Roatan, Honduras

11/2//13

Roatan, Honduras

Intermittent rain showers


We are anxious to get to Roatan and have left Utila too early, it will need more time for exploration and diving, on our way out of the country when we return to Guatemala.  The trip to Roatan is only roughly about 30 miles from East Harbor, Utila to French Harbor, Roatan where our marina, Fantasy Island awaits us.  The sky's were dark and foreboding when we left and which made me a little anxious, but when the rain squalls hit they were brief and without mishap, but they followed us all the way there.

When we arrived and thanks to Jonesy and Terry on s/v Nikki Wikki, we had the necessary waypoints as there is a small opening in the reef to get into French Harbor.  Once in, there is also a very shallow spot that needs to be avoided.  The water is beautiful though, azure blue and clear in the more shallow spots where there is a sand bottom.  We were met at the dock by, Jerry, dock master extraordinaire, for Fantasy Island Marina.  He got us situated in the back of the island ("the back 40") where we stayed until the next day, when we moved to a site with electricity.  Jerry, is a delightful man with the best voice I have ever heard....he should be a newscaster or the like.  Jerry showed us around the island and bought us a drink at the resort bar, what a nice entrance to our new "home".  That evening being tired we made the decision to eat at the resort, leaving our boat open (as we had no electricity), I was a little worried about the bugs and the dreaded "no-seeums".  Our meal was on an open veranda, but was certainly not as good as we had anticipated, albeit the view and surroundings were great.  The breeze was wonderful and then it kept getting stronger and stronger and then the rain started.  My worries turned from bugs to water as we ran back to the boat and were drenched when we got there.  What a mess, water on all our books and siting in shelves, luckily - I never open the ports over our bed, thank goodness at least we had a dry bed that night.

The next day we were moved to the other side of the island and moored in front of the Tikki Palapa, or what would soon be completed to be the Tikki Palapa, at present it is a deck with poles that would support the roof later on.  The Fantasy Island property is stunning, with a huge half moon bay and sand beach.  A short swim from the beach is Mayalantis.  This is an area where there are large sculptures which replicate Mayan ruins on the bottom in about 15' of water.  It is a nice area to snorkel, but in no way is it the best of the snorkeling that FI has to offer.

Scrawled Filefish

We are only a short dingy ride from Mr. Sherman's Marine Park.  Mr. Sherman owns the Iguana Farm and he protects the lobster and conch in the marine park from poachers, which is an endless job and one that the Honduran government doesn't support.  Anyone that is caught poaching is arrested and then promptly released, much to Mr. Sherman's frustration.  It is a great area for snorkeling with only being 3-4' deep.  We have seen and continue to see new things each time we snorkel there.  We always enjoy the endless beauties underwater.

Queen Conch

Smooth Trunkfish