High Tide in Champerico

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The last weekend in October I took students to Champerico, a beach town about 3 hours from Xela. It is definitely nothing to write home about (but ironically that is exactly what I am doing now) but it was certainly a nice change of climate and pace from the cold city of Xela.

However, what happened is kinda interesting. We decided to go for a swim. I told the students to be careful because the undertow is very strong in Champerico. This is due to the fact that it was formerly a major port for exporting fish and other mariscos (seafood) and thus the ocean floor was dug deep so that there would be depth close to the shore so that boats could dock. Well, we went for a swim and enjoying the water, more and more I noticed that I was slowly getting sucked out and the 2 other people I was swimming with weren´t nearby. So I start trying to swim back, but to no avail. I wasn´t going anywhere! I could barely touch and was starting to get worried because I was making absolutely no progress.

For what felt like an hour I was swimming as hard as I could and finally I made it back (don´t worry, I made it). Got back to the shore and was walking up to take a much needed rest and the lifeguard come up to me. "Do you speak-a da espanish?" "Yes". He then proceeds to tell me that I shouldn´t be swimming there because it´s dangerous and has a strong current, but rather swim in the other side of the beach. Thanks alot, but now I know that, jackass. But seriously, there is no sign! Huh?

Then I found out that the others that I was swimming with had the same thing happen to them. After resting for a bit and getting our breathes back, we enjoyed a few litros de Gallo. The best thing was that we bought 3 litros and they brought out 2 plates of shrimp, free!! It was great, I was glad that I didn´t get sucked out to Australia.

We didn´t do anything that night but drink a few beers and play Blackjack, with homemade playing cards which was interesting. The next day we returned somewhat early because the it was pretty overcast and cloudy

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