Fantasy Island -Roatan - Big Problems!

[E_mcSCOW]

Zorrr2 took some nice pictures of an arrow blenny at CCV this month:

http://dive.scubadiving.com/talk/read.php?1,106018,106018#msg-106018

 

[E_mcSCOW]

If a picture tells a thousand words then this might help you decide on the quality of the flora and fauna of the south side reef of Roatan:

http://www.geoscenes.com/Roatan%202005/index.htm

 

[Mike Newman]

I appreciate your opinion, but didn't the Dive Masters show you....

The bazillions of cool microscopic creatures that Roatan is really best known for?

Roatan rewards those divers with superb buoyancy skills and advanced observational abilities.

If you go there only knowing how to find "big fish" and are not coached by a qualified and attentive Divemaster, your experience is quite common.

I often go to the smaller AI resort that lies just accross the channel from FIBR, but it's a world apart in many ways. The DM is the key. With a good local guide, you should see a SeaHorse on every dive. It's all in the picking.

Here's an interesting thread http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/ccv/vpost?id=997991

The experience described certainly doesn't match with my own - admittedly on visits to Coco View - across the inlet. The marine life in Roatan is outstanding! No two ways about it. I'd recommend anyone to take a week in Coco View and come back suggesting that it wasn't one of the best locations in the Americas.

 

[Diver_Jan]

Some of the best shore diving from FIBR... they'll never tell you about!

As you stand on the Shore Dive Gazebo, all of the divers head to the right (East) toward CoCoView's DC3 and Prince Albert Wreck.

Go West! (At least at night)

It's murky and spoooky, but that little beach front lagoon seperated from the channel by a short wall of rocks is what I call "Eel City". It is an oval shaped basin, banked kind of like the Indy 500.

Full of Green Slithery Critters!

Murky and SPOOKY....OH MY!!! My Kind of DIVE!!!!!!!! We are used to 4' vis here in Southern California, so wow, I can't wait!!! I will retain my crown as Eel Queen! How many varieties of eels are there in Roatan?

Thanks for the heads up, or is it heads down? :blinking:

 

[Goober2]

I saw so many fish in Roatan 2 weeks ago, at one point diving the west bay wall I had to put my arms out in front of me because there was no path to swim!

 

[Squashie]

How many varieties of eels are there in Roatan?

Last year on my trip to Roatan, we stayed at the Reef House Resort, I saw at a minimum 6 different species:

Reticulate Moray
Spotted Moray
Green Moray
Garden Eels
Snake Eel
and possibly a Zebra Striped Moray (or other striped/banded moray?)

They ranged is sizes from a just under 1 foot in length to well over 4 ft for the largest Green Moray I saw on the sandy bottom in a small cave like structure at about 45 ft down. I saw eels while snorkeling, swimming and diving...they are everywhere! Also saw so many different species of reef fish (tiny, small, medium and large sizes) that I can't even begin to list them all.

Be sure and post a report when you get back. I hope to have my report in by the last week of June...we get back home on the 24'th. Enjoy your trip!

 

[E_mcSCOW]

I have also seen purple morays

 

[cdiver2]

I have also seen purple morays

 

[Doc]

Sharp Tailed Eels (in the shallows)

 

[Squashie]

Sharp Tailed Eels (in the shallows)

Thanks for the heads-up Doc, I'll be sure and look for those this time, along with the purple morays. Maybe this time I'll have my camera and be able to cross reference with the Caribbean Reef Fish Guidebook...pictures have to be more accurate than my aging memory.

Squashie