entropy
Registered
Trip Report Reef House Resort
Aug 14 22 2009
The resort
The all inclusive resort is located about half way down Roatan on a small caye in Oak Ridge harbor. The resort is on electricity and there is a back up generator. There are ten simple clean rooms with AC. The place is directly on the water with a turtle sanctuary directly as its front porch that you can snorkel around in 24/7. Daily maid serve also brings fresh pure drinking water to the rooms.
The atmosphere:
Mike a co owner on site and Davit (DM) and Choco (boat captain) and Jenny in the kitchen go out of their way to make the trip comfortable and easy. They have an informal atmosphere and do go out of their way to accommodate special requests.
The food:
There is plentiful delicious food served family style. Jenny, the head cook serves up everything from steak and turf to coconut shrimp to hamburgers for dinner. Lunches are wraps and quesadeadeas. Deserts and breads all homemade..
The bar:
The bar is self serve on the honor system. If there is something special that you want let them know ahead or bring your own.
The important stuff it is all about the diving.
The Diving: 2 tank am boat, 1 tank pm and unlimited shore diving
Set up: The boat accommodates at least 12 folks though we never had more than 8 plus two DMS. The Dive shop gear room is literally five feet from the boat for easy cleaning and storage daily. There is drinking water and a snack on board for the am dive- of course. There are mask and camera rinse tanks on board and gear rinse tanks right by the gear room. The boat has a permanent cover for those wishing to stay out of the sun. Tank fills consistently 3000.
The diving:
All dives are DM lead, though you can do your own thing, once they know you know what you are doing. Most dives are 60 min plus. The boat ties up to a buoy that is usually in 25 feet of water on top of the reef. Divers swim out to the drop off of the wall, about 2 minutes, and down the wall to 70 80 feet. Clearly one can do this more shallowly. Turn around coming back up the reef and then across the top of the reef. Plenty of swim throughs and wall formations to keep things interesting.
Reef conservation:
There is a no touch policy, so hands and body off the coral. The DM and Mike the owner who dove with us much of the week, will remind you if you forget. We think this a good thing. This is re-enforced for photographers who some seemed to have a bit of a time with it.
The reef and fish:
The reef is in good condition both east and west out at Oak Ridge Harbor. We saw more fish then when diving out of CocoView six weeks earlier. We saw another dive boat only twice in the 8 days of diving,. and that was only at the popular Calvins Crack site. The other resorts just dont come down this way, leaving the reef in better shape. The DM, Davit, has been there for 8 years and knows this reef, its critters, big and small and the coral. He is a true asset. He has a wonderful patient personality. It is pleasure to be with someone who enjoys his diving as much as he does. It is infectious to the other divers.
Concluding thoughts:
We know lots of folks love CoCoView. We stayed at one of the houses next to CCV Playa Miguel six weeks ago and dove with CCV. It is just not for us: too big, too impersonal, too camp like. Along with the quality of the diving, the shorter bottom times, the crowds on the boats, just did not work for us, though it obviously works for others. I know there are lots of CCV fans, which is one reason we tried it, and it clearly works for them.
RHR Reef House Resort if far more personal, informal and relaxed. It is all about diving and enjoying the day. When we return, it will be to RHR. Better reef, longer bottom times, more flexibility with dive plans. If you happen to also dive Bonaire, the closest thing would be Bruce Bowkers Carib Inn in terms of small, friendly, flexible and accommodating on a damn good reef.
Aug 14 22 2009
The resort
The all inclusive resort is located about half way down Roatan on a small caye in Oak Ridge harbor. The resort is on electricity and there is a back up generator. There are ten simple clean rooms with AC. The place is directly on the water with a turtle sanctuary directly as its front porch that you can snorkel around in 24/7. Daily maid serve also brings fresh pure drinking water to the rooms.
The atmosphere:
Mike a co owner on site and Davit (DM) and Choco (boat captain) and Jenny in the kitchen go out of their way to make the trip comfortable and easy. They have an informal atmosphere and do go out of their way to accommodate special requests.
The food:
There is plentiful delicious food served family style. Jenny, the head cook serves up everything from steak and turf to coconut shrimp to hamburgers for dinner. Lunches are wraps and quesadeadeas. Deserts and breads all homemade..
The bar:
The bar is self serve on the honor system. If there is something special that you want let them know ahead or bring your own.
The important stuff it is all about the diving.
The Diving: 2 tank am boat, 1 tank pm and unlimited shore diving
Set up: The boat accommodates at least 12 folks though we never had more than 8 plus two DMS. The Dive shop gear room is literally five feet from the boat for easy cleaning and storage daily. There is drinking water and a snack on board for the am dive- of course. There are mask and camera rinse tanks on board and gear rinse tanks right by the gear room. The boat has a permanent cover for those wishing to stay out of the sun. Tank fills consistently 3000.
The diving:
All dives are DM lead, though you can do your own thing, once they know you know what you are doing. Most dives are 60 min plus. The boat ties up to a buoy that is usually in 25 feet of water on top of the reef. Divers swim out to the drop off of the wall, about 2 minutes, and down the wall to 70 80 feet. Clearly one can do this more shallowly. Turn around coming back up the reef and then across the top of the reef. Plenty of swim throughs and wall formations to keep things interesting.
Reef conservation:
There is a no touch policy, so hands and body off the coral. The DM and Mike the owner who dove with us much of the week, will remind you if you forget. We think this a good thing. This is re-enforced for photographers who some seemed to have a bit of a time with it.
The reef and fish:
The reef is in good condition both east and west out at Oak Ridge Harbor. We saw more fish then when diving out of CocoView six weeks earlier. We saw another dive boat only twice in the 8 days of diving,. and that was only at the popular Calvins Crack site. The other resorts just dont come down this way, leaving the reef in better shape. The DM, Davit, has been there for 8 years and knows this reef, its critters, big and small and the coral. He is a true asset. He has a wonderful patient personality. It is pleasure to be with someone who enjoys his diving as much as he does. It is infectious to the other divers.
Concluding thoughts:
We know lots of folks love CoCoView. We stayed at one of the houses next to CCV Playa Miguel six weeks ago and dove with CCV. It is just not for us: too big, too impersonal, too camp like. Along with the quality of the diving, the shorter bottom times, the crowds on the boats, just did not work for us, though it obviously works for others. I know there are lots of CCV fans, which is one reason we tried it, and it clearly works for them.
RHR Reef House Resort if far more personal, informal and relaxed. It is all about diving and enjoying the day. When we return, it will be to RHR. Better reef, longer bottom times, more flexibility with dive plans. If you happen to also dive Bonaire, the closest thing would be Bruce Bowkers Carib Inn in terms of small, friendly, flexible and accommodating on a damn good reef.
