THE UGLIEST AMERICAN Reef Madness

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  Roatan Island, Honduras
Thursday, November 16, 2006

THE UGLIEST AMERICAN- Reef Madness

Awwww cuddin', it's The Bela Lugosi Look and I'm giving it to this computer that can not currently hook up to the internet. I am in Roatan on my last day here unable to contact anyone, although if you are reading this you know things got better.

Well, I saddled up and got back on the SEAhorse again.
Grouper for dinner last night and fish tacos for
lunch. It must be said that it is very pricey to eat
out here by Central American standards.

Yesterday I did my first dive on Roatan

02 The sandy streets of West End

. I said
DAMN THE TORPEDOS and ignored my ear nose throat
thing. No problems at all. In fact, it was the most
relaxing dive I've done yet. I went without a wetsuit
and that may have made all the difference. Tomorrow,
I'm going totally naked. I'll show these undersea
creatures what CRABS really look like. The dive was
cheaper than my meal last night. The irony, I can
look at many of them for $20 but to taste just one. .
. Hopefully my continued unease with the deep will
continue to drift away in the current.

I also went on a beautiful morning walk and sweated
profusely. Had an early bedtime last night, but I was
worn out after Skyping Anna in a bizarre, I get to
talk but she can only type, sort of way

03 Storm is rolling in, YESSSS!

. It was nice
nevertheless.


Outside of a few digestive issues (for which I am solely to blame), things are going pretty good here. I am not able to dive today because of the crappy weather, which as you will find out, works for me big time. I have done 5 dives since being here, bringing my number to 12 dives, or 11 and one freak out. I saw another hawksbill turtle and also a nurse shark. Really cool.

What can I say, I hated diving, and now I love it. I'm glad I didn't give up because it really is as cool as everybody says. I am addicted to the weightlessness, the colors, and the peace I find down there. Getting to that point took a lot for me. Diving is nothing more than a constant monitoring and adjusting of 8 different factors- your weight, your buoyancy, your lung capacity, your inner air pressure, your tank pressure, your depth, your speed, and your mask or visibility. It seemed too much for a "distracted" gentleman such as myself. Pair that with claustrophobia and a childhood fear of sharks, and it made things difficult. Now, I actually become dismayed when we have to surface. As of right now, I am done with the undersea portion of this trip, but I'll be back down there someday

Dog at Beach

. Because I've got nothin' against ye, Squiddy!!!

I have been eating at the Caribbean chicken stand for every meal now, it's the cheapest food in town but also the best. I will miss the vinegary slaw and the sweet spicy grilled pollo. But that damn Scotch Bonnet Pepper sauce, so good, so bad, and soooooo painful in all the wrong places.

So word of Roatan's party all night atmosphere have been painfully exaggerated. Nights have been sedate and maybe that's OK. Last night, the sparsely populated bar called Blue Channel had a band playing a reggae version of Don Henley's "The End of The Innocence", bizarre, then they topped that with Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is". Had enough beers to catch a great buzz last night and then waded out to Native Son's dive boat and sat and watch the storm roll in. Very cool. Except two guys came walking down the beach and started to shout things at me on the boat. I figured that it was either the Captain coming to chew me out for being on it, or some drunk dudes trying to start something. Turns out it was two VERY DRUNK Marine Park officials who noticed that the boat was getting too close to the beach. They made me take them to the Dive Shop owners and try to wake them up to move the boat. In my state of mind, it all seemed surreal

Me at Sunset, beauty!

. I got a topper Imperial from the local store and retired to my cabin to listen to Fiona Apple for about 3 songs before. . . GOOD night! (it was calm, under the waves, in the blue of my oblivion)

The good news is that the clouds and rain keep rolling in this morning. Last night it rained like a madre and this is, indeed, what I have been waiting for. I'm taking the ferry back to the mainland this afternoon and rafting tomorrow. Other than that, I have no solid plans for this afternoon. It is now officially raining sleeping cats and feral dogs again, which may make my ferry some rough going. Time to snort some Dramamine and get out the dry bag.

My current state of mind is a bit homesick and strangely unfocused. Normally, I know what I'm doing on every day, but I have no plans beyond tomorrow, so keep your digits crossed.

Bringing the CD player was a mixed blessing. It's nice to have the convenience and distraction when in transit or on the beach. But I can't help thinking that I will never get the same cultural experience here, when I am wrapped in the cocoon of my tunes. There is much to hear in Roatan, the children playing in the streets, the constant construction/repair (nothing but hammers and drills everywhere), the mangled dialects of the Caribbean folks, the waves crashing, and the chickens. Those goddamn chickens.

I'm really digging on my Willie Nelson CDs. How can you not love this man? Even the reggae songs are cool.

I hope everybody is doing well. We've got Turkey Day around the corner. The only stuffing you're going to find down here is me stuffing my face with more of that grilled chicken. How can one man hate and love chickens so much? That is the rub....mmm, spicy rub.

It's raining so hard right now, I'm considering taking a taxi for 3 blocks. Whatevs. BRING IT!!!!! And then RUN IT!!!!!!!

Peace Love and paddling,

TT

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