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Dive Review of Clark's Cay in
Honduras/Ganaja

Clark's Cay: "20 trip cancelled; '21 ditto; May 22 was the charm", May, 2022,

by David Scott, FL, US (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 7 reports with 9 Helpful votes). Report 11938.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 3 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments 2.5 years since our last dive. We attempted to return to Utilia Utopia lodge but COVID shut them down and the owners decided on a different direction. The fall back reservation for '21 was Clark's Cay, an island off Ganaja not all that far from Utilia, which was cancelled due to COVID concerns in our group. Rebooked for May '22 and here we are.

Unless you have been reading UNDERCURRENT since it was paper and delivered in a mailbox with a three hole binder punch you probably don't know what a vibrant reef looks like. For the last many decades I thought it was my duty to report declining reef conditions. I have come to understand this is a fools errand. It is time to retire my jaundiced eye.

The diving was good.
I suppose it's time to celebrate and amplify that which is still living on the reef: The pillar corals, like Utilia, are outstanding. There is more elkhorn here and even some small areas of staghorn.
Not quite devoid of fish but damn near. Nuisance nurse sharks addicted
to lionfish scraps are the draw here. Some nice spur and grove formations and numerous swim throughs and caverns. We dived the west side of the island due to strong trade winds. I'm told the east side sites offer some opportunity for large pelagics. If we return it will be timed for calmer wind months to dive the east side.
I did see one medium sized blacktip.

The cabanas are nice, with a service daily and laundry is available daily. Beach cabanas offer a good deal of privacy but there are rooms on a second floor near the dive boat.

The food was above average and the Bar is way above average Open bar except for the top shelf. Zacapa 23yo dark sipping rum is a real treat.

The boat we were on seems to be of local construction, single cummins 6bta. No VHF. WE had six days of safe diving but did have one mechanical issue that required a "sister" boat to bring us back to the lodge. It is when things don't go well that you can really see the caliber of the crew. These guys are good, self reliant and innovative boat operators.
You need to be to operate a boat in a remote location like this.

While this boat was repowered it seems likely it will need to be replaced in the next year or so IF tourist diving returns to an economic level

All the covid testing stuff was a hassle but I guess that has all went away now as of this writing.

The coast line of Ganaja is choked with plastic flotsam, seems like a local effort could be established to gather this stuff and burn it as a last resort. All of our group would have put in several hours in that endeavor.

Burning crap on the beach with good rum in hand is a real treat.





Websites Clark's Cay   [same]

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving most of the Caribbean, a good portion of the central and western pacific
Closest Airport Ganaja Getting There MIA RTB Ganaja
Ferry if available is better option for Roatan to Ganaja

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy, rainy, cloudy, dry Seas calm, choppy, no currents
Water Temp 79-80°F / 26-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 80-120 Ft/ 24-37 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified]
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 2 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments The crew had a dedicated camera tank
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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