Am now a little worried about Utila trip please help

[BICD]

Hi Robert,

You can rest easy that nothing has changed on Utila. Even if you are not diving with us, you can send us any questions or concerns you may have through e-mail before your trip. We will let you know what is happening here on island.

Cheers,
Justin
BICD Manager

 

[ramehrer]

Hi there,

I am the U.S. Embassy Warden for the Island of Utila and live full time here on Utila.

First, you have every right to be concerned and if I was listening to the US and World Media I would be worried also.

First, this was not a military Coup! It was the army acting upon a warrant from the Honduran Supreme Court ordering his arrest due to his disregard for the law, Supreme Court and Congress.

There are reports of a FEW protests in the Capital and San Pedro but other than these few incidents the country is very calm and happy at the events that have occurred.

At this time and I would highly suspect anytime in the future you can consider a trip to Utila a very safe one but would recommend flying from San Pedro to La Ceiba or Utila.

Hope this helps.

Rodger Mehrer

 

[ramehrer]

I want to add that the comments made by me above are my personal feelings and should not in any way be considered a US Government or Embassy position. I do NOT speak in any way for the U.S. government and am a volunteer only!

 

[DiverG]

I want to add that the comments made by me above are my personal feelings and should not in any way be considered a US Government or Embassy position. I do NOT speak in any way for the U.S. government and am a volunteer only!

I think the US Government may unvolunteer you now. LOL!

BTW what is a US Embassy Warden, and what do you do as such?

 

[itsjustme0770]

Ramherer-

I'd like to meet you next time I am on the island. We own south shore property (see our link below). Thanks for posted.

 

[DandyDon]

I trully wasn't aware that being proactive and making sure I had a decently safe trip was WORRYING TOO MUCH. In an earlier post I asked for advice on safe traveling in the area, this time due to the political situation and the travel advisories I asked for a true representation of the facts from those who are experiencing it. I don't think that assessing a situation before u jump into it is being too uptight or not islandy enough to spend a month in the bay islands. I also have family to reassure and it's nice to be armed with a little information to help accomplish that. If someone placed themselves in a dangerous situation unknowingly and suffered the consequences then people would say "look, another stupid tourist who didn't do his homework" telling me it/what is safe or dangerous is appreciated. If taking safety and precaution into my own hands somehow makes me unsuited for the bay islands then perhaps u are correct and I shouldn't go. Regardless that decision will be made based on obtaining information not on whim.

Yeah, it's too bad that you can't ask a reasonable question about a touchy civil situation in a foreign country you plan to visit without getting blasted. Generally what happens there stays there to the extent that if you did have problems, we'd probly not even know about it. If it's bad for business, many just don't want it asked about nor known. Then you start to suspect the info you get even here when it is so biased. You will be indeed be a long ways from the US umbrella so don't let the critics of your question be a bother; ask all you want, hope for reasonable answers, and click the user name to find Ignore Member of anyone who wants to give you a hard time for asking.

I think you'll have a great trip. This news will make it rough on local businesses even on the Bay Islands as some will not want to risk being that close to problems, but it sounds like the islands will remain calm and as safe as usual. I would be sure to register my trip with the State Department, something most of us usually do not bother with.

Here is an article from the Dallas Examiner...

The Associated Press reported late Monday, June 29th, that the State Department is warning U.S. citizens to avoid all nonessential travel to Honduras due to the "current unstable political and security situation" there.
Due to the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya by the Honduran military on Sunday, June 28th, the State Department recommends American citizens residing in and visiting Honduras remain close to their homes or hotels "unless their travel is of a life or death nature," or for a scheduled departure from Honduras. It urges U.S. citizens to restrict travel within the country to necessary trips.
The destination of a high percentage of tourists traveling to Honduras is the Bay Islands, a popular location for scuba diving, which is far away from the demonstrations taking place regularly at the presidential palace in central Tegucigalpa. Tourists traveling to Roatan, Bay Islands,either fly into San Pedro Sula (SAP), then take a connecting flight to Roatan (RTB), or fly direct to Roatan (RTB) from one of several U.S. cities, including Miami (MIA), Houston (IAH), and New Orleans (MSY).
American Airlines is offering customers the convenience to change their plans. Customers ticketed to travel to, from or through the areas listed (San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP) and Tegucigalpa, Honduras (TGU) may change flights without penalty. Here is the link for more information: AA Travel Alert
Continental Airlines is also providing the option to re-schedule or re-route your travel once, without penalty, if you are ticketed to/from the same cities listed above. Here is Continential’s link for more information: Continental Travel Notices
If you are scheduled to fly to San Pedro Sula (SAP) or Tegucigalpa (TGU) on another airline, such as TACA, please check directly with the airline to change your flight arrangements. Currently, no travel alert appears on TACA's website.

There are going to be many views to evaluate tho, for anyone traveling there. Another article excerpt....

Latin American heads of state have been quick to condemn this coup and isolate Micheletti. Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua have cut off commercial ties with Honduras. Along with them, every country in South America has withdrawn its ambassador.

 

[DandyDon]

I want to add that the comments made by me above are my personal feelings and should not in any way be considered a US Government or Embassy position. I do NOT speak in any way for the U.S. government and am a volunteer only!

I appreciate your input, but why did you meantion being with the US Embassy if you didn't want your comments to be take that way?

First, this was not a military Coup! It was the army acting upon a warrant from the Honduran Supreme Court ordering his arrest due to his disregard for the law, Supreme Court and Congress.

Uh, it's a military coup. It may not just be the military behind it, but when soldiers arrest a president and send him out of country - quack quack, it's a duck. And it certainly is catching hell from many other governments and associated organizations.

 

[Doc]

Dateline: Utila
1 June, 2009

Crisis Continues, Food Shortages Erupt

The Purple Pelican ran out of limes last night.

 

[DandyDon]

In light of realistic concerns, one can always count on some to make light of any reasonable discussion seemingly to discourage such. Bad for tourism to even discuss it.

As I said, "it sounds like the islands will remain calm and as safe as usual" and as long as nothing else goes wrong, great. Scuba and Travel both constantly involve risk management, and it is reasonable to weigh the current unrest along with other risks, like the unlikely chance of a hurricane hitting while the nation is dealing with a coup, the unlikely chance of a accident or medical emergency during a time of stressed logistics, and so forth.

I'm sure I'd try to manage the risks as well as possible and still go with little concern, but I'd want all the info and resources I could obtain in spite of the jokesters. Sometimes you just have to work around the self appointed experts who insist their way is the only way.

 

[Doc]

Sometimes you just have to work around the self appointed experts...

Check your ScubaBoard "public profile", where it says "dive history".

You spelled Utila with two L's. (It's not [-]U t i L L a[/-])

:blinking:

I do agree with what you just said in your last post, however.