We had 5 hours in Roatan. 5 hours of paradise.

Home of the barrier reef (not to be confused with the Australian great barrier reef), Roatan is the largest of Honduras’ bay islands. It is 37 miles long and the widest it gets is 5 miles. It is a long feather of an island in the Caribbean sea surrounded by an unseen underwater wonderland.

We were given a half day call at the island. Not nearly long enough! But at 8 am I grabbed my beach bag and set off to explore my first island since emerging from the panama canal 2 days earlier. The eastern bay in Roatan is the picturesque turquoise you’d expect from the Caribbean, the land is lush and green framed with snow-white beaches and even boasts a ship wreck peeking out of the deep to greet you as you sail into her shallow and exclusive dock. To get to the terminal you need to cross a wooden pier under which turtles glide in and out of waving sea grass. Heaven. A matter of contention on the island is that the port has been turned into a self contained resort, keeping the tourists inside its well tended pathways and beaches and away from exploring the true Hoduran island. A ski lift takes you from the quaint shops and market stalls over mangroves to a private icing sugar beach serviced by handsome waiters.

In truth it was enjoyable and idyllic but, to be honest, it reminded me more of disneyland than a living island. After an hour of swimming and lounging in the sun, Tom and I met our friend Sheldon who had wonderfully organised for us to go on a dive with him over on the west of the island.

Roatan has roads that wind up and down the hills. Crammed into the back of a minivan, 6 of us bounced around excitedly as we got closer to the west end village. The taxi driver, having car trouble, pulled into a garage and relaxed for a while. I don’t think time is an issue in paradise. When we were on the move again, hills gave way to the palm lined beaches and beautifully painted houses that looked just like dolls houses. Beautiful.

Our destination was Coconut tree divers (www.coconutetreedivers.com) a great dive shop on west end beach that caters for anyone that wants to explore the reef, from absolute beginners to experienced scuba divers. If you’re ever in Roatan GO THERE!! They’re lovely! As my fluent spanish speakers (Tom and Sheldon) were suiting up I tried my spanglish… the woman behind the desk smiled at me… Imagine my surprise when the spoke with a liverpudlian accent! That made me feel right at home as I searched for the right flippers and mask! All suited and booted we made our way to their boat. As I still don’t have my PADI Tom and I opted for snorkelling.

The water was deep deep blue as our boat bounced over the ridge to the Barrier reef. Even though I love being out on the water and was living on a small ship… there is something about the motion of a teeny boat that makes me green! Thankfully we anchored over a gorge in the reef and the divers in our party headed down to the ocean floor. Tom and I were left to drift over ravines and capture moments with huge rainbow fish the size of our arms! The golden sunlight streamed through the water in bold diagonal shafts making the tiny colourful fish all around us look like confetti. We spent an hour swimming in pretty much silence enjoying each others company and chasing flashes of rainbow fish that darting under the cavernous coral. There’s not much I can say about it. It was beautiful and peaceful.

Tom floating above the coral

An hour later we reluctantly headed back to shore happily exhausted and hungry. Of course our taxi back to the east of the island didn’t… there was a moment of panic as we realised the ship would not wait for us if we were late… but then the laid back feeling of the island must have rubbed off on us as we idly looked for another ride back whilst perusing surf shops and playing on the beach. I saw a group of school children, just finished for the day, running to the pier and jumping straight into the water leaving their books piled in the sand. That’s the life out here. How wonderful!

Fish like confetti!

Sheldon and his bubbles!

Coral gorge

Tom and I                                                                         Our little boat

Children paying after school                                                          West End   

Our group of divers after a good old dive session!

I gazed out of the window the whole journey back to the ship listening to the life story of our latest taxi  driver as Tom snored next to me. We sailed away (stocked with rum from Duty Free! ), closing my eyes I drifted off.

The adventure wasn’t over yet… next stop Mexico!