Any group snorkel trips in MR?

[miserkris]

Hello....

Do members of MR go on snorkel/scuba trips to Florida or Caribbean as a group?

Where can I join such a group?
Thx Kris

 

[James]

I'm going to Utila over Spring Break, if anyone wants to book a trip I will help you guys find lodging (cheap) and show you all the best dive and snorkel spots. I am flying into SPS on March 23rd for 9 days. Ming went to Utila with me last year and we had a blast diving and snorkeling all over the island.

 

[miserkris]

I'm going to Utila over Spring Break, if anyone wants to book a trip I will help you guys find lodging (cheap) and show you all the best dive and snorkel spots. I am flying into SPS on March 23rd for 9 days. Ming went to Utila with me last year and we had a blast diving and snorkeling all over the island.

Wow what's SPS?

 

[BrownieKid72]

Do you need to be certified for snorkeling?

 

[James]

SPS is San Pedro Sula, it is the city that is cheapest to get to the Caribbean from (you can fly to the island next to Utila but it costs a lot more and you get Utila the same time). As for certification to snorkel, nope, as long as you can swim you are good to go. I'm going to post some pictures up in the nudibar soon.

PIcs thread in nudibar.

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...-caribbean-island-reef-shots.html#post1276950

 

[miserkris]

Says SPS is a dangerous city :banghead:

 

[ming]

Says SPS is a dangerous city :banghead:

I'm not going to say it isn't. But if you're scared, you can take a smaller plane from the same airport you land in to Utlia, so you never exit the airport.

Alternatively, I've heard of people flying to Roat?n, and then take a boat from there to Utila.

I took the local "dangerous" method of taking a bus from SPS to the port for the boat, and it was fine. Just don't do the tourist thing and take out a camera or flash money. Keeping a low profile until you get on the boat would be common sense. I had a language barrier since I don't speak Spanish too and I did not feel threatened in any way.

 

[James]

OH it is dangerous... but not for someone who just passes through. If you are drug smuggler or a gang member then it is the most dangerous city in the world. I have done this trip many many times and have never had a problem. You can get a taxi to take you from the airport to the ferry if you want (or do like Ming said and just fly), don't let SPS being a craphole ruin a good trip. Granted, Utila it is not for everyone... if you like cruise ships and all inclusive resorts, you would not find many like minded tourists on Utila. If you like hearing people speaking like real pirates, lots of friendly and diverse international backpackers, rum at anytime, morning or night, constant diving followed by constant drinking of said rum, bars in trees, crashed drug trafficing planes in the jungle that look like the set of lost, etc etc etc... then Utila is for you. Ming does that sound accurate in your experience there or am I off base?

 

[CoralMeister]

Some very beautiful places for snokel/scuba would be:

Cancun
Aruba
St. Maartin

 

[miserkris]

Ok so do we fly direct or change plane in say miami. ?

James, Please lmk when u post pics of utila place u stayed, general areas etc too.

If we could get a group that would be awesome to go to utila.
Why do u keep going back to same place? ... have u been to Cayman, tci, usvi etc? thx

 

[MatthewScars]

check out bermuda. im doing scuba there this summer after i get my cert.

Im down for LI scuba dives if anyone goes.

 

[James]

Ok so do we fly direct or change plane in say miami. ?

James, Please lmk when u post pics of utila place u stayed, general areas etc too.

If we could get a group that would be awesome to go to utila.
Why do u keep going back to same place? ... have u been to Cayman, tci, usvi etc? thx

I forgot to upload pictures yesterday, I am going to upload a few right now.
As for where I stayed and why I keep going back check my signature. I have been all over the Caribbean. Went to elementary school in Key West in the early 80's. Key West in the 70s and early 80s is like Utila now... pre cruise ships and corporate tourism. General area is easy as Utila is 7 miles x 2 miles and most of it is jungle, surrounded by the Meso-american reef There is 1 main road that goes along the bay and one that goes up the hill toward the freshwater caves to the airstrip. It has very little of the crime that plagues the rest of the Caribbean except for the highly policed resort areas... that is what makes it special in my opinion. There are only about 2k people living on the island at a given time.... more with tourists. If anyone wants read a guide I made that I email to people who rent my place let me know in PM with your email. Not trying to spam or anything, I figure if you like reefs and really cheap good diving (and PADI courses) you cannot do better than Utila unless you are in Asia. This site has some good info if anyone is interested. I could help people find places to stay although the week I am going (Easter week, Semana Santa in Honduras) is the busiest week of the year. http://utilaguide.com/

 

[ming]

OH it is dangerous... but not for someone who just passes through. If you are drug smuggler or a gang member then it is the most dangerous city in the world. I have done this trip many many times and have never had a problem. You can get a taxi to take you from the airport to the ferry if you want (or do like Ming said and just fly), don't let SPS being a craphole ruin a good trip. Granted, Utila it is not for everyone... if you like cruise ships and all inclusive resorts, you would not find many like minded tourists on Utila. If you like hearing people speaking like real pirates, lots of friendly and diverse international backpackers, rum at anytime, morning or night, constant diving followed by constant drinking of said rum, bars in trees, crashed drug trafficing planes in the jungle that look like the set of lost, etc etc etc... then Utila is for you. Ming does that sound accurate in your experience there or am I off base?

Pretty much right on. You'll see a lot of travelers from all over the world, Australia, Britain, Germany, etc, as well as people from the west coast.
Unlike many other islands in the Caribbean, Utila is perfectly safe to wander around alone at night as its a small community. Its hard to get lost too as there's only 1 real street you'll be on.

 

[miserkris]

Pretty much right on. You'll see a lot of travelers from all over the world, Australia, Britain, Germany, etc, as well as people from the west coast.
Unlike many other islands in the Caribbean, Utila is perfectly safe to wander around alone at night as its a small community. Its hard to get lost too as there's only 1 real street you'll be on.

Ming, you going this time too? .... if one more reefer goes I'd go I guess. ... no waves, and awesome creatures off the beach .... can't resist

 

[JonnyJ]

Miserkris, if you want - pm me. id be down to go.

 

[miserkris]

Miserkris, if you want - pm me. id be down to go.

Pm sent. ...

Lets get more people .... utila here we come!

 

[brunoboarder2444]

i dive normally but one of my favorite places snorkeling was the dry tortugas off of key west

 

[brunoboarder2444]

i dive normally but one of my favorite places snorkeling was the dry tortugas off of key west

 

[ruha456]

Lets all go dive in Orchard beach BX.

 

[James]

For those of you serious about going. check VRBO.com and homeaway.com as well as airbnb. The week I am going is the busy week and there will not be a lot of vacancies. Staying at a dive shop dorm room will be an option though as they usually have room (advantage cheap , which honestly is really fun, you get to meet people that way. Just dont expect your own bathroom or AC. Just a fan and a shared bathroom.