Robertcrockett
Contributor
Utila trip Report june 2016
We packed down 150 lbs of medical supplies for the Cays and sponsored about 17 kids through school next year on the cays as well (uniforms/supplies etc...)Diving was generally warm and clear with an average of around 80 feet visibility. Reefs seemed healthy and ok with the occasional dead patch. Life was abundant with turtle, Nurse shark, many Moray, a few ray and sightings of Whale Shark being reported by Alton's. I personally did not see any Whale Shark or dolphins this trip. Shops all seemed to have a lot of traffic and divers. I dove for 10 days with UDC which still caters mostly to those seeking certifications and with shops such as Alton's focusing more on the recreational diver. UDC almost always has multiple full boats leaving around 7am and 1pm for two tank dives. Utila itself seemed a little quiet this June. The street crowds seemed about normal but the nightlife noise was down a few notches. Per usual Foo King Wok, RJs, Rehab and Skid Row still serve great food on the main drag in East Harbor. Common sense is still king in Utila. While sitting at Tranquila on the dock and enjoying a conversation with my fiancee, I immediately noticed 3 locals running a scam on a young man from the UK who was very intoxicated. I got in his ear and tried to explain to him that if he had friends he needed to find them and leave, as he was about to be robbed and possibly assaulted. He was far too drunk at this point to reason with and within 5 minutes they had swarmed. I took my fiancee away from the situation and a couple of DMs told me he was beaten very badly right outside the club. These same three individuals have been pulling this (Im your friend buddy, let me protect you from this other bad local) scam for years...Most of the violence (that I personally know of) can be attributed to them and I am not sure why the island continues to put up with it. I had a young man break into my room through a window while I was on the morning boat. He stole an empty wallet, a mobile phone and the room fan. Most concerning to me was that my fiancee was asleep in the room at the time. The owner of the place that I staying at managed to track down my phone and after a trip to the police station I was able to get the mobile back...now with a broken screen and missing SD card. If one sticks to the main places like Treetanic, Skids and Rehab for a few cocktails and uses a little common sense about how much alcohol they consume or money that they flash, I am sure most trips can go off without a hitch. However for me, this trip was probably my last. Even though I dive for free with UDC, I personally do not feel that I could take my children there. After a pretty brazen break in, I have a bad taste in my mouth about taking my future wife there and it seemed that i was asked to buy cocaine about 600 times a night. For close trips in the Bay Islands I will probably be sticking to Roatan from now on...my friends own a shop in West Bay anyway.
So to break it down...diving is good per usual for Utila. Prices are cheap. Use common sense and you can avoid most trouble in town. I still heartily recommend it to someone who has never been...it is always an experience. Just not really one for me anymore.
We packed down 150 lbs of medical supplies for the Cays and sponsored about 17 kids through school next year on the cays as well (uniforms/supplies etc...)Diving was generally warm and clear with an average of around 80 feet visibility. Reefs seemed healthy and ok with the occasional dead patch. Life was abundant with turtle, Nurse shark, many Moray, a few ray and sightings of Whale Shark being reported by Alton's. I personally did not see any Whale Shark or dolphins this trip. Shops all seemed to have a lot of traffic and divers. I dove for 10 days with UDC which still caters mostly to those seeking certifications and with shops such as Alton's focusing more on the recreational diver. UDC almost always has multiple full boats leaving around 7am and 1pm for two tank dives. Utila itself seemed a little quiet this June. The street crowds seemed about normal but the nightlife noise was down a few notches. Per usual Foo King Wok, RJs, Rehab and Skid Row still serve great food on the main drag in East Harbor. Common sense is still king in Utila. While sitting at Tranquila on the dock and enjoying a conversation with my fiancee, I immediately noticed 3 locals running a scam on a young man from the UK who was very intoxicated. I got in his ear and tried to explain to him that if he had friends he needed to find them and leave, as he was about to be robbed and possibly assaulted. He was far too drunk at this point to reason with and within 5 minutes they had swarmed. I took my fiancee away from the situation and a couple of DMs told me he was beaten very badly right outside the club. These same three individuals have been pulling this (Im your friend buddy, let me protect you from this other bad local) scam for years...Most of the violence (that I personally know of) can be attributed to them and I am not sure why the island continues to put up with it. I had a young man break into my room through a window while I was on the morning boat. He stole an empty wallet, a mobile phone and the room fan. Most concerning to me was that my fiancee was asleep in the room at the time. The owner of the place that I staying at managed to track down my phone and after a trip to the police station I was able to get the mobile back...now with a broken screen and missing SD card. If one sticks to the main places like Treetanic, Skids and Rehab for a few cocktails and uses a little common sense about how much alcohol they consume or money that they flash, I am sure most trips can go off without a hitch. However for me, this trip was probably my last. Even though I dive for free with UDC, I personally do not feel that I could take my children there. After a pretty brazen break in, I have a bad taste in my mouth about taking my future wife there and it seemed that i was asked to buy cocaine about 600 times a night. For close trips in the Bay Islands I will probably be sticking to Roatan from now on...my friends own a shop in West Bay anyway.
So to break it down...diving is good per usual for Utila. Prices are cheap. Use common sense and you can avoid most trouble in town. I still heartily recommend it to someone who has never been...it is always an experience. Just not really one for me anymore.
