.... may have to rent a car, and drive to the other side to hit those sites......
There is no way to dive Roatan lest you are on a boat. All of the South Side operations are AI's, so there is very limited possibility of walk-in traffic.
As far as "must see" dive sites, such lists change and rotate every time the originator of the term,
Scuba Diving Magazine, publishes a new article. The fact is that on any island, all dive shops will take you where they will take you. If it is an especially calm day, a few West End dive ops will go all the way to Mary's Place. West End Divers runs a boat there, assumably once a week or more, that offers a two tank dive, one at MP and then at a different site. If you have any sway over it, there are some favored South side dive sites, but I'm sure they have a pattern that works for them. None, at least that I am aware of, will take you as far as to Calvin's Crack. A few might take you to the South side's shallow intact wrecks. But that's irrelevant- you're staying West End- and
there's lots to see right there and around to the North.
...I will diving three dives (or more) a day...
West End Divers runs a boat at 9:00, 11:30 and 2:30. Most people get in 2 a day on the West End, taking one of the morning dives and then an afternoon. West End Divers has one of the more do-able three-a-day departure schedules, but you have to consider pure math and the tyranny of time. For any dive, figure 1.5 hour
at the very minimum from actual departure to tie-up upon return. (That's 15 minutes travel each way plus 1hr BT). Think about walking time and distance to your room choice if not staying right there. Also figure in that you're going to want/need lunch. Are you going to shop for and cook it? Or sit at a restaurant with the famous local
Hon-du Spee-Dee Service® ? Stuff to think about.
So, in terms of three-a-day,
West End Divers can deliver that~ what with their boat departure schedule... unlike most other day dive ops. Between Boat #1 and #2, you might have slightly less than an hour. Between Boat #2 and #3, you'll have a bit short of 1.5 hours. Workable, but you are going to have to plan your moves and meals, etc.
"
More than three"? No, not at all likely. This is where an AI comes into play~ certainly in terms of economy plus the difficult to describe bogey of the fast moving vacation clock versus eating, etc. The West End Divers website makes an allusion to night diving, but only in terms of doing the Night Diver Course. They do, most likely, run one night dive trip weekly,
if there are enough to sign up, a fairly standard system for most day-dive ops.
Search and read other threads in this forum
in regards to driving any vehicle on Roatan. If you filter through the occasional visitor who had gurglingly happy times, you'll see that almost every habitual Roatan visitor and all locals (except those with rental cars) recommend against you driving a vehicle or scooter on the island. The roads are crappy, locals drive "stupid", there are no medical facilities, and your criminal and civil liability is immediate and extreme in every way. Hire a driver, and English speaking driver. Sit back, relax, have a beer, enjoy the ride.
