It’s been quite a while since I wrote my last travelogue, and a number of you have asked about my travels in the meantime. Following the upheaval in my life in late 2003/early 2004 of relocating from Zurich, Switzerland to Washington, DC, I found that I lacked the desire and motivation to record my travel reflections. Happily, however, that desire was renewed during a recent trip.
In mid-November, I spent a week’s vacation on the Caribbean island of Roatan, Honduras. This island, though commonly known within scuba diving circles, is relatively unknown to most non-divers. As a diver, I too have held an interest in visiting Roatan for several years, and finally the opportunity arose. Aside from its reputation for fine diving, Roatan also appealed to me because it is relatively off the beaten path. In this day and age of overdevelopment and hyper commercialization in tourism, I yearned for something simpler and less complicated. I found exactly that on Roatan.
Roatan is linked with nonstop commercial flights to the USA only twice per week – Miami on Sundays and Houston on Saturdays. Both flights are operated with modern, comfortable A320 aircraft by Taca Airlines. Continental Airlines also recently added Saturday-only nonstop service to/from Houston. So, bottom line, Roatan is not the easiest place to get to. It requires some careful planning, but is well worth it.
The island has a rich history, and played an important role during the time of the Conquistadors, due its strategic location off the Honduran mainland. Roatan also served as a frequent harbor for swashbuckling, marauding pirates of the region. The island changed hands a number of times between the British and Spanish a few centuries ago, and the original, indigenous Native American inhabitants were eventually outnumbered/supplanted by Afro-Caribbean slaves. As such, English has historically been the predominant local language, peppered with patois/Creole nuances. Today, both English and Spanish are widely and interchangeably used by the locals, though Spanish is the official language of Honduras.
But I must admit, above all else, the unique thing that attracted me to Roatan was the activities at one specific hotel: Anthony’s Key Resort. As an adamant and unapologetic lifelong dolphin lover (or freak, according to some…), Anthony’s offer of a special dolphin dive fascinated me. The idea of doing a 45-minute scuba dive in the open ocean with two trained Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins and their trainer tugged at my inner dolphinmania in a unique way. This, accompanied by seaside/over-water accommodations in wooden bungalows (sans TV, a/c and telephone) sounded perfect in comparison to the sensory bombardment of everyday modern life.
Following the short 90-minute flight south from Miami, and complimentary bus transfer to the resort, my friend Swiss Barbara and I settled into our idyllic Caribbean paradise. The week commenced with two-tank dives on Monday and Tuesday. Since November is the beginning of the rainy season on Roatan, the seas off the northern coastline were too choppy for diving, but the southern shore of the long, thin island offered a number of great dive site options.
Diving is like bicycling in that once you’ve learned how to do it, you don’t forget. Though quick refresher sessions are necessary if you’ve lapsed more than one year between dives, the technique of “gearing-up” comes back to you quickly: align the pressurized air tank, mount your BC to the tank, arrange your regulator, octopus and pressure gauge, and open the valve to check your air pressure.
I love diving because I find it has a way of “centering” me – putting life in perspective, marveling at the beauty of the corals as you glide (fly) over them, and generally taking in the wonder and majesty of the underwater world. Anthony’s offers packages which include unlimited diving during your entire stay (equipment rental extra). The typical dive day entails two morning dives (usually 40-45 minutes each), an afternoon dive, and a night dive at sunset, depending on the weather. Additionally, guests are welcome to do their own, independent shore dives from the edge of the key, as well as explore the sunken DC-3 airplane in the resort’s inner harbor.
Anthony’s is definitely geared towards the diving crowd, and while it doesn’t disappoint, it could make for a somewhat boring vacation for non-diving guests. However, the resort offers a number of diving courses for both beginner and advanced divers, so there tends to be something for everyone. Sea kayaking, dolphin education/training and sunbathing options also exist, and a brand-new swimming pool is being built.
The definite highlight of the week was the dolphin dive, which we scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. The dives are typically planned for 8-10 divers, but we had a couple of no-shows, leaving me pleasantly surprised with our dolphin-to-diver ratio of 1 to 3! Once aboard our boat, we motored over to the dolphin enclosure where we were introduced to our two dolphins, Caya and Esteban, two teenage male dolphins from the resident pod of eight. After a few friendly strokes of their rubbery, chamois-like bodies, we re-boarded the boat and headed just offshore to a nearby buoy. The plan was to descend quickly to the 60-foot deep sandy ocean floor, where we’d interact with these amazing creatures for 45-minutes. Unfortunately, the current was very strong, and took Barbara and me off-course, causing a 15-minute delay in rejoining our fellow divers at the bottom.
Dolphins never cease to amaze and fascinate me. I always find myself in awe while in their presence. You somehow can’t help but sense their intelligence and admire their grace, dexterity and aerodynamic body design. Caya and Esteban playfully swam between us divers, sometimes brushing up against us while clicking their sonar to ascertain their environment around them. I have participated in a couple of other dolphin swim and scuba programs, but this one was by far the most rewarding to date. I would highly recommend this to any scuba diving dolphin enthusiast.
The rest of the week was a mix of scuba, sun and relaxation. A step away from the hectic pace of normal life – a true respite.
A couple other words of advice: both air-conditioned and non air-conditioned accommodations are available. Trust me; the a/c is not necessary, given the cool ocean breezes during the evenings. Be sure to bring mosquito repellent, as they do seem to enjoy acquainting themselves with your legs and arms during the night! In hindsight, I wish I had brought a citronella candle for the room. All meals a the resort are included in the package price, and the quality/variety of what’s served is excellent.
So, the next time you’re looking for a dive vacation that unique and a bit out of the ordinary, head for Roatan!
More information on Anthony’s Key can be found at www.anthonyskey.com.
Happy Travels!
Mark
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