JillGadget
Guest
Well, we made it to Fantasy Island Beach Resort and back, which, I must say I thought we would never get there with customs. 2 people handling 3 incoming planes doesn't cut it.
FIBR was bit different then I had imagined. I have a bit more open mind then my husband but neither of us would go back any time soon. I understand they are in the middle of restoring and renovating which I can handle. Our room was clean. The grounds we being tended to and the beach was raked daily and cleaned.
Staff was not all that pleasant and one of the girls behind the front desk absolutely knew nothing. eg.. asked her what time we should leave for our 1:30 departure and she said 12:30... himm.... it is 30 minutes away (and it takes about 2 hours to get through customs). Meals were acceptable. Im not there for the food (although I did get a hefty portion of dessert)
Diving: the reef was healthy and we saw many things we have never seen. I am surprised that there is not more fish. I question, with the fishing boats we saw in the harbor, perhaps they have overfished. Saw only a few grouper and no red snapper which were big ticket items on the menu throughout the island. I think our boat captain and DM were burnt out. No interaction, not much help finding things, pointing things out, or helping you get your tank into the slot when coming up from dive. Rarely put out a tag line in 6 foot swells. I am surprised noone was injured. 5 out of 5 boats broke down during 5 days of diving. It got to be the joke. I heard they are getting new, faster boats so they can travel to the other side of the island, but I can not confirm that story.
We made many friends and had a great time during Surface intervals. Fantasy Island has a great potential! If it is true that Roatan is on the fast track to being the next great dive site they need to be competetive. They need to address staffing issues, and invest in preventive maintainance.
Interesting note: they had someone come in during the evening hours, selling beautiful black coral sea animals and dive figurines. When questioned about the black coral he said he was licensed to sell them and he gets the coral from the shrimp boats when it inadvertantly get caught up in the nets...This seems a bit "fishy" (sorry) due to how they grow. It amazes me that they are allowed to harvest and sell with the depletion of black coral in the seas and as a "dive resort" I would think they would be more conscience of marine invironmental issues.
Here is a pic (if I did it right) of a seahorse. My first one I have ever seen. Just beautiful.
Sorry if this sounds confusing, still have jet lag and wanted to get this out!
Jill
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FIBR was bit different then I had imagined. I have a bit more open mind then my husband but neither of us would go back any time soon. I understand they are in the middle of restoring and renovating which I can handle. Our room was clean. The grounds we being tended to and the beach was raked daily and cleaned.
Staff was not all that pleasant and one of the girls behind the front desk absolutely knew nothing. eg.. asked her what time we should leave for our 1:30 departure and she said 12:30... himm.... it is 30 minutes away (and it takes about 2 hours to get through customs). Meals were acceptable. Im not there for the food (although I did get a hefty portion of dessert)
Diving: the reef was healthy and we saw many things we have never seen. I am surprised that there is not more fish. I question, with the fishing boats we saw in the harbor, perhaps they have overfished. Saw only a few grouper and no red snapper which were big ticket items on the menu throughout the island. I think our boat captain and DM were burnt out. No interaction, not much help finding things, pointing things out, or helping you get your tank into the slot when coming up from dive. Rarely put out a tag line in 6 foot swells. I am surprised noone was injured. 5 out of 5 boats broke down during 5 days of diving. It got to be the joke. I heard they are getting new, faster boats so they can travel to the other side of the island, but I can not confirm that story.
We made many friends and had a great time during Surface intervals. Fantasy Island has a great potential! If it is true that Roatan is on the fast track to being the next great dive site they need to be competetive. They need to address staffing issues, and invest in preventive maintainance.
Interesting note: they had someone come in during the evening hours, selling beautiful black coral sea animals and dive figurines. When questioned about the black coral he said he was licensed to sell them and he gets the coral from the shrimp boats when it inadvertantly get caught up in the nets...This seems a bit "fishy" (sorry) due to how they grow. It amazes me that they are allowed to harvest and sell with the depletion of black coral in the seas and as a "dive resort" I would think they would be more conscience of marine invironmental issues.
Here is a pic (if I did it right) of a seahorse. My first one I have ever seen. Just beautiful.
Sorry if this sounds confusing, still have jet lag and wanted to get this out!
Jill
What shop are you affiliated with? I can't believe how rough it was, the same if not worse than the keys during certain months. I can't believe I didn't puke! IAM NO LONGER PUKEGIRL!!!!
