Mathew's Aftermath

Mathew came and left Roatan with little more than torrential rains.  The high seas caused damage to the walkway and gazebo out to the water.  The property manager advised us today that it was closed until they decided what to do.....as this is the tropics it could be months or never that it is repaired!!!  On a positive note, Claudio sent pictures of the pool renovation.  Looks pretty inviting to me!

Just two more days til we leave and the packing is almost complete.  Weighing and rearranging the bags to be sure we have no unpleasant surprises at the airport.  I am sure I will be over packed and wondering why I thought I needed all this stuff but six months seems like a long time to be without your favorite things.

Next Week This Time....

Next week at this time we will be spending our very first full day in Roatan.   I can hardly wait.  I am busy trying to teach Christopher how to cook so he doesn't starve for six months.  Dad will be fine as long as there is peanut butter and milk.  Michael is busy today calling family and saying good-by before the busy work week starts.  We have promised Ross to send pictures of fish under water on the reef. Topical Storm Matthew passed by Roatan with little problems except for high seas and some rain. I am glad for that. Here is our little house on Roatan.

Matthew's Coming!

As we prepare to leave these last few days, we are also watching a tropical depression bare down on Honduras and the Bay Islands which includes Roatan.  They don't often get hurricanes because their location is so far south but Matthew seems determined to buck the trend.  Saturday afternoon seems to be when Matthew will pass over Roatan with strength yet to be determined. It may just be a big rainmaker or a minimum hurricane.  We are just glad we aren't leaving  this weekend! My biggest concern is what happens after Saturday.  Will Matthew head into the Gulf of Mexico?  Will it disrupt air travel next weekend in Tampa or Atalanta?  Oh...the drama!!!!

Roatan? Where Exactly Is That?

Roatan is in the Caribbean Sea off the North Coast of Honduras which is in Central America like Belize or Costa Rica.  It is less visited than most islands although it is quickly being discovered because cruise ships have begun including Honduras in their itineraries for the Western Caribbean 7 day cruises. Roatan lies 30 miles off the Honduran coast and is home to the second largest coral reef.  Snorkeling or Scuba diving are a big draw for visitors here.  They also come to observe the huge whale sharks that live in the area.  I can't wait to take some underwater pictures.  We purchased a waterproof case for our digital camera that is good to 32 feet....however...I'm not good to more than 10 feet!!.

Roatan Bound: The Count Down

Sept 21

Hi All,

Twelve days to go and I am running out of time!

I decided to start  this blog to record our trip to Roatan thinking if I did I would have better memories of each day of our adventure. I am sure the time will pass so quickly if I don't take time to reflect special places and events will be lost.

It is less than two weeks until we leave (12 days exactly) - and we are busy making  sure all of the details are taken care of and packing is done.  I have my snorkel gear and bathing suits, shorts and t-shirts and some flip flops-the important things- but I bet when I get to Roatan I will remember something I forgot. However I will  learn to live without whatever that might be!

Today I will work on packing my suitcases and hope to have them come in under 50 pounds....hmm. I am seeing myself throwing things away in the airport....not a pretty sight.