Roatan, Honduras

[badbowser64]

Hey everyone, this is my first post on these forums so i'll introduce myself.  My name is chris drelling, i've been diving for a little over 2 years now and i'm 21 years old.  My dad got me certified and once or twice a year we go on trips with him now.  I was certified in Hawaii, and since then i've gone to Tahiti, Morea, and now i'm off to Roatan Honduras.  We leave this saturday, and i figured i'd ask if anyone has been there before and knows of any good shore diving locations that we absolutely have to hit.  Thanks for reading and if you have any questions about me or my scuba experiences in hawaii or tahiti i'd love to share them with you and hear yours.  I've never dove in MN yet but i really want to start. 

Thanks! 

Chris D

[freedivernd]

Haven't dove in Minnesota???  Yeah, I think it's a good idea to leave the best till last too.

welcome aboard.

[DiverQueen]

Enjoy the clear water and warmer temps.  You would have to have some "Major Cajones" to dive Minnesota locations in a wetsuit this time of year!  Then wait till Spring and we will have a lot of diving activities posted! 

Between now and then, we have "Non-Diving Get Together's", the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society(GLSPS) "Dive Into the Past" Show, Pool Parties, Dive Shop Vacation tours, and other fun things going on!

[jleech]

I went to Roatan about 8 years ago.  The area of the Island where we stayed didn't have much shore diving.  There is a fringing reef around most of the island, and the best diving is on the outside of that reef.  I stayed at Bay Islands Beach resort and there was a single site you could do from shore.  They called it "Spooky Channel".  It was a deep (90 ft) cut in the reef, which was always shadowed and "spooky" :o  The reef on the outside of that site was nice, but nothing to write home about.  I think there is some shore diving at Anthony's Key, but the best diving is still accessed via boat.

Sounds like you've been to some fine dive locations.  I haven't been to as many exotic places, but the Bay Islands are my favorites.  When you get back, we can introduce you to MN diving.  It's not quite like warm water diving, but some of us like it!

Jeff

[SCUBA Dog]

Chris,

Welcome. I hope you get a chance to do some Minnesota diving. Please post a review of your Roatan trip. I have never been there, but my wife and I will be going in March. I am interested to hear your thoughts and recommendations.

[badbowser64]

I will, i'll keep a journal on my laptop while i'm there, if i have internet i'll blog it.  I dont have a dive camera so there wont be any underwater pictures though.   

Chris D

[Anderson]

There is excellent shore diving from Fantasy Island and Coco View resorts.  Enjoy your trip!!!

[badbowser64]

I'll be staying at the fantasy island resort.  Will they have information about the shorediving there?

Thanks,

Chris D

[Anderson]

They have a gazebo with a platform built overlooking the water just for shore diving.  There is an airplane and a ship wreck in the channel easily reached from the entrance.  Have a great time and bring bug spray as the gnats are bad.

[rookiediver]

We stayed at Anthony's key resort for a couple of weeks in Roatan Honduras.  The restaurant area is 51 steps up to where you eat - and 51 steps back down.  They don't separate the boats by ability but assign you to one boat for the entire stay.  So - if you don't like the people they throw you together with, you are screwed for the duration of your stay.

I have heard that Coco Beach has a very high return rate on the people that dive out of there.  Perhps next time we'll, check out that resort.

Anthony's key does have shore diving - we never did take advantage of it because where the scuba diving gear storage area is located - it is kind of far from where you enter the water for the shore dive.

The diving is pretty good though.  Enjoy your trip.