Fantasy Island Trip Report 12/5-12/13

[Doc]

We took an extra tank and had them drop us on the PM dive every day except our last.

An excellent idea !

 

[jennfl]

I've been to Roatan twice and snorkeled before I became certified. I love it there!! Sounds like FI is a great place to stay!

Can you tell me about the diving? Specifically, how is the visibility and what is the average depth of the dives? Is there much current?

 

[DandyDon]

Vegetarians are hard to please. I'm a farm boy and like my veggies but some meat, fowl, fish, crustacean needs the lead role on the plate.

I wonder why the Iguanas were more elusive, or maybe you didn't see the herd of beggars after lunch on the beach side? One of our group had his finger bit feeding them too closely. I obeyed the rules except for the dive shop duck, and I gave the gander a wide berth!

Jac,
Is Robert no longer in charge of the dive operation?

I heard he got retired with a nice bailout. Hope he's doing well. Darren is cool.

 

[Doc]

Can you tell me about the diving? Specifically, how is the visibility and what is the average depth of the dives? Is there much current?

The South side diving is unique in the Caribbean, and since you have been snorkeling in Roatan previously, the South side might be quite a change for you.

The walls are vertical and "break" or begin their drop from coral heads that range in depth from tops of 5' to 35'. They descend vertically to the first sand shelf at approx 90fsw depth. So, on the South side, the depth you decide to dive is entirely on your own. You will see many divers going to 75+, but there is very little to see that is past 55 feet.

What makes these shallow walls unique is that they are Sunlit for a great majority of the day hours. This causes a very florid growth and is home for many critters that "hide in plain sight".

I always smile when someone inquires about "viz"... it is a double edged sword. If you want gin clear waters, there are much better places to dive, even in the Caribbean. Cayman has the prize for this.

Put your mind in "critter mode". If the viz is less than perfect, a critter has a better chance of survival. On these dives, you will be exposed to animals that are in the 2" and smaller size- sure, there are bunches of larger things- but what makes this area unique is the gathering of juveniles as well as myriad of smaller Crustaceans. Go slowly with a good DM and he'll be showing you a whole new world.

The best way to dive this area is with a flashlight and a magnifying glass~ yes, even in day time. Many visitors do not yet have the abilities or skills to enjoy this, so it is up to the DM to entice them into this new game. Some DMs do, others do not. If you're not seeing a daily Seahorse or at least one or two Pipefish in any week, your DM is likely a dud. Divers that return from Roatan's South side decrying the lack of sea life simply had a bogus DM.

There is essentially no current on the majority of dives during most times of the year- at least not the dive sites that FI usually has on the list. There are rare occasions that this is not the case, and again- a good DM will handle this with a pre-dive briefing.

 

[Reef Tank]

There is essentially no current on the majority of dives during most times of the year- at least not the dive sites that FI usually has on the list. There are rare occasions that this is not the case, and again- a good DM will handle this with a pre-dive briefing.

I wish the DMs did most of the briefing before leaving the dock when the guests could hear and interact. The guests could process their plan during the ride and the DM would not be tempted to look out to sea and talk. Just think, the DM could save themselves repeatedly answering the question of how long till we get to the there. At the destination the DM could do a quick recap and point the direction.

 

[CODMAN]

One of our group had his finger bit feeding them too closely.

If people were more conscious of the nasty diseases they can get from these critters, especially the monkeys, I'm sure they would keep their distances and feed them less. But hey, why not live dangerously... :cool2:

 

[RTBDiver]

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I wonder why the Iguanas were more elusive, or maybe you didn't see the herd of beggars after lunch on the beach side? :

They likely know it's nearing Christmas and with Macoy(sp)? being a favorite island meal for times of celebration they choose to stay hidden, Or maybe you just looked in the wrong place.

 

[Reef Tank]

If people were more conscious of the nasty diseases they can get from these critters, especially the monkeys, I'm sure they would keep their distances and feed them less. But hey, why not live dangerously... :cool2:

Yes, two of the monkeys were holding open the door to the dining hall one morning and after shooing them out I bared my teeth to them and spread out my arms. I soon realized what a foolish thing I had just done. They also bared their teeth and spread out their arms. They could have munched my nose and been back in the tree before the bleeding started.

 

[CODMAN]

They really are cocky little buggers! that's what happens when wildlife has too much interaction with humans...:shocked2: They are no longer intimidated by us...

Yes, two of the monkeys were holding open the door to the dining hall one morning and after shooing them out I bared my teeth to them and spread out my arms. I soon realized what a foolish thing I had just done. They also bared their teeth and spread out their arms. They could have munched my nose and been back in the tree before the bleeding started.

 

[DandyDon]

If people were more conscious of the nasty diseases they can get from these critters, especially the monkeys, I'm sure they would keep their distances and feed them less. But hey, why not live dangerously... :cool2:

Salmo-what? :shocked2: Yeah, I didn't even feed the dive shop duck closely - just tossed her pieces of bread, and she knew the routine as soon as I held it out. I don't touch coatis, dogs, cats, etc. traveling and I certainly gave those simians room. Amazing how some let the cute buggers crawl over them. I asked some if they had their rabies shots?

That gander was really aggressive. He only had one female and he was very protective. I always held my backback between my bare legs and him, but I guess he was just being a goose. They're often that way - make good watchdogs.

Yes, two of the monkeys were holding open the door to the dining hall one morning and after shooing them out I bared my teeth to them and spread out my arms. I soon realized what a foolish thing I had just done. They also bared their teeth and spread out their arms. They could have munched my nose and been back in the tree before the bleeding started.

You should get the simian e-translator.