Roatan, Honduras, CoCo View trip report and photo essay

Hi Everyone. I don't post here often, but I prepared this trip report after returning from Coco View in December, and I thought folks here might enjoy it. As you will read and see, I had a pretty darn good time, and more fun than I expected.

The report is hosted on Awoosh.com, a private and non-profit website hosted by JudyG. There is a wealth of travel and other diving information there, along with thousands of wonderful photos and videos. It's a place well worth visiting when you are dry and longing for a virtual nitrogen fix.

The report header is not on the main Awoosh page for the moment while Judy works through some issues with a new computer, for now you can view the report by clicking on the link below. I hope you enjoy, and I'll make an effort to answer any questions you may have.

All images were taken with a Canon 7D, Nauticam housing, Inon z240 strobes. And FYI, there is only one wide angle shot in the report because I flooded my camera and Tokina 10-17 the second day. I had a spare body so I finished the trip with a 100MM macro and Canon 18-55 zoom.

Clice here for report

Cheers,

Mike

Wonderful report Mike! Thanks for sharing the trip with us. Very impressed with your images too. Unlimited rum punch and lobster? I'm surprised you came home.

You do have to share with us though what happened to your 7D/Nauticam rig. Those of us who shoot it want to know. You might save us from doing the same thing. Glad you were able to save the trip with your spare. Must have been an interesting evening cleaning up the housing.

Cheers,

Steve

Wonderful report Mike! Thanks for sharing the trip with us. Very impressed with your images too. Unlimited rum punch and lobster? I'm surprised you came home.

 

You do have to share with us though what happened to your 7D/Nauticam rig. Those of us who shoot it want to know. You might save us from doing the same thing. Glad you were able to save the trip with your spare. Must have been an interesting evening cleaning up the housing.

 

Cheers,

Steve

Thanks Steve. Yes, I have to say I was a little skeptical about the lobster until it was on my plate, but it was really all you could eat and it was delicious. And the shrimp served at CoCoview are farmed locally and they are tasty and plentiful.

As for my flood, I'm a little embarrassed because it was just simple stupidity, but here's how it went: I was having some trouble with one of the housing controls lining up properly on the morning dive, so when I got back on the boat I dried the rig off, opened the housing, and reseated the camera. After which I closed the three latches and simply missed the hook on the third latch. I put it back in the rinse tank for the SI, and after I splashed for the second dive and the rig was handed to me I noticed it was very negative. That's what happens when the housing is filled with water :-(.

When I got it back to my room, I rinsed it out with fresh water, then towel dried it, then got a tank of air and a nozzle and air dried it thoroughly. Then I sat it in front of the AC for the night. The next day I put in my spare body and it was fine the rest of the week.

Four months later I'm still wrestling with DEPP to get them to pay my claim, but that's another story...

Hi Mike,

Nice trip report and beautiful photos! As someone who's gearing up for her fifth trip to CoCo View next month, I have to say your report is spot-on. And it makes me wish my departure date was closer

-Gina

A right mixed bag there, great photos and read. Shame about that flood.

Stew

Thanks for the writeup Mike. Good luck with DEPP.

Excellent report, very easy to read and enjoy

Great pictures as well.

Thanks for sharing

ed

Hi Mike,

 

Nice trip report and beautiful photos! As someone who's gearing up for her fifth trip to CoCo View next month, I have to say your report is spot-on. And it makes me wish my departure date was closer

 

-Gina

Thanks, and have a ball there. I have it on my list for a return.

A right mixed bag there, great photos and read. Shame about that flood.

 

Stew

Thanks Stew. Yeh, I have the flooded 7D body and Tok sitting on a countertop at home, reminding me to CHECK FOR BUBBLES EVERY TIME I OPEN THE HOUSING.

Excellent report, very easy to read and enjoy

Great pictures as well.

 

Thanks for sharing

ed

Appreciate it Ed!

Great report. Thanks for posting!

Great report that gave me a strong deja vu feeling. Ohhh, guess what, I was there the same week and the week after. To bad we didn't meet, should have worn my wet-pixel T-shirt more. I did meet your rig though and have been salivating over it, not literally, while it was sitting out on the front steps.

You did get lucky with the weather. The second week was consistently cloudy and at times so cold that they started serving hot chocolate during surface interval on the boat. Some of the stronger rain storms also led to substantially worse visibility on the shore dives but the boat dives were still great.

I can fully support all you've been writing and after reading it, start to regret more that I only got two night dives in at the end of the stay. But hey, that gives me an excuse to go back.

Bart

PS1: By the way, I was the one who got picked out on the Friday to go into the end-of-year lottery for a free trip to Coco view. Unfortunately, I didn't make it past the second round.

PS2: The small unidentified fish on your page are glass or masked gobies. They are in Human & Deloach. They normally hover in small to moderate size schools close to the reef but sometimes lie down on the substrate.

Great report. Thanks for posting!

My pleasure, thanks.

Great report that gave me a strong deja vu feeling. Ohhh, guess what, I was there the same week and the week after. To bad we didn't meet, should have worn my wet-pixel T-shirt more. I did meet your rig though and have been salivating over it, not literally, while it was sitting out on the front steps.

 

You did get lucky with the weather. The second week was consistently cloudy and at times so cold that they started serving hot chocolate during surface interval on the boat. Some of the stronger rain storms also led to substantially worse visibility on the shore dives but the boat dives were still great.

 

I can fully support all you've been writing and after reading it, start to regret more that I only got two night dives in at the end of the stay. But hey, that gives me an excuse to go back.

 

Bart

 

PS1: By the way, I was the one who got picked out on the Friday to go into the end-of-year lottery for a free trip to Coco view. Unfortunately, I didn't make it past the second round.

 

PS2: The small unidentified fish on your page are glass or masked gobies. They are in Human & Deloach. They normally hover in small to moderate size schools close to the reef but sometimes lie down on the substrate.

How about that, it really is a small world, isn't it? I guess you saw my rig when I left it on the steps so I could avoid lugging that boat anchor twice. The path from my room to the lockers goes right past the entry to the shore dive so I would leave my rig near the water.

I knew we were really lucky with that weather. I was prepared for a cold, rainy week.

I remember you winning that lottery, too bad you didn't make it to the final round. A freeby to CoCo would be a great prize.

Thanks for the ID! I see those fish all the time and yet I couldn't find the ID somehow.

Next time you see me give me a shout!

Mike

Excellent report. I was on the other side of the island last Sept and the water was 88º, far too warm and there was very little marine life there. Guess I was on the wrong side of the island.

steve

Excellent report. I was on the other side of the island last Sept and the water was 88º, far too warm and there was very little marine life there. Guess I was on the wrong side of the island.

steve

Holy crap, 88 degrees? Isn't that warm enough to bleach coral?