Since moving to Roatan, Honduras, it’s become a regular occurrence to get an email or skype call that goes something like this:
“Some friends of mine are coming to Roatan for the first time. I told them I KNOW someone who lives there. Would you mind giving them some inside info on the Island, and maybe meet with them while they are there?”
The most recent time this happened, it involved a group of people coming from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. With great enthusiasm I fired off emails answering questions and making suggestions of what to do and see when they got here.
High on their list was good snorkelling sites. In particular they wanted to see seahorses. Well, I’m not a snorkeler, but I’ve witness people rave about seeing seahorses below our dock in Sandy Bay. I excitedly invited them to come to our place.
It was a few months later when they arrived to Roatan, and in the meantime I had completely forgotten what I had promised. When the van showed up, everyone climbed out, (sunburnt, but content) with looks of anticipation on their faces, and snorkel gear in hand. As we walked to the dock, one of the visitors was adjusting his underwater camera.
“Can’t wait to take a picture of a seahorse,” he said.
Uh-oh, what had I promised. Ever since I got pulled in by the Roatan Vortex I can’t seem to help it. I blurt out more than I should. What if there are no seahorses today? When was the last time one was spotted below our dock? I silently fretted while they prepared to enter the water. They might be disappointed and it would be my fault.
I watched them descend the ladder…I waited…and waited.
“I got it!” The visitor with the camera excitedly exclaimed, scrambling back on to the dock. He set his camera to playback mode, and turned the screen to my direction.
There it was—while snorkelling under our dock—he had snapped a photo of a beautiful, healthy seahorse!
Thank You, Roatan. You never let me down!
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This story can also be found at Honduras Weekly, www.hondurasweekly.com Category, Cultural.