 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeArticlesDiving DestinationsLearning Scuba DivingMarine LifeMiscellaneousDiscussion GroupsGeneralScuba EquipmentScuba LocationsAustralian ScubaUK ScubaDirectoryScuba Clubs |
Scuba Forum / General / April 2004Roatan diving advise needed
Whenever I need advise I turn to the wise people of usenet - hope you guys can help me out on this one! In June we have a group of 17 people(16 to mid 40's) traveling aboard the cruiseship Paradise to Belize, Roatan, Cozumel and Grand Cayman. It has been suggested to me that the best place for us to dive is Roatan. We will have approximately 8 divers (3 experienced/5 newly certified & 9 snorkelers). We would like to stay together for the day. I ran across a glowing recommendation for the Inn of Last Resort, but unfortunately their boat is booked up for the day. They recommended a charter that docks with them the Circe a 52 foot Hatteras Yacht ( www.bayislandcharters.com ) that looks pretty good although it's a tad pricey I think ($115 2/tank dive & $65 for snorkelers with equipt,lunch and transport about $1500 no discount for the large group). I like the idea of having the boat to ourselves the dives sites and times will be tailored to our group, and I would want to hire at least one extra DM because of the newbies. I've also emailed Fantasy Island and CoCo View although CCV hasn't answered yet. Fantasy Island said they could accommodate the group, provide beach/dive access, equipt, transport and lunch for about $850.00. Don't know how much extra it would be for boat access or if we could all stay together have emailed asking that. If just a beach dive don't know about services of a DM and I'm a little concerned about the sand flea issue that the other boat wouldn't have. Think I also read somewhere that FI caters to the cruise ship crowds and I don't want to be one of the masses! So ok dive gurus I need your input and suggestions! I've never been there and not sure how to choose so that everyone in my group has a good stressfree time. I'm thinking the boat might provide a little more "support" for the group than the resort would. What would YOU do? > Whenever I need advise I turn to the wise people of usenet - hope you > guys can help me out on this one! [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > equipt,lunch and transport - about $1500 no discount for the large > group). Outrageous. >I like the idea of having the boat to ourselves - the dives > sites and times will be tailored to our group, and I would want to [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > also read somewhere that FI caters to the cruise ship crowds and I > don't want to be one of the masses! Hold out for Cocoview, I think. I haven't been there and Doc can sure better advise. However, I have read that Fantasy Island isn't all that for shore dives and the price Fanatasy is asking should be boat dives too. > So ok dive gurus.I need your input and suggestions! I've never been > there and not sure how to choose so that everyone in my group has a > good - stressfree time. I'm thinking the boat might provide a little > more "support" for the group than the resort would. > > What would YOU do? Get hold of Doc Adelman. > > Whenever I need advise I turn to the wise people of usenet - hope you > > guys can help me out on this one! [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > > Get hold of Doc Adelman. I am beheld! When I first read the post, as most of the posts from CSDivers, I usualy am wary of recommending CCV. Yes- they will do CSDivers, but most of them wind up at AKR playing with the dolphins. CCV is just for diving- no pool, no shopping, no fancy beach- just diving. Most who have jumped ship fancy themselves as divers, but want a broader experience. Your post- well stated- was a notable exception- deliniating what you wanted, experience level and more. I can work with that! Sand Fleas are going to be an issue if you even get off the Cruise Ship. Slather up with DEET and do it often. This is not specific to the Bay Islands- they're all over the Caribbean- but Utila and Roatan have the world's best sand fleas. With a mix of snorkelers and SCUBA divers, you would probably do well to go to CCV. Call them at 800 282-8932 and ask for the set up. (or at http://www.cocoviewresort.com and get on the chat board for other info) I think you'll be happier with the price as thrashing around on a 52 foot sailboat for $1500 seems a stretch. The Hatteras is prolly way better than the first option you mentioned, even though. CCV has superb shore diving, shallow water snokel opportunities just in front of the resort. FIBR shares the same channel, but that's all that can be said of similarities. CCV's boats are perfection. You could easily spend your day prowling around the front yard on shore dives and not get bored. As CSDivers you will have your own DM (a safety thing but an excellent resource for "critter gitters"). Your wanting a DM is a good sign- be sure to slip him a few bucks in advance and remind him you want to see the cool stuff! (a good idea anywhere) Some find great experiences with the West End "walk in" day dive ops. Some don't. Not for your group, but if you have "divers only" (not snorkel/dive mix) in mind- always take a look at Subway Divers located at the French Harbour Yacht Club. Nearby as well is the Wiakula Shark dive (which can be a twitchy dive, fine for the experienced, but with the smaller open boat and common ripping current... you do the math). Many Cruise ship divers see a resort on Roatan and skip the ship the next time and just fly to Roatan. I've seen it happen a lot at CoCo View. You helped confirm the direction I was leaning - to CCV. I sent another email today (I like having questions and answers in writing) but will call them if I don't hear back soon. I'm hoping to hear good news from them. We're all easy going "safety first" people who just want a non complicated day together seeing cool things. Thanks for your help Robert! Barbara > > > Whenever I need advise I turn to the wise people of usenet - hope you > > > guys can help me out on this one! [quoted text clipped - 86 lines] > Many Cruise ship divers see a resort on Roatan and skip the ship the next > time and just fly to Roatan. I've seen it happen a lot at CoCo View. > Whenever I need advise I turn to the wise people of usenet - hope you > guys can help me out on this one! [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > What would YOU do? You could drop my Sister a line: gillian@notton.net. She runs a dive shop there (Subway http://www.subwaywatersports.com/) and would (I'm sure) tailor an itinerary to suit you. I have no financial interest, only a family one!! Pip pip  SignatureChris Notton Replace "nospam" with my surname to reply by email Sostituisca il "nospam" con il mio cognome per rispondere }<////(*> In article <b7688be3.0403302355.6192ff5a@posting.google.com>, boliver@thevine.net says... > Whenever I need advise I turn to the wise people of usenet - hope you > guys can help me out on this one! [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > What would YOU do? You could drop my Sister a line: gillian@notton.net. She runs a dive shop there (Subway http://www.subwaywatersports.com/) and would (I'm sure) tailor an itinerary to suit you. I have no financial interest, only a family one!! Pip pip As previously recommended by me here. I saw her over Christmas- diving with a Santa hat. Harumph. doc -- Chris Notton Replace "nospam" with my surname to reply by email Sostituisca il "nospam" con il mio cognome per rispondere }<////(*> boliver@thevine.net (barbara) pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :In June we have a group of 17 people(16 to mid 40's) traveling aboard :the cruiseship Paradise to Belize, Roatan, Cozumel and Grand Cayman. :It has been suggested to me that the best place for us to dive is :Roatan. We will have approximately 8 divers (3 experienced/5 newly :certified & 9 snorkelers). We would like to stay together for the day. I've been to all those places and I think the best place to dive is Cozumel. Dan Bracuk If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure. The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/ > I've also emailed Fantasy Island and CoCo View – although CCV hasn't > answered yet. Fantasy Island said they could accommodate the group, > provide beach/dive access, equipt, transport and lunch for about > $850.00. CoCo View and Fantasy Island are a stone's throw apart. I have gone diving with both. On one visit to Fantasy Island, a friend was with me who does not dive. He went on the boat with us, he snorkeling while the rest of us went diving. I do not think you can go wrong with either place. Roatan is beautiful but they have sand fleas. Look out for the jellyfish, I was stung on my last two visits (January and March). Becca (snip)> Look out for the > jellyfish, I was stung on my last two visits (January and March). Becca, have you ever tried the SafeSea? > Becca, have you ever tried the SafeSea? No, but I will give it a try. In January it stung me on the hiney, so I guess you have to apply the SafeSea all over. Or wherever I can reach! Becca > > Becca, have you ever tried the SafeSea? > > No, but I will give it a try. In January it stung me on the hiney, so I > guess you have to apply the SafeSea all over. Or wherever I can reach! Try not diving naked. That works for me. > > Becca, have you ever tried the SafeSea? > > No, but I will give it a try. In January it stung me on the hiney, so I > guess you have to apply the SafeSea all over. Or wherever I can reach! > > Becca Potions and ointments aside, simply covering yourself with nothing thicker than pantyhose will stop any jellyfish stinger from getting you. It's only a matter of finding them in size "58 Stout" Cover up. Doc. > > > Becca, have you ever tried the SafeSea? > > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Cover up. Sounds all well and good but the last person that I heard about, got stung on her lips. Of course, many other women pay big bucks for that look . . . > > > > Becca, have you ever tried the SafeSea? > > > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Sounds all well and good but the last person that I heard about, got stung > on her lips. Of course, many other women pay big bucks for that look . . . Snork ! In 1985 at (then primitive) CoCo View a fellow diver thought he was having a coronary... Got hit bang on the Femoral artery and then sucked one into his snorkel closing down his body pretty quickly. We had his gear divided up but the MSG from the Adolph's Meat Tenderizer brought the swelling back down and poor Allan back to life. I have the same issue with my balding pate and flapping ears. I now use a nylon balclava (isnt that the Greek/Armenian pastry?) head cover- available from motorcylce or ski shops (some military surplus/cop shops) Sea Wasp hint: Always (esp in water shallower than 30fsw) scan above and in front constantly with your light. This entails an extra effort and intentional look-see well above your normal view. I have never been hit- but I have seen some monsters. Most Sea Wasps, aka (in Roatan) Box Jellies, etc., look like the glassine wrapper off of a pack of cigarettes (remember those?) with four tentacles that dangle maybe 4-9" below. They are atracted to light and are usualy found in the shallows. However- I have seen one individual the size of a Foster's beer can, tentacles measured to 24" long, pumping away at 45fsw. Glad I saw her first. Doc. >> Becca, have you ever tried the SafeSea? > >No, but I will give it a try. In January it stung me on the hiney, so I >guess you have to apply the SafeSea all over. Or wherever I can reach! > >Becca I'll help :-) Signaturedillon Life is always short, but only you can make it sweet >Whenever I need advise I turn to the wise people of usenet - hope you >guys can help me out on this one! You must be on drugs then.............only arsehole's and pricks on rec.scuba in general. >In June we have a group of 17 people(16 to mid 40's) traveling aboard >the cruiseship Paradise to Belize, Roatan, Cozumel and Grand Cayman. [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > >What would YOU do? |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.