Question Reef Health

[RIHappyDiver]

I know, ask a thousand people and you'll get a thousand answers. Here goes anyway. We're starting the planning stages for a trip next February and Roatan came up as an option. One person in the group was concerned as she had heard that the reefs there were all bleached out. Honestly, I've heard the same thing, and I've heard the opposite. So, I come to the experts. Those who have been recently, what is your take. I realize you can't escape it completely, but how good, or bad, is it in Roatan?

Thanks,
Erik

 

[Doc]

I know, ask a thousand people and you'll get a thousand answers…. One person in the group was concerned as she had heard that the reefs there were all bleached out….I've heard the same thing, and I've heard the opposite.….I realize you can't escape it completely, but how good, or bad, is it in Roatan?

Your question’s words gives the best answer.

People form concrete opinions based on mere snapshots in time. No less so than “it rains there all the time”.

Coral bleaching is quite transitory, it ebbs and flows, it looks bad one season, not so much a bit later on. One diver believes they note what they “know” to be ‘coral bleaching’, other more informed divers see other indices.

The Caribbean is in very bad shape, certainly when compared to a few remaining SoPac remote locations. If you understand that you are in the comparison of the Caribbean as a standard of measure? You ask how good or bad “it” is in Roatan?

As to Caribbean destinations that are reachable by the common man? That have reefs that are accessible by simple travel? Roatan is ‘the best of what is left’. There are nicer reefs remaining in the Caribbean, you just ’can’t’ get there.

I say this, fully referencing the totality of the Bay Islands, including their liveaboards. The land based diving of Roatan, specifically that which is offered from a couple of the very few remaining better dive ops, is far superior to anything else any dive magazine advertorial has yet told us about- elsewhere in the Mar Caribe.

Your lady diver has ”heard” what she read on the internet. Were you or your giving to her our responses going to fix that?

Go, explore, be observant.

 

[covediver]

I was in Roatan in mid-January. The corals on the spots where I was diving (16 dives) were not "all bleached out". While I did notice signs of rocky coral disease (as in the Florida Keys and other places) in spots on some reefs, as confirmed by marine park educator, the reefs were generally as healthy as other locations that I have been too.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

@Doc , you seem like the right person to run this by. I’ve only been to Roatan once, and that was before I started diving again. We are a group with 3 divers, 4 non. The divers shoot for 8-10 dives in the week, so a vacation with diving, not a dive vacation. I would prefer some of those dives, if not most, to be shore dives.
The rest of the time is spent snorkeling, kayaking, exploring, a few members like hanging out on the beach. We would be looking for some verity of dining options.
Given the top side requirements of the group, I have ruled out any of the off shore island resorts. So, is The West End/West Bay our best choice, or should I even have Roatan on the list of potentials?

Thanks for any input
Erik

 

[laurenceh]

Roatan, Utila, Cayos Cochinos and Guanja currently have the healthiest reefs I know of in the Caribbean

 

[Doc]

@Doc , you seem like the right person to run this by. I’ve only been to Roatan once, and that was before I started diving again. We are a group with 3 divers, 4 non. The divers shoot for 8-10 dives in the week, so a vacation with diving, not a dive vacation. I would prefer some of those dives, if not most, to be shore dives.
The rest of the time is spent snorkeling, kayaking, exploring, a few members like hanging out on the beach. We would be looking for some verity of dining options.
Given the top side requirements of the group, I have ruled out any of the off shore island resorts. So, is The West End/West Bay our best choice, or should I even have Roatan on the list of potentials?

Thanks for any input
Erik

Simplest answer: West End, everything except the shore dives.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

Simplest answer: West End, everything except the shore dives.

Which, looking at the cost of rooms and boat dives compared to Bonaire, might not be a deal breaker. Looks like boat dive costs of around $35 include all gear for the one newer diver in our group, so pretty good.
Thanks for the response!