Northwest or Northeast Roatan Better Diving

[PARADISE HUNTER]

I am looking at going to Roatan for a dive vacation with my wife, who also dives. We have looked at a number of places to stay but could use some help. We are considering the ever popular (less so with the huge price increase) Anthony's Key Resort and also Paya Bay Beach resort. I am curious if the diving is better in one area or the other. The NE diving looks to be less crowded, less reef pressure, and the ability to dive some of the smaller islands. But many of the sights we have read about and have interest in diving are in the NW or Southern part of the island. Does one area have more distinct characteristics...ie choppy seas, currents, longer boat rides, better wall dives, better vis, more wrecks, more sealife. Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[Doc]

We are considering the ever popular (less so with the huge price increase) Anthony's Key Resort and also Paya Bay Beach resort.

Wow, two totally different places.

I am curious if the diving is better in one area or the other. The NE diving looks to be less crowded, less reef pressure,

With you so far, yes.

and the ability to dive some of the smaller islands.

Ability. Now that's a funny word. If you mean... the "smaller" islands are closer... such as Barbaretta, Helena, Moratt, yes sure, they are.

Ability... meaning- do these North Side/East End resorts have the mechanical ability to move you about? Maybe. Their website doesn't give you any pix of their dive boat to study.

But many of the sights we have read about and have interest in diving are in the NW or Southern part of the island.

That's because that's where most people go. People love where they went. You could write a book on the phenomenon, psychologists do.

Does one area have more distinct characteristics...ie choppy seas, currents, longer boat rides, better wall dives, better vis, more wrecks, more sealife. Any advice is much appreciated.

This last question paragraph has been well discussed here. In capsule, 9 months out of the year the North Side resorts can be subject to dive ending rough weather. Better resorts have the ability and motivation to move dive ops to the South side. The South side walls break in very shallow water and bottom out in sand at 90fsw. They are very lush and packed with microscopic treasures, but few larger fish that most divers are more familiar with.

Obviously, the North side is less lush but does have the benefit of some larger fish that you may find elsewhere in the Caribbean. The North resorts are on the lee side of the ridge line when normal breezes apply, thus they are shadowed from cooling air as well as air that would disrupt the sand flies.

There are no Roatan diveable "real" wrecks, there are a few that have been placed. The most overgrown sits in 35-65 fsw intact 140' tanker known as the Prince Albert, just nearby a DC3. It is also known as the "Front Yard" at CocoView. There are two newer wrecks on the North Side, near AKR, but due to potential wave/storm action, they are out a boat ride away and quite deep at 90 foot range.

I looked at some of your previous posts PH, and if you want Garden Eels, you'll find them on the South Side. But here's the deal. Very slowly, hugging the bottom of the ocean, creep up on them at their level. They are conditioned to dodge trouble that comes from above... that's why most divers never see them. Come in low and slow. Get withing 12" and have a look!

Roatan South Side is the kind of place that royaly rewards the slow patient divers with good buoyancy. It is not you typical Caribbean dive destination. Sometimes divers who are only used to "big" fish are quite disappointed in the South Side.

 

[HowieDean]

if you look at a map of Roatan you will find that the North Side makes a little dog leg to the South about 3 miles from the West End...

That little dog leg makes a MAJOR diverence in the currents and wave hight.....

Paya Bay is a very lovely place... the people that run it are great... it is very isolated and that's part of it's charm.... Unfortunately the water conditions "Current - Waves" can be a problem at any time out there..... There are some GREAT DIVE sites in that area - and there are alot fewer divers so everything is alot more pristine..... But the reason for the lack of dive pressure are the above mentioned conditions............... If you are comfortble with current and a little rough water and see the isolation as a postive I would highly recomend Paya Bay...

If you want to be closer to West End think about giving us a try...... Inn of Last Resort... we are located about 1 mile from west end on Gibson Bite... we are a small 35 room resort.. who's primary focus is individual attention....... Check out our website at the link below or Pm for more info..............

We are located in the middle of the marine park and do 3 dives a day average boat ride is 10 to 15 miniutes we do the 2 big wreck dives Aguala and Odesy and wall dives in the mornings - afternoons are usally sandy drop offs near West end..... We also dive Spooky Channel and Hole in the wall.............

If you travel between 1 st March and 1st of October I would recomend the North Side
Between Early October and Late Febuary South Side will be calmer most of the time