South shore dive sites/snorkel sites vs. West Bay dive sites Roatan

I have been reading tons and tons of trip reports and reviews about the diving in Roatan. A few times I've read about the south shore dive sites being more pristine and healthy. Is this true? What about the snorkeling? My mom and dad will be doing a lot of snorkeling. I'm sure we will be too, in between dives. I was also wondering if a trip to the south shore area would be worth it to go snorkeling? Will it be any different than the West Bay area?

We were thinking of maybe seeing if CoCo View or Barefoot Cay offer a day pass for snorkeling and eating at their restaurant.

Just curious if there's a big difference or not really. Thank you!

The main difference for snorkelers on the South side is that the reef structure is very near shore. A simple look at Google Earth will confirm this.


The additional consideration is the character of the reef structure. The coral heads start in very shallow water (1 - 15 fsw) and quickly break to a vertical wall structure that begins in similar depths. This particular zone is best evidenced in the area from French Harbor (Barefoot Key BFK) going Eastward to the area near Parrot Tree (PTR) on down to Media Luna (MLR) and Reef House Resort (RHR). I would also investigate access to these last two, (PTR is not an easy snorkel), but remember there are two Media Lunas, this one is obviously on the South side. They do offer day access, and RHR might as well, but RHR is a bit of a hump necessitating a water taxi once you drive to Oak Ridge.

The Cruise Ship Pod People Trap is Little French Key (LFK) which has great snorkeling just to it's South. It might or might not be operational on non-ship days, and it might be cost prohibitive- but worth checking out. It is located just to the West of Fantasy Island.


Coco View does not do day dive visits. Fantasy Island (FIBR) does, but other than accessing it for this purpose, I really can not recommend it at this time. It will do nicely for a day trip. These two resorts share a channel which snorkelers actually spend full weeks at CCV during those high-end snorkel adventure naturalist tours (NatGeo and the like). The top of the walls are as clean as you can imagine, and on a calm day they present a superb shallow water opportunity, even for scuba. If you do this route, head over to the North side of the channel, cross over the wreck- it's too deep- and head for the RED nav can to the East. Your adventure would start from there.



The access from BFK is a bit further inshore, and the snorkel depths, once you get clear of the result of French Harbor's long term effect itself, are a bit deep for all but advanced snorkelers. It can be a long shore SCUBA access for the vaunted "Mary's Place", the site mooring for which is quite a ways offshore and sits in 40' on a flat coral plateau.

Many, many people have peeked u/w from making entry on West End zones. Very few, comparatively, have dived the South side. A microscopic number have done both, but everyone will have their favorite and best, no matter what.

See it all. For being such a small island, the underwater architecture is widely varied and very poorly understood.

Thank you Doc for all of that information. It really does make me want to check out the south area of the island. I appreciate all of the details and insights you provided!!

Toward the end of July, which part of the island will have the calmer conditions?

In July, it will likely be dead calm on the West/North.

It is very rarely calm on the South due to the prevailing winds. This might complicate snorkeling, but it sure keeps the bugs away.

This weather is why the reef structure is shaped the way it is. "Winter" storms hit from the North and smack the West with great ferocity. That's why the reefs are where they are and have grown in their different and distinct manner.

Since you're willing to be mobile, check the actual weather readings and the night before, too. If the winds are light from the SSE, the South will be a non-issue. I recommend highly: Hire a driver/taxi, do not rent a vehicle and drive anything, SB for that well hashed discussion.

Ok we wil plan to play it by ear depending on the weather conditions. So, I did go back a search for car rental posts, and boy I'm glad you mentioned that to me. We are fairly adventurous, but I can firmly say, we won't be renting a car in Roatan. It sounds like it's not worth the hassle. I'm thinking taxis and then an island tour to see other parts of the island. Thank you for that tid bit!!

While I have you here, hopefully still.......... Can I ask another quick unrelated couple of questions unrelated to my OP?

Regarding cash/limpiras. It seems that bringing US dollars is the way most go about it? Then you get change in limpiras? ATMs seem to be unpopular and unreliable? Then use credit cards here and there if/when needed?

Is deet the best way to go in terms of keeping the bugs off? And finally, are malaria meds usually taken by tourists before heading to Roatan? We've been there twice before, but didn't take malaria meds either time. I wouldn't think twice about taking them, but if there are side effects, I will most likely have them and that is a good way to feel cruddy the whole vacation.

Thanks in advance!! I'm taking advantage of all of your insights and knowledge, Doc!

US Dollars, in small bills, clean and un-ripped work on Roatan. You may get change in Lempiras. Figure around 20L:$1 In that they are giving you a paper bill wort 5 Cents, don't expect coins as well.

ATMs are not only unreliable, they are constantly being hacked. Credit Cards are too and there is a surcharge for use. Buy a few Debit Cards and pre-fund them with small amounts. I prefer to carry cash, but that's just me. I go to one AI resort and park for the week. Not any security worries in the least.

...are malaria meds usually taken by tourists before heading to Roatan?

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What? You taking a Poll? Sorry to sound mean, but that question is non-sensical. Go to the CDC Website, consider the plusses and minuses. Ask a Doctor. The internet is okay for the Jenny McCarthy School of Medicine, but not much else. What I do or what anyone else does is absolutely irrelevant.

Better living through chemistry: DEET is the answer. If it's good enough for the US Army, it's good enough for me, besides- I'm done passing along my DNA. You can also use Avon Skin-so-Soft and locally available "Cactus Juice" as well as chicken bones and circles of salt. I hear that works, too. DEET (like OFF) comes in varying % strengths, the higher percentage stuff doesn't sweat off as fast as the low %. Shower off before swimming, no studies show that it affects Coral, but why not do that?

After you get bit by the Sand Fleas (and you will), the most certain and instant fix is topical Fluocinonide (C-Steroidal) ointment, it's the active ingredient in Nasonex (which if you are rich, you could just dab that on with a Q-Tip). Get the ointment version very cheaply with a scrip from your Physician. One touch, the insane itch is gone, the welts disappear.

There are also popular local remedies likely made by the same people who sold you the local bug repellant that didn't work either.

(incoming!)

We dove with Barefoot but didn't stay there. I think it was $40/dive. Dove Mary's Place and the Prince Albert. They also offer boat Snorkel trips.

Food is good there. A couple of us ate breakfast and they do a catered lunch as part of their cruise dive program so could probably do something for you also.

'Incoming...'

Buried in the middle of 5 paragraphs of financial and medical advice on what he(she?) and others might do is this... (i suspect mostly garnered from the internet, unless Doc is personally pretty active in a wide range of research activities)

"The internet is okay for the Jenny McCarthy School of Medicine, but not much else. What I do or what anyone else does is absolutely irrelevant."

Gotta love it:cool2:

Thank you again for the tips and info! Much appreciated. You're a wealth of info.

Funny reference about taking malaria meds. Ha ha. But I'm actually not that simple minded. Or a moron. My mom, who is traveling with us is an MD. Her and my dad will be taking the malaria meds. I've also been to the CDC website and plan to ask our doc about it as well. I'm just looking for overall common practices from those who travel there. Not asking "if" I should take them or not. Pills of any kind and I don't mix well. So that's my only hesitation in taking them and my only reason for gathering my info in multiple ways.

I don't mix well with pills either and no way was I going to risk being sick or have my diving impaired! I skipped the malaria meds. But those mosquitos can get nasty, especially if there is no breeze....cover yourself in very high percent deet. I felt so wonderful every evening putting on my little black dress and smearing sticky stinky mosquito repellent all over myself before going out for the evening (....do you sense my hint of sarcasm) but it's a must!

jennfl:

Thank you again for the tips and info! Much appreciated. You're a wealth of info.

Funny reference about taking malaria meds. Ha ha. But I'm actually not that simple minded. Or a moron. My mom, who is traveling with us is an MD. Her and my dad will be taking the malaria meds. I've also been to the CDC website and plan to ask our doc about it as well. I'm just looking for overall common practices from those who travel there. Not asking "if" I should take them or not. Pills of any kind and I don't mix well. So that's my only hesitation in taking them and my only reason for gathering my info in multiple ways.

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---------- Post added June 16th, 2014 at 10:29 PM ----------

Oh yes, I also spent one day at Barefoot Cay. I stayed in and did my diving in West End but wanted to see Mary's Place and a little different scenery. Barefoot Divers were top quality! The first and second dive of the day were very small groups, on the third dive I had my divemaster all to myself and he knew what I wanted to see and pointed everything out, very friendly and professional, did everything by the book...excellent briefings. At the end of the day I had to try to catch a collectivo (like a public bus) back to West End so as the dive shop closed I began walking down the busy street road, cars and vans just whizzing by me with no collectivos in sight, blazing hot, lugging my gear and I had forgotten to fill my water bottle before leaving. A mile later an SUV drove by me and stopped at the top of the hill I was walking up, and out jumped Mary (the administrator) at Barefoot Divers. She came running down the road and told me to get in the car, her and her husband Gary (an instructor at Barefoot) were going as far as Sandy Bay and would take me there. So, I recommend Barefoot very highly....but I think the reefs are better on the west side....I did only do three dives on the south side so by no means am I able to give a qualified statement on that....all I know is Barefoot Divers were an excellent operation and I would recommend a day diving with them, didn't snorkel with them though.