Roatan vs Cozumel

[farsidefan1]

I've been to Coz, Roatan (anthonys 1, fantasy island 1, west end 2, cocoview 6) and Bonaire. I enjoy them all and would have a tough time choosing simply because each is so different. I do however have a problem with Bonaire shore diving because my knees are so lousy. Scrambling over broken coral and rocks is a bit tough on my old joints. My solution is to hire a boat to take me to some of the tough locations (1,000 steps? not bad by boat and going in off the piers at several locations. Given the experiences of the OP I would suggest Roatan. You will be able to sharpen your skills in relatively benign conditions. At Cocoview you can do 4 boat dives a day and shore diving till your hearts content. Nothing improves your dive skill as much as diving. Fantasy island shares the same shore diving but it is a bit more complicated to access it. You can get in 25+ dives easily in a week. Anyway, just my .02 cents once you have more dives under your belt you should venture out into the world. The pacific awaits with a whole new experience.

 

[stevep4444]

I have been to both several times. My preference is Roatan and staying in West End. There are a number of great dive shops to choose from,a variety of places to eat and stay and it is safe. The vibe,the diving and the people (from the Island ,the transients and vacationers) seem to be a good fit for me. Depends on what kind of traveller you are and what you are looking for.Having said that, you will not know if it is for you unless you try.

 

[Doc]

.... inflate my BCD all the way....and shoot straight up. I went up so fast, it was like 8 or 10 secs and I'm on the surface I didn't want to die down there in the deep blue. DM found out that I was in deep sh**t he tried to grab my leg and pull me down but it's was too late. When I was up on the boat I'd still had 1700 psi left, so I guess I didn't dive or stayed down there long enough to have DCS when I shot up.
Later he told me I was down at about 80 ft or so when I shot up to the surface. And I asked him is it possible that I can get a hit since I ascended to fast, he said that he thought that I didn't have enough Nitogen in me that can cause DCS. Then he asked if I want to continue the dive since you've still have 1700 left,

Your DM's opinion was faulty.

 

[Mike]

Thanks everyone for their comments and inputs. I've think I've learned this for sure, that diving is probably overall easier at Roatan; shallower, no current, Cozumel dives are usually deeper and in current. I was in Coz. this mid-July. First dive of the week, Palancar area, wall dive, currents was so strong, my mistake of not drift dive in almost a year and I didn't know how to drift dive...suddenly I was about 15ft - 20ft away from the wall ahead of the group, realized that I'd tried to fight the current to get back to the DM and my group. I was fighting the current so hard to get back to the wall then suddenly one of my fin came loose and fell off my boot. I was still kicking with one fin, and then I'd noticed that I'm descending and drifted further away from the wall so fast. I still don't know was it because of kicking with only one fin that couldn't create any force to keep me at current depth or was it a down current that pull me down. The current that day was so strong. I was so scared, it was just deep dark blue on one side and a manificient beautiful wall on the other so I freaked out inflate my BCD all the way....and shoot straight up. I went up so fast, it was like 8 or 10 secs and I'm on the surface I didn't want to die down there in the deep blue. DM found out that I was in deep sh**t he tried to grab my leg and pull me down but it's was too late. When I was up on the boat I'd still had 1700 psi left, so I guess I didn't dive or stayed down there long enough to have DCS when I shot up.
Later he told me I was down at about 80 ft or so when I shot up to the surface. And I asked him is it possible that I can get a hit since I ascended to fast, he said that he thought that I didn't have enough Nitogen in me that can cause DCS. Then he asked if I want to continue the dive since you've still have 1700 left, are you kidding me!!!....No way, I'm sitting on the boat, I was so shakened up. While sitting on the boat I kept imagined thing like is my hand numbs, are my feet numb....Any way we did our usual 1st tank SI then I dove with the group on the 2nd tank that day and 7 days after that with no problem.

What about my lungs did it expand too fast and can cause damage when I ascend so quickly from about 80 ft deep like that. I thought I was going die, but I'd really want to see my son and wife and die but not in the deep blue water. Sorry I'm a novice diver with only about 40 dives, think about it again I should have gone to Roatan first to learn how to dive and get really good at it. Cozumel currents sometimes is just strong and wild...and sometimes there is none....

um... no. You just need to hone your basic skills. With a complete mastery of the basics, you'll find drift diving is the easiest diving you'll ever do. 99.99% of the time the diving in Cozumel is drift diving not current diving, there is a difference. What could be easier then descending, exerting no effort during the dive, ascending where ever you are and having the boat waiting for you? You really should have dive competency where at 80 ft I could hold you down while I fill your BCD and let you go like a balloon and you should be able to slow, arrest and reverse your ascent easily within 20-30 ft. We can easily remove the current you're blaming from the equation and put you in the same scenario of being over buoyant by simply inserting another factor such as your weight belt falls off, or your inflator gets stuck on... then what? Some current in Cozumel isn't the problem, it's always going to be something, if you don't have your basics dialed in it will always be something that can cause you problems.

The biggest problem in your scenario was - where was your buddy? Failed buddy protocol resulted in you being alone to deal with your problem.

 

[morecowbells]

What about my lungs did it expand too fast and can cause damage when I ascend so quickly from about 80 ft deep like that. I thought I was going die, but I'd really want to see my son and wife and die but not in the deep blue water. Sorry I'm a novice diver with only about 40 dives, think about it again I should have gone to Roatan first to learn how to dive and get really good at it. Cozumel currents sometimes is just strong and wild...and sometimes there is none....

Flofish, I think every one of us divers have made a mistake. I appreciate your honesty and insight. One time in Cozumel I got super excited to find a juvenile turtle. I was taking pictures one after another and before I realized it, I got separated from my husband and entire dive group as the currents were fairly strong. I did the PADI one minute search then slowly ascended. The only thing I could see was blue all around me. I never thought it was possible to fill my mask up with tears(I am not a crying type either)until this incident. Fortunately we all spotted each other on the surface. Turns out that my husband was using his underwater maraca when the current was getting stronger and perhaps the strong current made it difficult for me to hear. While that incident kept me shaking all day and gave me nightmares, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I view it as my 'get out of jail free' card and it has made me a better diver who is militant about the dive buddy system and more cognizant of my surroundings.

For consistent pristine dives, I would have to say that Cozumel has more to offer. I also feel there is far more marine life and more 'fish bowl effect' there is well. However with Cozumel you have to contend with pricier diving, strong currents and obnoxious store hawkers and time share salesman. Each time I have visited Cozumel in the winter time I have lost a couple of days of diving due to storm fronts from the north. While you may run that risk with Roatan, it is far less likely. In Roatan I have experienced so-so dives to awesome dives i.e. the shark dive. I think it is a good winter alternative to Cozumel. I also enjoy diving in Curacao. Easy to get to, consistent weather(not prone to hurricanes or norte's), and wonderful shore diving. The disadvantage is lack of larger sea life.

 

[Bill Parker]

Been to both. One thing that I don't think has been mentioned is
the lack of crowds at Roatan compared to Cozumel. The smaller
group sizes at Roatan were nice. They have giant boats at
Cozumel that hold 20+ divers. When one of those things dumps
a megagroup of divers it's no fun wasting bottom time trying to
avoid getting your mask raked off by someone who's finning
your face when two groups merge underwater. The smaller the
group the better.

 

[Mike]

In 15 years of diving Cozumel I've never witnessed 20+ divers being dumped on a dive site. It could be possible, I've just never seen it.

One thing for sure, when it comes to diving in Cozumel there are so many dive operators that you can tailor your diving to anything you want. Big groups, small groups, big tanks, fast boats, big slow boats, easy diving, advanced diving...

 

[kixy1]

I've been to both, in fact I may have started a thread a few years back with the exact same title? Here's the bottom line, you've been given some great input and comparisons, but you've been to Cozumel, now go check out Roatan. If you're worried the diving won't be 'as good', or it won't be 'as fun' as Cozumel, don't. Book your trip and make us all jealous.

 

[sharkshark]

...Just got back from my third trip in three years to Cozumel, now itching for somewhere also not so egregiously expensive to get to for next February from Toronto. My spouse is a non-diver, but we kind of adore Cozumel as it's a place we can shore-snorkel with ease, there's opportunity to go to the East side for a completely different vibe, etc. For me, I adore the fact that I'm diving Nitrox and Steel 120s in the Caribbean, resulting in way more bottom time for this air pig. Plus, you know, the diving's damn good.

This was first year that I experienced the port being closed, killing 2 days of West-side diving (I did get a chance to see the East side, but once seemed enough). We've stayed the last two years at the Palace, centrally located, with a great little reef out front for swimming around in coral. Coz's Playa Corona is still probably the best shore dive/snorkel I've ever experienced.

Still, curious if somewhere on Roatan's there's enough to do for the non diver (including, well, "nothing"), as well as opportunities for snorkel and the like. There seem to be more than a fair share of resort options, and it sure seems like it's not going to be covered in only one trip. Welcome any suggestions from someone that can relate to Cozumel experience options in Roatan.

 

[Doc]

Finding 120's on Roatan will be a task.

Comparatively, there is nothing to do on Roatan for the non-diver.

Shore diving (and thus good snorkeling) on Roatan is very limited.

To have only been to Cozumel and not Roatan would be a serious error... at least in the perspective of a diver.

Escape one of your most serious limiting factors- those 120's. They really do not give you that much more air, and they can easily be challenged by good buoyancy and "swimming" styles. Take time off for 1/2 day and do a buoyancy skills refresher. Have someone shoot a video of you, look at your hands and body positions.

Roatan has comparatively no currents. The North & North West are protected zones so you will see many mid sized specimens of what were once common Caribbean fish. The South side is unique in the Caribbean, a nursery set amidst a lush shallow vertical Sunlit wall.

In so many ways, Roatan is not Cozumel.