Another Crummy Week in Paradise, Roatan 12/11-18 Daily Log

Monday 10:30 hrs...Dateline Roatan:

Now we are at Roatan, comfortable in the arms of CoCoView. As we landed aboard TACA
on Saturay, a flight with barely 45 passengers (due to Continental’s new flights) we were once again - after some 25 trips, that our luggage was aboard. The island appeared below the
thick clouds.

For the previous two weeks, the first 1/2 of December, the weather on Roatan had been
warm, dry and inviting. In that “Herself”, my intrepid dive buddy had taken yet another try
at finding paradise in the Caribbean in December, she was eagerly anticipating sun and
warmth. Since she had previously vactioned from her job as a Hollywood Professional Cat
Wrangler for previous several years in this- the height of the rainy season- she knew
disapppointment well. But still, she hoped for the best. On the way from the Roatan airport,
her hopes dimmed substantialy as we looked thru the side windows of the bus at the
twinkling lights of “Roatan, Christmas on Steroids”. Over decorating was the norm and they
have yet to get those inflatable Christmas Lawn Ornament baloons. Just Wait.

Our driver allowed as how this is the very first rain that they had seen in weeks. "Herself" was now glaring at me.

Sunday night was clear and bright, with a promise of impending sunshine and warmth. We
took the opportunity to hang OUR Christmas lights around Cabana #12 and further brighten
the night sky around CoCoView. We ate Drunken Island Chicken and Sweet/Sour Shrimp
and dawdled at the bar. Our fellow travellers had arrived earlier aboard Continental so they
already had done their CCV Orientation dive- learning the process of navigating the “Front
Yard”.

Sunday morning, we took some of the newer divers back out on a shore dive in order to sort
out their fears and streses. Due the the rain, the shore dive wasn’t pleasant until we reached
ten feet of depth, then it was quite clear. The newbies barely saw the 5’ Green Moray or the
huge 120# Grouper, but we also saw the usual suspects like the Garden Eels, the Secretary
Blennies and Arrow Crabs. On the way back in, my dive buddy and Cousin Katie was so
relaxed that she saw the Garden Eels and observed with interest the ever present Sailfin
Blennies. I think diving is a wonderful new sport for her, as this is the first time I’ve ever not
heard her talking, thank you Mr. Second Stage.

Lunch of “Fajita Salad”, Ginger Shrimp, Ham & Cheese, with the world’s best Onion Soup,
power nap and then out on the 2:00 boat. We did “John’s Spot” and of course, DM Tulio
found the Seahorses, Flamingo Tongues and mated Angels. The “Drop Off” dive I
encouraged any and all to simply drop off on the wreck of the Prince Albert, if ony to further
enhance their understanding of the layout of CCV’s front yard. We jumped in as Grigo the
Captain advised us that the first ten feet were cloudy, that we should descend thru that as
quickly as possible and enjoy the clear viz below. Of course, he was correct. At the end, as
we SCUBA’s back the chain to CCV... then it really started to rain.

We had a dinner of Roast Beef, Grilled Fillet Fish, Parmesan Mashed and Salva Vida. The
night dive was a forgone write-off.

It has now been drizzling for 16 hours. Although maybe half the diver went out on the boats,
lots decided to stay warm and dry while getting their hair braided or getting pedicures and
facials. That’s what me and they other guys did anyway. The girls just lay in the hammocks,
smoked Cuban cigars and drank Salva Vida. See? Something for everyone. The new owners have installed one satellite tv upstairs in the club house, and the new porches off of the cabanas are still quite private but expanded the room area. They are all AC now, something I never really needed.

In that the breeze is now coming from the South, the weather should clear sometime soon,
possibly by January 2005.

I am waiting impatiently for Monday lunch: Chicken Enchiladas and a Fish Chowder and
salads.

Is that a break in the clouds I see?

I always say the worst day diving is better than the best working! Hope you have a good time! Roatan is still on my list to be tried.

astrl

Doc thanks for the mind trip. You always paint a colorful picture, wished I was there. Only 5 more months.

Doc,

I'm gonna PM. Check it out!

Regards,

Less than four months for me.... I can't wait! :dazzler1:

Hopefully now that it's blowing out of the NNE it will be nicer, at least on our side of the island. The CCV boats often stop in here during surface intervals, maybe we'll see you.
It's a beautiful morning so I'd better get ready to go play tennis.
blue skies,

Tuesday Noon



Last night we feasted on Lobster and Spinach Lasgana and the skies continued to clear. The night dive looked pretty promising... it had not been raining for four hours.



Only 4 or five total went out. My crew was snoozy and boozy, so I went out on my own. Lots to see, right away. A total of four Octopus, and on the way out I saw a Caribbean Squid with a 4" body. The usual crowd on the Prince Albert including the Basket Star and lots of Coral to feed.



On the way back, a remarkable event. In 7', I saw a very large Squid. Then the small one reappeared. They darted around each other. The big one rocketed towards the small one, a tussle ensued. Ink everywhere. I got a fleeting glimpse of the big one dragging the small one off to be eaten. Ink clouds filled the area, covering a 5x8x8 foot box of ocean. Quite the sight.



As I exited from the shore dive, the other divers were also egressing, we looked up to torrents of rain. Big heavy cold droplets. It drizzled throughout the night, but once again this morning, it dawned clear and bright.



We loaded up for our Roatan Conservation Authority assigned mooring time of 0900 at Mary's Place. Once again, the Bay Islands Aggressor was tied up to the mooring, good citizens that they are. Not to be outdone, AKR shows up and dumps a mass of divers atop Mary's Place. This dive is done, by agreement, only by moored vessels at their assigned time. Okay, rant over.



We found a stiff current (for Roatan, anyway) and went with it through the dive. All enjoyed the fabled Mary's Place experience.



Then we did a drop off dive over CCV wall and the PA Wreck. Lots to see- Arrow Crabs, Blennies, Cudas, Lobsters, Turtles, Rays, the usual suspects. We played and dawdled and enjoyed the light in the ocean.



As we exited, we saw Jawfish, Eels, Squid, Sailfin Blennies, Scorpionfish and more.



Lunch? Conch Fritters and Potato Soup. Ham, cheese and a most excellent fruity chutney to put it all together on tortillas.



This afternoon at 2:00 we will do the Mr Bud, the newly placed 'wreck'. All are looking forward to night diving, but we'll see how competition from their pillows will do in comparison!

I had to laugh when I read the part about the squid and the ink, It reminded me of last summer when we were there my DH was on a night dive, I was diving into a drink at the bar, but that is another story. He and several other divers saw a squid in the front yard and were shining their lights on it. I guess the poor thing freaked out it made a bee line for my DH and hit him smack in the chest and ink went everywhere.

The food sounds delicious wished it was May I need a CCV fix.

Wednesday 1630 hrs,
Dateline: The hot tub/bar gazebo at CoCoView



Mr Bud is in fine repose. We dove her Tuesday afternoon, and she is rife with Silversides and Banded Coral Shrimp.



Dinner was "Picnic on the Key", but with the ogoing cycle of rain & clear, we ate in the ClubHouse. The BBQ Chichen and Beef Ribs tasted just as good served indoors. We were entertained by the kids from the French Harbour Bilingual (SDA) School who were well costumed and danced their hearts out. A nice respite from the years of the Garifuna Dancer children.



Last night, Herself and I went out on the "CCV Front Yard" Night Dive. The resort is kinda light this week, but a full 25% of the guests waded out into the darkness. Right away, in 3' of water, we found a 2.5' Spotted Moray, several Squidlets, a dinner plate sized Octopus, and the omnipresent Dogfish that hunts in all diver's lights- talk about a niche oriented critter!



On the wreck, the same creatures always found including Basket Star, Slipper Lobster, Spotted Eagles, Baracuda, and here was the coolest thing, the Banded Coral Shrimp to end all! He (she?) was a monster. Instead of the usual 3" long beast, this had to be 5.5" overall, with a distended belly (pregnant?) the size of my thumb (and sky blue bands on it's abdominal gut). It was gargantuan. Medusa Worms, a Spotted Drum and a Sea Horse.



It poured while we were underwater, altho the dive started bright and clear. Go figure. It also rained cats and dogs (here in Honduras, they call it Iguanas and Watusas) during the night.



Wednesday brings Oscar and his intricate Black Coral (all taken from the shrimp nets as a by product). Cousin Katie bought his large centerpiece SCUBA diver that is abot 14" long, twin hoses and tanks.



This morning, it was clear, once again. Off we go on our all day dive trip. Most such adventures head West and do the dives that AKR does. We decided to head waaaay East. 1.25 hrs by boat took us to the dive sites "Morat Wreck (Old Shrimpboat Wall)", "Fort Key Wall", and "Hole in the Wall". Our DM hadn't been there in 8 years, I hadn't been there in 18 years or so. The reef was totally unaffected by run-off or divers. Sea Fans everywhere, bivalves as well. Many critters including Eels, Drums, Arrow Blennies, Lettuce Leaf Nudebranch, Scorpionfish, Porcupine Puffer, Yellow Jawfish and many, many more.



Hole in the Wall is a freak and a half. Go dive it and you'll understand. A huge wide slot that funnels into a 3x4' keyhole to exit.



We had a packed lunch of potato salad and fried chicken, although we could have put ashore at a small restaurant. Sice that would have taken and hour and a half, we rather enjoyed picknicking anchored off of the well known (but seldom seen) Roatan landmark called "Cow and Calf". Well worth the money to do an all day excursion.



Tonight looks pretty good for a night dive, no doubt.



But first, dinner. Surf and turf. Okay, force me, then.

Keep em' coming until Billy gets that new web cam installed