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I need something new in Roatan


mitsugirly
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Just found this review that seems to confirm area and may be of interest to you

http://www.snorkeling-report.com/spot/snorkeling-french-key-roatan/

You can see sloths , snorkeling and Parrot Tree

 

 

Thanks for the link Leg. I appreciate it. We just booked with Daniel for the sloths, snorkeling at French Key and Parrot Tree. We can't wait! Thanks for all of your help! :)

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silly questions.................SCUBA with Anthony's Key Resort. No kidding. Book through the ship, same price as private. The drive you in a van to the resort (20 minutes) and you will do some shallow but lush coral reefs, tons of fish, easy diving, no current.

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silly questions.................SCUBA with Anthony's Key Resort. No kidding. Book through the ship, same price as private. The drive you in a van to the resort (20 minutes) and you will do some shallow but lush coral reefs, tons of fish, easy diving, no current.

 

There's a few problems with this though Robin...

 

1) You have to be 10 years old for it (and Sakari is only 9 still :()

 

2) Even if she was 10, they are already sold out for the Discover

 

3) I can't even find a price or information about DSD on Anthony Keys website but if I did, I'm sure they would adhere to the PADI rules and still not let her go. :(

 

 

 

I think we are going to attempt scuba in Costa Maya this time. I know it won't begin to compare to Roatan, but I really don't know what else to do in that port. I'm VERY nervous though because all diving is from a boat and we haven't done that yet and I just might freak out dropping into the water and not being able to touch and get used to the breathing at the beginning of the dive. :o

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There's a few problems with this though Robin...

 

1) You have to be 10 years old for it (and Sakari is only 9 still :()

 

2) Even if she was 10, they are already sold out for the Discover

 

3) I can't even find a price or information about DSD on Anthony Keys website but if I did, I'm sure they would adhere to the PADI rules and still not let her go. :(

 

 

 

I think we are going to attempt scuba in Costa Maya this time. I know it won't begin to compare to Roatan, but I really don't know what else to do in that port. I'm VERY nervous though because all diving is from a boat and we haven't done that yet and I just might freak out dropping into the water and not being able to touch and get used to the breathing at the beginning of the dive. :o

 

I realize she isn't old enough yet, but I still think you and hubby should dive without her. She could stay on ship in kid's camp until you get back, right?

 

PADI rules, no she cannot go on dives. I still think you and hubby should get certified before her, so you are more experienced and comfortable underwater. She has proven to be a bit fearless and once you are certified, the DM is not responsible to babysit anyone, you are all supposed to be doing the "buddy" diving and watch each other. Trust me, diving with a kid is stressful. I did it but my kid was more timid and was looking at her own gauges constantly to make sure she was at proper depth, and not going up or down too fast.

 

As far as the diving from a boat... a few things.

You will have air in your BC when you jump off the boat. You do not jump in otherwise, nobody does it that way. They tell you to make sure to have air in BC before you jump in. Then you let air out and slowly decend as you clear your ears. It is a slow gentle downward motion and you only go as fast as you need to go while clearing your ears. The DM waits underwater until the entire group is down. It can take 2 minutes or 10 minutes. No one goes anywhere until everyone is there ready to go on the dive.

Boat diving is WAAAAY easier and also WAAAAY better than shore diving.

 

I don't know anything about diving in Costa Maya. I do know Roatan and the diving there is colorful, rich reefs, and easy as no current. If you were to do a boat dive there, you would be hooked. Guaranteed.

 

robin

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I realize she isn't old enough yet, but I still think you and hubby should dive without her. She could stay on ship in kid's camp until you get back, right?

 

PADI rules, no she cannot go on dives. I still think you and hubby should get certified before her, so you are more experienced and comfortable underwater. She has proven to be a bit fearless and once you are certified, the DM is not responsible to babysit anyone, you are all supposed to be doing the "buddy" diving and watch each other. Trust me, diving with a kid is stressful. I did it but my kid was more timid and was looking at her own gauges constantly to make sure she was at proper depth, and not going up or down too fast.

 

As far as the diving from a boat... a few things.

You will have air in your BC when you jump off the boat. You do not jump in otherwise, nobody does it that way. They tell you to make sure to have air in BC before you jump in. Then you let air out and slowly decend as you clear your ears. It is a slow gentle downward motion and you only go as fast as you need to go while clearing your ears. The DM waits underwater until the entire group is down. It can take 2 minutes or 10 minutes. No one goes anywhere until everyone is there ready to go on the dive.

Boat diving is WAAAAY easier and also WAAAAY better than shore diving.

 

I don't know anything about diving in Costa Maya. I do know Roatan and the diving there is colorful, rich reefs, and easy as no current. If you were to do a boat dive there, you would be hooked. Guaranteed.

 

robin

 

It sounds wonderful diving there, but I could never leave her behind in any port. That's her favorite thing is the ports and cruising is just a way to get there. She loved our Aruba vacation because she could go to the beach every day and stay as long as we wanted. We will definitely be doing more land vacations there.

 

 

She has until next April and then she'll be 10 and maybe we'll have to book another cruise there just to go diving. :D

 

 

I'm still unsure about getting certified. I'm waiting to see how she feels about it once she turns 10. I would like to get certified with her as many parents do where she dives at here at home. I know she's anything but timid when it comes to diving (gosh I wish I could be more like her but I think the nurse in me just has me going over every possible bad situation that could happen and it just freaks me out. I've see so much in my last 30+ years at the hospital and I freak out about every little thing).

 

 

I do realize having air in the BCD, but not being able to touch the bottom when starting or trying to get it to go back up if I'm not comfortable is what I'm afraid of. I had a few problems with it this last time around and had I been out in the deep and not been able to get back up...ugh...the thought. I like the gradual decline in the water. It's almost like it's tricking my mind and I don't realize I'm that deep until I have already made it down there. Of course it helps if there's a lot of things to see down there because I'm so busy with that and not thinking about going deeper. I wish I could get comfortable with this.

 

 

The person in Costa Maya we are thinking about booking with is really talking me through this and making me feel comfortable and said they would be our instructor and it will be a private dive for just us. That does make me feel a lot better.

 

 

Can you remind me the "status" of the instructors? Like "top" person and down. I read that a Dive Master is the top and only 2% of divers ever achieve that status? Who did you tell me before that needed to be with my daughter when diving (a separate person and not the same as our instructor)?

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Instructors have several levels...but they are all allowed to teach Open Water certification, which is what you will be doing.

Assistant instructor is next...they can teach Refresher course (for already certified divers who haven't been diving in awhile) and they can help an instructor with teaching, i.e. the instructor has to be present.

Divemaster is next.....that is a person who has learned basically everything the other two know, but has not become certified to teach by the agency. Divemasters usually are guides on dives, or assisting the Instructor in classes. This is, to most people, the hardest level to achieve, becoming the instructor after this is easy compared to how much goes into becoming a DM. So many written tests, and in water performance requirements, working with students for certain number of hours. It is a hard level. Some people stop there and never become an instructor.

These are the PROFESSIONAL levels. You should expect, until you are a certified Open Water diver, to have one of the above with you on every dive (an instructor, assist instructor, or divemaster). And you should expect no more than 4 uncertified divers with him/her. May dive operations will only let uncertified divers go on a dive with an instructor, but as you have found, some dive ops bend the rules.

 

Below that are all the Recreational levels:

Open Water diver, Advanced Open Water diver, Rescue diver, all the Specialty courses (Night diver, Wreck diver, Underwater photo, etc.).... each of these just mean you are qualified to dive. You are not a teacher in anything. Rescue is the course where you learn how to save not only yourself but other divers. I recommend it, especially if you are diving with an Junior diver.

 

As far as fear about getting certified..... I suggest you take the online course. It is just the "Learning" part of diving, and you learn all about the physiology of diving, all the technical stuff. We never did a "discover diving" before we got certified....we just signed up at our local dive shop for the course, and did it. Then we did our Open Water 4 dives when we went on vacation. Our instructors were so fantastic in the classroom (back before you could do it online) and pool sessions, that I had no worries when we hit the water for the first time.

In fact, when we did our first dive, our instructor took us out into the ocean in waist deep water and had us all kneel down. We did, and I saw fish all around us. I was giggling through my regulator, flooding my mask, clearing it, then giggling.... it went on the whole dive. When we got out of water, the instructor laughed so hard saying she was amazed at me. She never had to see me do the "clearing" skill because I was doing it all on my own. I had it down. It took me dozens of dives to get over that giggling thing... every time I would smile at the fish, I would flood my mask. LOL

 

I am positive you will have just as great an experience with diving ONCE you take the course and learn learn learn.

 

robin

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Instructors have several levels...but they are all allowed to teach Open Water certification, which is what you will be doing.

Assistant instructor is next...they can teach Refresher course (for already certified divers who haven't been diving in awhile) and they can help an instructor with teaching, i.e. the instructor has to be present.

Divemaster is next.....that is a person who has learned basically everything the other two know, but has not become certified to teach by the agency. Divemasters usually are guides on dives, or assisting the Instructor in classes. This is, to most people, the hardest level to achieve, becoming the instructor after this is easy compared to how much goes into becoming a DM. So many written tests, and in water performance requirements, working with students for certain number of hours. It is a hard level. Some people stop there and never become an instructor.

These are the PROFESSIONAL levels. You should expect, until you are a certified Open Water diver, to have one of the above with you on every dive (an instructor, assist instructor, or divemaster). And you should expect no more than 4 uncertified divers with him/her. May dive operations will only let uncertified divers go on a dive with an instructor, but as you have found, some dive ops bend the rules.

 

Below that are all the Recreational levels:

Open Water diver, Advanced Open Water diver, Rescue diver, all the Specialty courses (Night diver, Wreck diver, Underwater photo, etc.).... each of these just mean you are qualified to dive. You are not a teacher in anything. Rescue is the course where you learn how to save not only yourself but other divers. I recommend it, especially if you are diving with an Junior diver.

 

As far as fear about getting certified..... I suggest you take the online course. It is just the "Learning" part of diving, and you learn all about the physiology of diving, all the technical stuff. We never did a "discover diving" before we got certified....we just signed up at our local dive shop for the course, and did it. Then we did our Open Water 4 dives when we went on vacation. Our instructors were so fantastic in the classroom (back before you could do it online) and pool sessions, that I had no worries when we hit the water for the first time.

In fact, when we did our first dive, our instructor took us out into the ocean in waist deep water and had us all kneel down. We did, and I saw fish all around us. I was giggling through my regulator, flooding my mask, clearing it, then giggling.... it went on the whole dive. When we got out of water, the instructor laughed so hard saying she was amazed at me. She never had to see me do the "clearing" skill because I was doing it all on my own. I had it down. It took me dozens of dives to get over that giggling thing... every time I would smile at the fish, I would flood my mask. LOL

 

I am positive you will have just as great an experience with diving ONCE you take the course and learn learn learn.

 

robin

 

Thanks for the clarification of the levels of instructors.

 

 

Is a divemaster the same as a master scuba diver trainer?

 

Also, is the instructor that you do a DSD allowed to sign someone else's name and instructor number on your book? Our last dive "he" did this on our books. When I got home and checked "his" number, it actually belonged to a "her" and her certification was a master scuba diver trainer. It now makes me wonder what "he" actually was because obviously he was using someone else's number and name...maybe the owner of the company?

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Thanks for the clarification of the levels of instructors.

 

 

Is a divemaster the same as a master scuba diver trainer?

 

Also, is the instructor that you do a DSD allowed to sign someone else's name and instructor number on your book? Our last dive "he" did this on our books. When I got home and checked "his" number, it actually belonged to a "her" and her certification was a master scuba diver trainer. It now makes me wonder what "he" actually was because obviously he was using someone else's number and name...maybe the owner of the company?

 

Divemaster and master scuba diver trainer are not the same thing. Master scuba diver training is a level in Instructor. Divemaster, as I explained before, is NOT an instructor. An instructor is legally responsible for a student's safety and life, basically, and must carry liability insurance and professional license with the agency. If a student, heaven forbid, is injuried or worse, then the instructor and agency (PADI, etc) are liable. People have sued instructors and PADI over incidents... I don't know how many cases have been won or lost. That is why you sign all that paperwork before you get in the water, as well as the health information sheet.

 

No, using another instructors name and number is not legal. They could get in serious trouble for doing that. If something went wrong...legally it could mean both could be held responsible, and the dive op could lose their certification.

 

robin

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Mitsugirly, I dont mean to hijack this thread. But reading your review of the horseback in LFK, would you not recommend it? I started a thread asking about that, but then read your review. I cant imagine doing horses without stirrups. If you'd rather email me, its my CC username at gmail. I appreciate it greatly!

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Mitsugirly, I dont mean to hijack this thread. But reading your review of the horseback in LFK, would you not recommend it? I started a thread asking about that, but then read your review. I cant imagine doing horses without stirrups. If you'd rather email me, its my CC username at gmail. I appreciate it greatly!

 

We did not care for it. When we went, they were taking you into the water over on the side they were just building (which is now built and over by the pizza place but back then it was a muddy mess) and it was very rocky in the water and the horses seem to be having some difficulty walking in places. Also, without the stirrups it was very hard to stay balanced, especially with the horses moving funny with their walk over the rocks, and I constantly felt like if I was going to fall into the water. When I picture horseback riding on the beach/water, I picture you on a horse (on your own and not being lead by someone else) and strolling down the beach, into the water for a bit, back up and so on. This wasn't the case. It just wasn't our thing. It was just a led rid into the water, down the shore then turn around and walk back. :rolleyes:

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From my own personal experience, I'd recommend doing the scuba course at home through a dive shop. Then do the open water dives on vacation. I know you can do the classroom portion on-line, but we chose to go through our local dive shop. It was just a weekend and it included classroom plus several hours in a pool. This was important to me. By the time we did our open water......in the open ocean.... I was far more comfortable with all the things I had to do to become certified.

 

You get lots of time to practice all those little things under water that I wouldn't have been able to do by doing the on-line course. Just my humble opinion.

 

Besides having some great instructors at the dive shop, this is where we purchased our equipment, have it tested, source out new equipment, etc so it becomes a relationship especially if you plan on pursuing diving. We also go through our dive shop for refresher courses or just if we haven't been diving in awhile, we can do a pool practice even though it's pretty boring swimming around a deep square diving pool.

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From my own personal experience, I'd recommend doing the scuba course at home through a dive shop. Then do the open water dives on vacation. I know you can do the classroom portion on-line, but we chose to go through our local dive shop. It was just a weekend and it included classroom plus several hours in a pool. This was important to me. By the time we did our open water......in the open ocean.... I was far more comfortable with all the things I had to do to become certified.

 

You get lots of time to practice all those little things under water that I wouldn't have been able to do by doing the on-line course. Just my humble opinion.

 

Besides having some great instructors at the dive shop, this is where we purchased our equipment, have it tested, source out new equipment, etc so it becomes a relationship especially if you plan on pursuing diving. We also go through our dive shop for refresher courses or just if we haven't been diving in awhile, we can do a pool practice even though it's pretty boring swimming around a deep square diving pool.

 

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it. We aren't ready to do a course (here or on vacation). We will definitely be waiting until after our daughter turns 10 and is able to certify for open water IF she decides to continue to pursue this. When she does turn 10, I'm honestly not sure if she will be mentally ready for this or not...we'll have to wait and see. She does have kids in her monthly class that are already 12 years old and continue to not do the certification yet. When (if) she does decide to continue with this, that's when we will do ours as well (with her). A lot of the parents do this with their children at our local dive shop. :)

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ROBIN!!!! If you are still on here...I need scuba help.

 

So, my oldest daughter Kendra is now cruising with us and she definitely wants to dive as well. She's really not "hip" into diving off a boat (just like me). She had a bit of a problem with her first scuba in St Thomas and she admits that it takes her awhile to get used to breathing under water like that (just like me of course) and the thought of going off a boat just scares both of us. So, if that's the case, DSD in Costa Maya may be out.

 

So...I know Roatan is amazing for diving. I know you mentioned A.K, but as I said, it's booked and we can't leave our little one's behind. By the time we cruise, my grandson Brayden (Kendra's son the same age as Sakari) will ALSO be a certified PADI Seal (and he's already done a bubblemaker in St Thomas with us last year).

 

So...do you know of any other dive shops that we could book directly with that may also have a bubblemakers class offered? Is there ANYTHING at all at West Bay? Or is it just too shallow there with too much coral to do a shore dive?

 

Thanks in advance (or if anyone else can add to this their experience or a shop). :)

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Hi again Mitsugirly.......I also posted another note on a different thread. I noticed your reference to wanting to stay on West Bay Beach. Actually, if you are doing DSD or the Bubblemakers, West Bay Beach is perfect because of the nice gradual sandy bottom.

 

I think most of the shops on West Bay do their water skills right there in front of Infinity Bay or close by. There are a couple channels through the coral there that you'd go when you actually go for the first dive. That is exactly where we did our DSD, no boat required.

 

Two of the places I would recommend on WBB http://www.westbaydivers.com/ This is probably who we would dive with if we weren't already hooked on IB Divers. These are great people and we always stop by and chat with them. I'm partial to a certain type dive boat and they have a nice new dive boat. I hate having to roll off the side of a boat....not that you'd need if for a DSD.

 

They are right in behind Argentinian Grill, kind of hard to find but you should see their boat, plus there is a sign on the beach.

 

Another shop I would suggest is http://www.mayandivers.com/ There on the grounds of the Mayan Princess Resort. Also some nice people here and I see on their website that for sure they offer a Bubble Makers class. I'd email both of these and see how that goes. Would be nice if you could get picked up, etc so maybe one of them will do that for you.

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Hi again Mitsugirly.......I also posted another note on a different thread. I noticed your reference to wanting to stay on West Bay Beach. Actually, if you are doing DSD or the Bubblemakers, West Bay Beach is perfect because of the nice gradual sandy bottom.

 

I think most of the shops on West Bay do their water skills right there in front of Infinity Bay or close by. There are a couple channels through the coral there that you'd go when you actually go for the first dive. That is exactly where we did our DSD, no boat required.

 

Two of the places I would recommend on WBB http://www.westbaydivers.com/ This is probably who we would dive with if we weren't already hooked on IB Divers. These are great people and we always stop by and chat with them. I'm partial to a certain type dive boat and they have a nice new dive boat. I hate having to roll off the side of a boat....not that you'd need if for a DSD.

 

They are right in behind Argentinian Grill, kind of hard to find but you should see their boat, plus there is a sign on the beach.

 

Another shop I would suggest is http://www.mayandivers.com/ There on the grounds of the Mayan Princess Resort. Also some nice people here and I see on their website that for sure they offer a Bubble Makers class. I'd email both of these and see how that goes. Would be nice if you could get picked up, etc so maybe one of them will do that for you.

 

I did have westbay divers on my list. I have added mayan divers. I have emailed both of them to see what they can offer our family (our extended family, my oldest daughter and her family, are now coming with us).

 

 

Bubblemakers at Mayan Divers is outrageous! So if they have to do a bubblemaker, we won't be going with them. ($165 versus $75 at WBD). :o

 

Thanks for the info

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This is a friend of mine, he's a local and will take you to the best places in Roatan. I've been there every year for the last 5 years and I wouldn't book with anyone else.

 

https://www.roatanwebstertours.com/

 

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Our family is really not into tours. We actually avoid them. What we "did" have booked was the sloth, 2 snorkeling places and a beach excursion. It was supposed to include a tour of Roatan and we asked that this part be removed. :)

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Our family is really not into tours. We actually avoid them. What we "did" have booked was the sloth, 2 snorkeling places and a beach excursion. It was supposed to include a tour of Roatan and we asked that this part be removed. :)

 

 

 

Yikes! $165 is a lot! I didn't really notice that but that seems really high. I hope you have luck with West Bay Divers.

 

 

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Our family is really not into tours. We actually avoid them. What we "did" have booked was the sloth, 2 snorkeling places and a beach excursion. It was supposed to include a tour of Roatan and we asked that this part be removed. :)

If you contact Javier or Arnie, they will be happy to accommodate whatever it is you want to do. We were there in August and just had them pick us up and take us over to the resort where my husband wanted to take the kids snorkeling. They are very accommodating and will basically just take you wherever you want to go.

 

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If you contact Javier or Arnie, they will be happy to accommodate whatever it is you want to do. We were there in August and just had them pick us up and take us over to the resort where my husband wanted to take the kids snorkeling. They are very accommodating and will basically just take you wherever you want to go.

 

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jorge.lost12@hotmail.com

 

javier.webster@yahoo.com

 

 

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If you contact Javier or Arnie, they will be happy to accommodate whatever it is you want to do. We were there in August and just had them pick us up and take us over to the resort where my husband wanted to take the kids snorkeling. They are very accommodating and will basically just take you wherever you want to go.

 

Sent from my SM-N920T using Forums mobile app

 

 

I'm confused. Are you saying they are certified PADI divers that will take us diving where we want to go? When I looked at their website briefly, it looked like a tour company to take you to see the sites around Roatan. Am I wrong?

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So...it looks like both West Bay and Mayan are out of the questions.

 

West Bay said they are closed for 2 weeks for repairs, which happen to be during the time we are there.

 

Mayan said they would only take us adults and they could take the kids snorkeling. LOL Snorkeling? Seriously? For $85? :o They can snorkel on their own for free right from the beach. It's weird how they didn't even mention a bubblemaker course for them. :confused:

 

West Bay Divers recommended checking with Bananarama and also with a company that is right by the cruise port called Tobri Divers. They also mentioned Roatan Divers on the West End.

 

The search goes on...

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