http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Honduras , Bay Islands , Roatán en-us Sat, 25 May 2013 12:51:03 +0000 Sat, 25 May 2013 12:51:03 +0000 Today we woke up after a long sleep as we had a relatively early night last night after we rolled home after our giant steaks We were excited cos today was Take 2 Dolphin Day We sorted through some pics and then got up and went down into the town to get some breakie. We went back to the same place we were at yesterday as our omelette was amazing. And half of our group had the same idea as we bum http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-784265.html We woke up to a beautiful sunny day and got our first look of the resort by daylight. Its so cool Our resort is right on the ocean with a pool area overlooking the sea. We wandered into town and went to a breakie restaurant that had a porch out the back right on the beach. We both ordered omelets which were delicious and freshly squeezed OJ to start our day. The restaurant was owned by this rea http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-784156.html Not an overly exciting blog today sorry guys. It involves a bus a wait at a bus station another bus then a ferry and another bus. Massive travel day however after 12 hours we have arrived at Roatan Island in the Carribean Sea.The day started with us catching the 7am 39chicken bus39 from Copan. A chicken bus is the name given to the old American school buses that for some reason have been http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-784108.html Thursday 14thFebruary Roatan Honduras.We sailed into Coxen Hole Roatan just after daybreak after an overnight journey directly east from Belize City and it was very nice to see green hills again after the totally flat scenery of Mexico Louisiana and Belize. Roatan is a small island with an interesting history having been under British ruleoccupation before it was exchanged for Belize. Consequ http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-771525.html Roatan Dive 16 Yawning hamlet Nikon D200I spent the dive following my Juv hog fish cleaning different fish. I was diving with the Nikon D200 set up and it took me a few dives to get used to it. But I love it.32 ft 113min Ni 31 AL80 82oF 10lbs ank 3mmBear 7m Roatan Dive 17 Nikon D200 Arrow BlennyI decided not to waste my time trying to get behavior shots and I headed to the wreck to look for arr http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-764541.html 12 19 2012Roatan Dive 12. Mating eelsWe had a late start. I missed my deadline for Ocean Views. The system took my payment but not the uploads. We dove the Coco View West Wall once again. Steve spotted sargassum on the surface. I grabbed a piece and I noticed a weird shrimp on it. I bolted off to grab SK fin and I guess I lost the shrimp with the current. I grab another piece and It had 3 shrimp i http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-764111.html Steven Kovacs and Judy Townsend let me use these image for the blog to match the story. I decided to do a special post just with them. Two different species of wire coral shrimp. Wow http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-764101.html Roatan Dive 8. East Coco View wallWe didnt do the night dive and didnt wake up for a 6 am dive. We went on the quest for the big eye with the huge isopod on its front head. Diane said it lives to the left just past where the wall really starts near the big overhang go a little further than the overhang in around 2539. There is a small cave in one of the crevasses. Back in there is http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-764097.html Roatan Dive 4. Marys Place.Marys Place is an amazing deep crack 70 ft for 200 ft and a little turn to towards the end. Amazing for wide angle silhouette shot of a diververtical to the wall. I had plan for the wide angle but the buttons were stockedand couldnt adjust settings. Also I forgot to turn strobes off. I dont needthem for a silhouette. I felt like a complete amateur. DM Marcu http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-764038.html 2012 12 16Roatan Dive 1. Check out dive.Coco View has a mandatory rule for new divers Assist an orientation meeting where they talk about all the rules and procedures watch a 24 min video that is pretty informative and they top it off with a check out dive and there is no way out of it. I was assigned to a group of about 7 divers all pretty average except for one that kept going up and down to t http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-763564.html After a lovely sea day cruising past Cuba we arrived in Grand Cayman. We were just about to go off the ship and do a little snorkeling when the skies opened up and it rained buckets. We waited for quite a while and then it got too close to the Rivieras departure time so we just enjoyed the day on the ship. We have been to Cayman a number of times and have always gone swimming with the manta ra http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-762739.html On our last full day on the island we hired a well experienced and local cabbie George to take us around the island from the west end to east end and back. There is really only one road but much to see. The island is about 2 miles wide and 28 miles long. We first visited the West End which is the most travelled by tourists. At that end are terminals for cruise ships shops diving and other t http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-761236.html We are slothing it new word we made up here. We will admit to completely and totally forgetting which day of the week we arrived or any other day since we have been here. We keep forgetting the fact that we need to take a water bottle everywhere and that showering should be a daily event but at least we remember our names. You can sit here and watch the view for hours. If you wanted to y http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-760893.html Why would Floridians travel to a tropical island Where else would you have a big sea mostly to yourself cute fish an afternoon tradewind rustling the palm fronds and new local adventures all at the same time Not in FloridaWe taxied it to the airport in San Salvador and hopped on a propeller plane for Roatan Honduras. See photos. The onehour plane ride saved us about ten hours of roa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-760487.html Bonjour tousNotre voyage se termine bientt nous avons dcids de vendre notre belle Moana 1Nous sommes prsentement au Honduras et la vie est belle.Nous avons encore un peu de navigation parcourir pour remonter le bateau jusqu39en Floride.Moana 1 se reposera pendant l39t 2013. Nous pourrons vivre avec notre famille au Qubec.Nous en profiterons l39hiver prochain dans le http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-749053.html GuatemalaLago De AtitlanWe departed Antigua and headed for Lago De Atitlan in western Guatemala having heard and read that this lake was a picturesque place to stay in the highlands. The lake is situated amongst several volcanoes and there are several villages dotted around each offering different vibes from the rough and ready and relatively busy San Pedro to the hippy hangout of San Marcos La L http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-735669.html July 23 I couldn39t manage it the relaxing. So not a good relaxer. I woke up at 630am and repacked emailed was sick etc. The usual morning routine. So I started taking the meds for my stomach. Then I headed upstairs at 730 for breakfast and the woman who runs the hotel had already cooked it. Very nice. I waited at 8am for the cab driver who said he would be there but by 810 I just fou http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-733452.html No full blog entry today just the final pictures as promised. Roatan was beautiful and a wonderful vacation. To view the previous blog entries and read about the real adventures traveling through Nicaragua and Honduras via local transport cities volcanoes beaches and crime click on the previous entry link below to scroll through each of the entries in this amazing backpacking adventure. Head http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-727518.html Our ride across the main land of Honduras to Roatan via the Galaxy Wave was a turning point in our adventure. We are back to what would be considered the typical traditional vacation. Beaches swimming restaurants shops many other tourists and a selection of day tours.I won39t go into too much detail about this leg of the trip because it39s just that a normal vacation pictures poste http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-727517.html Open Water DiversWell we did it we are now PADI open water divers certified with a card and everything. We did 2 more dives this morning one at Mandy39s Eel Garden and the other at Sea Quest. Both were off the front of our hotel and down a little ways. At stop one we had to do this exercise where you fill your mask with water open your eyes then drain the water out. I hate it. And that sea w http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-726518.html