Roatan...Was I expecting too much?

[getwet2]

Thanks for all your replies......

I did indeed see alot of the critters in the list RoatanMan included in his response but I have also seen alot of these same critters in other places too. I do like to take time and look for the little things but I won't spend a whole dive in just one spot. Some of the best parts of my dives during this trip were in the shallows using up the tank or doing our safety stop if it was that shallow. There is indeed lots to see!

As for return visits to the same resort, that happens all over the Caribbean at any number of resorts.

I did indeed like Roatan and will return and will most defintely try the other side of the Island next time. It just seems that everytime you read something about a destination they all say the same thing "WORLD CLASS DIVING" "ONE OF THE TOP DIVING DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD" It's getting to be that no matter where you go nowadays it's world class diving, I think the meaning of "WORLD CLASS" has been lost and it's an over used term.

My expectations were probably a little high for this trip but I know now and next time will be different but I just can't wait to get to Saba at the end of April, I hear they have "WORLD CLASS DIVING"

 

[PaulChristenson]

and Captain Rick hailed with

Yeah, that's it.

Here, this is my new favorite place to dive: http://www.sthelena.se/tristan/tristan.htm

Yeah, that's the ticket. Nice place. Lot's of critters.

They need to change the sign to "the remotest OCCUPIED island in the world".

Though Pitcairn Island must be in the running...
http://www.lareau.org/pitc.html
or maybe Easter Island
http://www.eco-action.org/dt/eisland.html

 

[GDCB]

Hey getwet2. I looked at your profile and was wondering which of your previous destinations were your favorites and why? What were the conditions like at Roatan when you were there?

Just a side note. I took a friend from Texas to Yosemite for some backpacking. Afterwards she said "it was nice but just a bunch of rocks".

I guess it's just depends on your....

Carl

 

[getwet2]

Hi GDCB,

The top three places I've been to so far would have be Aruba, Cozumel and San Andres.

Aruba has some nice wrecks, great beaches and water and lots of topside stuff to do, lots of nightlife, restaurants, bars and shopping.

Cozumel is really nice, great marine life but after all it is a marine park and great walls. I really like drift diving, not so great for picture taking but it is relaxing. The town is great too but the people in the stores always seem a little pushy, you just have to keep telling them "no gracias".

San Andres has gorgeous water with great visibility, lots of marine life (large and small), nice corals and there is lots to do topside as well. The snorkelling here is awesome and there is diving here for all levels of experience.

There is one place in Venezuela that I only snorkelled at but would love to go back some day and dive and that would be Los Roques. You can google this place if you want to see it. I wasn't a diver back then, that didn't happen until the following year when we were there and we didn't get a chance to go back.

When I was in Roatan the weather was mostly sunny but we did have a couple spots of rain. The seas were mostly calm everyday maybe 3ft swells on one day. The visibility was good but not what I would call great maybe 60-70ft.

Hope this answers your question!

 

[GDCB]

Great answer, Thanks


Carl

 

[kywash]

wow, haven't been on scubaboard for about 10 months - am clearly not going to get any work done this afternoon.

My views of Roatan - I would describe it as cheap, relaxed, easy diving with some nice stuff to see. Did it blow my hair back? no. Would I go back? possibly but there are far too many other places I want to dive before (or again) but if it was Roatan or nowhere, hell yes I'd go back.

someone else posted here about the time of year etc. I went to Egypt and absolutely hated it as there was nothing to see but other divers. I have been assured that the time of year I went was the cause and therefore I would give it another go but only if someone can actually recommend a dive op out there that doesn't cram too many people on a boat as battling with 30 others to get in the water ain't my idea of fun.

 

[saholz]

I don't post too often, but this is an interesting discussion. I spent 10 days at FIBR in Roatan in 2005 and wouldn't go back. The resort was good, the dive op was fine, and the diving was also okay. Overall though, it just didn't do much for me. I found the no-see-ums to be a real pain, literally. Even with DEET, I got too many bites that lingered for quite a while after I got back home ... and they itched terribly.

I found the diving to be good, just not spectacular or particularly memorable. Viz seldom exceeded 60' and the fish life seemed fairly sparse. In fact, the DM's had to carry chum buckets with them to attract fish. Some of the swim throughs were really neat and I did enjoy them. I certainly don't regret diving Roatan, but I'd personally head back to Cozumel, Bonaire, Curacao, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, or the Turks & Caicos before I ever considered Roatan again.

I have a trip report http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/tripreports.php?s=2918 here if you're interested.

Stan
Whitefield, NH

 

[TSandM]

You know, I read statements like "viz seldom exceeded 60 feet" and I realize that diving habitually in the PNW has its real benefits. Any time I can see the bottom from the surface, I'm ecstatic about the viz.

 

[El Orans]

Any time I can see the bottom from the surface, I'm ecstatic about the viz.

I can totally relate to that...

 

[Doc]

The top three places I've been to so far would have be Aruba, Cozumel and San Andres.

Now I understand why Roatan was ho-hum.

You mentioned Los Roques. Now that the only liveaboard is gone (Hughes Antares III), you really can't dive there to any real extent. But if you asked "what one doesn't belong" in a list of Aruba, Cuzumel, San Andres, Los Roques... I would have to say "San Andres".

Then I would say the one that really absolutely doesn't belong in that list is "Los Roques". Shallow, currents occluding the viz with sand, great ancient wrecks (when they appear uncoverd from the drifting sand) and absolutely nothing going on in the small town of Gran Roque. Try Maragaitte, the Cozumel of Venezuala, just E of Los Roques.

Most came home from Los Roques and hated it. I spent a total of four weeks there over many years. If you go there expecting Roatan, you'd hate it, too. If you go there expecting anything in your past experience- you'd be in for a real eye opener. As I said, many many ancient wooden hulled wrecks.

Aint no one place for everybody. The previous mention of FIBR DM's chumming? Maybe a bad idea, but at least it gives everyone a chance to see something, anything without a lot of tedious searching by the DM's and creating easy stuff to see. They do a great job.

Roatan is best for the patient diver. Other islands have great bars and taco joints.