Hi, Probably a lot of these questions have been asked before. We are thinking of going to Roatan this winter and going to CCV. About us: relatively new divers, about 50 logged dives, most from Buddy Dive/Bonaire, which we have been to 3 times. Enjoy boat diving, most dives were boat dives. Don't like to go deeper than 60', OW and Nitrox certified, don't like drift diving (we like to go slow and take pictures).
1) We enjoy Bonaire/Buddy Dive - relaxed, low-key, 2-3 dives/day, lots to see , usually good vis . Will we like Roatan/CocoView?
2) Seems like limited flights into Roatan, is United through Houston the way to go? (We live in Maine). Is it normally sat-sat or do people come/go any day of the week?
3) No interest in shark diving, can we avoid them? Seems like there are special "shark dives", if you don't go on them, will sharks be around?
4) Best time of year to go (that is between Nov and May)?
5) Any shots/medications before travelling there?
So, Doc (the entity formerly known as RoatanMan) has chimed in--but he didn't link his excellent slideshow that he pointed to me when I inquired about CocoView a few years back:
CoCoView Explained In Pictures Photos by Doc_Adelman | Photobucket
Search for robint here. She has posted some great videos of her trip earlier this year (spring time?). And of course, you can also find my most recent trip report for August.
Sat. to Sat. is most common. Cocoview books direct now; you can still go thru Roatan Charter, but you can book directly to Cocoview by e-mail or the toll-free number on the web site. I wound up spending Fri. night (going out) in Atlanta; it was less expensive (including the hotel) than United, from where I was coming. I have no idea from Maine. Maybe Logan to ATL to RTB? Parking will be awfully expensive in Boston, though. Don't know how convenient Manchester NH is. Maybe a hotel night at ATL on Friday night saves enough on airfare? American Airlines does have a weekly non-stop from Miami, I think.
You can avoid the shark dive. If you're lucky, you'll find a sleeping nurse shark in the daytime on a day dive. Dolphins have been known to happen on surface intervals, but are not guaranteed:
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Time of year? I've only been there in summer, twice (early July & mid-August). Given school vacations etc., that's unlikely to change for a few years for me. I've heard that spring is past rainy season--it'll still rain, but the likelihood of having rain all day every day is less. A scattered shower here or there shouldn't stop you diving. Pack a windbreaker for a boat surface interval if it's a rainy day.
Shots/medications? It's a resort area. That said, CDC has travelers' alert for malaria, dengue, yellow fever, typhoid, etc. My personal choices: Typhoid, hepatitis, yellow fever, and chloroquine (the least expensive anti-malarial); socks with my crocs; 40% DEET (100% exists, but I have 40%) on my ankles and neck (on top of the sunscreen); benadryl cream (one of the prescription nasal steroids is supposed to work wonders as an anti-itch for mosquitos); swimmers' ear drops (95% alcohol; I hear the homemade vinegar and alcohol drops are good too, but I don't want to smell like a drunk salad eater!). I hardly ever get motion sickness or traveler's tummy, but consider an anti-diarrheal and anti-motion sickness if you're prone to those. Bring extra ibuprofen etc. to give to Andrea the volunteer nurse; toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss for the kids.
Pack your swimsuit in your carry-on, so you can swim/snorkel if your baggage takes a while to arrive. If you're obsessive about getting maximum dives, you can ask one of the DM's directly for a private orientation on Saturday afternoon when you arrive; otherwise, your first dive is not until Sunday mid-morning.
Have a great time!