Tuesday Trek to West Bay

Chris and I met our new friend from Mendocino, Carole Raye, and we walked the coast about two miles, climbing over rocky outcroppings, walking along beaches edged in coconut palms, to West Bay, touted as the most glorious beach on Roatan.  

Destination is a nice goal, but the journey is adventure and exploration, and my two companions shared this spirit today.  We left West End heading on foot towards the Barefeet Beach Bar and kept on going.  It was at the BBB that I painted Marshall's portrait on Sunday.  We feel comfortable there, but today we were moving on south.  

It was a fabulously calm day, about 83° with no wind.  We lucked out with two "bird alert" photo op moments.  This guy was hanging out on one of the little private piers along the way.

There is only one pelican in the area now, and he was near the canal bridge today, preening.  I shot him from up on the bridge

and then quietly continued across and down the stairs to catch up with my friends, camera ready.  Then Mr. pelican stretched and yawned for us! 

Possibly a future painting!  Then I noticed a school of small fry in the canal and shot a few pics.  When I got to see these on the ipad later, I see they might be baby hammerheads!  Ya think?

Poseidon popped up to show us a starfish.  He was Canadian and said last year the only things under water they hadn't seen last year were starfish, so he was excited there were two near where he was standing!  

I told him that just back a ways was a mermaid

And he said, "I already have a mermaid!" And pointed at his lovely wife.

We walked on, splashing in the clear water 

Picking up tiny shells from the recent storm

and eventually rounded a corner to find ourselves at the Grape tree on the north end of West Bay.

Chris and I had made this trek two weeks ago with Sona, passing our "private" beach I told you about before, and made it just to the north side, beginning of West Bay, when Sona begged us go no further because of blisters from her wading shoes, and we caught a water taxi back to West End, $3 ea.  

Lots of people, mostly older than us, and braver...

lots of sellers of jewelry

And we walked the length of the beach

Clear canoe! Very cool!

before a short swim and

A water taxi ride home to West End.

Imagine having lunch on this pier!  

Full sun, waiter in roller skates! 

Not!😜

We stopped at "our" beach for a Bareña (local beer) and a swim

And wandered home ready to eat some curry we had made the day before.

See you soon!

Xoxo

Suzi

Pain free at last

I stopped in at Foxy's tattoo parlor and was given a massage table upon which to rest while waiting for Dr. Vallejo, the acupuncturist.  I was in this sacred space for an hour before he arrived.

After a seemingly endless treatment hiatus, I felt so good I could go out for lobster quesadillas with my two friends to listen to some sad western songs and celebrate Sona's last night with us...wait...that didn't come out right!

Sona Holman, Austin, TX

Cheery and happy, world traveler, vegan, independent, artist, friend of mine from Marin County late 1980’s

Chris Erickson, bff now living in Portsmouth, NH, out on front porch painting an oil!

Me with Bareña, local replacement for agua fresca.  See the smile? No pain.

So this morning I gathered up my teaching supplies and went iff to meet a waiter from the Barefoot Bar who was bringing his two kids to have a drawing lesson.  Dedicated teacher that I am, I had some freebies for the kids...little Dollar Store watercolor strips and a box of crayons...and they weren't there, the place was chained up tight.  Well, I cannot say I blame them since there is almost a gale blowing, high seas, and no beach!  Boats bobbing mightily on tethers, palms crashing in the wind.  I was aware of flying coconuts...certainly didnt need a bonk on the head to deal with!  I am plagued with NoSeeUm bites, in spite of the vinegar baths, $14 no bug natural spray, DEET, OFF, and other preventives...and a plethora of anti-itch salves from Benadryl gel, spray and cream to something from Dr Bombay, er Vallejo to treat the itching...a cortisone HCl cream.  

This is a video...i will put it on Facebook.  Today is cool enough for a tee shirt and shorts!

from the start of my trip.... Sacramento because my nicest friend Marti had offered to park my vehicle there for the five-week duration...

 to a layover at SFO for a great dinner in prep for my Central America trip...

To my hop to Houston hub in the middle of the night

To my arrival at the beach resort of West End, Roatan, Honduras...

A wonderful place to relax and reinvent myself

Mahi mahi

A successful day fishing for a visiting sportsman had this local man scaling the mahi catch on the rustic pier.