Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Ahhh....life at Island House on Guanaja












Hello all!! Mike arrived in San Pedro Sula a few hours late but we had plenty of time to make our flights to La Ceiba and on to Guanaja. We waited at the airport for our ride from Island House, which wasn't forthcoming even though I'd confirmed 2 days ahead; we managed to find a ride with someone near the dock, so no big deal. I think they knew we were arriving on Monday but thought it was still Sunday - welcome to island time!

Island House (PHOTO 1 from the water) is lovely. For meals we walk across a grassy area that's used for soccer on the week-ends, across a patch of sand and onto the dock on which the kitchen and dining area are housed (PHOTO 2). Our little cabin (PHOTO 3) is surrounded by tropical flowers and has 2 beds and a private bath with hot water - what luxury!

Tuesday we rode in a boat (no roads here, no cars) to "town" - Bonacco, an island with a series of canals and sidewalks and houses and stores crammed into every square inch. Most of the population of Guanaja resides there (PHOTOS 4 and 5).

PHOTO 6 is a view of our screened room and the screened porch beyond (it posted sideways - sorry). In between meals (mostly delicious fish or conch with typical accompaniments like rice and beans and fried bananas) and naps Mike has been fishing, I've been diving and snorkeling; Mike joins me sometimes when he can tear himself away from fishing. Bonefish and permit have been few and far between but Mike managed to land 3 bonefish (see PHOTO BELOW) plus an odd assortment of other fish, among them a small barracuda, a needlefish or 2, and a trunk fish.

The diving is PHENOMENAL - every site offers something different, caves filled with swirling schools of thousands of small silver and blue fish, ledges hiding queen angels, trigger fish, rock beauties and cleaning shrimp, huge cuts in the reef with turtles, sea stars, and dozens of types of colorful reef fish. The coral and sponge and gorgonia colors are astounding. The snorkeling from shore offers much of the above so I'm pretty happy being wet here. A few itchy bugs and sunburned backs of legs (me - even with great sun block snorkeling for 2 or 3 hours at a time you get burned) are small prices to pay (PHOTOS 7, 8, and 9 were taken while snorkeling and PHOTO 10 is me on the dive boat with Bo, the owner and divemaster here. He has many thousands of dives under his belt and practically has gills).

Today we took Mike(by boat, of course) to our next stop, Graham's Place, and I'll join him tomorrow. Sitting in the bar there with a Salva Vida in his hand ("Life Saver" - the local beer) he could see big bonefish swimming by so he'll be a really happy camper there. I'm not sure when I'll have internet access again but I'll publish a Graham's Place post when I can. Hope this finds everyone happy and well. Happy trails!





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