Diving
Most visitors come to Utila specifically for the diving , attracted by the low prices, clear water and abundant marine life. Even in winter, the water is generally calm and common sightings include nurse and hammerhead sharks, turtles, parrot fish, stingrays, porcupine fish and an increasing number of dolphins. On the north coast of the island, Blackish Point and Duppy Waters are both good sites; on the south coast the best spots are Black Coral Wall and Pretty Bush. The good schools will be happy to spend time talking to you about the merits of the various sites. Rather than signing up with the first dive school representative who approaches you, it's worth spending a morning walking around checking out all the schools. Price is not really a consideration, with the dozen or so dive shops all charging around US$140 for a three- to five-day PADI course; advanced and divemaster courses are also on offer, as are fun dives, from US$12. Safety is a more pertinent issue: for peace of mind, you should make sure that you understand - and get along with - the instructors, many of whom speak a number of languages. Also, before signing up, check that classes have no more than six people, that the equipment is well maintained and that all boats have working oxygen and a first-aid kit. Anyone with asthma or ear problems should not be allowed to dive. A worthwhile investment is the diving insurance sold by BICA for US$3 a day, which covers you for medical treatment in an emergency. Recommended schools include the Utila Dive Centre ( www.utiladivecentre.com ) on the road between the dock and the dirt airstrip; Gunter's Dive Shop ( ecomar@hondutel.hn ), two minutes' walk west of the dock, which also rents out sea kayaks; Alton's ( altons@hondutel.hn ), two minutes' walk west of the airstrip; and Underwater Vision ( tamara@psi.net.hn ), opposite Trudy's . Salty Dog's, a minute's walk west of the dock, has underwater photography equipment for rent, and many of the dive shops also rent out snorkelling equipment for around $10 a day. It's important to bear in mind that the coral reef dies every time it is touched. BICA has been installing buoys at each of the sites to prevent boats anchoring on the reef and all the reputable schools will use these
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