I haven't had time to put up a full trip report, but here's what I found when I got there:
LIONFISH: 2 years ago - NO lionfish. This time, we saw 5 on our first dive and at least one or two on almost every dive we did, and we got in more than 20 dives over the course of the week. We saw two of them inside the fuselage of the DC3 that is the focus of the "channel dive" just a few hundred feet from the docks at AKR. Francisco was the divemaster on our boat, the Andrea, and he told us that Karl Stanley (the guy who routinely takes his deep submersible to depths of 2000-3000ft), is seeing lionfish as deep as 1500 ft. Again, according to Francisco, the rumor is that the lionfish found at 500 ft are "different" than the ones seen at shallower depths, and different still from the ones found at the deepest levels. It would be interesting if this was verified as being true.
Biting insects: I was eaten alive on my first trip. I had absolutely no problems this time around. Can't say for sure if the DEET i used this time was more effective than the Cactus Juice that I used sporadically and to little effect the first time around. I also have to consider that I stayed on the main island in a "Hill Superior" room this time vs. a "Key Superior" room last time. Someone speculated that the bites might have been attributed to "sand fleas" or "sand flies" rather than mosquitos - I only know that I never saw or felt an insect actually bite me, only that I suddenly had these angry red welts that itched furiously. If you are staying in a room out on the key, you have to walk on the sand coming and going. The hill rooms are served by wooden walkways and you don't have to walk on the sand at all. I don't know if I can say with certainty that more bites occur out on the key, but the people I saw who were most badly bitten were all staying out on the key. The other variable for me was the type of repellent that I used and how dilligently I was using it. This time around, being aware that the potential existed for unpleasantness, I used DEET every time I left the room on all exposed skin, paying particular attention to my lower legs and ankles - where most of the worst bites occurred last time. I had no problems this time at all, but others on our boat were sporting bites that made them look like they had chicken pox.
Puffers, Morays and Groupers (Oh my!): We saw lots of very tiny Sharpnose Puffers, but not the kind of crazy numbers I expected. The moray eels were no more or less friendly than what I had seen previously - one in particular that hangs around the wreck of the Odyssey is getting quite large and isn't particularly wary of divers, but also not especially aggressive nor friendly. I saw no evidence of anyone feeding any of the reef critters, nor anyone trying to kill the lionfish, though I did hear that the Roatan Marine Park sponsors semi-regular lionfish roundups, and anecdotally as many as 1000 or more have been said to be killed during a single one of these events. It doesn't seem to be making much of a dent in the population, and it would be very interesting to learn if the lionfish move up and down the water column during different phases of their life.
Groupers did follow us around on some of the dives - no one had spearguns, it is prohibited in the marine park, but they followed us just the same. I think they HAVE been fed at times in the past, and Frank (Francisco) reminded us that the large groupers are more than 25 years old - and that they still remember getting handouts from divers in the past and still tag along expectantly.
I was extremely impressed with the dive operation and resort. AKR is top notch, and the long term experience has helped them fine-tune the experience so that it runs smoothly and delivers a wonderful experience. They have so many events and activities and facilities, you really can't go wrong. You can lounge in a hammock in the palapas that overlook the ocean and have a completely relaxed nap - or you can ride horses, snorkel with the dolphins, zip-line through the trees, hang out at the gorgeous pool facility, or dive until your gills grow in. They have a wonderful facility on the opposite side of the island at Maya Key, where they take everyone for an afternoon of food, relaxation, some history and a chance to visit a mini zoo of sorts full of rescued animals from crocodiles to jaguars and ocelots, toucans to macaws and parrots. They also have a weekly BBQ out on Anthony's Key where they invite some local Garifuna to perform traditional songs and dances that are authentic and have historical and cultural significance.
Before this trip, I didn't expect to have an experience that exceeded my first trip to the resort - but I have to say that this trip was even better than my first trip.
