Roatan/ AKR

[divingmedic]

Trip report from diving with AKR in Roatan June 12th through the 20th.

We stay in a Key Superior cabin. The cabin had a great view. The best sunrises I have seen in years. Watched the sun rise every morning over the hills of Roatan. Cabins are clean, the water is safe to drink from the tap. Yes there was a few bugs mostly ants in the morning around the shower and toilet, but just one or two and just squish em and your good to go.

Diving there was good. Reefs are in great shape. I did see some damage to one reef from the earthquake in May. There was also another earthquake while I was diving. It was a 4.2 that was 15 miles off of Utila. It caused a really nasty surge for a minute but that was it. There was no damage around the islands from that quake. High light was doing two dive with my ten year old daughter. First dive she only went to 18 feet. There was a surge going, but it was her very first ocean dive. The second dive was great. She went to 40 feet, was so excited to see every thing down on the reef. She found a Juvenile Spotted Drum, knew the hand signal for it. She even saw a Eagle Ray towards the end of the dive. The dive master put some bait in the water after we got in and 4-6 Nassua Groupers, Mutton and Dog Tooth Snappers came around. The kids on the dive loved that.

To me AKR runs a good dive operation. They keep the boats in good shape, dive masters pay attention to the divers and are good at finding things to see. One of the divers on my boat had a minor flood on his camera and the Photo Shop at AKR was able to fix it. It saved my boat mate about 12k worth of camera equipment.

Critters seen was a pregnant Green Moray Eel, two pregant sea horses, several turtles. One turtle ( Hawksbill) didn't even mind when the dive master and I settled down on each side of him for pictures for a good 5 minutes. He just sat there eating away, paying us no mind.

My daughter did the Dolphin Camp there, it was a very worth while experience for her. Not only did she get to play with dolphins during the week but learned about their behaviors and conservation about all sea animals and creatures.

[gee]

Nice report Divemedic. Thanks for posting. Your daughter will have wonderful memories that will last a lifetime!

[navyhmc]

Great report! I dove w/AKR a year or two ago, was very pleased with how they operated. UW for a quake would have been interesting.

BTW: What's the hand signal for juvi spotted drum?

[DevilDiver]

Great report! What a huge experience getting to dive with your daughter, really cool that she has the spirit of adventure and interest in the underwater life that can be discovered in diving.

Q: Did you have any issues with no-see-um's? I will be going back to Roatan in August and have not been there this late in the year before. I hear there are more as summer goes on.

Thnx.........

[divingmedic]

Originally Posted by navyhmc

Great report! I dove w/AKR a year or two ago, was very pleased with how they operated. UW for a quake would have been interesting.

BTW: What's the hand signal for juvi spotted drum?

The hand signal is like your playing drums. It was interesting with the quake. Heard a rumble, then a surge like a big boat went over. But most of use were between 90 and 70 feet coming up from a wreck.

[divingmedic]

Originally Posted by DevilDiver

Great report! What a huge experience getting to dive with your daughter, really cool that she has the spirit of adventure and interest in the underwater life that can be discovered in diving.

Q: Did you have any issues with no-see-um's? I will be going back to Roatan in August and have not been there this late in the year before. I hear there are more as summer goes on.

Thnx.........

No see ums were bad the first few days. Lot's of DEET or Cactus Juice. They seem to quit biting after being there for a few days. What I found odd was many there were taking anti-malarial pills.

[chinacat46]

Glad to hear AKR is still running a good operation. It's been 6.5 years since I was there but I did enjoy back then. Thanks for the report.

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by divingmedic

The hand signal is like your playing drums. It was interesting with the quake. Heard a rumble, then a surge like a big boat went over. But most of use were between 90 and 70 feet coming up from a wreck.

And i'm sure it made you giggle seeing her do it. Thanks again for the report.

[georoc01]

Originally Posted by navyhmc

And i'm sure it made you giggle seeing her do it. Thanks again for the report.

One of the cool things they do at AKR is have a Fish id presentation on Sunday night where they lead instructor brings up pix of each fish and talked through many of the hand signals that the DMs do. I thought it was a nice touch and enhanced the diving.

[scubarobin]

I love Roatan!!! Going back again next year.

So where are your pictures??? Share!