Friday 11-3-17. Microtel Hotel Jacksonville
It has been a crazy whirlwind since we returned to Florida and this trip to Roatan seemed to just creep up on us. We fly to Roatan Honduras tomorrow AM with Mike and Jana where we will stay at the Sea Grape Inn. Next Sat.we switch over to Anthony's Key resort where we will be joined by 20 more friends. Roatan is one of the top dive spots in the world so when we planned this trip over a year ago, our plan was to go to Roatan to become certified to dive. Unfortunately Jon had a spinal fusion and he still can not lift, bend, twist, walk on sand, go on a boat, you get the picture. Soooooo, what will we do an Island that is all about diving and boating ? Absolutely nothing and right now that sounds perfect !
Saturday 11-4-17. Sea Grape Inn. Roatan Honduras
A very uneventful travel day even with the worlds most uncomfortable airplane seats. Luckily total flight time was under four hours. We arrived around noon and were met at the airport by hotel as arranged. Our driver gave us a nice tour of the area and lay of the land. Once we arrived we were thrilled they they put us in an oceanfront duplex suite with Mike and Jana. We got settled in walked around a bit then waited out a torrential downpour. We then walked to town which is about 10 minutes away and ate dinner and had cocktails at Sundowners. We met a nice gal who was giving lots of info. On things to do. An early evening for us all, tired after 4:00 AM wake up. It is is good old fashion beautiful island life here and we are going to love the r and r!
Sun 11-5-17
Mellow R and R day for us. I was up at 5:30 AM after a great sleep. We spent the AM walking all over and exploring the west end. We got back to the hotel for lunch, then just layer by pool in afternoon and swam. We had cocktails at pool, then decided to just pizza delivered. There are only about 8 other people here who leave tomorrow, then about 4 coming in so virtually have the resort to ourselves. I have signed up for a two day dive course on Tues and Wed. Tomorrow we have signed up for an all day island tour. We are loving it here. Very old school Caribbean vibe.......
It has been a crazy whirlwind since we returned to Florida and this trip to Roatan seemed to just creep up on us. We fly to Roatan Honduras tomorrow AM with Mike and Jana where we will stay at the Sea Grape Inn. Next Sat.we switch over to Anthony's Key resort where we will be joined by 20 more friends. Roatan is one of the top dive spots in the world so when we planned this trip over a year ago, our plan was to go to Roatan to become certified to dive. Unfortunately Jon had a spinal fusion and he still can not lift, bend, twist, walk on sand, go on a boat, you get the picture. Soooooo, what will we do an Island that is all about diving and boating ? Absolutely nothing and right now that sounds perfect !
Saturday 11-4-17. Sea Grape Inn. Roatan Honduras
A very uneventful travel day even with the worlds most uncomfortable airplane seats. Luckily total flight time was under four hours. We arrived around noon and were met at the airport by hotel as arranged. Our driver gave us a nice tour of the area and lay of the land. Once we arrived we were thrilled they they put us in an oceanfront duplex suite with Mike and Jana. We got settled in walked around a bit then waited out a torrential downpour. We then walked to town which is about 10 minutes away and ate dinner and had cocktails at Sundowners. We met a nice gal who was giving lots of info. On things to do. An early evening for us all, tired after 4:00 AM wake up. It is is good old fashion beautiful island life here and we are going to love the r and r!
Sun 11-5-17
Mellow R and R day for us. I was up at 5:30 AM after a great sleep. We spent the AM walking all over and exploring the west end. We got back to the hotel for lunch, then just layer by pool in afternoon and swam. We had cocktails at pool, then decided to just pizza delivered. There are only about 8 other people here who leave tomorrow, then about 4 coming in so virtually have the resort to ourselves. I have signed up for a two day dive course on Tues and Wed. Tomorrow we have signed up for an all day island tour. We are loving it here. Very old school Caribbean vibe.......
Mon 11-6-17
Today we were picked up by our guide Cleve for what turned out to be an 11 hour tour ! Roatan is an island full of history that has gone back and forth between spainish and british rule. It also has a colorful history of pirates..... The island is only 36 miles long and 4 miles wide, and we covered every inch of it via highway and dirt roads with the exception of west bay. We learned about the five specific cultures and visited the areas each culture lived in. It was quite clear that the whites , the caracunas, of European percent, although not the majority, control the island along with its industry. There is an area where the Latino population live that were brought to the island as laborers due to their strength. Allegedly the live in the hill tops because they are afraid of drowning if too close the the water. Next and tragically is a group that live on the waterfront called the misguitas which were brought over from the mainland to be divers for the fishing boats. They were given land and homes, but to to poor knowledge and equipment, many of them have been permanently disabled or died from the bends. Then you have the area of Punta Gorda where the Garafuna live and are of African descent. They have distinct food, music and are mostly fisherman. The island has fishing and lobstering regulations, but the Garifuna are exempt from the regulations. The final culture is the Black English. We stopped at an animal rescue area where we all got to hold a sloth, and go in with monkeys jumping all over us. We had a great stop in Oak ridge where which is a huge fishing community set right on the shore, and has a series of mangrove tunnels that use to be where the locals hid from the Pirates. Most of the area is only accessible by coat, so we went on a boat tour with Captain Alex. We ended up our tour in Punta Gorda where we had a unique seafood Garifuna dinner complete with some type of liquor that in a huge glass bottle full of sticks and leaves with a kind of brown decaying look. Tomorrow I start my scuba diver training. The original plan was for Jon and I to do it together, but he in not far enough into recovery from his spinal fusion yet :(
Today we were picked up by our guide Cleve for what turned out to be an 11 hour tour ! Roatan is an island full of history that has gone back and forth between spainish and british rule. It also has a colorful history of pirates..... The island is only 36 miles long and 4 miles wide, and we covered every inch of it via highway and dirt roads with the exception of west bay. We learned about the five specific cultures and visited the areas each culture lived in. It was quite clear that the whites , the caracunas, of European percent, although not the majority, control the island along with its industry. There is an area where the Latino population live that were brought to the island as laborers due to their strength. Allegedly the live in the hill tops because they are afraid of drowning if too close the the water. Next and tragically is a group that live on the waterfront called the misguitas which were brought over from the mainland to be divers for the fishing boats. They were given land and homes, but to to poor knowledge and equipment, many of them have been permanently disabled or died from the bends. Then you have the area of Punta Gorda where the Garafuna live and are of African descent. They have distinct food, music and are mostly fisherman. The island has fishing and lobstering regulations, but the Garifuna are exempt from the regulations. The final culture is the Black English. We stopped at an animal rescue area where we all got to hold a sloth, and go in with monkeys jumping all over us. We had a great stop in Oak ridge where which is a huge fishing community set right on the shore, and has a series of mangrove tunnels that use to be where the locals hid from the Pirates. Most of the area is only accessible by coat, so we went on a boat tour with Captain Alex. We ended up our tour in Punta Gorda where we had a unique seafood Garifuna dinner complete with some type of liquor that in a huge glass bottle full of sticks and leaves with a kind of brown decaying look. Tomorrow I start my scuba diver training. The original plan was for Jon and I to do it together, but he in not far enough into recovery from his spinal fusion yet :(
Tues. 11-7-17
Well I finished my first day of class room, and then water confined skill training. At this point it all feels overwhelming there is so much information, and things to think about. I have an excellent instructor, Chayanne, who is really calming and reassuring. I am also the only one in the class so I have a private instructor. I am optimistic, that like with most things, it will become easier with practice. Tomorrow I go for my open water dives, I'd be lying if I said I am not really nervous. Hopefully the seas will be calm.
We'd. 11-8-17
Well I am now a certified scuba diver ! It was just the boat captain, Chayanne and me so it was great with all of the support and help. We started off the first dive with all sorts of skills practices and reviews, the went actually diving. I did not let go of Chayannes hand for most of the time. We then boated to a different site. I had to swim unassisted for an est. distance, then float for ten minutes. We rested for a wile, then got back in for my second dive. We practiced some more skills, the spent the rest of the time "diving" I got the hang of the buoyency better, and did not hold onto Chayanne, I am sure he was happy to be free of my death grip. We got back to land, I had my final test, and I passed ! I was really exhausted so I napped a bit, then we had sunset cocktails at the pool, and went to town for a delish rotisserie chicken dinner. The whole experience was both scary but exhilarating for me, I was really lucky to have my own private instructor, dive boat and captain. I think we are the only ones at the resort right now, and town is really quiet. We feel quite spoiled having the entire staff taking care of just the four of us !
Well I finished my first day of class room, and then water confined skill training. At this point it all feels overwhelming there is so much information, and things to think about. I have an excellent instructor, Chayanne, who is really calming and reassuring. I am also the only one in the class so I have a private instructor. I am optimistic, that like with most things, it will become easier with practice. Tomorrow I go for my open water dives, I'd be lying if I said I am not really nervous. Hopefully the seas will be calm.
We'd. 11-8-17
Well I am now a certified scuba diver ! It was just the boat captain, Chayanne and me so it was great with all of the support and help. We started off the first dive with all sorts of skills practices and reviews, the went actually diving. I did not let go of Chayannes hand for most of the time. We then boated to a different site. I had to swim unassisted for an est. distance, then float for ten minutes. We rested for a wile, then got back in for my second dive. We practiced some more skills, the spent the rest of the time "diving" I got the hang of the buoyency better, and did not hold onto Chayanne, I am sure he was happy to be free of my death grip. We got back to land, I had my final test, and I passed ! I was really exhausted so I napped a bit, then we had sunset cocktails at the pool, and went to town for a delish rotisserie chicken dinner. The whole experience was both scary but exhilarating for me, I was really lucky to have my own private instructor, dive boat and captain. I think we are the only ones at the resort right now, and town is really quiet. We feel quite spoiled having the entire staff taking care of just the four of us !
Sat. 11-9-17
Thurs. and yesterday the weather was rainy off and on, but lots of wind so the water kicked up and I was unable to get anymore dives in. Yesterday we went to Anthony's I the AM. I wanted to check out the resort and make sure we all got good rooms and good dining arrangements for the group. We ate lunch back at Seagrape then took a taxi to West Bay. We walked around, then settles in at a bar and had sunset cocktails. It is totally dark here by 6:00 PM. We then took a taxi back to the west end And ate dinner at a delish Thai restaurant. Yesterday Jon was wrestling with Island belly so Mike Jana and I went to town for shopping, back home for cocktails then back to town for a taco dinner. This has been an amazingly relaxing week. We did not do a lot but the week flew by ! We are heading over to Anthony's later this AM and I hope everything goes well and everyone is happy !
Thurs. and yesterday the weather was rainy off and on, but lots of wind so the water kicked up and I was unable to get anymore dives in. Yesterday we went to Anthony's I the AM. I wanted to check out the resort and make sure we all got good rooms and good dining arrangements for the group. We ate lunch back at Seagrape then took a taxi to West Bay. We walked around, then settles in at a bar and had sunset cocktails. It is totally dark here by 6:00 PM. We then took a taxi back to the west end And ate dinner at a delish Thai restaurant. Yesterday Jon was wrestling with Island belly so Mike Jana and I went to town for shopping, back home for cocktails then back to town for a taco dinner. This has been an amazingly relaxing week. We did not do a lot but the week flew by ! We are heading over to Anthony's later this AM and I hope everything goes well and everyone is happy !
