West End Wall

Our first dive was at West End Wall. It was a small group, just Alex and I, our Instructor Joe and another Aussie named Mark. We told Joe about our adventures in Indonesia and Vietnam, so he knew he had a lot to live up to! lol

Roatan exceeded our expectations by far! We had an incredible first dive- I'm unable to express this into words. Diving is such an amazing experience. It enables you to explore an underwater paradise and immerse yourself in a delicate ecosystem which most of us go about our daily lives ignoring. I remember the first time I went snorkeling in Belize. I could literally stand in knee deep water and see the horizon, the sky, the clouds, birds, flowers, palm trees. When I dipped my head underwater, there were beautiful tropical fish and brightly colored coral right underneath the surface, for as far as I could see. At that moment I realized that there is a whole other world down there. My mind had just expanded. I wanted more.

West End Wall is on the lee side of a plateau where an underwater ridge slopes down to the western tip of the reef. It's home to pillar coral which can grow up to 8 feet tall, Azure Vase sponges, barrel sponges (also known as the redwood of the deep), dog snapper, horse eyed jacks, Spotted Eagle Rays, and much much more!

This area is known as a pelagic zone or open water zone because it's not near the ocean floor. On the other side of the wall is the blue abyss.

If you looked close enough, tiny coral banded shrimp were everywhere.They dance in the palm of your hand. King Crab and HUGE Lobsters hid in coral holes.

Just when we thought the dive couldn't get any better, we came out from an enclosed area and into the blue. Just about 30 feet away were 2, count them- 2 Hammerhead Sharks!!!! How exciting! Although hammerheads do generally swim in schools, it was rare to see them at all. As soon as they lied eyes on us, they took off in opposite directions. It was just a split second but was such an incredible site! They were about 7-8 feet long! What a thrill!

This was such a warm welcome to diving in Roatan! The island is known for it's reefs and most of the dive sites are just off shore. We decided to get our Advanced Open Water certification while we were here. What better place was there to explore?

Here's a good link to all the dive sites in Roatan.

Snorkel Test

The second night there was a big celebration at the Green Flash bar, the resident bar of Land's End. Joe  was bar tending that night and his buddy Alex was completing his Dive Master training. The last requirement is to pass the Snorkel Test! We were in for a real treat!

We had a front row seat- we had been there since sun down drinking rum and pineapples. An ole guy named Barry had his regular seat at the end of the bar. Eva was busy running around making sure the back up generator didn't blow the house up, and a couple from Massachusetts who were on their honey moon talked with us about the goings on of the island.

Just after dark people started trickling in. You would have never guessed that that many people would show up! It was quite the celebration!

Joe explained the rules of the Snorkel Test to Alex, who had been his first student to complete his Dive Master certification. Basically, he had to wear goggles and a snorkel which acted like a beer bong. Joe gathered a splash from everyone's drink around the bar, and added a few secret ingredients of his own also. (including 2 raw eggs and hot sauce...eek!)

Everyone cheered Alex on and he passed the test with flying colors!! What a rush!! Congratulations to Alex, he was now OFFICIALLY a Dive Master!!

With a warm welcome like this, we couldn't imagine diving with any other group than these guys. We signed up to dive with Atlantic Sea Divers and Joe would be our instructor.

Buenos Días- Austin to Roatan

We had an early morning flight out of Houston. It was faster for us to drive to Houston rather than flying. We were to leave our house at 2 am- flight left at 5:40 am. The trip creped up on me- I had a giant workload and still had packing to do. I hadn't felt this close to exhaustion in a while. After turning on my auto responder, it was finally time to sit down and take a breather. We contemplated taking a 30 minute nap or loading up the car. We said goodbye to Loki and Aries and were glad that Kevin was staying at the house while we were gone to look after them.

Alex was nice enough to drive the entire way and I laid across the back seat. We arrived in plenty of time to get through security and board the plane. We both dozed on and off and woke up just in time to take in the rolling green mountains of El Salvador as the sun rose. Rivers flew in and out of the crevices of land.

We had a short stay at the bustling airport and quickly made our way to the mush anticipated island of Roatan. I gazed out the small window and my excitement grew! We flew over turquoise water and undeveloped landscape. It was just before 10 am!

A taxi driver escorted us to his car and rolled down the windows. The wind blew through our hair and the morning sun glistened through the trees as we zoomed by. We were headed to West End, to a small bed and breakfast that Alex found on Trip Advisor. Little did we know, Land's End would be such an integral part in our time there.

Eva greeted us and promptly got us settled in our ocean front room. She explained how the "Honesty Bar" worked and gave us a bamboo notepad to keep track of our beers. It was hot and sticky so we changed into our bathing suits and headed into town up the dirt path.

We walked down the main road and came across a lunch spot that served fried chicken, coconut rice, beans and plantains.

After a little more exploring, we stopped in the little convenient store and got a couple ice cold beers and headed to the beach. With our toes in the sand, we closed our eyes and at last, we were here!

Roatán, Honduras- the backdrop of our latest adventure!

When Alex and I were researching places for our next adventure, one spot in particular kept coming up. My Mom and Doug told numerous stories of their honeymoon in Roatan and it sounded like paradise on Earth. They had been there in 1996 when the island was undiscovered by cruise ships and major resorts. Mom and Doug were passengers on a Windjammer Sailing trip aboard the Fantome, a majestic ship that frequented Roatan. I recall stories of the crew who lived aboard her. They would sing, dance and entertain the guests and my parents always thought very fondly of them. Over the memorable days and nights that Mom and Doug were passengers, they became great friends with the lovable crew.

Two years later Hurricane Mitch flexed his furry and destroyed much of the area. For five days and nights Mitch took its best shot at Guanaja Island and the surrounding areas. Roatan, a mere 35 miles away was left undamaged. In port, locals urged the captain to drop anchor and ride the storm out there, but the captain consulting with the Windjammer head office in Miami was instructed to take the passengers to a port with transfer facilities, Belize City, to let off the passengers. In Belize, some non-essential crewmembers left with the passengers. The number of staff and crew who remained aboard is undetermined, but estimated to be 31. 

Read more here. 


The Fantome decided to leave Roatan in spite of many peoples advice. She was never seen again nor was her entire crew. Bits and pieces peppered Guanaja's shores for months. Life vests, cabin doors, spiral staircases, the bow carving, a big wooden sign all came to rest on Guanaja and can be viewed in Savaghnna bight as they are now displayed on some of the local houses.


Read an account of the Fantome's last days here. 


In addition to the natural beauty of the island, the thing that my parents loved the most were the friendly people. It's such a tragedy that the Fantome now lies at the bottom of the sea but the hearts of the crew aboard her live on today. 

Roatan is also known for it's world class diving. This sounded like the perfect place for Alex and I to explore! It was a busy time for me at work but we were determined to get away. The past few months had been a stressful time for both of us and a little R&R is just what we needed. We would be gone for 17 days- a good amount of time to unwind and refocus. 

Roatan is part of the Bay Islands, situated between Utila and Guanaja. It's 37 miles long and 4 miles wide at the largest point. It's home to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the largest reef in the Caribbean Sea, and 2nd largest in the world. The reef is home to a diverse ecosystem of 65 species of stony coral, 350 species of mollusk, and more than 500 species of fish. It's a favored spot to manatees and wales sharks. It's a reef island so there is an abundance of dive spots right off shore. You can literally walk in from shore and within minutes you're submersed in a vibrate underwater world. 

We were in for a real treat! We would soon discover not only the natural beauty of the underwater paradise, but the welcoming community that inhabit this cheerful utopia. 

Little did we know, it would also lead the path into the next chapter of our lives... 

Honeymoon Cove and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI- Day 10 & 11

Again we woke up with the sun rise. I prepared the coffee while Alex did his last engine check. We checked the weather station but it was almost 100% static so it was completely useless. I wonder how people get reliable information. I can see how news travels faster by mouth. 

We were continuing south between St. John on our left and St. Thomas on our right. We had to go far out to the middle of the channel to get around Packet Rock. I remembered our trip out and the 30 knot winds and 8 feet seas we encountered the first time we pass Packet Rock. Even that day, and had gusts around 18 knots. We reefed the main sail and jib. I think I was psyching myself out and making it much worse than it was. My mind and body were at odds. My mind was calm but my body was shaking, numb and stiff. I couldn't speak, felt short of breath and  light headed. I tried to just stay still and quiet so I didn't make Alex worried. Although I knew we were safe, I couldn't help but feel that no matter how many times we do this, it'll always be exhilarating. 

We were just ahead of a mean looking storm. We cut through the channel because it seemed like a short code and it was much more protected so the waters were calmer. Charlotte Amalie is a port town and hosts the major cruise lines. On cruise days more than 20k tourists invalid the island which normally houses 20k residents. We turn in past the giant ships and plan our arrival at back at Honeymoon Cove. It looks just like a Corona commercial with a white sand beach and palm trees lining the shore. 

Exactly the moment when we were pulling up to the moor, huge rain drops pelted down on us. This made it more difficult to attach and we had to yell to hear each other. I ran down to get Alex's rain coat but he didn't want it. I was bundled up with a rain coat, hat and sunglasses. 

Just as he was about to drop anchor, a man yelled for us to go further to the left for better holding. This was just a few seconds too late because we were already coming in for that mooring. The rain was pounding down. We could hardly see the boats around us. 

I turn slightly left and gave it some gas. Alex yelled "depth!!" A coral wall was just to our left. Whew! It was a huge relief once we finally had out anchor down. At that moment the rain stopped and the sun peeked through the clouds. Nice timing, I thought. 

Alex put on his snorkeling gear and went down to inspect the anchor. He always likes to swim down and take a look to make sure that we're secure. This time the anchor was turned upside down so he picked it up and dug it deep into the sand. He then told me to reverse a little to dig it deeper. We felt much better after knowing that we weren't going anywhere. Next it was time for a beer!!

We were enjoying the afternoon sun on the bow of the boat when a police boat entered the cove.  We hoped that they weren't there to tell us that we were too close to the coral. The came up to the guy next to us and boarded his boat! We just sat there drinking our beer and guessing what the deal was. 

After the cops left, the guy actually drove by on his dingy and said hello. A few minutes later he returned with another man who had dive gear. We thought something was wrong with their boat and he was going to go down and check it out. I few minutes later the diver pops out of the water with a small bright blue bag. The first guy starts dancing to celebrate. WOW!! Must had been something in that bag that they didn't want to cops to find! 

We dingy over to the beach with our mats and books. There was a lady with a food cart making hamburgers for lunch. It's called Heidi's Mini Grill. She also had ice cold rum and beer... beauty! She invited us back a dusk for their Monday night movie on the beach! 

The guy from earlier said "Welcome to the neighborhood!" So funny! There sure are a bunch of characters in these parts. Lol!

At dusk, we pull up next to all the locals. They had a white sheet tied between 2 trees and had the grill fired up. They were all very friendly and welcoming. It was all locals- they do this once a month to get to know each other. One man we talked to had lived on this tiny island for 20 years. He had a gray, handlebar mustache and long white hair. 

We grab a couple chairs, homemade hamburgers and rum and pineapple drinks and plop ourselves down in the mist of the small group of residents. About 100 people live here on peak time. Their slogan was "Where the Weird go Pro" the continuation of  "Keep Austin Weird." 

The previews consisted of a Speedy Gonzales cartoon and the main event was "Wrongfully Accused" The backdrop was priceless- a purple sunset, sailboats, palm trees swaying in the wind, and white sand under our toes. 

We had such a great time and imaged that we could someday try to replicate this in our back yard. We didn't sleep well on our last night on the boat. Alex was worried that we would swing too far over and scrape the coral. We were pretty close but we were fine. Alex kept getting up and checking the depth gage just to make sure. We woke up at 13.5 feet when we were around 11.5 the night before. 

We did a major clean up and packed all of our bags. We called CYOA on the radio and gave them a heads up. We were just about 20 minutes away but had to fill up with gas first. We slowly motored over to Grand Yacht gas station, trying to prolong our trip as much as possible. 

We loved the Ryajen and had a fantastic trip. We both learned so much about sailing, the Caribbean and ourselves. 

After the boat check, Doug the CYOA employee jumped aboard and we went out into the channel again. We pulled out the mail and jib completely out so he could check for any damage. It was truly beautiful! We did it perfectly! Next we pulled into the harbor and he would do an underwater check. We were a little worried but it was all good! While he was doing that, he let us tour the shiny Catamaran next to us.WOW! It was gorgeous! There was a huge dining room and sprawling kitchen with windows all around. It had 2 cabins and 2 heads, perfect for a couples get-away! 

We gather up all of our luggage and head back to Villa Olga where we had stayed a few nights at the beginning of the trip. We had the same room as before. Then we went back towards French town for lunch. The deli had delicious sandwiches and chowder soup. 

The we head across the main street to ask about dive trips. We signed up with Admiralty Dive Center for tomorrow! We did a little bit of shopping and got Sanna and Monique's souvenirs, a beautiful dress for Isabella and a monkey for Ian. The we went back to the hotel and relaxed at the pool. 

I called mom to say hello and then talked to Monique. She was staying at our house while we were gone and the AC had gone out! She had some people coming to look at it the next day. 

We sip our refreshing rum and pineapples from dainty coffee mugs that we found in our room. I noticed that there was a waiter from the restaurant next door sitting on the roof. He was smoking out of an apple! HA! 

We had dinner at Bella Blu - it was so scrumptious! We split the seared tuna tar tar appetizer.Yummy! We had the pecan crusted snapper for dinner. 

That night we enjoyed the A/C and a real bed! We woke up at 6:30 and had bagels for breakfast at the Frechtown Deli. We returned to the CYOA dock to meet our dive master, Fish Butt (John). Dwayne the shop owner was our captain.

He asked me if I had a problem with sharks. Honestly after our adventures in Indonesia, I can handle anything! I was pumped!! We dove a 90 ft wreck and reef dive (our first wreck)!

We had a small group so we had a good amount of time to explore. We came down at the bow of the massive ship named the WIT Concrete. It originally sunk during a hurricane but it was blocking the channel so it was moved to it's current location in 1995. It's 350 feet long and 50 feet wide! You can't see both ends at the same time. The ship is still intact. 

We were able to go inside the vessel in some areas and shimmed our way up a narrow vertical passageway. Just as I cleared it, a huge grouper looked me eye to eye. It was spectacular! 

Caneel Bay, BVI- Day 9

No urgency for coffee, we proceeded to close up the hatches. After confirmation that we're ready to sail Alex grabbed hold of the bow line. A few minutes earlier, we noticed our neighbor take off without paying the mooring fee. We'd thought we'd attempt the same :) After all, we were in pirate territory! Just as we had one line disconnected, a man appeared in a dingy. Oh well.. twenty five bucks! We said goodbye to charming Treasure Island and settled in for our journey to marvelous Caneel Bay.

It was a travel day for us- the last stop before returning our fine vessel in St. Thomas. We had to stop in the immigration office before returning to the USVI.

The Indians pass us by as we head due South between Tortola and St. John - down the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Alex reefed the jib but kept the engine on for a little boost. I help tight to the wheel, watching for waves on our rear. We made excellent time in the open sea until losing our wind in between the landforms. We've found that the seas are generally calmer in the morning so we were happy to get an early start.

We abruptly approach a plastic milk jug floating in the water. Although it is illegal to fish the BVI without a permit, local fishermen make home-made traps. This is very dangerous for boaters as well as the tropical fish population. Due to high waves, it is difficult to spot the trap until you are right up on it. You should be very aware of the line to ensure that you don't foul your prop. You can often tell which direction the line will be depending on the current.

The shoreline is stunning! Palm trees line the rocky shore and green hills arise straight out of the water. The Great Thatch passes on by on our right hand side and we begin hugging the coast of St. John. Great Thatch is a small uninhabited island in west BVI. The island was previously occupied and was once a customs house checkpoint until there was a civil disturbance in 1856. Prior to that it was owned by pirates but was repurchased only 13 years ago. Today it is a national park.

Ruins remain standing there today and are thought to date back to the sugar plantation era. The ruins are extremely difficult to access as the paths are all heavily overgrown. After the civil disturbance the island was abandoned and it remains so today.

We swing closer in to shore and pass by beloved Mayo and Francis Bay. The Puerto Rican family's mega yacht was still anchored in the deep waters. It was nice to come back this same direction because it put everything into perspective. I was glad to have land on either side again! Because the islands are at most 3 miles from each other, the BVI makes a great place for beginner sailors to learn the ropes.

Jost Van Dyke was directly behind us as we turned past the bay. We minded the flashing yellow buoys that indicated the bounder of the National Park. Green and red approach on the horizon to indicate Johnson's Reef.

Caneel Bay was our least favorite spot to moor for the night because the moors aren't actually in the bay- the private hotel reserved it for swimming and snorkeling. It was not in a protected cove- we were tied up along the side of the channel so every time a ferry passed by, we rocked violently side to side. We wondered if this would continue all night.

We settled in just before noon and decided to prepare the last of our sandwiches while we waited for the immigration office to reopen after lunch.

We dingyed over to Cruz Bay and found a spot to tie up. This bay is commercial use only. No private or chartered boats can stop here overnight. Just as we tied up, a large ferry arrived. We hurried to beat the crowd to the immigration office. Too late. The officer made us wait until the entire load of people had checked in. Completing the forms was very confusing because it's not clear what each one is for and there were several choices. We were charged $35 because it was Sunday.

As we were waiting for our turn, our Canadian friends from Willy T's appeared. They had ridden over on the ferry and were headed home.

It was a relief to get that taken care of, it was a mad house in there. I wanted to get a few souvenirs since this was our last stop that would have a gift shop of any sort. We found a small convenient store and quenched our thirst with a large ice cold water as we figured out where to find an ATM. A homeless guy overheard us and insisted that the ATM was this way (as he started leading us down the main dirt road.) We were hesitant and kept expecting him to ask us for a few bucks but he pointed us to the machine and took off in the other direction.

I think he must have gone to go tell his buddy that we were in the vicinity. We were clearly tourists and just got cash for our pockets. The second man walked with us back up the hill to the main intersection of town. "It's a small place. You see everyone you know- everywhere" he said. Worn and sun tan, his guy looked like he wasn't doing too bad for himself. He enjoyed the nice view and temperate climate. He seemed content to be in such a beautiful place and was happy to walk and talk with us.

I stopped in one shop for a quick look around. We got trapped listening to the sales woman chat for at least 30 minutes. I suppose she was lonely and needed someone- anyone to talk to. Business was slow yet tourists are rude and ignorant, she said. Eventually we had to make a run for it. The rambling and complaining put but Alex and I in a bad mood, just listening to her babel. We had been 100% carefree this entire vacation and we realized that we were getting back to the mainland at that point. Back to civilization.

We shook it off and promptly returned to the boat to get our swimsuits on so we could go for a dip. The water is a stunning clear color of turquoise. Small tropical fish swam below us as we approached the white sand beach. We pulled right up to shore and drug the dingy a few feet up the beach so it was secure. Ahhh, this is more like it we thought.

I laid our beach mats out under a shade tree and read while Alex snorkeled around. He saw a spotted eel and a large shrimp just a few feet away!

I popped open an ice cold Heineken and felt totally at peace, toes in the sand.

That night we made dinner on the boat. It was a delicious cajun pasta with sausage and fresh tomato. We were doing well on finishing our food supply, we were trying to use everything we had.

Almost a full moon, we reclined under the stars... In Peace.

The Indians, Caves, Willy T's- Day 8

A combination of heat and rain woke us. It would rain just enough where we'd need to close the hatches to prevent getting soaked. Just after drifting off again, a heatwave filled the front cabin and we'd need circulation. In the middle of a good dream rain drops return.

After a quick rejuvenation of coffee and breakfast, we pile our fins, masks and snorkels into our trusty dingy and head out for the longest ride yet. She had been reliable since Alex fiddled with her back on Mayo Bay. Crossing the channel in a jiffy was necessary. With sun overhead, waves crossed our bow and yachts approach on the horizon. We arrive at a spectacular rock formation- the Indians.

Here in the shallow "fish bowl," swirling clouds of bait fish are pursued by jacks and snappers below and dive-bombed by pelicans above. These rock pinnacles rise and descend roughly fifty feet both above and below the water.

The Indians are the second most popular dive site in the British Virgin Islands after the wreck of the RMS Rhone. The four rocks are so named because from a distance they were thought to resemble a head dress of a Native American.

We moor up and jump in the warm waters of the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Directly below us is a stunning coral wall. The rocks extend another 50 feet deep to form a diverse collection of colorful coral. This was the best display of coral we had seen yet!

A yellow fin snapper swam 5 feet below me on my left side as I examined everything in sight. An abandoned conch shell lay on the sandy floor. We could see clear down to the bottom.

Just at that moment, I hear an enormous splash 2 feet away on the surface. Four terodactyl looking birds (pelicans, lol) swoop down in the water. Alex yells "Look what's right behind you!" Nerve racked, I quickly turn 180 degrees to see a school of jack and a school of brightly colored blue fish an arm's length away being attacked from the surface. The pelicans enjoyed their breakfast. It was incredible to be right in the middle of this.

We snorkeled all around the huge rocks before heading back towards our dingy. Afterwards we zoom back over to the Bight to partake in a celebratory beer and bit of relaxation.

A visiting sea turtle examines us from a distance. Hawksbill sea turtles are endangered in the BVI so this was a rare sight. Alex periodically searches for his friend the tarpon.

As we sip on cold Heinekens, we provide commentary for the nearby sailors attempting to moor. At this point we're pros so we can afford a few laughs. (j/k)

Our afternoon excursion was around Treasure Point to the Caves where pirates once stored their treasure. Extending about 100 feet into the cliffs, they are only about 4 feet deep so you are very up close and personal with all of the sea life around you. It's best if you have a waterproof flashlight. It gets dark quickly and can be a little terrifying since you are in such an enclosed area and can't see anything in the dark. We decided to turn back when a jellyfish swam by at eye level with Alex. (I made him go first so he could protect me from the unknown.) You must keep your body buoyant on the salty surface so you don't scrape coral.

Along the cliff walls next to the caves are impressive coral walls that extend far and deep in either direction. We enjoyed exploring there before heading back to Ryajen. It looked like an afternoon rain was rolling in. We made it safely aboard without a drop so we toasted with a pineapple rum drink to celebrate! Just before sunset we scooted over to Willy T's for another fun filled evening.

It was packed then as well. Picnic tables were full and the bar was hopping. Next to us, there was a group of "30 something" men and their adorable young daughters. Curly blond hair in pig tails and tanned skin, they must have been on a daddy/daughter trip. The oldest one wore a "real pirate bandanna" and kept asking if they could get pirate tattoos (stick-ons) and dance on the bar. Willy T teaches them young! The girls were so cute! Alex and I day dreamed about when we would have a family of our own someday. We enjoy seeing young families on our travels.

Tonight's menu consisted of the delicious Anegada conch shell (we couldn't pass it up since it was a specialty) and fried chicken. At the bar, locals commanded the dance floor and everyone enjoyed the music and especially strong rum drinks.

A woman we recognized from earlier was helping Simon out at the bar. She runs a small boat named Deliverance and goes around to all the boaters selling odds and ins such as ice, beer, cokes, bread, etc to the visitors. It's a good little business and she seems to enjoy the scenery.

We asked Simon if the flamboyant man from last night was the owner of Willy T's. "I have no bloody idea who that guy was. He comes around here acting like the owns the joint." HA! What a sad existence we thought.

Between slamming shots and controlling the entire bar, Simon managed to DJ from is iPod. He liked Alex so much that every 30 minutes or so, he'd pour 3 Jager shots for us. I think he'd forget that we already did a shot but he seemed to be enjoying himself. He did an amazing job running the whole bar- having a blast and getting drunker as the night wore on.

There were some characters there that night. An Englishmen named Miles came right up to me and laid a kiss on my check. He had no concern that Alex was right beside me. His sister "Aim-ee" (very drawn out English pronunciation) eyed him from across the bar. An American woman sat beside us. I complimented her on the pretty shell necklace she wore. I asked her where she was from. "Alabama, but everyone always thinks we're from Texas" she uttered with a southern draw. She didn't talk to me for the rest of the night when we told her we really were from Texas. Drunk muchisimo Puerto Rican guy from last night came over to talk to us. Turns out he is moving to New Orleans to go to college. Hope he doesn't blow all of daddy's money on Bourbon Street! Last night he was such an ass to Simon. "My name is Manuel Rodriguez Rodriguez..."

We had a great time at Willy T's. It was the first island bar that we had gone to. Everything else was closed or non existent. Our bill came and it was surprisingly only $54, including a T-Shirt. We thanked Simon and let him a hearty tip.

The nightlight overhead lead us back home to our boat. We curled up and rested happily.