, seriously. Which is not to say that, since I am stuck in NY for at least one more year, I won't return: with Sprint Air doing cheap flights, I bet I will be back to the Bay Islands for not too long. And perhaps give a Roatan a try - which apparently, or so I understand from the backpackers, has a pretty low key West End section, too.
Hope its useful. Have some topside pictures of the place but they appear superstretched and dont know how to resize in iPhoto....anyone cares to shares and I'll add them. Keep bubblin' Arie.
Had posed some questions on the Bay Islands a while back, returned last Saturday from Utila - only to find the 'board out of business! Muchos gracia to the team for putting it back up! So here's my concise report FYI.
Utila Well where to start better than explaining why I chose for Utila over Roatan? The truth: didn't have a clue and it sounded from the comments on the board Utila was a bit more orientated to backpackers as compared to Roatan. Never one to skip on USD 3 per night accomodation, I dediced in favor of Utila. My flight got me only to San Pedro Sula only anyway, so took a cab from SPS to La Ceiba in the early morning, neatly in time for the 9:30 ferry. The ride on the ferry was loads of fun and after 60 minutes or so we arrived at the little harbor of Utila. The port, like most dive shops and places to stay (except for the more upscale Deep Blue and Mango Inn, and perhaps some others...decided they were out of my league for this trip so did not explore) is at the south side of the island, principally a large but very stretched bay. There's a paved road from the harbor jetty to downtown (50 meter walk), which put you at a crossroads. Both to the left and right: bars, restaurants, places to stay, diveshops. Its all cozy and central and close together, like it could have been designed by an European... took a left and after may be 5 minutes walked into a big guy from Baltimore.
Alton's Asked him were the action was at night, he mentioned the Utila Dive Center and Alton's dive shops, so I checked those out (I firmly believe in the power of collective thinking: if all hang out in one place, its because it makes some sense somewhere). UDC was first, but Alton's was a bit further out. Hot day and I had read good things on the Board about UDC before, so was thinking check this Alton's place out, discard it and go for UDC and settle and be proud of yourself that for at least once you didn't settle for the first thing you walked into. So came to Alton's, where the latest European sounds were aired over a large open dock in the deep blue see with a bar in the middle, and a chill out looking giant hammock stand thing at the end. After a cool beer or two and being convinced they sortied two times a day for four dives in total, with daily exits to the North Shore weather permitting - and, okay, I admit, instantaneously falling in love with the Danish divemaster trainee twins - I decided I'd look no further. Alton's it was for my next seven days of diving and fun in the sun. They provided the budget accomodation for a paltry USD 3 per night, 12 dives were USD 240 all equipment included (I got some more, USD 20 each for additional dives), reef fee USD 3 per day. Food and beer came courtesy of the Snack Shack halfway the dock at almighty friendly prices.
so that was al good. My fellow divers at Alton's were mostly those still wet behind the ears European youngsters who these days travel to places I had never heard off (probably cause they were no go zones when I was being taught the great places of the world and where to find them on the map...so the world is gettin' a better place after all!) Which is good cause know I now that El Salvador has great surfing and there's sharks in Lake Nicaraqua (good to know if I ever get to swim there) and a place called Bocas del Toros in Panama which puts everything else to shame, apparently. Moreover, it made me feel 15 years younger and remind me of the days I travelled Asia like that, full of dreams and plans, and although there was no air-co and we shared bathrooms, it was fun. Most were learning to dive so there were lots of estactic conversations, or was that the ganja and rum?
The Diving at Alton's was good. Although the place is squarely focussed at training new divers (I counted one PADI course director and at least 3 full time instructors, and uncountable divermasters and divemaster trainees), they took great care of their few fun divers as well. We had a small group of advanced fun divers, (Darryl the tugboat captain from Egyptland and Mike the Photographer from London, had seen a big marlin the day before i arrived) and the team did a great job of letting us do our own thing on the dives (on which there were always student divers with us). We were allowed to dive our own profile using our computers and routinely stayed under up to an hour - the only comment we got was after a 8 minute deco stop in the shallows and we managed to explain that away w/ the short surface interval (they where a bit short, and my considerate Suunto hates short surface intervals). Nothing but praise. We had a bit of a windy week, which was good cause it kept the bugs out, but we couldn't make it to the North Shore for two or three dives. There's plenty to dive in the South too, and as long as you stay away from the coral gardens, its fun enough. The walls on the North are like an abyss, not dissimilar to the Drop-Off at Sipadan. Of course that is not a valid comparison - Sipadan (in 2003) compares so many more times favorable to Utila's North walls, no kiddin. There is little fish on the walls in Utila, nothing like the big schools on your average wall in the Philippines (Pescador Island, Balicasag, Napantaw) or fantastic walls of Sipadan. We did spot one big fish in 15 dives: a beautiful eagle ray. But otherwise, it was smallish groupers, the occasional lobster / crayfash, lone big barracuDA couple of small morray eels, a stingray, cool blennies, a scorphionfish, jawfish and the usual surgeons, triggers and parrotfish. In the critters department: Peterson' shrimps and Arrow Crabs, no nudi's, Coral Banded Shrimps. And nothing in sheer abundance, always sparsely.
Final thoughts With good viz upto perhaps 30 or 40m, water temperature of 29 C good enough to dive without wetsuit, and considering the relative proximity to hometown NY, I consider Utila a perfect place for a short dive break. I did 15 dives and have not seen nearly 20% of the dive spots....but think I have seen most of the underwater life. Adam, Alton's resident fish expert who makes fantastic pictures and did a great fishtalk presentation, explained that the Caribbean has only 350 species of fish, whilst Asia has many times more. You notice underwater - it becomes all similar rather quickly. Since its all good and comfy that's perfectly acceptable for a week or so. But if you're planning to travel halfway the world for a longer dive trip - I'd divert your plans to Asia, seriously. Which is not to say that, since I am stuck in NY for at least one more year, I won't return: with Sprint Air doing cheap flights, I bet I will be back to the Bay Islands for not too long. And perhaps give a Roatan a try - which apparently, or so I understand from the backpackers, has a pretty low key West End section, too.
Hope its useful. Have some topside pictures of the place but they appear superstretched and dont know how to resize in iPhoto....anyone cares to shares and I'll add them. Keep bubblin' Arie.
