Snorkeling and Lounging At Water Caye

The Facilities At Water Caye

Look what we found while exploring this deserted area. Interesting enough, you have to enter from 20 feet offshore and climb five feet up to get the benefit. Not very accessable.

Our Picnic Site At Water Caye

We went snorkeling and picnicing at Water Caye on the final day of our trip. Water Caye is an isolated area on the north end of Utilla. It is a sanctuary set up specificall for this purpose.

The National Flag of Honduras and The Lone Star of Texas

The national flag of Honduras and the Lone Star of Texas fly in unison over Utopia Village.

Brenda At The Indian Wok Resturant

This resturant was just outside the entrance to the bar we visited earlier. They had a great receipe for Indian food. Their menu was posted right outside the window.

Utopia's Staff and Dangell At The Bar

Dangell In The Bar with Utopia's Bar Tender and Chef

Tanochia Bar

We stopped in at this bar along the harbor on our way to another resturant along the harbor. We had several drinks and the Seals had a wonderful time.

Utilla Harbor

As we neared the dock, we noticed this dive shop in the harbor. The village of Utilla is loaded with many ex-patriots and and back-packers from all over the world.

View of Dwellings Along The Channel to Utilla Harbor

Shark Finning On Pigeon Caye

Pigeon Caye is a fishing village off the island of Utilla. These fishermen don't have much appreciation for sharks as a sustainable resource. Although these images are disturbing, I had an opportunity to discuss it with one of the divemasters. His statement is that on Utilla, sharks are completely harvested for the skin, liver, and flesh as food. This image is taken of shark fins, however, they are sold seperately as they have no value in the bay islands.

Melvin Strolling On Pigeon Caye

Suface Interval At Pigeon Caye

We took a break from diving on this day and stopped at Pigeon Caye for lunch.

Pacho

Pacho is the mascot of Utopia Village. He was rescued by Kyle within one hour of euthanization. They are very close companions.

The Property Adjacent To Utopia Village

We were provided a tour of the area adjacent to Utopia Village by Kyle. She mentioned that Utopia Village existed on an area identical to this prior to construction. Much work has brought it to where it is today. This is jungle completely surrounding Utopia Village. What it is today is a testiment to what it was one year ago.

The Dining Area

All meals were served in the dining area. The service was excellent and the food was also wonderful.

The Dive Shop At Utopia Village

All of our gear needs were met by the fine staff of Utopia Village. They accomodated all gear shortages as well as maintenace issues for The Windy City Seals. The dive staff also cleaned our gear daily and insured that it was on the boat each morning for the diving activities.

The Dayroom/Lounge Area Of Utopia Village

All Guestrooms Face the Beach At Utopia Village

The Beach At Utopia Village

The Bar and Patio At Utopia Village

Denise, Michele and Marvin At The Beach Bar

Each day we retired to the beach bar for coctails and relaxation after diving.

The Windy City Seals Riding the Trail of the Jungle

I captured this image the Seals were riding the truck back to Utopia Village. I was on the ATV directly behind the truck until such time as we could pass them up.

The Jungle Trail, Utopia Village to the Harbor and return each day.

Each day to the harbor, I rode the ATV to the harbor. This is a view of the trail from where I was located.

Offloading The Dive Gear at Days End

When we return from the dive, the gear handlers load the gear to a trailer driven by and ATV for travel back to the resort.

Denise and Michele

Denise Lamotte and Michelle Dowdy. Denise was my dive buddy and Michele was the trip coordinator for this adventure. Michele does and excellent job of coordinating these trips each year.

Melvin and Claudette

Melvin was Claudette's dive buddy on this trip. He was a very capable dive buddy and he provided much needed assistance for Claudette.

Andrew Ryals

We are traveling through the jungle onboard the Miss U to a dive site in the harbor. This was a daily commute through the mangrove canals located in the jungle. Andrew locates himself on the end of the boat each day for the commute.

Surface Interval Prior To Diving Airport Caves

The young lady in the foreground is Anne. She is a PADI instructor for Utopia Village. She is also the masseuse for the resort. This young lady has an intesting background. She resigned her position as a mechanical engineer in Canada for a large aircraft manufacturing firm. Travelled to Central America and immediately found a house in Costa Rica for herself. She travelled to Utilla as a backpacker and taught diving to support her lifestyle. She also provides Thai massage therapy for the guests of Utopia Village.

All Aboard For The First Day of Diving

The young man in the red shirt is Juan Carlos. He is the divemaster for Utopia Village. Each day we boarded the truck and a couple of ATV's for travel through the jungle to the harbor.

Onboard the Miss U for travel to Utopia Village

The Miss U is the dive boat for Utopia Village. We used it for every requirement travelling to and from Utopia Village.

The Commute from Utilla Airstrip to Utilla Harbor

We travelled by truck from the airport to the dock. At that point we will board a boat to travel from the harbor to the resort of Utopia Village.

Commuter Airline To Utilla

This is the aircraft that carried us to Utilla from Roatan. There is an interesting story to go with this aircraft. It was pruchased from the Czech Republic after the transition. This is a local airline owned by another brother. He mentioned to us that he flew the aircraft from Europe to Roatan. He is also the CEO of the company.

Crowded Little Customs Area In Honduras

There are many international flights that land on the island of Roatan. This little halway only accommodates two lines with each having one customs agent for service. Things move slowly in the Bay Islands of Honduras.

Arrival on Roatan

We have an intermediate stop on the island of Roatan. After we clear customs, we board a commuter plan for the island of Utilla.

Heavy Conversation On The Back Porch

This image displays how many issues are settled in Soileau. Heavy dialog and heated debate are many times the focus of activity on the back porch in Soileau. Of course in includes rigorous consumption of the featured beverage, ice cold beer. Today, Andrew, Wilfed, Melvin and Mack are engaged in debate over life in Soileau.

Wilfred Guillory

These images are of my Uncle Wifred. He is the youngest brother of my mother, Ida Victorian. Wilfred is also an authority for historical information relating to matters of my maternal heritage.