Shark encounters in Roatan?

[CODMAN]

Hi all, I must admit that I love these magnificent fish which are sharks. I'm starting to plan a trip to Roatan (just need to get the $$ together ) and I know it's not the best place for Natural shark encounters (I'm not talking about shark feeds). But I was just wondering is divers occasionally encounter 1 on the reefs/walls?

Shark/big fish encounters aren't the deciding factor for going to Roatan or not. I'll be plenty happy looking at/for the smaller stuff which many on this board find to be extraordinary (I also love the small colorfull critters). But I just wanted to know if there are chances of encounters, even if they are slim?

To all you experienced Roatan divers out there: what are your experiences with this?

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Doc]

Yes, they are exceedingly slim.

The seamount SW of the airport/Coxen Hole (Marjorie?)

The North Side, East End, and continuing East towards...

North side, between St. Elena and Morat.

Unfortunately, not a whole lot else doing on the North side, comparatively. Due to storm and wave action, the reef just isn't as lush.

Whenever you are gliding along the walls looking for little critters, if you have a big group- assign one diver to scan down into the blue... off of the wall. I have seen a lot of big critters whilst others were staring at their 18th SeaHorse. Diving can really be a team effort, and this is a good example.

As you said though, go for the little critters all over the lush South side reefs. Sharks? There are many better places in the Caribbean, and waaaaay easier to get to than these obscure places on Roatan/Bay islands.

The "Shark Dive", although contrived, is one of the best I have seen in the Caribbean.

 

[chuck41]

Two trips to Roatan and the big fish I saw were limited to groupers, eagle rays, amberjacks, and a couple nurse sharks.
For chance meetings with sharks, try the Bahamas, but the overall trip won't be as much fun. For me the Bay Islands can't be beat for an all-around great dive vacation and the "shark dive" is available if you really must see these dudes.
Check my Utila/Roatan dive report at http://scuba.royalcs.com

 

[CODMAN]

Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured guys... I was just wondering, since there obviously are sharks (since there are shark dives), wether there were occasional encounters... There probably are, just not very often... Oh well!

Hey, on another note... What do you guys think of the dolfin dive? My girfriend is all excited at the idea of diving with them. I know they are trained dolfins, but is it still a dive worth doing?

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[pigletfish]

We visited Roatan in August 2004 and had wanted to do the dolphin dive, but when we got there everyone told us that the dive was "risky" as a dolphin encounter -- the dolphins had the option of not engaging with the divers. For a "sure thing", the dolphin snorkel was recommended to us. We should have done the dive. The snorkel takes place in a large but murky pen -- the viz is low and the dolphins are hard to see until you're on top of them. I'm not a germ phobe, but that water was dirty -- full of excrement and goodness knows what else. It seemed that there were as many snorkelers as dolphins, and I really felt bad for the critters, being chased and cornered by us crazy humans. I've snorkeled with pods of wild dolphins in Hawaii, and it's a magical expereince. But at the end of this dolphin snorkel I just felt guilty. We spoke to a couple back on dock who had done the dolphin dive and they had a fantastic experience in clear ocean waters with playful dolphins. The dive may not be a "sure thing", but it sounded like it was a much better expereince for the lucky ones!

I hope you get to go on your trip soon - and have fun!

 

[shadowdiver]

The dolphin dive is a bit of a hit or miss affair, make sure that there are no female dolphins in heat, the time I did it, the dolphins were anything but playful and I was a bit disappointed that I paid more than us$100 for it. I have however had the pleasure of encountering pods of dolphins in the wild off the West of Roatan and once a pod of Orca's again these were cance spottings and in 16 yrs of diving of Roatan only once with the orca's and about 4 times with the dolphins.

 

[diveprof]

For a pretty much guaranteed shark dive in Roatan: Waihuka Diving Center in Roatan. Several of the resorts have arrangements with them. Yes, they are just Carribbean reef sharks (9' was the largest we saw) but still fun (about 12 sharks all together). A fairly slick operation - predive brief to Heighten interest (scare the novice divers), everything is videotaped for your purchasing enjoyment - don't forget the t-shirt....:bfish: All in all, still fun. There were some awesome groupers on this dive.

 

[Doc]

What do you guys think of the dolfin dive? My girfriend is all excited at the idea of diving with them. I know they are trained dolfins, but is it still a dive worth doing?

Read the above, I agree, but come to a different conclusion.

You will have many opportunities in your diving career to swim near wild Dolphin. You will rarely have the opportunity for one to play with you, tug at you, be held by you... for that reason, I do recommend the less expensive "snorkel". (If you must)

Also- most people that go to Roatan for diving (only) use the Dolphin Snorkel as a Friday non-diving off-gassing activity. Some people do the mangrove water taxi tour and drink like pigs. It works either way.

Which ever venue (dive or snorkel) you select, know that if a cruise ship is in town, you're going to make a mess of new friends over at Anthony's Key.

We have seen Orcas three times to have been close enough to run a boat out and jump in from CoCoView. Also, the area of First Bight (1/2 mile E of CCV) is well known for Dolphin swimming- it is the exception if you do not see them there on the way to Calvin's Crack. The dive boats circle and we jump in for a visit.

And yes, I "agree", God knows what is in that water. Reminds me of a WC Fields line.....

 

[rexman24]

As a person that must have some regard for the wild critters of the sea-please, please dont do captive dolphin encounters.
Surely you can see the negatives of helping someone to profit from keeping these wonderful and intelligent creatures captive. There are oppertunities to do swims/snorkles/dives with wild dolphins, this way they are choosing to interact with you instead of being forced.
Captive dolphins often live miserable and short lives!

 

[Chaseh]

The shark dive at Waihuka (which was a blast) is done at the tip of insidious (sp?) reef, which juts out much further from shore than anything else we did all week. Apparantly it's at the edge of a shelf that goes to much deeper, bluer, and cooler water, which makes for a nice home for the sharks. They can chill on the cool edge of the reef, with a strong current suppling plenty of natural food.

Waihuka prepped us for a high current situation, but it was pretty dead calm when we dove it.

The DVD's a lot of fun to show to friends and coworkers who learned everything they know about sharks in movies.