West Bay Shore Diving-Roatan

[traciedee]

Planning on staying on West Bay Beach for our visit this fall. Seems like I read somewhere that Bananarama has shore diving in front of their dive op. Has anyone done this? Do they just have tanks at the dive shop that you haul out to the beach? Is it very far to walk? I'm planning on diving with Bananarama so also wondering what they charge for additional shore diving.

 

[cgilyeat]

traciedee, I'll be in Roatan next week, arriving Sun (can't wait), and the current plans are to dive with Bananarama. We are renting a condo just past Las Rocas, but I didn't ask them about shore diving, but I'm gussing Roatanman can answer that one. From what I gathered form their e-mail to me, they are right on the beach, near the middle of West Bay Beach.

 

[the gooch]

I stayed in West Bay Beach Village last year and dove all week with Bananarama--Fantastic group of guys(and gals). You can beach dive right off of West bay beach, makes for an awesome night dive.

At most it may be 100 yard walk from where the tanks are to the water. Bananarama is RIGHT on the beach. You can also snorkel for hours to the left of the boat dock on the beach.

If you get a chance, see if Malcolm will take you out for a night beach dive off of west bay beach.

Have fun! I can not wait to go back!!

 

[Doc]

If you get a chance, see if Malcolm will take you out for a night beach dive off of west bay beach.

It's not much of a shore dive- but it's always a good night dive! You really don't need a guide... at least more than once.

Just go slowly, stay very shallow, and scan with a lower powered light. Lots of cool, creepy stuff that goes bump in the night!

 

[traciedee]

cgilyeat-are you staying in the 1 bedroom right past Las Rocas that has the little pool in front of it? I also saw a three bedroom available in that same complex. Looks like a nice place. I was thinking about staying there as well, so I would like to hear your thoughts when you get back.

I love to dive, but for some odd reason I have always been nervous about doing a night dive. I dove with a group in T&C who got lost in very rough water for 3 hours on a night dive. (I was not on that dive) A storm came up and all that could go wrong did go wrong. Scarey stuff. I might be brave enough to try a night dive from shore and stay shallow. That might be pretty cool.

 

[traciedee]

Has anyone seen the new Infinity Resort? I heard they may be open by May. Looks pretty nice.

 

[cgilyeat]

We (my wife and I and another couple) are in a 2 bedroom in that complex. I'll post a report when I get back.

We will definately have to look into a night dive from the beach. Doc, what can we expect to see that goes "bump in the night"?

 

[Doc]

Doc, what can we expect to see that goes "bump in the night"?

There was an excellent article (imagine that?) in SCUBA Diving Magazine a few months back in regards to critters that you find "out in the rubble/flats".

Many divers just zoom by these "uninteresting" areas (much as they do on any dive site) swimming quickly to get to the next obvious, visible thing. There are many delights in front of your eyes that are all but invisible!

How to spot the cool stuff in areas where the bottom is just sediment or broken coral? First and foremost: Stay shallow and get low! Night dives are best in depths no greater than 25 feet, and I have had the most remarkable sightings in 5 feet and less!

Secondly: Use a small flashlight and scan widely the area on either side and ahead. This may sound obvious, but I see most divers staring straight down, 3 feet away and not looking about. The other thing is- do not follow in the wake or hang off your buddy's arm. As Moe :smileysto used to say, "spread out!". Stay 6 to 8 feet off of your buddy's side. Remember: critters sense danger from objects above them. If you approach from the side, you will be less obvious. Also- the shadows of your light will work to your advantage, allowing you to see otherwise similarly colored critters that would otherwise disappear into the background.

Third: Learn the basics of how to signal your buddy as to finding cool stuff. At the same time- learn to use your hand as well as spread open fingers like a shutter over the flashlight- eliminating or decreasing the quantity of light. If it's a full moon, cover your light with your hand and enjoy the natural light. Never turn off your light, always cover it- if you have a grabber, at least your body will have an attached light with it so your buddy can find you before the crabs.

What can you find? Rubble is an excellent place for Octopus. You will detct their movement before their color. They will put on quite a display. Don't crowd them. Look at the PADI book in regards to critter interaction- it's easy to coax a Caribbean Octopus to wrap itself around your hand quite voluntarily. Look up and overhead- there are likely Squid nearby! They are relatives after all.

In areas with sediment, you can always find Box Crabs, baby Scorpionfish (pink and the size of a small egg), Flounders, unusual Worms that are extended out or just showing their feeding "arms", and

Be sure to look for evidence! That little meandering rutted path didn't get there by accident- follow it and look for what left it there. That pile of "bones", or better said broken shells- or small bits of broken coral piled-up in a collected manner- something lives there! Nothing is by accident.

Look in cracks and crevices, the colorful File Clam will scooch outwards from it's hole and expose itself to the currents- they also are free swimming. Imagine that- a free swimming clam!

This is a great time to scan the water column for free swimming critters that appear at night only. This is the time to find the exotic and captivating "Spanish Dancer", as well as the less inviting Jellyfish. Know in advance which ones are harmful versus ones that you can examine very closely without danger! Ask the DM and look at the Paul Humann book of fish/creature ID.

Look atop of coral heads. Can you see that huge Basket Star? Better look in the books first for a picture lest you thing you are seeing a soft coral or a sea fan! You can learn to feed them by attracting critters with your light- but don't let the light fall on the Basket Star, it doesn't like that!

You will see many corals that extend little translucent feeder tentacles. By shining your light, not on them- but upwards and right near them- you will attract little critters for them to capture, grab and digest. Did you see the symbiotic Shrimp that lives on that same carnivorous coral that has a "fee pass" to scoot between the deadly feeder polyps?

Take a 2x2' area of a coral head- near your buddy. Stay still and just look. Be amazed! As you slowly swim along, see those little red dots... they're eyes, right? Find out who they belong to!

At the end of the dive, maybe in 3 feet of water. Stick one flashlight in the sand, pointing straight up- gather around it as the column of light attracts a miriad of visible and invisible critters. Take five minutes... or longer. We have sat in this position for as long as 30 minutes. Amazing stuff shows up.

Patience is rewarded. Always go very slowly. Look at small areas. Go slower than that!

Other comments and photos at http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?f...48905954&blogMonth=3&blogDay=16&blogYear=2007