Once we docked in Roatan, Honduras, we would begin the first of our organized shore tours. It would be a short stay, docking at 10am and leaving at 6pm did not leave much time for sight seeing. It is a good thing that the island is not very large. It is approximately 77 kilometres long, and less than 8 kilometres across at its widest point.
After breakfast and while the ship was coming into Roatan I managed to do an early one mile walk around the upper deck. The start of the day was partly cloudy but it did clear up later in the day. One enjoyable thing - it certainly was much warmer than when we left Ottawa and a joy it was.
Once the ship had docked, with our tour meet-up instructions in hand, we made our way pier in search of the tour guide. We ran the gauntlet of tour services and guides as well as shopkeepers hawking their wares. It is a good thing that we are used to this kind of activity because for a ‘newbee’ it could be quite daunting. While we were asked, offered and proposed various tours when we told the vendors that we had a tour booked that was the end of any further sales pitch.
Once out on the main street we were again approached by tour operators and guides offering their services. Again they were quite accommodating when we told them we already had one booked. One man asked which company and when we told him he informed us of just where to meet that tour and he would be sure to tell them that we there and not leave without us. We thanked him and with that in mind we took a meander down the main street to see what it had to offer. Sadly to say there was not much there. The town, in general, looked poor and probably gets the vast majority of its income from the tour ships.
As we were making our way back to the tour meeting place the man who told us where they would be told us that the representative had indeed arrived. We were informed that the van would be arriving shortly and to wait in a local restaurant which we did. While there I thought rather than just sit and take up space it should be appropriate that we at least purchase something. I looked over the drinks menu and after inquiring what was in a coco loco, mainly rum and coconut juice, I purchased one. No sooner had it arrived that the van pulled up and it was all on board. The waitress was very accommodating and put the drink in a take-away cup and off we went in a relatively new nine passenger van. While the van would hold 9 people there were only six of us on this tour.
The tour was offered a “Roatan Special Island Tour” where we would learn “the incredible history of the Garifuna and take us back in time. We would learn the history including the indians, slaves, invaders, pirates and the charming blend of cultures.” Well that is what the brochure said. Sadly that was not the case. We did take a drive from the pier to the furthest point of the island and stop along the way, most notably at a new high price condominium development. It was here that Wendy got her coco loco served up in a coconut. The top was cut off and then using the coconut water as the base topped up with various kinds of rum and several other liquors. She said that it was quite yummy. That was probably the highlight of the tour.
Back on board we met up with two other couples, who we had breakfast with, that had also taken tours in Roatan. Two girls managed to take a local taxi driven by a woman who not only showed them around the island and told them the history of the people but took them to her home. The other couple took a kayaking and snorkelling tour which they enjoyed. It seems as if we were the ones who missed out. It was later that I found out that the second largest barrier reef is off the East Coast of Central America/Mexico. If I had of known this I certainly would have taken at least one snorkel tour.
Six o’clock approached and then it was slip the bow line, slip the aft lines and it was out to sea again.
Supper at 8pm:
Bill: Sea Bass and tiger shrimp
Wendy: Rolled Chicken Breast.
Daily Stats
In Roatan
Position: 16.18.72N 086.32.62W
Travelled: 768 nautical miles
After breakfast and while the ship was coming into Roatan I managed to do an early one mile walk around the upper deck. The start of the day was partly cloudy but it did clear up later in the day. One enjoyable thing - it certainly was much warmer than when we left Ottawa and a joy it was.
Once the ship had docked, with our tour meet-up instructions in hand, we made our way pier in search of the tour guide. We ran the gauntlet of tour services and guides as well as shopkeepers hawking their wares. It is a good thing that we are used to this kind of activity because for a ‘newbee’ it could be quite daunting. While we were asked, offered and proposed various tours when we told the vendors that we had a tour booked that was the end of any further sales pitch.
Once out on the main street we were again approached by tour operators and guides offering their services. Again they were quite accommodating when we told them we already had one booked. One man asked which company and when we told him he informed us of just where to meet that tour and he would be sure to tell them that we there and not leave without us. We thanked him and with that in mind we took a meander down the main street to see what it had to offer. Sadly to say there was not much there. The town, in general, looked poor and probably gets the vast majority of its income from the tour ships.
As we were making our way back to the tour meeting place the man who told us where they would be told us that the representative had indeed arrived. We were informed that the van would be arriving shortly and to wait in a local restaurant which we did. While there I thought rather than just sit and take up space it should be appropriate that we at least purchase something. I looked over the drinks menu and after inquiring what was in a coco loco, mainly rum and coconut juice, I purchased one. No sooner had it arrived that the van pulled up and it was all on board. The waitress was very accommodating and put the drink in a take-away cup and off we went in a relatively new nine passenger van. While the van would hold 9 people there were only six of us on this tour.
The tour was offered a “Roatan Special Island Tour” where we would learn “the incredible history of the Garifuna and take us back in time. We would learn the history including the indians, slaves, invaders, pirates and the charming blend of cultures.” Well that is what the brochure said. Sadly that was not the case. We did take a drive from the pier to the furthest point of the island and stop along the way, most notably at a new high price condominium development. It was here that Wendy got her coco loco served up in a coconut. The top was cut off and then using the coconut water as the base topped up with various kinds of rum and several other liquors. She said that it was quite yummy. That was probably the highlight of the tour.
Back on board we met up with two other couples, who we had breakfast with, that had also taken tours in Roatan. Two girls managed to take a local taxi driven by a woman who not only showed them around the island and told them the history of the people but took them to her home. The other couple took a kayaking and snorkelling tour which they enjoyed. It seems as if we were the ones who missed out. It was later that I found out that the second largest barrier reef is off the East Coast of Central America/Mexico. If I had of known this I certainly would have taken at least one snorkel tour.
Six o’clock approached and then it was slip the bow line, slip the aft lines and it was out to sea again.
Supper at 8pm:
Bill: Sea Bass and tiger shrimp
Wendy: Rolled Chicken Breast.
Daily Stats
In Roatan
Position: 16.18.72N 086.32.62W
Travelled: 768 nautical miles
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