West End[]
The Roatan Marine Park is responsible for managing the yacht moorings in the West End area. There are 20 moorings available for visiting vessels and there is a mandatory mooring fee of $10 per day, $40 a week, and $100 for a month. This money is reinvested into the maintenance of these moorings, as well as funding community projects. Since the introduction of the mandatory fee in April 2010, we have received very few complaints about the cost or the state of the moorings. The mooring lines are inspected each week during busy season by a host vessel who is responsible for ensuring visiting vessels pay and are informed about the rules and regulations. During slow season the moorings are inspected once a month. The majority of the moorings consist of two, 6ft sand screws, and 1inch polypropylene rope which runs from the screws to a buoy, and then a scope line is attached to the buoys. There is one mooring for larger vessels which consists of an 8ft screw and a 1,500lb concrete block. All vessels must register at the Marine Park office in Half Moon Bay in West End. for more information please visist our webpage (30/08/11)
New moorings - There are now a total of 13 moorings in West End. Beau Soleil reports no scope and they broke one loose with west winds 10/08
West end is the "happening place" for everything tourist and dining/party related here on Roatan. There are countless resorts, hotels, restaurants, trinket traps and so much more here. Be ready to enter a 1960's Key West style atmosphere. The road along the beachfront is sand and everything is right there. The cruiser who has been in isolation will find him/herself going into overload mode in no time. Yes it is a fun place to be and there is plenty to keep ones self occupied but hear this warning: When a norther is forecast to come through, dive your mooring to make sure it is safe or simply move to the south side of the island. There isn't enough room to drag very far and reports of boats on moorings dragging in the 20 to 30 knots a norther produce are common place. Some of the moorings are heavy concrete weights and then some are just sand screw type anchors and do not hold well in a blow.
More later on....add more if you like!
West End is one of my favorite beaches on Roatan. But it does have problems. In the height of the season most of the free park moorings are taken. Fear not. There are other moorings if you care to dive around to find them on the sea bottom.
The park, the whole area is a marine park, authorities demand that you take a free mooring or anchor in a sand patch. This is to protect the eel grass plus because your boat will be very close to the reef, keeps you from draging and hitting the reef.
Don't even think of spear fishing. You are encouraged on arrival to visit the park office. No worries. There is no charge. However, take a look at the hundreds of seized spear guns decorating the walls. Don't spear fish. As always in the third world it is best to avoid imperial entanglements. (Sorry, Star Wars fans.)
There is a $10 donation to be made at the office if you intend to go diving in park waters. Ask to have the little turtle thing that you can hang on you first stage as a trophy to show off as you voyage to other countries.
Ashore there are all the trappings of a tourist island. Enjoy. If you want to shop in Coxen Hole or check into the country there, grab a share taxi van, locally called a collectivo. It was 18 lempiras each way (less than a dollar) in 2008.
The entrance is shallow, 10', and after entering deeper water can be found closer to shore. Enjoy West End. We did!
Beau Soleil