Roatan (Honduras Bay Islands) Arrival
07 January 2016 | West End, Roatan
Susan / mostly sunny, windy, 80 degrees F
We knew the passage conditions were not going to be ideal based on the forecast, and that the weather window was small, and that a weather forecast is not a guarantee of satisfaction. We decided to go anyway.
We checked out of Guatemala in Livingston Wednesday morning; a fairly short process of getting a zarpe from the Port Captain (Q150), then customs (no charge) and immigration (Q160). Jerry calls Patric and learns he has engine problems (that he didn't have yesterday) that will delay him. We all know this weather window is open Wed/Thurs only; Patric & Gabby will have to wait for the next one. The first 6 hours out of Livingston was calm wind & seas under a bright blue sunny sky. Around 5pm the wind & seas start to build as forecasted. Conditions remained brisk with building NE turning E wind & seas overnight. What we didn't get was the calming in the early morning hours; instead winds blew 5 kts higher with the neon-orange sunrise. All in all, the passage wasn't terrible, just uncomfortable. It's not easy to go East in the Caribbean, against prevailing winds & seas. We entered the West End anchorage of Roatan just before noon today, a 25 hour passage.
The anchorage is surprisingly fairly empty. We had no difficulty getting a mooring ball. Jerry dove it to inspect the condition of the mooring's ground tackle and reported all good. With that, we shower (got to use hot water when we have it!), close the sailbag, put on covers, etc then drop the dinghy and go to town for lunch and restaurant internet for Jerry. A few things have changed: some restaurants have been replaced with others (no more Monkey Island and their $1 Taco Tuesday; bummer); the tackle shop and next door Tigo shop Jerry usually went to has been razed; and the ATMs at the Coconut Tree (@ the roundabout) have been removed. What hasn't changed is the tourist and diving scene, the beaches full of families enjoying the sun, the lionfish tacos at the Cannibal Cafe and that you can pay them in US$ and get change in Lemps, which we need to get to Coxen Hole tomorrow morning to check-in. With full bellies and Lemps in our pocket we head back to Vida Dulce for a nap.