Dive shops on Roatan are like Starbucks in LA. They are everywhere. I am not a diver but my husband Bryce is, which was another big draw to coming down here for a part of the summer.
Diving is not a cheap hobby but it is super affordable in Roatan. The going rate is about $30 per dive. When we were in the USVI we paid more than $300 for one dive and here B got 10 for that same amount of cash.
These are some of B's shots from his dives this week. I never really thought about having an underwater camera but they are rather inexpensive (about $220) so we thought we would try one on this trip. Plus, you can of course use it for regular pictures. I wanted to get a basic camera because I was told that iphones were a hot commodity here and petty thieves were looking to get their hands on them. This made me a bit paranoid but really, once you've been here for a bit you start to see the same people, same vendors and it is not the stereotypical criminal Latin American atmosphere that the media portrays. I grew up in LA and I would say if you have ever been to any type of seedy area, then you should exercise the same amount of caution and common sense that you would in that type of area. Anyway, I don't want to go too off topic... but I am sharing this advice in case you want to head down here.
B's been diving with Coconut Tree Divers. They have several different kinds of dives and you can also get certified here easily in case you are a beginner or have never even tried diving. The lady who runs the shop is super nice and will make you feel comfortable and welcome. B is going on a night time dive this week, so he can see the "String of pearls." Here is a description I found on
( by the way, this guy is a great writer)
"On truly dark nights, the Caribbean Sea glimmers with millions of
miniscule lights spontaneously appearing and vanishing. It’s way
trippier than a Pink Floyd laser show and far more real than the
hallucinogenic chemicals that inspired their music. Fortunately, divers
can see String of Pearls twenty-six weeks a year on Roatan, as
conditions are right during the waning lunar cycle from full to new
moon."
and here is my Sweet B saying hello from the sea
That's incredibly cheap for diving! Good to know. I wonder how the diving compares to the BVI.. I dove the Wreck of the Rhone, is that something B has done? If not - he must!
ReplyDeleteJ is a diver and I was on my way to getting certified but never completed training. Once I thought about taking it up again, I'd forgotten almost everything and didn't feel like starting over again. I'm an avid snorkeler though! Well, I was..
OMG those pictures are gorgeous! I'm glad you're having such a fun time!
ReplyDelete