Rob Bennett
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Thoughts on the must do dives in roatan.
Are there any awesome off the beattin path dives to do?
Are there any awesome off the beattin path dives to do?
Roatan must dives
- Thread starter Rob Bennett
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You can find Roatan info in the Bay Islands forum, check out this post on that very subject: Suggestions on Roatan
I just got back and have been meaning to post on that thread but here's some of my favs from West End: Texas (usually starting at Pablos), Blue Channel (very cool at night too), Aguila wreck, Bears Den, and Green Outhouse, one I dove for the first time this trip.
And yes, there are many off the beaten path dives too. In the above thread Roatan Marine Park (who set mooring lines there) mentions that there's many new (they're up to 200 now?) mooring lines, ones that even seasoned visitors have never dove
Cheers and Have fun
I just got back and have been meaning to post on that thread but here's some of my favs from West End: Texas (usually starting at Pablos), Blue Channel (very cool at night too), Aguila wreck, Bears Den, and Green Outhouse, one I dove for the first time this trip.
And yes, there are many off the beaten path dives too. In the above thread Roatan Marine Park (who set mooring lines there) mentions that there's many new (they're up to 200 now?) mooring lines, ones that even seasoned visitors have never dove
Cheers and Have fun
george_austin
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One thing I cannot find is which dives am I going to be doing from any given resort - meaning - If I'm at AKR, I know they're not going a long way from their dock - so where are we going to dive if I'm staying there - Not complaining - I do enjoy those 10 minute rides and then the dive!! Woooo! six more weeks until departure
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Mary's Place, my friends liked Spooky Channel. I thought one of the best was Texas - a west bay area drift dive. There's a paid dolphin dive at Anthohy's Key (open to the public) and a shark dive off the airport via Waihuku Divers only booked via your island operator.
Something really off the beaten path -
- this is from the Zeppelin sail charter page. Or Tropical Island Divers - it's an hour long boat ride from there though so it's probably on demand.
Morat Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage dive site IIIRC.
moved this thread to the Bay Islands forum.
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With what operator are you diving that you get to choose? I have only been to Roatan twice--the first time with one of the West End dive ops, which it seemed wouldn't visit any site more than a 10-minute ride away, and the second time with AKR, which seemed to have a lineup of sites that they visit every week and take everyone to during their stay. Neither operator asked anything like "so where does everyone want to dive today?" as I have experienced on some other trips, say, Cozumel. Perhaps there are dive ops on Roatan that offer more flexibility?
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As Lorenzoid +1
Some visiting divers might believe that they are being given choice and flexibility, but if a dive site isn't on a given dive op's regular menu, it's just not going to happen.
Yes, localized proximity is the key. Roatan is a long thin island, 17x5 miles. What may seem close by car is a long voyage by boat.
Some dive ops on the West End might offer an extra fee trip to the South side for Mary's Place, but there's so much more, right there, that they have no familiarity with, so they just skip it. You get Mary's Place, your "log book dive", one of the "must do" dives as listed in ScubaDiver Magazine.
Roatan is one of those places that if you want to see the remarkable and noted diversity of the u/w architecture, you have to use different dive ops. Once you get away from the very populated West End, to use dive ops that can give you the South side and Eastern end dive sites- they are simply not walk-in type operations. They are either AI (and a considerable drive of 1 to 1.5 hrs from West End) or provide only very occasional dive services as a secondary, on demand tye of business.
There's a lot to see u/w on Roatan, but I recommend four one week visits to 4 very widespread locations before you might begin to lay claim to a basic familiarity with the diversity available. The list of regions/dive ops include: 1) West End/AKR, 2); South Mid (BFK, CCV, MLR); 3) Down East (RHR); and North Mid (TBR). There are really no cross overs.
Is it worth it? Oh my, yes.
Some visiting divers might believe that they are being given choice and flexibility, but if a dive site isn't on a given dive op's regular menu, it's just not going to happen.
Yes, localized proximity is the key. Roatan is a long thin island, 17x5 miles. What may seem close by car is a long voyage by boat.
Some dive ops on the West End might offer an extra fee trip to the South side for Mary's Place, but there's so much more, right there, that they have no familiarity with, so they just skip it. You get Mary's Place, your "log book dive", one of the "must do" dives as listed in ScubaDiver Magazine.
Roatan is one of those places that if you want to see the remarkable and noted diversity of the u/w architecture, you have to use different dive ops. Once you get away from the very populated West End, to use dive ops that can give you the South side and Eastern end dive sites- they are simply not walk-in type operations. They are either AI (and a considerable drive of 1 to 1.5 hrs from West End) or provide only very occasional dive services as a secondary, on demand tye of business.
There's a lot to see u/w on Roatan, but I recommend four one week visits to 4 very widespread locations before you might begin to lay claim to a basic familiarity with the diversity available. The list of regions/dive ops include: 1) West End/AKR, 2); South Mid (BFK, CCV, MLR); 3) Down East (RHR); and North Mid (TBR). There are really no cross overs.
Is it worth it? Oh my, yes.
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I think most of the dive shops on Roatan stay in their respective areas. I know Cocoview stays on the south close to their resort.
I did get an email from Aggressor this morning that they are bringing back a liveaboard boat that dives Roatan, Utila, and a few far off shore sites. Might be an option if you want to really sample diving in the whole area.
Doc, can you summarize what the diving is like in the different areas around Roatan and Utila ? I've only been to Cocoview.
I did get an email from Aggressor this morning that they are bringing back a liveaboard boat that dives Roatan, Utila, and a few far off shore sites. Might be an option if you want to really sample diving in the whole area.
Doc, can you summarize what the diving is like in the different areas around Roatan and Utila ? I've only been to Cocoview.
I got that, too. Seems to me a liveaboard would be ideal for the Bay Islands. I prefer a land-based resort in places where there is some specific reason to be on land, such as the place being known for its shore diving, or it having topside attractions. As much as I enjoy Honduras, I have to say that there is nothing special about the Bay Islands that makes me want to plant myself on one for a week of diving as opposed to roaming about on a liveaboard. Okay, I did enjoy hanging out like a dive bum for a month on Utila, but that was in my younger days.
KatieMac
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What area are you staying in?
Brodydog
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