Diving in Honduras
                    June 25-July 2, 1995
                   by Carl L. Wilson, II
   Internet Address: carl.wilson@f14.n279.z1.fidonet.org
                          Part Two
Resort Name: Fantasy Island Beach Resort
Location: Roatan, Bay Island of Honduras
Dive Operation: In House
                           Diving
The dive shop/dive operation is an inhouse arrangement.  The
Dive shop needs some help.  Although the manager, Hank, is
friendly and trying, he needs to see how a first class dive
operation is run.
The Dive guides want everyone to suit up and walk to the
back of the boat with tank, weight belt and gear on, this is
not the best method.  Donning gear at the rear of the boat
was not an option the dive guides were comfortable with.  In
the beginning they asked us to put all gear including fins on
and then walk to the rear of the boat, which is a near
impossibility, unless one walks backward.
The boats used are large (42 ft), beamy (10 & 12 ft) and
have a hard top for protection from the sun.  Seating is on
the sides/gunnels of the boat, which could be improved on.
Tanks ranged from 2850-3100 lbs.
Diving is mostly on walls and reefs, with several very nice
walls.  The resort also took a boat to the north shore of
the island everyday I was there.  The boat would leave early
and we would ride a bus over with our gear in a truck
following us. The island is narrow, so the ride to the north
shore was only about a 10 minute trip.  However, I found the
wreck of the Prince Albert to be one of my favorite sites,
and it is accessible from the gazebo as a shore dive.  The
dive shop will transport your gear and tanks to the Gazebo
for shore diving anytime of the day.
When we arrived the seas had small whitecaps and about 6 ft
swells.  On the third day of our visit the seas calmed down.
                           Costs
I booked Fantasy Island Resort due to a promotional price
of $1068.00 from Miami, New Orleans, or Houston.
                          Opinions
Fantasy Island Resort is located on an island (man made?)
reachable from Roatan by a short bridge.  While the resort
is beautiful, it is not a luxury resort.  A luxury resort
requires a staff that can take care of the guests needs.
The resort suffers from a high turnover rate in their staff,
of the waiters in the dinning room, I would calculate that
50% had not worked more than 1-2 weeks.
Language is a big problem at the resort.  I realize that
Roatan speaks Spanish, however, when a resort advertises
for Americans, the staff should be able to answer simple
questions in english with a yes or no.  As an example,
"Where is the restroom?"  The staff should be able to point
or at least say something in the line of directions.  Most
of the staff when confronted with english would find another
staff person who knew a little english and the second would
then translate for the first.
The dive operation is trying however, the diveguides speak
very poor english and need to be instructed in how to run a
dive operation.
                        Conclusions
Would I recommend the resort? No.  Our group had good time,
however no one would return to the resort.  The new manager
who arrived when I was there was making a big difference,
but until the staff is better trained it is not a luxury
resort as advertised.  I considered the diving to be
average.
But then again, I am probably jaded.  A terrible week diving
is better than my best week at work!!!
end part two of two
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