First Trip to the Bay Islands

[grantwiscour]

My wife and I have started making plans for our next vacation. Based on the high recommendations here on SB and available flights using our FF miles we are leaning towards the Bay Islands. This will be our first trip to the Caribbean. I am looking at something like 6/27-7/4.

We are accomplished divers with 125+ dives and experience locally in low viz Texas lakes, the FL Keys wrecks and reefs and with Oahu's wrecks and reefs. We are comfortable diving with or without a DM but can appreciate the benefit of a guide pointing out things we might miss. We like to see big cool stuff, small cool stuff and everything in between.

I am looking at 7-8 days. After reading all the posts I first thought that Cocoview on Roatan was the place for us. We like a laid-back atmosphere, comfortable lodging and plenty of diving. Someone else fixing the meals is a plus so a set up like an AI is attractive. I have seen some deals on AKR but CCV seems to be the choice for most on SB. There is plenty of diving available at CCV but do you get tired of diving the same sites? It looks like you'd be diving the Prince Albert 2-3 times a day.

Doc's posts provided a wealth of info that had me ready to pull the trigger on a Roatan dive vacation...then I started reading about Guanaja and Caya Cochinos. We like the idea of fewer people and more remote location of Guanaja and CC. I also read that these islands are more pristine and more what Roatan diving was many years ago. The costs involved all are in the same range and within our budget.

I can fly into Roatan, San Pedro Sula and/or La Ceiba.

Now for a few questions...

How much better (if any) is the diving on Guanaja or Caya Cochinos than at CCV?
What is the best way to get to Guanaja or CC? What are the costs?

Bo's and G&G's seem to be the way to go on Guanaja...Any other recommendations?
How many dives should be expect at each place? Bo's says two tanks per day but reviews I have read seem like more diving is available.
What about shore diving at these places?

On CC, Turtle Bay Eco Resort seems to be the place to go. Again, how much diving and is any shore diving available?

Any help and additional input is certainly appreciated. I am sure that there will be more questions as we move forward.

 

[herbdb]

I can't compare the resorts for you, but at CCV you will get three single tank boat dives a day plus any shore diving you want to do. The shore diving includes the Prince Albert and a wall on either side of the passage. So its not just the Prince Albert.

You can get four dives per day with little effort. Take an extra tank on the PM boat trip and have them drop you on one of the shore dives and end your fourth dive back at the resort.

My son and his wife did a week at Fantasy Island (just across the channel from CCV) in Jan. They said the diving was great.

 

[Doc]

What is the best way to get to Guanaja or CC? What are the costs?

I think you meant: Which is the best of the bad options?

Those are truly worthwhile goals, but getting there is an adventure, and happily for some, this is part of the fun.

I understand that Roatan Charter can do either for you. They seem to have an arranged charter plane that can take you from Roatan to Guanaja, but of course this becomes more practical when you reach their maximum passenger load. The connections to Cayos Cochinos (a much better sounding name than Pig Island) are done through the mainland of Honduras (La Ceiba). They have all the dope on this, my only experience is by private boat. Guanaja Vacations, Vacation Guanaja, Guanaja Travel, Travel Guanaja or Turtle Bay Eco Lodge Vacation, Cayos Cochinos Vacations, Vacation Turtle Bay Eco Lodge I do know that Roatan Charter's staff has been to all of these properties recently, so they understand current resort conditions.

Cayos Image Detail for - Cayos Cochinos Has many more options for diving in the shelter of wind and wave than Guanaja, but I am not sure of the capabilities or likely effort of the resident dive ops. I can tell you that there were delightful dives along the Southern side of the many small islets.

On either of those two options, you will see practically no effect from terrestrial development creating siltation of the reef. The big draw at Cayos is the Seamount dive which is slightly weather dependent. The main diving on Guanaja is located on the Southern shelter of the island, although sometimes if weather is cooperating, you can also do the North side. http://www.guanaja.com/images/NewMap.jpg If you think about wind and wave, you'll understand why the two sides are completely different, as is Roatan. A big draw is the wreck Jado Trader, but it is 100fsw, so like the deep tattered wrecks along the Northern coast of Roatan, your BT is rather limited.

I have been diving extensively along both choices, but only been ashore on Guanaja at Bonacca Key which is quite the improbable life experience. Guanaja comes from the spanish "Low Land" which is an oxymoron because it is the only Bay Island that has a waterfall (I believe). See the 1:40 mark on Guanaja, Bay Island, Honduras.Part II - YouTube and you'll see Bonacca and the coolest place on the resort list being Dunbar Rock. The Villa On Dunbar Rock I mean really, how cool is that?

I am still biased towards CCV, we will be making my 33rd trip (for a two week stay) in May, my wife's #13. I travel all over the world, I ask her if she wants to go to exotic places along with me, but she uses her vacay for another trip to CCV. I have no set schedule of work and she makes a good living. I am a kept man.

Neither will give you anywhere near the absolute quantity of easy access diving that CCV can provide. To offer some clarifications, CCV gives you a two-tank 0900 departure and another two tank at 1400 hrs. You do not have to "load" tanks or equipment, although if you want them to leave your gear to you, they will. Before departure, they will ask "how many are doing the drop-off?". You raise your hand, they bring you an air tank or a your nitrox from your dive cubby-hole.

I would also add that these "drop off" dives are simply not "the same" dives, over and over. In the AM, you dive along Newmans Wall (in front of FI), and in the afternoon you dive CocoView Wall. Varying your depth from 50' to 15' can give you drastically different aspects of the same walls. The critters that you are in search of here are very much-so micro niche specific, meaning they have very limited ranges of specific soft and hard Corals that they favor. In that this very unique area has Sunlight all day long, the walls are amazingly florid.

I have mentioned many times, that if you want to talk about repetitive (yet amazingly different), I forgo these drop-off dives along the walls and most of the time I ask to be dropped right on top of the Prince Albert Wreck (which is five minute swim to exit on CCV sand entry/exit). I am always interested in what is living on this wreck, finding new stuff every trip, or simply revisiting odd critters on this extremely shallow Coral encrusted "seamount". It never disappoints, and I have done drop offs on this wreck (getting out the calculator here) likely 900 times. I have done another 400 night dives on the wreck as a shore dive. Just as you can do the walls in a shallow profile, either path can give even this old air hog 1.5 hr BT's.

In that these two wall options (and most South side diving) offers the same reef architecture shape, many newer divers are not overwhelmed. They are at a point where they are still only seeing large shapes (and large fish). If they slow down and study small areas, if they watch how their DM's locate the amazing macro critters, if they always carry a flashlight and even a cheap glass magnifying lens, they begin to really advance in their diving. Most go way too fast and see very little (that's a great reason to just get yourself dropped on "the Wreck". As they DM's say, "Go slow, Seymour" It's all in the details.

For the better (physically able and SAC rate) divers, you can ask for "Enduro" drop-off, which is just a longer version out along the walls I mentioned.

If you are young or healthy enough for semi-difficult travel and terrestrial conditions, by all means, take some extra time out of the dive portion of your vacation and be adventurous and see Cayos Cochinos and Guanaja while you can, while they are still unspoiled by success. Just understand that what once was the arduous and challenging travel to CCV is now something a doddering old man like me can still do and bag 27 dives in one week. And I am no spring anymore!

 

[Basscat]

I'm making my first trip to CCV at the end of May, and every time Doc posts I look forward to the trip even more! Thanks for the info, Doc!

I think you meant: Which is the best of the bad options?


...I am still biased towards CCV, we will be making my 33rd trip (for a two week stay) in May, ....

 

[grantwiscour]

Thanks for the wealth of info. CCV sounds like a great place for us. I'll ponder for another day or two and pull the trigger.

 

[oly5050user]

I have a group out of my lds going to Fantasy Isl, which is next to cocoview,on April 27th-Saturday to Saturday.Have 20 people going and have space for 2 more if you are interested. Training dives/specialties offered at 1/2 price of what we charge in NY. PM me here if interested.

 

[Cyprian]

Thanks for the wealth of info. CCV sounds like a great place for us. I'll ponder for another day or two and pull the trigger.

Got room for me in your luggage, Grant?

Tell your boss(wife) that she is going to have to come out and dive with us now before you two head to the Caribbean....just to knock off some rust.

 

[DeputyDan]

First trip - go to coco view.
It's a true dive vacation.
Not fancy at all - rustic would be a good term.
Food is not great but adequate and there is enough.

My next trip there will be #4. - It's that good!

<---- the pic is from CCV.

 

[grantwiscour]

I think the water is warm enough (lol) for her now. I'll be in the recording studio the next two weekends and then I'll/we'll be ready for some diving.

Low viz, no viz...it don't make me no nevermind! I'm ready for some diving.

---------- Post added March 29th, 2013 at 02:31 PM ----------

It sounds like a great time. I can take vacation after the middle of June otherwise we might be in on your trip. Have a great time and thanks for the offer.

 

[bbarada]

We made our first trip to CoCo View in January after diving all over the Caribbean and the South Pacific. While the weather didn't cooperate, the diving was fantastic. The resort and dive operation first class. The food medium, but lots of it. I would go back. In fact we're planning a trip for January; hope we get better weather.