ARRIVING IN ROATAN, HONDURAS -- 1970

It was in 1970 and in 1974, (two years total) that we lived on the beautiful tropical island of Roatan, Honduras. What we experienced then was like living in another time. In those days there was no television, no telephone and much of the island had no automobiles or roads. Electricity when available, came from home generators in the evening. The people would readily sit on the porch and talk with any stranger and there was a friendliness that is no longer found in today's North American urban culture. I recall two elderly sisters that would joyfully declare, "This is a lazy man's paradise, a lazy man's paradise. In truth many people worked very hard but the beauty of Roatan easily made a person feel at rest."


As we touched down on Roatan's gravel runway the rocks bounced up with a sharp "clack" against the plain. (Today there is a jetport.) It became a frightful thing when the airline attendant opened the hatch. Suddenly, a mob of boys were reaching out and screaming for my "ticket"(baggage check). They shouted, "Ef you wouldn't give me your tic-keeet??" With this they would move the baggage to one of the waiting cars and off you would go to Coxen Whole or French Harbor.

BEFORE THERE WERE ROADS
The young man that helped me lead me to his driver and before too long I was on a motorized "dug out" canoe headed for Oak Ridge Key.

The island "dory" is hand hewn by the coastal Indians and is "dug out" of a single mahogany log. Old World craftsmen work the trim around the edges and a 4 cycle engine is masterfully "fitted out" into the back of the craft. Finally, "ker-put, ker-put, ker-put" with this you can go anywhere there is water.


While traveling toward Oak Ridge we passed beaches of spectacular beauty. The clear waters were similar to those seen in the Florida Keys. We also passed this ominous "iron shore." This is said to be prehistoric coral and is something like chunks of burned coal. It is note worthy that the beautiful coral reefs of Roatan are unsurpassed in the Americas. Just an afternoon with a mask and snorkel will repay the swimmer with a lifetime of memories.

Upon arriving at Oak Ridge Key everything seemed so new that I scarily knew what I was seeing. My college buddy Darlin Vellidaris took me to meet Sister Jean Isbell who had founded a Church and Mission under Gospel Crusade in Sarsadoa FL. Sister Jean was kind and gave me a place to stay at what she called "Mission Point," on the east edge of Oak Ridge Key.


OTHER GUESTS

In the second house on "Mission Point" Sister Jean was putting up two young Indian men. One Gonzalo Waldmer had been cut across the back of his jaw and neck with a machete in a barroom brawl at Oak Ridge's Casa Grandy Bar Room. He laid dying on the "fillin' in" until Missionary Jean Isbell hired a boat to move Gonzalo to the Coast for help. It was related that the doctor wept as he stitched the young man up because, "He should have been dead." Sister Jean was nursing the young man to health, while showing him a better way to live.

Below is a picture of Gonzalo. The mark from that nearly tragic event can be seen just below and next to his ear. As we watched him climbing the coconut tree, we knew that he was feeling much better! Gonzalo climbed with coconut leaves tied around his socks. Meanwhile, he held a machete in one hand and his hat in the other. I still don't know how he made it up the tree! (These three photos were digitally joined but all actually happened.)


THE TROPICAL MOON

When the Sun set I was lead to my quarters. The key was a beautiful place in the night. The bright tropical moon pulled so powerfully that it seemed that it might lift me off of the ground. Each palm tree stretched its arms out in welcome and motioned, "Go no farther ... comfort is with me." Every step brought new beauty and each new sight was hard to leave. The warm night air was like a breath from heaven.

OCEAN GOING HOMES

Upon stepping into the dark house I froze as I herd waves splashing and the water rushing beneath my feet. As it turned out most of the homes were built over the water and set on "craboo" posts. If the posts were deep in the mud the homes would often stand hurricanes. If the posts were in sand the buildings were lost in the next storm. A new Bible School was lost in this manner just before I arrived.

The massive cement posts of the destroyed Bible College were later used for a sea wall at Mission Point. Here the young men wiggle them into place. The placing of such posts was necessary at the time for important reasons explained below.



PRIME BEACH FRONT LOTS -- FREE FOR THE TAKING!!!
It is interesting to remember that at that time the water next to property was fair game for the taking. Anyone that planted posts would own the water next to someone else's land. After a house was in place, a "fillin' in" of rocks and etc. could be added and thus land could be formed under and around the "squatters" water house. As a result the first beachfront owner no longer owned the beachfront. Finally, the old landowner must freely provide a right of way to the new "squatter." This is the simple reason why that so many Bay Island homes are built over the water. This was the law in the past but I have heard that the government now discourages new over the water construction.

Arriving in Roatan, 30 Years Ago

A Look Back at Oak Ridge

The Man-eating Ticks of Diamond Rock

High Road to Punta Gorda

Visit to Rio Platano

Buried Treasures of Jonesville


Page by: Jim Thorpe
This page has been posted so that my friends can enjoy the pictures that I took over 30 years ago. I have been told that Roatan is now somewhat changed. The experiences that I had in Roatan were very special, as were the people and friends. If you knew me you will notice that I failed to photograph most of my friends, and I also seldom took a camera to the Church meeting. If I have misspelled any names please forgive me and correct me. If I have left out any names please let me know.