West end shore diving roatan

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Candiru

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We are staying at half moon bay cabins and looking for a shore diving diving opertunity the first day we arrive. Does anybody have first hand experience with shore diving in half moon bay?
 
There's two. Actually one ends at HMBR. You walk about 5mins further eest and go in off Seagrape Plantations concrete slab - depending on the tide/conditions it's one-way around the west point and into Half Moon Bay. Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Sea Grape of Honduras, Roatan, Caribbean
Once you commit you can't get out the ironshore along the way is vertical and 10-15' high.

The Stanley Sub guy (based at HMBR dropped a small sailboat out front but it's not very deep - he harvests lead from the keel. So if you have any air left you can play in the shallows off your resort - Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Half Moon Bay of Honduras, Roatan, Caribbean
I rent the blue house with all the decks you'll pass so know the area.

The other dive is a decent swim out from Sueno Del Mar's beach - it's one of the listed West End Wall sites - IDK which one. We dove one of them and the crew offered to drop us off to swim back into Half Moon Bay so it's doable.

Note: sites 1-3, 5-7 on this list are on private property now - Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Honduras, Roatan, Caribbean

Also if there's still a shop at SeaGrape rent tanks from them since you'll be using their facilities. It's hard to tell- Diveshop – Seagrape Plantation Resort Hotel
 
I've gone snorkling at night there many times and it's a great spot for that. Well it actually got not as nice now that Half Moon Bay Cabins closed off their patio to non guests. Was very easy going off their steps and almost always saw octos very close to shore. Maybe you could talk the dive op that's right there to allow you to use their gear?

Why not just do a boat dive? If you get there in the morning you can easily make the afternoon dive.

There's definitely a shop at Seagrape but it's a boat diving operation. I've never seen anyone with tanks go into the wateroff the access there. I'm guessing the shop wouldn't "rent" gear for that use if you just show up, possibly they'd consider it if you were diving with them (I've thought of asking to do it for a night dive) but I'd be surprised if they did it.

Many people snorkel there, and the reef is certainly close enough though a bit deep unless you free dive rather than just staying on the surface. Caution if advised as the water taxis routinely and frequently pass inside the mooring buoys and I heard than a snorkeler was seriously injured after getting run over this spring
 
gotcha, we always try to arrive in the AM so we can get in a dive. I just looked up the name of the shop by HMB cabins, it's Ecodivers and maybe you could have them set you up for an afternoon dive off the stairs there? I mostly dive with Seagrape so don't know Eco so can't comment further. Rest assured a night snorkle from he stairs never lets us down. Bring a light and go for it. It's amazing what you'll see; from octos' (pretty sure two were mating last year, that or fighting), barracuda, tarpon, squid, morays, to even eagle rays in 3' of water once.

The one roadblock to getting someone to let you dive off their "beach" is that you''ll be an unknown to whichever shop you'll be diving with and they always want to see you in the water before judging how much attention you'll need and if it's ok to trust you independently diving. Yes, it's Honduras but in my experience shops do accept responsibility for those diving with them and don't just ignore liability.
 
You could call around the West End shops to see who if anyone is doing a dusk/night dive,Seemed like someone was every night except probably not Fri/Sat nights since most resorts turn over then.

As Snodge mentioned they may want to see you dive first.
 
I’ve watched a week of answers tag on, all 5 in all.

OT: Shore diving, “West End” (Half Moon), same day as “arriving 1:30ish”.

You have to assume, that after even a cursory search here on this SB Forum and the Googles, that West End shore diving is a seldom asked question, and even less often answered. Essentially there is none. As compared to another island, Bonaire being the Caribbean high bar, nor even the very few recognized shore dives on Roatan (the bar being set there by CCV and FIBR, which singularly challenges that entire Dutch Island)

I know of NO reported Bay Islands dive op allowing their tanks to be carted off prem. This is not at all a liability issue, it is a loss prevention measure. Maybe after you marry their Cousin, but simply not going to happen on your first day, first week, or first passing of the Paschal Moon.

They simply do not care about your log book or patches on your red jacket that is too warm to wear on Roatan...so why did you bring that thing :wink: They will carefully watch you gear up and your performance will rate the proverbial stink-eye at least through your fourth dive. This is the same everywhere in Paradise. They’ve seen it all, and we are it. No matter how good you are, these guys (some w/o any C Card), are Jedi masters over us.

The shore diving in this general zone West and North is simply not well suited to shore entries and exits, nor for the same reason, the U/W geography, the kind of Coral structures that most divers “need to see”, most structures are for most, fully 1/2 tank Seaward. Close-in Muck diving is not for many, but it is rockin good.

Now, examine the arrival time of “1:30ish”. Aircraft landing? Sounds about right. This might put you at your room with your unzipped bags, if you’re really crazy lucky, by what...3:30? Now, unpack, go pick up those now-assumably pre-arranged tanks, gear up, figure out how to get to the entry point....and, you might want to have brought a flashlight because it’s going to take longer and it will be getting dark.

I am quietly amused by the perceived need to begin diving on the first day of arrival. This rarely occurs (when compared to that number expressing initial “need” vs actual execution). I ascribe to the oft discussed cautions about the dehydrating effect of air travel and consider the possible heightened risk of DCS to be not worth the risk. I hydrate, unpack, and get oriented to the dive op system.

This “amusement” is further heightened by watching these GDT travelers (gotta-dive-today) as they spend their week. Most all are eventually skipping one and likely two 24 hour periods with no diving. I’m not seeing very much returned value in that GDT stress.

Do your first dive the next morning, all relaxed, destressed, organized,

If you or anyone else can post details of a local WE/N shore dive that you would repeat, please post the actual methodology- draw a map of the entry, sketch the route to the actual interesting part of the diving. If you can rent takeaway tanks, sound the horn, you’ll be right in there with the likes of Admiral Byrd.
 
I know of NO reported Bay Islands dive op allowing their tanks to be carted off prem.
And now Maybe you do - Roatán Scuba Diving & Snorkeling | Brisas del Mar, Dive & Beach Resort assuming they kept Sueno's policy.

The AL-100's I dove all week were Sueno's - marked on the neck. They went with me to 4 different dive ops, 2 north/2 south, I do agree they may be about the only one though

Somebody in West Bay is renting tanks for the lousy shore dive there - IDK who?
 
So the former operation used to rent tanks for takeaway?

Anyone with first-hand current experience? Not seeing any confirmation with that internet research on the website linked.

So, you’re diving with 100’s, Doesn’t that make everyone using 80’s end their dives long before you and have to wait? How are them big boys suited for shore diving entries through the iron shore?

Wait, I believe I’m seeing a pattern here.



 
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