Dive report: Roatan & Mahahual/Costa maya

[mac66]

I'm back from my western Caribbean cruise. Dived in Roatan and Mahahual/Costa maya. Cozumel dive was canceled because the ship was late getting into port. 

In Roatan I went with West End Divers because they did a discovery dive with my brothers and snorkel with my wife and SILs during my first dive.  then took my brothers out with me for a second dive while the girls snorkeled off the same boat. My wife said it was the best snorkeling she's  ever done.

 

Dive sites were "Mandy's eel garden " and "Overheats ". Both good dives and it was a lot of fun diving with my brothers on their first dive.

 

While there were a bunch of divers and snorkelers on the boat they split us up and it wasn't crowded.  I dived with 2 others and a DM on my first dive and then just with my brothers and the DM on the second. 

In Mahahual I dived with Pepe's dive which is right at Jamie's Blue reef resort where the family was spending the day.

The waves were so high and rough that no one was going out diving. There are at least a dozen dive shops along street next to the beach. I walked down the street and talked to a bunch of them and no one was going out.

Finally the girl from Pepe's came and got me and said they would take me out. I was apprehensive but decided to chance it. I was the only diver and being a small shop they apparently didn't want to lose the business. So we braved the waves. As far as I could tell we were the only ones out there.

I must say the boat crew did a great job handling the boat . The girl at the desk turned out to be the dive master and she also did a good job. We kind of drift dived and were picked down current. Though we treaded water for 15 minutes on the second dive excursion before the boat found us in the high seas. We got caught in a squall just as we got back to the dock. High winds and horizontal heavy rain. Otherwise it was a couple of good dives. But it blew by quickly. 

They charged $75 w/equipment for a two tank dive.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by mac66

[Bobroo]

That 15 minutes on the surface was 15 minutes of education why it is so important for you to have and use a SMB on every dive.

[mac66]

6 hours ago, Bobroo said:

That 15 minutes on the surface was 15 minutes of education why it is so important for you to have and use a SMB on every dive.

Amen...I didn't have one but the guide did. If I'd been separated I'd been screwed. Though we were only about 1/2 mile off shore at that point. Ordered one as soon as I got home. 

 

I did have pretty bright flashlight with a strobe function. It never occurred to me to try and flash it at the boat when I was on top of the waves and the guide was in the trough.