Roataa, Honduras Dive 1- 3: Check out dive, Bumpy Nudy and Shrimp with eggs.

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2012 12 16

Roatan Dive 1. Check out dive.

Coco View has a mandatory rule for new divers: Assist an orientation meeting where they talk about all the rules and procedures, watch a 24 min video that is pretty informative and they top it off with a check out dive and there is no way out of it. I was assigned to a group of about 7 divers all pretty average except for one that kept going up and down to the point that had every body worried. I signaled the DM that I would stay with the group and waited for him while he ascended and assisted him. We went to the left from the entrance towards the Coco View wall. I saw a couple of Hamlets, a lime green mantis (My friend Judy took an awesome photo of it and I am including it here, a yellow rough-head blenny and a huge dog snapper. It must have been bigger than me. We returned and at the safety stop point I signaled the DM that I wanted to stay because I had 2000 psi left. I waved by and left. Well I wasn’t allowed to do that. I got chanced down and I had to complete my dive with the rest of the group.

70 ft 37min Ni 31% 82oF 14 lbs + ankl 3mm + Bear 7mm



Roatan Dive 2. Bumpy Nudi.

I found out that my camera was faulty when I was checking it before the dive. It doesn’t focus at focus priority so I had to disassemble forget about it and use one of SK’s back ups. Thanx to the divine powers of the “back-ups”! I broke my number #1 rule that I always break. Never use new gear on dive trips...Well I used the D200 most of the week and got a couple of shots here and there. But to really show what I saw. I am borrowing photos from my friend Judy that was at Coco the week before.

We had lunch and entered the water looking for arrow blennies and the yellow and white seahorses on the wall. Ww dove from the shore entrance at the 45 ft mark to the left and back slowly looking for the seahorses. We found 3 arrow blennies, 2 of them striking at the shrimp. I took a shot to get the feel of how difficult it is going to be. The shrimp are very tiny and well, It is going to be tough. Specially with a camera that I am not used to. No sign of the seahorses. We need more info about the specific area they are at. In relation to the CocoView over hang how close to them they are and what they are on, so I am planning on emailing Judy tonight. We saw regular Butter Hamlets everywhere but also saw a few Indigo hamlet but no partners quite yet. I don’t remember seen a good shoot of them mating….We are keeping and eye on those. I tried to portrait the huge Doug Snapper that lives by the overhang with no luck. Its so big. I needed either a 60 mm or a wide. I also saw a few jawfish I never seen before: bicolor, brown head white body and spots in the dorsal fin. They went into the hole as soon as I got close but I know the general area so I can get back until they get used to me. Screw anemones with snapping shrimp and cleaning shrimp everywhere, squat lobster and reg Caribbean fish and critters. Close to the buys pass the diamond frames on the way back I saw a tang trying to eat something, but it spit it quickly like it was yaki well what ever it was trying to eat swam away and it looked like a flatworm. When it landed in the sand I took a quick shot to see closer. It was a gorgeous sea hare with big eyes and bumpy face so pretty. I tried to better the shot but I was out of air and unfortunately I had to get out. I am going back in within an hr interval to look for it again.

Dive 416 54 ft 97min Ni 25% 84oF 14 lbs + ankl 3mm + Bear 7mm

Roatan Dive 3. Arrow crabs and Pederson shrimp with eggs.

We rushed to get in. It was 20 to 1800 and already getting dark. We were late for the mating hamlets. We have to adjust hour diving schedule and get in the water just after 4 to find a mating pair. I went straight to the spot were I saw the nudi last but I couldn’t find it. I looked in a book and It should be a seacat. I saw an arrow crab in the water column then we dove the stb side of the wreck lots of colorful sponges and worms but not much manching action. I only saw a Pederson shrimp with eggs and a basket star eating a worm. Nothing much. We had to get out to make it to dinner on time. Pretty boring dive. Dinner was fantastic and we met some divers that are into nudis I am waiting to see some of their photos. The water felt warm compared to the ambient and I feel a little overweight. I am going to shave 4 lbs tomorrow unless I decide to stay in the shallows.

Dive 417 51 ft 52min Ni 33%84oF 14 lbs + ankl 3mm + Bear 7mm

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Photos

Petalifera ramos
I only saw this guy once and totally felt in love with it.

Dog Snapper.
So big the biggest I have ever seen. Probably as big as me. I came so close to me that I thought it was going to bite me. I pushed him with my camera. Later I learn it was looking for food.

Petalifera ramos
It had purple bumps so cute.