June 26th 1999 - The Traveling

I departed Norfolk, VA this morning on a journey to another land.   The adventure hasn't even started yet and I am already having a great time!  To tell you the truth though, I am unsure as to which is the adventure - Honduras or Miami Airport.  I have never seen a more chaotic place!  It took me half an hour to hike the distance between local flights and international.  I am just glad I found Tony and The Group.  TACA (Take A Chance Airlines) is interesting to say the least.  I have never had so much fun on a flight!  Traveling to Roatan via San Pedro - Sula and La Ceiba took forever though!.  We arrived with seven of the thirteen people in our group and 1/3 of our luggage...  Nick, Colleen, Alex, Naomi, Chris K., Charlie, and Gill are here tonight.  Anthony's Key Resort, however, is AMAZING!  We are going to have such a blast!

June 27th 1999 - The Morning

I awoke this morning to the sounds of strange birds and sunlight.  We received our dive gear and did a check out dive next to the RIMS dolphin enclosure after breakfast.  I've never seen dolphins beneath the surface before - it is INCREDIBLE!  They glide through the water and watch us in everything we do.  In the afternoon we did a recreational dive at Seacoast Reef.  It feels good to be back in the water - I had almost forgot the Broadreach feeling.  The rest of the group arrived prior to dinner...  Lisa, Chris P., Kate, Brooke, Caroline, and Lindsey.  The group seems great, and I am sure we are all going to have a great time together.  After dinner, we had an orientation to get us accustomed to Roatan Institute of Marine Science (RIMS) and Anthony's Key Resort (AKR).

June 28th 1999 - The Fish

I love sleeping in Honduras!  I have never felt more rested in my life.  The cabanas here are really nice - allowing a nice breeze to cool the rooms.  The second half of the group did check out dives this morning while the rest of us watched the dolphins in the enclosure.  Then the entire group did a fish identification at Overheat.  There are tons of different fish here!  I managed to name the most because of the Marine Biology I did last year in the Turks and Caicos with Broadreach.  After lunch we had a fish lecture...  Jen, AKR's student leader, gave us a detailed explanation of what we will be seeing in the water.  In the afternoon we did another identification dive at Lighthouse.  We got back just in time to freshen up before we had a cookout on Anthony's Key.  The food here is great and I am always sooo hungry too!  AKR has a cookout with a local band, dancing, and contests every week.  Colleen won the limbo contest (WOOHOO! Represent!), and Kate and Gill's crab, Oscar, won the crab race tonight.  We all had a blast dancing together!

June 29th 1999 - The Sunburn

In the morning, we had a coral identification lecture and then we did a coral identification dive at Tuk's Treasure.  We had some free time around lunch...  Naomi and I spent the time at the beach talking - SUNBURN!   In the afternoon, we had to map a coral head at Front.  Naomi and I made the best coral reef map - FREE DRINKS (non-alcoholic) tonight!  The group also saw a huge octopus and green moray eel!  We had an hour of free time before the dolphin lecture and dinner to get cleaned up.  I can't believe how much there is too learn about dolphins!
 
June 30th 1999 - The Human Pyramid

In the morning we did an invertebrate lecture and then did an invertebrate identification dive at West End Wall.  We usually have a lecture every day on what we are going to be doing and seeing under the water.  RIMS must be the single air conditioned place in Honduras, and that is where we get to have our lectures!  We had lunch at AKR's private beach at the end of the island.  The group managed to form a human pyramid in the water - SHOULDERS HURT!  We all had a great time running around and playing games.  The beach there is beautiful and even has some nice snorkeling too!  Returning to AKR, we did another invertebrate identification dive at Butcher's.  After dinner we had to watch a dolphin video...  it had to do with reproduction!  I definitely learned something tonight!

July 1st 1999 - The Mangroves

We had another lecture this morning - on mangroves...  then we did a strange snorkel through them on AKR's huge snorkel boat.  The mangroves are really different underneath the surface!  From there we did another snorkel where saw some sharks and caught a couple of specimens for the wet lab.  We returned for lunch and a few of us messed around on the beach for a while - I managed to convince the taxi boat captain to pulling me around AKR on the windsurfer!  I never thought I'd get to surf in Honduras!  In the afternoon we did another dive just for recreation.  Tonight we had our second dolphin lecture and then we did a night snorkel around AKR's channel.  I did see a couple of objects I'd never seen before and the bioluminescence is crazy here!

July 2nd 1999 - The Venice of Honduras

We got to sleep till 7:45 AM this morning...  WOOHOO!  We got to visit the town Oak Ridge this morning.  We toured the city and mangroves via motor boats.  It felt as if we were in Venice Italy, but definitely more interesting!  Next we went to a beach for lunch.  We took a walk on the beach and made Chris into a sand mermaid, hehe.  On the way home we checked the local iguana farm -WOW!  Can we say, "bamboo chicken"?  There were tons of them everywhere!  The bus rides are really cool because we get to see so much of Roatan.  We did our first night dive at Overheat - we saw a cool octopus.  Tony taught us all to use an ear scope tonight - I am going to bed exhausted!

July 3rd 1999 - The Broadreach Olympics

DOLPHINS! Half the group did a dive in the morning at Dive Master's Choice...  While the other half did a dolphin swim at AKR.  We did Broadreach Olympics during lunch time - GO TEAM!  We took a crazy picture of us in war paint, hehe - I put a peace sign on my chest.  In the afternoon we switched, and our half of the group did the dolphin swim.  It is really cool getting so close to them.  I didn't realize their size till I got to see them underwater!  They are fun to snorkel with even if they do move so fast!  Tonight we had to watch a video on hurricane Mitch - all of us are exhausted.  we had such a great time with the dolphins today!

July 4th 1999 - I LOVE THE U.S. OF A.

YEAH!!!  FOURTH OF JULY!  This is the best holiday of the year!  We did a coral identification activity in the morning. We decided to do a drift dive on the southside of the island, however, at Herbie's Place...  The current was unbelievably strong - we just floated along.  I never actually moved my fins!  Chris and I invented underwater surfing and various other positions for maximizing your view of the reef.  We did a second dive after lunch - we saw sea turtles!  The leaders had a surprise for us after dinner...  misleading us with a tale about bioluminescence, we all headed to RIMS.  Instead of the lab, however, we watched Something About Mary - Junior and Alson (our local boat captains) came too, woohoo!  What a great holiday!
 
July 5th 1999 - El Aguilla

We did a snorkel in the morning so that we could do a 100ft deep wreck dive at El Aguilla this afternoon.  We did some more Broadreach Olympics in the free period around lunch - we are catching up in the ranks!  The wreck dive was something different!  It just seemed to appear in the darkness as we descended.  The freighter was huge and we got to go all around it!  Back at AKR, we all got a tour of the hyperbolic chamber that they have there.  Isn't something I'd enjoy - I'll stay above the maximum depth!

July 6th 1999 - The Line Transects

We went to the South Side on a Pro 48 cause our usual boat, the Macavi, isn't feeling up to par.  We did a typical dive at Key Hole - saw tons of fish.  In the afternoon we conducted point - intercept line transects at Pillar Coral.  The amount of free time we had today was amazing... We all got to know each other much better as we talked in the hammocks outside our rooms.  Jen's "friends" were supposed to arrive this afternoon...  didn't though.  Traveling here can be difficult to say the least.

July 7th 1999 - The Eel Garden

This morning we did a dive at Mandy's Eel Garden -amazing!  I kept trying to hover an inch above the ocean floor and catch the eels before they went back in their holes.  It is so cool getting to see something new and different every dive!  We stayed at AKR's private beach for the afternoon and messed around there.  We built sand castles, played volleyball, and explored the inter-tidal zones there.  At night, we did a routine night dive at White Hole.  The bioluminescence was intense tonight!  We all got to see a huge green moray eel too.  We met Jen's "friends" tonight - they do exist after all - and they survived TACA too!

July 8th 1999 - The Channel Cleanup

In the morning the group divided up again and half of us did a channel clean up dive in AKR's channel...  Chris K. and I had an incident with a Fire Worm -"Fuzzy?!?!  BAD!!!"  No matter though!  In the afternoon we got to go to Front Porch and dive with a dolphin!  SO AMAZING!  I still can't believe how fast they move - and their agility is crazy!  It's much different seeing them in the open ocean.  The dolphin would come up and play with us as we sat on the bottom and then dash off for a while to check the area for more fun!  We slept in RIMS tonight and watched movies - fun having everyone together!

July 9th 1999 - The Sunset

Our final recreational dive in Roatan, Honduras!!!  I got to see a graceful eagle ray!  Afterwards, we headed to Coxen Hole to do some shopping - an interesting town.  Junior and Alson joined us for dinner tonight...  and we gave Jen such a cool present: a huge pair of autographed underwear!  "Nick was here in 99."  Jen once told me that her entire wardrobe consisted of bathing suits and that she didn't even own a pair of underwear - so we thought this would be a funny parting gift.
 
July 10th 1999 - The Traveling II

This morning we said farewell to everyone at AKR.  we have departed for the mainland.  While everyone was sad to leave our native friends behind, everyone felt the excitement of seeing more of Honduras.  As usual, the flight to La Ceiba was interesting.  We couldn't tell when we were airborne because the plane had no windows!  It made us all extremely nervous - although everything turned out fine!  We met our guide, Luis, and boarded our air conditioned bus which we will be using to get around from here on out.  Honduras is so beautiful!  Everyone was silent on the bus cause we were so engulfed by the scenery!  We arrived at Pepe's River House and unloaded all our gear.  OK, Pepe's River House is AMAZING!  It is an open stone house built high off the ground with a huge porch where most of us will be sleeping tonight I am sure.  It has a single bedroom with bathroom and a large kitchen attached to the common room.   WE DID THE COOLEST DAYTRIP TODAY!  In the afternoon we got to go white water rafting!!! Chris K, Charlie, Naomi, Colleen, and I were in the lead raft with our guide...  we managed to save Naomi and Charlie from falling from the raft.  We did, however, wrap our raft around a class 4 rapid towards the end... Colleen slipped and pulled me from the raft - Naomi jumped willingly?!?!  Anyways, the group got the raft unwrapped about an hour after the incident started.  We had the best team!!!  We couldn't have had a better time if we had stayed in our raft!  That is definitely something I want to do again!

July 11th 1999 - The Waterfall

This morning we went to Pico Bonito National Park to do some hiking.  The trail crept through rainforest alongside a beautiful cascading waterfall.  We all got drenched from sweat and mud, so we decided to go swimming when we arrived at the bottom again.  We all took turns trying to beat the current and get underneath the waterfall - so cold!  We chilled for the rest of the day at Pepe's River House.  The hammocks and futon there are so relaxing!

July 12th 1999 - The Nature Reserve

OK, the day began when Chris K. got us all up at 5 am!  We had to get to the coconut train  - a small engine and a few seats with a flat bed attached to the rear -  by 7 am.  We had such a great time joking around and seeing Honduras for real.  We arrived at the reserve and took a tour on motor boats - we saw toucans, monkeys, bats, etc...  The reserve is really untouched - it's amazing.  Then we went to a beach there - full of drift wood.  The beach is the exact definition of untouched nature.  Chris K. and I did running commentary (as National Geographic Camera Men) of Naomi trying to eat a coconut - an amazing monkey indeed.  We got to eat at someone's "house" (hut).  I must have been the single person hungry enough to eat the food.  I think it bothered everyone that there was one less chicken walking around when lunch was ready - go figure.  While we were at the house, Colleen picked up a puppy -mistake.  A few seconds after Chris K. said, "Colleen, that end may be cute, but I'd watch out for the other end..." the puppy went to the bathroom on her shirt.  We hitched a ride with the coconut train back to the bus and went into the town of La Ceiba to walk around...  nothing much worthwhile there.  There are armed guards at all the banks with shotguns - that took us a while to get used to.  We did manage to get some real food at Pizza Hut though :O)  We went swimming when we got back to the river house.  There is a great water hole right below us that we can go jump in.  We had a great adventure today!

July 13th 1999 - The Community Service

This morning we did a community service project...  trail maintenance.  What we had to do, however, was measuring a somewhat started trail.  We had to ford a river with a raft and then hike to where we began the measuring.  Just as we got started, it started to pour and we got drenched.  Tony gave us thirty seconds to complain and then we trucked it back to the river and home.  In the afternoon we all went into La Ceiba and ate at Pizza Hut cause the food at Pepe's is rather lacking.  After the rugged rainforest, Pizza Hut was a welcome sight!  I am still wet from this mornings hike!

July 14th 1999 - The City of Copan

The entire day we spent on the bus - heading to Copan.  About an 8 hour trek...  we got flat tires too.  We did take a rest at the botanical gardens which was decent except for the random biting bugs.  The amount of flora they have is amazing!  I thoroughly enjoyed the trek...  although, I believe I was the only person who did.  I just loved seeing more of Honduras!  The place we are staying has character...  I love it.

July 15th 1999 - The Mayans

A great day!!!  We saw the Mayan ruins of Copan this morning - Luis as our tour guide.  He is amazing - he had something to say about everything.  We went through the tunnels and got to see lots of hieroglyphics.  I took hundreds of pictures.  After the ruins we went horseback riding which was loads of fun!  "Fuzzy" had what it took to be a cool horse.  We all got stretched apart - Tony, Brooke, and I bolting ahead while Lisa walked at the rear.  I enjoyed doing something I haven't really done before.  In the evening we all went around getting souvenirs in Copan.  Chris K. and I had a great time getting instruments to annoy the people on the plane with.  The rain-sticks and drums should be useful!

July 16th 1999 - The Farewell

We had to make a 3 hour bus trek to the airport this morning...  Naomi and I never went to bed, though. We were up when everyone else got up at 4 am.  I am really going to miss Copan - and the rest of Honduras too!  The bus ride was extremely somber and quite - everyone was sad about leaving.  Miami is terrible!  Due to the time change, we didn't have the two hours I thought we did to say good bye.  That didn't go well at all!  I felt paralyzed and we had to run to the gate.  I had a few layovers and ended up getting home late due to a delay in Philadelphia.

July 17th 1999 - The Glance Back

So that's it - we have left Honduras behind us.  The summer is still here though and Honduras will always be with me.  I talked to the group yesterday on the phone - we all miss each other so much!  It's amazing the friends you can make and the experiences you can have in just three weeks!  Its odd how much older I feel.  I've done so much this summer I can hardly believe it myself.  I am so glad I took a ton of pictures - I want these memories to last forever.  I've never had a better summer - that's for sure.  I'll have to try hard to have a good summer next year!  HONDURAS FIELD STUDIES FELLOW FOUNDERS - HAVE A GREAT YEAR AND KEEP IN TOUCH!  I MISS YOU ALL!

-Nicholas Paul Feakins