Shore Diving in Roatan

Is there shore diving in Roatan? Do you have to be staying in a resort in Roatan to access the shore diving locations?

falcon:

Is there shore diving in Roatan? Do you have to be staying in a resort in Roatan to access the shore diving locations?

Click to expand...

Look at www.shorediving.com

The best shore dive in Roatan is most easily accessed from CoCoView.

The only access to it for non guests is from Fantasy Island resort which lies on the opposite side of the channel, but quite a bit further distance away from shore to dive site. Ask permission at the resort dive shop.

It includes chunks of a DC3, the Prince Albert (140' ship lying in 35-65 fsw) and the two walls, CoCo View and Newmans Wall.

A great day trip operation is "Subway" scuba which operates out of French Harbour Yacht Club. They are your best alternative boat option.

Pretty much there is no other shore diving from Roatan. (Yet)

Contrary to the tripe printed in SCUBA Diving Magazine that places Utila (another of the Bay Islands) in the top 10 shore dives in the Caribbean, there simply is no shore diving available from Utila- some great boat dives, tho.

Thanks RoatanMan. That information is very helpful. We look forward to diving there. If you have any other suggestions, your expertise is much appreciated. I did appreciate your response to my other post as well, although I since a bit of skepticism regarding our party arriving via a cruise ship.

falcon:

Thanks RoatanMan. That information is very helpful. We look forward to diving there. If you have any other suggestions, your expertise is much appreciated. I did appreciate your response to my other post as well, although I since a bit of skepticism regarding our party arriving via a cruise ship.

Click to expand...

If it was skepticism, you ought to see the condemnation I just posted about a newbie's planned trip to the advanced dive sites of Tobago.

I try to start out such responses by stating something you knew (but others may not)- that there are search engines that will provide this info. As much as dispensing my opinion, I always leave a trail to that of other posters- it is the spirit of the usenet.

Cruise ship diving is doable. It sure helps occupy your time positively whilst not chowing down on the 0200 ice cream buffet (my reason for NOT cruising!) Dive trips are bad enough with weight gain, I can't imagine a cruise ship.

Cruise ships are in business to keep you on the ship. The ports they visit, by sheer deffinition, are locations for limited diving. Roatan is the current partial exception. Do it now, for it will change. In a few years, development near the cruise ship dock will pollute the reefs and marine environs with run off from construction. Your trip to acceptable dive locations will be longer and longer!

The process in Belize is further complicated by the fact that the Government Dock for cruise ships is all that much further from the diving offered by the dive ops with fast boats. They can do it, but it's not the best option.

Now that we know that you are talking about shore diving after disembarking for a short period from a cruise ship- not just a week of driving around with rented tanks--- I would suggest CoCo View if you want to do a couple of shore dives with no muss and fuss. They can pick you up, get you into gear, and take you out with a DM. Call them at 800 282-8932 and explain what you want. You can also contact Erin at www.cocoviewresort.com

BTW- several other ops promise shore diving. It is either marginal or a fantasy.

The other best quick charter option is SubWay. They're close to cruise ship locations and they're good it bears restating from the previous post.

Belize and Roatan are places where you look for little stuff, which can be much more exciting than seeing your fifth shark. Take a magnifying glass and hire (or stick with) a DM. Roatan might make you think twice about cruise ship diving, you might make a reservation when you're there!

Wow!! I am glad that everyone in the dive industry does not have the chip on their shoulder that you have. I was seeking information from people that have, or will, encounter the same circumstances that we will be faced with. I am not sure why you find it necessary to chastise us for taking a family cruise vacation. Get off your high horse and lighten up. For someone who states that they “can’t imagine a cruise ship”, you sure seem to think you know a lot about everyone that is on one. We have taken numerous different types of vacations from liveaboards, to all inclusive resorts, to cruises, to vacations in the van or the camper, and there is an element that each provide that is unique and enjoyable. You should get out and expand your outlook. If you have taken a cruise, and all you experienced is the “0200 ice cream buffets”, or you were tied to the ship as you imply the cruise wants you to be, then you have missed out on some adventure opportunities. Too bad for you. For the record, my wife and I actually came back from our last cruise lighter than when we departed. But then again, we don’t have a sedentary lifestyle. Obviously you have some hang up about cruises and cruisers; so be it. We have had good experiences with both. I have been teaching scuba diving for twenty years and have never had the opportunity to visit Belize or Roatan. Certainly as you suggest we may really like it and book a trip there once we have sampled it. That is an advantage to cruises that many like you fail to realize. Such vacations allow people to sample many different locations that they may want to come back and visit for an extended period of time.

Thanks again for your information. It really has been helpful and we have already made some arrangements based on the info you provided. Hope you can get rid of the chip on your shoulder so that others that are new to the sport or this forum are not turned off by your attitude.

Originally posted by Falcon:
Wow!! I am glad that everyone in the dive industry does not have the chip on their shoulder that you have. I was seeking information from people that have, or will, encounter the same circumstances that we will be faced with. *?* I am not sure why you find it necessary to chastise *?* us for taking a family cruise vacation. Get off your high horse and lighten up. For someone who states that they “can’t imagine a cruise ship” *?*, you sure seem to think you know a lot about everyone that is on one. We have taken numerous different types of vacations from liveaboards, to all inclusive resorts, to cruises, to vacations in the van or the camper, and there is an element that each provide that is unique and enjoyable. You should get out and expand your outlook. If you have taken a cruise, and all you experienced is the “0200 ice cream buffets”, or you were tied to the ship as you imply the cruise wants you to be, then you have missed out on some adventure opportunities. Too bad for you. For the record, my wife and I actually came back from our last cruise lighter than when we departed. But then again, we don’t have a sedentary lifestyle. Obviously you have some hang up about cruises and cruisers; so be it. *?* We have had good experiences with both. I have been teaching scuba diving for twenty years and have never had the opportunity to visit Belize or Roatan.
*?*
Certainly as you suggest we may really like it and book a trip there once we have sampled it. That is an advantage to cruises that many like you fail to realize.
*?*
Thanks again for your information. It really has been helpful and we have already made some arrangements based on the info you provided. *?* Hope you can get rid of the chip on your shoulder so that others that are new to the sport or this forum are not turned off by your attitude.

_______________________________________________________________

After 20 years of teaching SCUBA, you might try easing up a bit- what with only 32 posts here to your name. Lots of miscommunication can occur- underwater and especialy on the net- but several things I mentioned were interpreted 180 off- and I'm stll not sure why (see *?* above) Then- several comments you agree with and rightly attribute to me, you say that I don't believe. Wow- I just can't break even!

In no way was I looking askance at cruise ship divers. I think it's cool that you can take your family along and have fun at many different ports of call. (at this point, I won't add that it's difficult to do this, because: a) I've already said that; and b) I'd be in the doghouse again.) :54:

To answer your ORIGINAL question, in terms to your specification- No, there is NO shore diving accessible by cruise ship passengers in Roatan. Shore diving, by deffinition, would entail the rental of tanks and weights, the securing of transportation by cab or rental vehicle to a suitable dive site, wading out into the surf- then reversing the process. You may be able to squeeze this in on an island such as Bonaire, but not on Roatan. It begs the question: why would you want to do this?

Sorry you misinterpreted my intentions, but even though you made decisions based upon my advice, I guess--- well, I don't know what I guess, but I hope you have a great time. I'm going to go eat some chocolate CHIP ice cream and kick back in the hammock. :sappy:

I am not sure about "easing up a bit". I am about as laid back as they come. Maybe I will post 100 more messages on here over the next couple of weeks so I will have the credentials necessary to be considered a worthy professional in the industry. I wish I had the time to do so, but as scuba instruction is not my real job (rather it is a way to introduce friends and familly to the sport) I probably won't be living in this message board. Anyway, you provide very useful information and you are certainly an assest to this discussion board. It would be nice if you could provide that information without sterotyping people you know nothing about. You really didn't offend me (even though I think you tried) but there are many that would have been so and that might really be turned off from this discussion board by such responses. You will see my posts and response from time to time, but I really do have other things that occupy a great deal of my time. Thanks again for the time you have spent with me.

m

I'm with RoatanMan on this issue. There is no shore diving on Roatan unless you take a giant stride off the dock at CocoView, or do a swim across the channel from Fantasy Island. I did dive with a few cruisers who went on a shark dive with me and a few others. Check with your cruise director if any dives fit into your time schedule. Most ships dock outside of the normal itinerary of land based ops in Roatan.

I have been to Roatan two times so far, going back again in March. Both of these previous trips were done while on a cruise ship. Two different cruise lines. First one we went to CCV and they did have a really nice shore dive. You can go right out from the beach. The second time we went, we wanted to try another operator. We chose to go with Bay Island Beach Resort.(BIBR) We really enjoyed the diving there as well a CCV. They too have shore dives, from the dock you can swin right out to Spooky channel. I think there is a small fee to do shore dives if your not staying at BIBR, I don't remember if we had a fee at CCV. There are other spots along the west end that of you had the gear you could go in, but you'd have to be sure you weren't tresspassing. The other end of the island is a bit far to travel, and still get in two tanks, due to the limited time you are in town from the ship. IMHO. When we go back in March we are going back to BIBR for a solid week of boat/shore diving. Both CCV and BIBR will be glad to pick you up at the dock for a small fee. Anthonys key also tends to cruise ship passengers, but from what I saw you'd need a boat to get out to the reef, though I could be wrong about that. Have a great time when were you planning on going?

One exception. Bay Islands Beach Resort can give you a shore dive to Spooky Channel. Keep in mind that you will swim a long way to Spooky Channel, and if you traverse the channel you will need a boat to pick you up. IMHO, the dive is not worth the effort, or the expense. It's also a good drive from the cruise ship docks, relatively speaking. The facilities at Coco are much better.

If you want to dive Roatan, do not do it from a cruise ship. You'll be disappointed.