We rented a car on Monday (the 4th) and set off to explore some of this island before Liam left. The first priority was West End, which had been described to us as a mini Key West. It also had shades of Caye Caulker and we enjoyed a couple of hours of wandering up and down the street of this little town – famous with divers and cruisers alike. After trying to have a cool drink at one pretty place that was closed, and asking where we could mail a post card – no where except Coxen Hole – and checking a shop or two to discover that the price for a hammock was 3 times what I paid in Livingston, we weren’t exactly enchanted with the place. But we got a sim chip and data plan for Jim’s Blackberry, stopped at the famous Sundowners for a Cuba Libre, and played fetch with a friendly (and wet) dog to absorb the atmosphere (and salt water)before saying good bye to the place. Once the wind dies, it will be fun to come back on the boat for a day or two.

Next stop – the fabulous Bulk Gourmet Store – set just inside the gates of a shipyard along the main road. It can also be reached via a short walk from the dinghy dock at the shrimp dock. This place was amazing – a true gourmet store with every kind of delicacy imaginable – all sorts of condiments, and specialty products, top end frozen meats, poultry and fish, well priced wine and spirits. Roatan has been a duty free zone, making the prices very good, but that is currently in question. Eddy, at Bulk Gourmet has a whole shipment of wine waiting to be unloaded, but not until the tax free status is cleared up. He doesn’t expect that people will be thrilled if he has to put the price way up to cover the tax.

We bought 3 New York strip steaks, a bottle of Bowmore Scotch and some chocolate cake to celebrate Liam’s last dinner on board. Scotch and steaks were wonderful, the cake – not so good. And fortunately it was a wonderfully calm night – the best kind.

On Tuesday morning, we loaded Liam, his backpack, fly rods and carryon into the dinghy and headed off to the airport. Because there were two huge cruise ships in, he had to wait for immigration officials to come back to the airport, but they eventually arrived, he got checked through and we waved goodbye - feeling equally excited for his upcoming trip to New Zealand, and sorry to lose his company.

As we left the airport driveway, we were astounded to see a truck loaded with lions and jaquars go by in front of us. A bull horn blared in rapid fire Spanish – something about a circus or display to take place manana. To further astound us, as we pulled into a gas station to top up the tank, we saw the same truck parked at the neighbouring gas pumps. Now how often do you stop next to yellow eyed, wild maned, pacing lions at the gas pump?!

Jim’s email wasn’t working so we reluctantly left the line of cars behind the lion truck to stop at the Tigo store at the Mega Plaza. (It’s not mega in terms of Canadian plazas, but it sure is modern and big for Central America.) The very helpful woman in West End had installed a program that didn’t work so we had to return after the very helpful man here changed it to a different one. In the meantime, Jim got a haircut at the barbershop a few doors down ($5 and not a bad cut), and then we paid a visit to the well known Eldon’s grocery store – very American style and with products we haven’t seen since we left Canada.

We ended the afternoon with a drive to Hole in the Wall and Oak Ridge – two south shore communities to the east of French Cay harbour – ones we’ll come back to by sea. As we parked the car at the Iguana Farm, and walked down the hill to the dock at Brooksy Point, we spied Jim and Jeannie (Estelle). They had arranged for four Canadian boats to have dinner at Frenchy 44 so we leaped into the dinghy and sped off to the next social engagement.

Jim and Jeannie (Estelle), Eileen and Peter (Appleseeds), Howard and Lynn (Swift Current) enjoyed a delicious meal at this restaurant by the water – good food and good company to comfort us on our first night sans our crewmember, Liam.