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Scuba Forum / Scuba Locations / May 2005aggressor live aboards KONA or BAY ISLANDS? which is better
I am trying to decide which one to go to, never been on a live aboard dive boat before but am very excited to go, semi new to diving and this will be a good chance to get more experience, anyhoo has anyone ever been on either or both ships? if so message me with info on which one is the better of the two. I have dove KONA and it was great, never dove the atlantic though mostly Hawaii, California and Japan. thanks JIM rescorla@avaya.com pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :I am trying to decide which one to go to, never been on a live aboard :dive boat before but am very excited to go, semi new to diving and this :will be a good chance to get more experience, anyhoo has anyone ever :been on either or both ships? if so message me with info on which one :is the better of the two. I have dove KONA and it was great, never dove :the atlantic though mostly Hawaii, California and Japan. thanks JIM The Aggressor is a fine fleet, but it's not the only fine fleet out there. Bay Islands is nice once you get there, but getting there is a bit of a crapshoot. I've been twice, and both times we spent unscheduled nights in San Pedro Sula because it was too stormy to land in Roatan. Other good choices for Caribbean liveaboards are Turks and Caicos, Belize, Bahamas, and the Caymans. Other fleets of comparble quality to the Aggressors are Nekton, Peter Hughes, and the Explorers. They all have websites. By the way, they are all good choices. If you are having trouble deciding, draw names from a hat. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. >I've been twice, and both times we spent >unscheduled nights in San Pedro Sula because it was too stormy to land >in Roatan. That would sure suck on the way there, but one time on the way home, we couldn't take off from San Pedro Sula due to heavy fog. I got a couple of nights at El Gran Hotel Sula and meals. I had a great time. > >I've been twice, and both times we spent > >unscheduled nights in San Pedro Sula because it was too stormy to land [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > we couldn't take off from San Pedro Sula due to heavy fog. I got a > couple of nights at El Gran Hotel Sula and meals. I had a great time. Do the liveaboards leave from San Pedro Sula? If you need to get to Roatan, then there are direct flights from Houston on Continental and TACA. Continental only flies to Roatan on Saturdays though, so maybe that doesn't work? As for TACA, I don't know the schedule. >Do the liveaboards leave from San Pedro Sula? No, it's inland. The Aggressor docks in French Harbor, Roatan. > >Do the liveaboards leave from San Pedro Sula? > > No, it's inland. > The Aggressor docks in French Harbor, Roatan. In that case, the direct flights should solve some of the problem, yes? "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :In that case, the direct flights should solve some of the problem, yes? Not the problem I had. In both cases, (Oct 90 and Dec 93) we actually flew from San Pedro Sula to Roatan, turned around and came back. Dark and stormy night, no runway lights or something like that. The situation may have improved since then, I neither know nor care. The first time it happened, as we were coming back into the airport (domestic gate of course), there was a poster on the wall advertising a local bar. At the top, in big letters, in English, was written, "Stuck in San Pedo Sula?". Seemed to be a regular event. By the way, I don't believe that there are, or ever have been any direct flights from Toronto to Roatan. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> pounded away at his keyboard resulting > in: > > By the way, I don't believe that there are, or ever have been any > direct flights from Toronto to Roatan. http://www.transat.com/en/media_centre/2.0.media.centre.asp?id=817 I think Signature has flights in also. When I was there, there were Westjet planes on the tarmac. It was my understanding that they were flying for Air Transat and/or Signature. > Do the liveaboards leave from San Pedro Sula? If you need to get to > Roatan, > then there are direct flights from Houston on Continental and TACA. > Continental only flies to Roatan on Saturdays though, so maybe that > doesn't > work? As for TACA, I don't know the schedule. I'm flying TACA in December and we're changing planes in San Pedro Sula. > > Do the liveaboards leave from San Pedro Sula? If you need to get to > > Roatan, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > I'm flying TACA in December and we're changing planes in San Pedro Sula. Apparently, according to this thread, you hope "you are changing planes in San Pedro Sula". > Apparently, according to this thread, you hope "you are changing planes in > San Pedro Sula". We land at 11 a.m. It's not very dark at 11 a.m. > > Apparently, according to this thread, you hope "you are changing planes in > > San Pedro Sula". > > We land at 11 a.m. It's not very dark at 11 a.m. Ever heard of weather? Honduran time? The sign in the SPS airport that says "Stuck in San Pedro Sula?" > Ever heard of weather? No. > Honduran time? What is 11 a.m. in Honduran time? > The sign in the SPS airport that > says "Stuck in San Pedro Sula?" I was stuck in Toronto overnight once. Does that count? > > Ever heard of weather? > > No. Well, I hope you don't get any then. > > Honduran time? > > What is 11 a.m. in Honduran time? Oh, I dunno. A couple of hours later probably. Here's an excerpt from a trip report. "we were able to go standby on a 1:30 flight. Unfortunately, this flight stopped in La Ceiba, and there we experienced a 2-hour delay." Here's another that I found amusing: "We get to San Pedro Sula, and they take us off the plane to re-fuel. Then they put us back on the plane. Then they take us off of the plane, and send us up to the International waiting lounge, then 10 minutes later, tell us to get back on the plane, as the weather has cleared in BC. Well...now the time is a bit tight to catch the connection, but it looks like we'll make it. We touch down in BC at 10:15 AM, and there's not another plane on the ground, so I think, alright, the planes' not even here yet, right? WRONG! San Pedro Sula never radioed to BC to let them know that our flight was NOT cancelled, so they let the Houston flight go early. We ended up having to pay for seats on a Continental flight 4 1/2 hours later, just to make it home 6 hours late!!! My advice: Don't take TACA on any indirect flights." This one: "Our connection was delayed by two hours, so we relaxed outside for a bit while waiting for our plane." > > The sign in the SPS airport that > > says "Stuck in San Pedro Sula?" > > I was stuck in Toronto overnight once. Does that count? No, it doesn't because as I understand it, you've paid the fine. > "Our connection was delayed by two hours, so we relaxed outside for a bit > while waiting for our plane." It's nice they let you relax outside. I've had connections delayed for two-hour stretches in Houston several times on Continental flights. Heck, I remember having to wait for one of those island hoppers to Ambergris Caye when the originally scheduled flight had taken off early or something, giving Jet an hour more of revenue. It's hardly the end of the world. That's what airport bars are made for. >> I was stuck in Toronto overnight once. Does that count? > > No, it doesn't because as I understand it, you've paid the fine. The fine wasn't for getting stuck in Toronto. No one reimbursed me for the $150 (US) bar tab at the Gateway Sheraton, though we did get a free buffet dinner on Fidel. > Apparently, according to this thread, you hope "you are changing planes in > San Pedro Sula". It sounds like the chances of changing planes are close to 100%. It's what happens afterward that's uncertain.  SignatureSteve The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a reasonable belief that it was intended as a statement of fact. If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address. > > Apparently, according to this thread, you hope "you are changing planes in > > San Pedro Sula". > > It sounds like the chances of changing planes are close to 100%. It's what happens > afterward that's uncertain. :^) >> >I've been twice, and both times we spent >> >unscheduled nights in San Pedro Sula because it was too stormy to land [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >Continental only flies to Roatan on Saturdays though, so maybe that doesn't >work? As for TACA, I don't know the schedule. That's okay, TACA doesn't know their schedule, either. I think all the live aboards go Saturday to Saturday, at least in the Caribbean. Signaturedillon Women should be obscene and not absurd. thanks I'll check them out >I am trying to decide which one to go to, never been on a live aboard > dive boat before but am very excited to go, semi new to diving and this > will be a good chance to get more experience, anyhoo has anyone ever > been on either or both ships? if so message me with info on which one > is the better of the two. I have dove KONA and it was great, never dove > the atlantic though mostly Hawaii, California and Japan. thanks JIM I haven't done either of those Aggressors, though I've done a couple others (Tahiti, Galapagos) and am scheduled on the Okeanos Aggressor (Cocos) in July. I have dove Kona, but only off day boats. If I were in your shoes, I'd go with the Bay Islands boat mainly because Caribbean diving will be new to you and you'll appreciate the diversity of the corals which is rather lacking in Kona. Part of the liveaboard experience is getting to sites undiveable from day boats. I understand that the Kona Aggressor reaches sites much further south than the day boats out of Kona, but can't imagine that the sites would be too radically different from the diving closer in to Kona. And the usual afternoon choppy Hawaiian seas mean it will be a bouncy ride the entire trip. The Kona Aggressor is on my list of boats to do someday but it's not very high on my list. > I haven't done either of those Aggressors, though I've done a couple > others (Tahiti, Galapagos) and am scheduled on the Okeanos Aggressor > (Cocos) in July. I have dove Kona, but only off day boats. ........... >.......The Kona Aggressor is on my list of boats to do someday but it's not >very high on my list. I've done the Kona Aggressor (but the old one, that I think is now in palau). Anyway, I thought Kona diving wasn't good enough for a long trip (I'm in Colorado) specifically for the diving. I would choose Bay Isalnds, not because of boat preference, but because I think the diving is better and more varied....or better because it is more varied. thanks I am in colorado as well, and am going for primarily the diving aswell also, so you have helped bigtime thanks > thanks I am in colorado as well, and am going for primarily the diving > aswell also, so you have helped bigtime thanks To be honest with you, I would skip both Bay Islands and Kona, and move the Bonaire trip up earlier and enjoy that island instead. Bonaire is the only Caribbean destination I dive regularly anymore. It isn't as easy as getting to the Caymans or Bahamas is, but it isn't any more of a pain to get to than Roatan or Hawaii either. You won't get liveaboard there, but on the other hand you get all the shore dives you can stomach. On Bonaire 5 or 6 dives per day is easy, and you can chose to never pay for a boat to dive if you want (although I suggest at the very least using boats dives so you can dive Klein). And Bonaire is a wonderful nightdive location, has good to great restaurants, a variety of accommodation level and a number of high quality dive operations. Sorry if I am adding confusion to your planning efforts :^) Thanks Daniel, no confusion added, no worries. I am saving bonaire for next year, 3 weeks, this year only two left so no bonaire yet. it'll be roatan I think, someone else suggested cocoview resort on roatan? any suggestions from you? and again thanks > Thanks Daniel, no confusion added, no worries. I am saving bonaire > for next year, 3 weeks, this year only two left so no bonaire yet. > it'll be roatan I think, someone else suggested cocoview resort on > roatan? any suggestions from you? and again thanks Sorry, I pass on terra firma scuba resorts whenever possible. I know nothing about Cocoview other than having heard it's name. ok thansk again, have a good one sorry about the spelling > I have dove KONA and it was great, never dove > the atlantic though mostly Hawaii, California and Japan. thanks JIM I agree with Greg that going some place new is good, but if the Caribbean and Pacific were equal options I'd probably choose the Pacific since there will probably be more diversity in the fish. Of course that's the opinion of somebody who has mostly spent time in the Carribean instead of the Pacific. Is it an equal choice for you or is one destination easier or cheaper to get to? How important is it to see something new? SignatureSteve The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a reasonable belief that it was intended as a statement of fact. If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address. > I agree with Greg that going some place new is good, but if the Caribbean > and Pacific were equal options I'd probably choose the Pacific since there > will probably be more diversity in the fish. Of course that's the opinion > of somebody who has mostly spent time in the Carribean instead of the > Pacific. Is it an equal choice for you or is one destination easier or > cheaper to get to? How important is it to see something new? Diversity in Hawaii? Don't forget that Hawaii is a bit isolated from the western Pacific dive sites. Only those few fishies that were either strong enough to make the long swim or clever enough to hitch a ride have settled down there. At last count I believe there are exactly 7 different fish in Hawaii. (OK, that's a slight exaggeration, and there are all sorts of nifty endemic species, but in general, and especially to a newbie, there's no more diversity there than in the Caribbean) both are comperable in price I have dove kona and maui and caligornia, so I have dove the pacific plenty I am interested in carribean (with some worries about how are the reefs out there since the hurricanes of last year?) thats my big worry at this point I chose the two destinations mostly by price, because they are the same, I am hoping to get to bonaire within the next year Because I here many good things about the diving there thanks again Steve <SPAMTRAPglawackus@hvc.rr.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: : Is it an equal choice for you or is one :destination easier or cheaper to get to? Along those lines, other things to consider are: 1. If there is only a cetain time you can go, do both boats have vacancies. 2. If there is only a cetain time you can go, what is the climate like at each place for that time of year? Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > I am trying to decide which one to go to, never been on a live aboard > dive boat before but am very excited to go, semi new to diving and this > will be a good chance to get more experience, anyhoo has anyone ever > been on either or both ships? if so message me with info on which one > is the better of the two. I have dove KONA and it was great, never dove > the atlantic though mostly Hawaii, California and Japan. thanks JIM I was on the Kona Aggressor in November, and on the Bay Islands Aggressor about a year and a half before that. I have been on all of the Caribbean Aggressors. I will not go back to the Bay Islands boat. Unless they replace it, anyway. Its nowhere near as nice as the others. And I had the unfortunate experience of an indifferent crew. The diving did not make up for those issues. Anyway, putting boat and crew issues aside, I think you might enjoy the Caribbean more than Kona. The corals are more diverse in the Caribbean, and in most places, the marine life is more abundant. Yes, Kona has some unique species, and there's nothing quite like the Kona Manta dive (or so I hear, if the mantas show up for you - they did not for us). I left the Cayman Aggressor to (almost) last, as I was somehow convinced that the Caymans are so popular, that the reefs would be in terrible shape. I am happy to say, I could not have been more wrong! And I enjoyed the Turks and Caicos so much that I have been there twice. The only other diving destination I've gone to twice is Bonaire, and that was when I was just getting started. SignatureArt Greenberg artg AT eclipse DOT net > I am trying to decide which one to go to, never been on a live aboard > dive boat before but am very excited to go, semi new to diving and this > will be a good chance to get more experience, anyhoo has anyone ever > been on either or both ships? I've been on the Kona Aggressor Once; the Bay Island Aggressor at least three times. Any OTHER Aggressor, anywhere else in the world, would be better -- that's my opinion. I've been on OTHER Aggressors about 25 times. :-) -- Bob. >> I am trying to decide which one to go to, never been on a live aboard >> dive boat before but am very excited to go, semi new to diving and [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Any OTHER Aggressor, anywhere else in the world, would be better -- > that's my opinion. I've been on OTHER Aggressors about 25 times. :-) For the most part I think most Aggressors are second rate (there are multiples of better boats the world over), though the Kona Aggressor is a fabulous boat. The problem there is that the diving just isn't up to snuff for the time and travel cost necessary. But, because Kona is not one of the most popular destinations for diving, the boat is seldom full and often half or less than half chartered. This allows the Capt. to deviate from standard itineraries and offer some better diving if the small contingent of passengers doesn't mind missing a dive due to increased travel or eating supper while the boat cruises along. Given the expense and time for travel to Hawaii, you have opened the door to other possibilities like Indonesia, PNG, Solomons and Malaysia. They'll be a little more money and another 2 days of travel, but the diving will exceed anything in either location (Kona/Roatan). > >> I am trying to decide which one to go to, never been on a live aboard > >> dive boat before but am very excited to go, semi new to diving and [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > multiples of better boats the world over), though the Kona Aggressor is a > fabulous boat. This single sentence showed not only your ignorance about the Aggressor Fleet, but you built your prejudice on your ignorance. How many Aggressors have you been on to compare it with another liveaboard serving the same location? What basis of comparison do you have to make you brash statement > For the most part I think most Aggressors are second rate < ... > > But, because Kona is not one of the > most popular destinations for diving, the boat is seldom full and > often half or less than half chartered. Did it occur to you that is because Kona DIVING is NOT worth it on a liveaboard? The boat is seldom full, and that's why the Fleet down-sized it, and it's still not drawing full boats. The Aggressor Fleet has no problem drawing people from the USA to much less accessible locations than Kona HI. In fact, Kona is about the EASIEST Pacific location to go from the West Coast, and hardly anyone wants to dive there. > Given the expense and time for travel to Hawaii, you have opened the door to > other possibilities like Indonesia, PNG, Solomons and Malaysia. You have NO IDEA of the difference in travel time and cost between going to Hawaii and all the other Indo Pacific locations you mentioned. > They'll be a little more money and another 2 days of travel, but the > diving will exceed anything in either location (Kona/Roatan). That was essentially what I said when you proceeded to put your foot in your mouth about how second rate the Aggressor Fleet is. > > Any OTHER Aggressor, anywhere else in the world, would be better -- > > that's my opinion. I've been on OTHER Aggressors about 25 times. :-) > other possibilities like Indonesia, PNG, Solomons and Malaysia. Exactly how many of those are served by the Aggressor or the Peter Hughes Fleets for you to make your apples-to-oranges comparison based on your absence of relevant knowledge? Finally, the OP asked, > >> anyhoo has anyone ever been on either or both ships? Have you? It's not the SHIPS that sucks, it's the LOCATIONS. And the OP was asking specifically about the TWO Aggressor locations, Kona and Roatan (Bays Islands). That was why I gave my follow-up the way I did. Your points could have been made WITHOUT your unsubstantiated cheap shot at the entire Aggressor Fleet, especially when you apparently have little or no experience on the OTHER locations of the Fleet throughout the world! -- Bob. |
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