Roatan?

"J B" <joledy@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:1lKIf.16075$Lp2.15754@news-wrt-01.rdc-nyc.rr.com...
> Suggestions for accomodations and dive shops, please. Don't want a big
> resort -- prefer West End. Any info on places with fridge and cooking
> facilities? I expect to have a vehicle, so I can move between acco and
dive
> shop.

If you are staying in West End, you won't need a vehicle to get to the dive
shop, no matter which one you pick.

So, whaddya want/need? Do you need air-con? Do you care how fancy or
alternately, kinda shabby the place is? Are you looking for a view? Do you
care about what end of town you are in? Do you care about walking in the
dark to get home at night?

Are you expecting padded seats on the boats, or sitting on the 'gunwales' of
pangas?

Just out of curiousity, why do you prefer West End? Don't get me wrong,
that's where I prefer too.

"J B" <joledy@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:1lKIf.16075$Lp2.15754@news-wrt-01.rdc-nyc.rr.com...
> Suggestions for accomodations and dive shops, please. Don't want a big
> resort -- prefer West End. Any info on places with fridge and cooking
> facilities? I expect to have a vehicle, so I can move between acco and
dive
> shop.

If you are staying in West End, you won't need a vehicle to get to the dive
shop, no matter which one you pick.

So, whaddya want/need? Do you need air-con? Do you care how fancy or
alternately, kinda shabby the place is? Are you looking for a view? Do you
care about what end of town you are in? Do you care about walking in the
dark to get home at night?

Are you expecting padded seats on the boats, or sitting on the 'gunwales' of
pangas?

Just out of curiousity, why do you prefer West End? Don't get me wrong,
that's where I prefer too.

Thanks for reply. I've been there once before a while back, so I'm somethat
familiar with West End. I stayed at Sea Breeze and dove Sueno. This combo
suits me; I just wondered about other options.

I want a vehicle because I want to visit other parts of the Island, without
resorting (no pun intended) to cabs or water taxis. I know I won't need
transportation to get to the dive shop, if I stay at Sea Breeze. Is Sueno
the best option? As I remember, they were very professional and
well-equipped.

I don't need any fancy digs or AC, but I can't walk too far carrying my
gear; I'm an old broad and my back isn't the best.

Thanks for reply. I've been there once before a while back, so I'm somethat
familiar with West End. I stayed at Sea Breeze and dove Sueno. This combo
suits me; I just wondered about other options.

I want a vehicle because I want to visit other parts of the Island, without
resorting (no pun intended) to cabs or water taxis. I know I won't need
transportation to get to the dive shop, if I stay at Sea Breeze. Is Sueno
the best option? As I remember, they were very professional and
well-equipped.

I don't need any fancy digs or AC, but I can't walk too far carrying my
gear; I'm an old broad and my back isn't the best.

"J B" <joledy@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:TpJKf.3870$cF5.1237@news-wrt-01.rdc-nyc.rr.com...
> Thanks for reply. I've been there once before a while back, so I'm
somethat
> familiar with West End. I stayed at Sea Breeze and dove Sueno. This
combo
> suits me; I just wondered about other options.

I also stay at the Seabreeze. I've dove Sueno a couple of times. You
should know however, that the shop has moved down to Ray's new resort "Sueno
del Mar Resort" which is down past Lost Paradise on the southend of town.

My last trip I dove with West End Divers and had a fine time, but they are
very much a shop that is training DM's. The trip before that, I dove with
Ocean Connections. I had a great time with them too, but they have had a
change over in staff, though ownership is the same. They also had boat
problems. The upside of Ocean Connections, is that they are almost right
across the street from Seabreeze. So far none of these shops had as great a
storage and setup area as Sueno used to have. That said, I don't know what
Sueno's is like now that they are so far on the southend of town.

West End Divers, cleaned my BCD and regs, hung everything up to dry. I took
care of my own wetsuit, though at the end of the day, West End put
everything into safe storage. All I had to carry back and forth between
dives was my computer. They had me set up on the dock for me to check my
gear before dives in the morning and set gear up for follow up dives too.

This had not been my experience at Sueno or Ocean Connections either, IIRC.
Though OC did store everything in a nice storage room at the end of every
day.

I did not like Tyll's, though you may. Pura Vida has a much nicer boat than
any of the others and Juan the DM has been with them for quite a while. He's
an excellent DM and I'd have dived with them more often, except he took too
great a liking to me, if you know what I mean.

There's a fabulous one bedroom apartment on the water, above the car rental
place (just across and ever so slightly south of Seabreeze). See: Delzie's
Apartments. I absolutely love it, but it has never been available for
booking when I've been there. Of course, it is also more money than
Seabreeze. Your back may thank you for paying a bit more for the better
bed.

> I want a vehicle because I want to visit other parts of the Island,
without
> resorting (no pun intended) to cabs or water taxis.

I understand that and if you've been there before, you probably already know
that you may not need to rent for the whole week?

> I know I won't need
> transportation to get to the dive shop, if I stay at Sea Breeze.

You won't need transportation no matter where you stay. Even if you chose
to dive Sueno, they told me they would pick me up in the morning and take me
down to the shop. I just didn't want to be ready at 7 am every day and I
like having a short walk back to my unit between dives and/or going for
lunch. I dunno, I guess if you want to dive with Sueno, then a vehicle
could be an option, but that sure takes the value out of diving there, IMO.

> the best option? As I remember, they were very professional and
> well-equipped.

They still have the dive store, but like I said, it is now down at their new
resort location. Ray still owns it, Elsie and David still work there,
Marvin is as adorable and helpful as ever and Barry is gone. As I said, I
haven't been diving with them lately, but I've always enjoyed dealing with
Ray. Too bad he's so far away from where I stay. There may be an upside
though. Since they are so far out of the midst of things, they've had fewer
divers booked with them than many of the other shops. That's not good for
Ray, but it's nice for the divers.

> I don't need any fancy digs or AC, but I can't walk too far carrying my
> gear; I'm an old broad and my back isn't the best.

I'm assuming you have a mesh backpack style gearbag?

Stay at Seabreeze (or Delzie's) and dive with one of the shops close by,
would be my recommendation.

>
>

"J B" <joledy@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:TpJKf.3870$cF5.1237@news-wrt-01.rdc-nyc.rr.com...
> Thanks for reply. I've been there once before a while back, so I'm
somethat
> familiar with West End. I stayed at Sea Breeze and dove Sueno. This
combo
> suits me; I just wondered about other options.

I also stay at the Seabreeze. I've dove Sueno a couple of times. You
should know however, that the shop has moved down to Ray's new resort "Sueno
del Mar Resort" which is down past Lost Paradise on the southend of town.

My last trip I dove with West End Divers and had a fine time, but they are
very much a shop that is training DM's. The trip before that, I dove with
Ocean Connections. I had a great time with them too, but they have had a
change over in staff, though ownership is the same. They also had boat
problems. The upside of Ocean Connections, is that they are almost right
across the street from Seabreeze. So far none of these shops had as great a
storage and setup area as Sueno used to have. That said, I don't know what
Sueno's is like now that they are so far on the southend of town.

West End Divers, cleaned my BCD and regs, hung everything up to dry. I took
care of my own wetsuit, though at the end of the day, West End put
everything into safe storage. All I had to carry back and forth between
dives was my computer. They had me set up on the dock for me to check my
gear before dives in the morning and set gear up for follow up dives too.

This had not been my experience at Sueno or Ocean Connections either, IIRC.
Though OC did store everything in a nice storage room at the end of every
day.

I did not like Tyll's, though you may. Pura Vida has a much nicer boat than
any of the others and Juan the DM has been with them for quite a while. He's
an excellent DM and I'd have dived with them more often, except he took too
great a liking to me, if you know what I mean.

There's a fabulous one bedroom apartment on the water, above the car rental
place (just across and ever so slightly south of Seabreeze). See: Delzie's
Apartments. I absolutely love it, but it has never been available for
booking when I've been there. Of course, it is also more money than
Seabreeze. Your back may thank you for paying a bit more for the better
bed.

> I want a vehicle because I want to visit other parts of the Island,
without
> resorting (no pun intended) to cabs or water taxis.

I understand that and if you've been there before, you probably already know
that you may not need to rent for the whole week?

> I know I won't need
> transportation to get to the dive shop, if I stay at Sea Breeze.

You won't need transportation no matter where you stay. Even if you chose
to dive Sueno, they told me they would pick me up in the morning and take me
down to the shop. I just didn't want to be ready at 7 am every day and I
like having a short walk back to my unit between dives and/or going for
lunch. I dunno, I guess if you want to dive with Sueno, then a vehicle
could be an option, but that sure takes the value out of diving there, IMO.

> the best option? As I remember, they were very professional and
> well-equipped.

They still have the dive store, but like I said, it is now down at their new
resort location. Ray still owns it, Elsie and David still work there,
Marvin is as adorable and helpful as ever and Barry is gone. As I said, I
haven't been diving with them lately, but I've always enjoyed dealing with
Ray. Too bad he's so far away from where I stay. There may be an upside
though. Since they are so far out of the midst of things, they've had fewer
divers booked with them than many of the other shops. That's not good for
Ray, but it's nice for the divers.

> I don't need any fancy digs or AC, but I can't walk too far carrying my
> gear; I'm an old broad and my back isn't the best.

I'm assuming you have a mesh backpack style gearbag?

Stay at Seabreeze (or Delzie's) and dive with one of the shops close by,
would be my recommendation.

>
>

Chilly--I tried to reply to you directly, but my email came back

I didn't know there was a car rental office in West End. This might be an option-for perhaps a couple of days to reach the other parts of the Island.
Do you remember the name?


See: Delzie's
Apartments. I absolutely love it, but it has never been available for
booking when I've been there. Of course, it is also more money than
Seabreeze. Your back may thank you for paying a bit more for the better
bed. Thanks, I'll check Delzie's out.

I'm assuming you have a mesh backpack style gearbag? Yes

Stay at Seabreeze (or Delzie's) and dive with one of the shops close by,
would be my recommendation.

All in all, what would be your first three choices of dive shop? I prefer shops whose staff doesn't have a huge turnover, obviously.

Chilly--I tried to reply to you directly, but my email came back

I didn't know there was a car rental office in West End. This might be an option-for perhaps a couple of days to reach the other parts of the Island.
Do you remember the name?


See: Delzie's
Apartments. I absolutely love it, but it has never been available for
booking when I've been there. Of course, it is also more money than
Seabreeze. Your back may thank you for paying a bit more for the better
bed. Thanks, I'll check Delzie's out.

I'm assuming you have a mesh backpack style gearbag? Yes

Stay at Seabreeze (or Delzie's) and dive with one of the shops close by,
would be my recommendation.

All in all, what would be your first three choices of dive shop? I prefer shops whose staff doesn't have a huge turnover, obviously.

"J B" <joledy@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:kY3Lf.2200$QL4.1282@news-wrt-01.rdc-nyc.rr.com...
>Chilly--I tried to reply to you directly, but my email came back

That's because you have to remove the "nada".

>I didn't know there was a car rental office in West End. This might be an
option-for perhaps a couple of days to reach the other parts of the Island.
Do you remember the name?

http://www.roatansalesandrentals.com/rental-cars.htm Note that it is just
below the apartment that I'm recommending. Owned by the same people, Marco
and Delzie. At the bottom of the page, click on Delzie's Apartments and
check out the one bedroom Beach Apartment. Geez, I shouldn't be telling
about this place. It is hard enough for me to get into now.

(snip)

>All in all, what would be your first three choices of dive shop? I prefer
shops whose staff doesn't have a huge turnover, obviously.

Then go with Pura Vida. Dive on their boat the Sophia. It's a better boat
than most of the other shops have and Juan has been DM there longer than any
of the other places in the immediate area have kept theirs. Most of these
shops are just running the ex-pat young people through the PADI system, know
what I mean? I really enjoyed my time with the young people that were
working at West End Divers last month, but I also know that some of my
favorites have already gone on to other shops.

OTOH, you can decide when you get there. Do a little tour around of Ocean
Connections, Reef Gliders, West End Divers and Pura Vida. Talk to the
people at each, check out their boats and operation, see what strikes you.

"J B" <joledy@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:kY3Lf.2200$QL4.1282@news-wrt-01.rdc-nyc.rr.com...
>Chilly--I tried to reply to you directly, but my email came back

That's because you have to remove the "nada".

>I didn't know there was a car rental office in West End. This might be an
option-for perhaps a couple of days to reach the other parts of the Island.
Do you remember the name?

http://www.roatansalesandrentals.com/rental-cars.htm Note that it is just
below the apartment that I'm recommending. Owned by the same people, Marco
and Delzie. At the bottom of the page, click on Delzie's Apartments and
check out the one bedroom Beach Apartment. Geez, I shouldn't be telling
about this place. It is hard enough for me to get into now.

(snip)

>All in all, what would be your first three choices of dive shop? I prefer
shops whose staff doesn't have a huge turnover, obviously.

Then go with Pura Vida. Dive on their boat the Sophia. It's a better boat
than most of the other shops have and Juan has been DM there longer than any
of the other places in the immediate area have kept theirs. Most of these
shops are just running the ex-pat young people through the PADI system, know
what I mean? I really enjoyed my time with the young people that were
working at West End Divers last month, but I also know that some of my
favorites have already gone on to other shops.

OTOH, you can decide when you get there. Do a little tour around of Ocean
Connections, Reef Gliders, West End Divers and Pura Vida. Talk to the
people at each, check out their boats and operation, see what strikes you.