I'm a PADI scuba diving instructor, freelance website developer, aspiring writer, and rum enthusiast running away from the American Dream on paradise islands around the world. I love my life!

The Crimmins point out that it is not uncommon to see police and members of La Fiscalía come and go from the Wesley’s hotel at odd hours with, what they presume to be, mistresses and prostitutes. This is a claim backed up by infamous local attorney Melvin Rosales, who said that it is well known that members of these groups get “special rates”.

At just past noon on Friday, August 19, Sam Wesley — a West End business owner (Crystal Beach Cabins) with roots on Roatán Island dating back to the 1840’s — came out of his house, pulled out a silver revolver, pressed it into Joe O’Donnell’s back, pulled the trigger and then walked back to his house without saying a word. There were at least five witnesses to the incident. As Mr. O’Donnell collapsed in the street, concerned shop owners Shannon and Christian ran to his aid, Mr. Wesley’s wife, Rosita, wagged a finger at them indicating her desire for them to leave the 40-year-old Australian dive instructor to bleed to death in the street. As a large crowd gathered, it seemed that Mrs. Wesley might get her wish. People took photos, screamed and gawked… but no one took action.

Fortunately, Paul Cleveland — an 18-year Roatán resident was on the scene, and his military training kicked in. He stuffed one of his fingers in the bullet hole, sent someone to retrieve a bag of ice, and secured a truck to transport Mr. O’Donnell to the local hospital. Mr. Cleveland, who describes himself as a long-time good friend of Mr. Wesley, was also the first to make a statement against him. He said the crime had “no motive” other than Mr. Wesley was acting “completely on his wife’s inclination”.

Mr. Cleveland also expressed amazement that Mr. Wesley could be out of jail in 24 hours. He said, “The law seems to be more concerned with cocaine possession, If Sam had been caught with a kilo they would not need anyone to make an accusation and he would still be in jail.”

You can read more of this article at Honduras Weekly: http://hondurasweekly.com/wild-and-crazy-justice-on-roat%C3%A1n-island-201108244034/

A day of free diving in around the thermal exhaust vents at Electric Beach, Oahu. Fish and turtles love to congregate in the warm water pumping from the pipes. Strong swimmers can free dive into the exhaust stream and rocket hundreds of feet out to sea. Weeeeeeee!

Eons ago during the last Ice Age, an ancient waterfall cut a massive gorge through the very foundations of the island of Roatan. Millennia later, the ten-storey canyon at Spooky Channel rests just under the ocean surface, inviting Advanced Open Water Divers to shine their torches into this monolithic marvel.

You begin the dive in murky green shallows of the Sandy Bay lagoon. The eerie visibility for which this site earns its “spooky” status will gradually engulf you as you follow the rocky bottom deeper into the grotto. You’ll feel almost overwhelmed as the channel walls slowly rise and close in from both sides. At 12m/40ft, you’ll plunge through a large dark hole leading straight down.*

The sun is quickly reduced to a few cascading godrays as the channel ceiling closes together stories above. At the surface, a tiny crack in the reef crest balloons outward to form the main chamber, a 29m/95ft deep cathedral of green sea stars, scurrying lobsters, and grotesque rock formations. While this part of the channel is not terribly dense with fish life, sliver-shaped schools of houndfish— smaller relatives of the barrucuda— often congregate in the shadows.

As you drift out of the cathedral towards the mouth of the channel, the visibility quickly clears to the Roatan’s typical pristine conditions. Parrotfish, groupers, and angelfish pluck algae from the rubble. During the summer months the algae growth in this section thrives on the warmer stagnant water trapped in the channel, transforming the floor into a verdant carpet.

After about 20 minutes, you will reach the mouth of the channel. Most divers pass through the large vertical mouth and onto the coral reef. If you feel confident in small spaces, you can find a smaller swimthru to the right to dramatically exits through tiny blue hole onto the wall. Watch your buoyancy when exiting the channel: the wall at Spooky Channel is deep— over 60m/200ft.

The coral reef wall is populated by large schools of bright blue creole wrasse and very large yellowfin groupers. The groupers have are particularly well-adjusted to diver presence, swimming within a few feet of the group. If you are carrying a spear, you can expect to have several of these fish as hunting partners, eagerly awaiting your next lionfish slay.

Alternatively, you can finish the dive with a series of swimthrus near the back of the channel. About halfway back in the channel on the right, you will find a pair of columns at 14m/50ft. Follow the vertical slope up to 10m/30ft to find a series of easy swimthrus, the last of which shoots you out under the mooring line at a perfect safety stop depth of 5m/15ft.

Aquatic Life: black groupers, yellowfin groupers, barracudas, lobsters, king crabs, houndfish, oceanic triggerfish, various sea stars, toadfish

Don’t Miss… looking under the rocks for a toadfish. Though you will probably spend much of your dive swimming on your back and staring up at the channel, it pays to look down for these odd-shaped and very vocal bottom-dwellers.

Lionfish are an invasive species from the Indo-Pacific that have rapidly spread across the Caribbean. Without a natural predator, they are quickly devouring the native reef fish (especially juveniles) and decimating the natural order.

Lionfish are evil.

In response, the Roatan Marine Park has endorsed the hunting of lionfish as an attempt to curtail overpopulation. Hawaiian slings are available for purchase at the Roatan Marine Park Office after certified Divemasters and Instructors have completed a basic lionfish safety course. With a little practice and good buoyancy control, it’s easy to stab a hefty load of lionfish in a single dive.

So far, the efforts to eliminate the invaders has yielded impressive results: over 1700 lionfish were killed in the first Lionfish Derby hosted by the Roatan Marine Park. The second Lionfish Derby is currently underway; you can find more information at: http://www.roatanmarinepark.com/news/lionfish-derby/.

The reef fish have definitely adapted to the presence of lionfish hunters. Groupers, snappers, and moray eels frequently tail divers wielding slings, waiting for their chance to scarf down a fresh kill.

Also, it’s worth nothing that…

Lionfish taste delicious!

Pictured: Dinner

Their meat is a wonderful cross between grouper and snapper. I had it as a ceviche and it was amazing. I have heard similar reports from it being grilled or fried.

All the venom is contained in the lionfish spines. Therefore, it is advisable to remove the spines as quickly as possible (preferably immediately upon being speared) to reduce the risk of accidentally impaling yourself.

If you do get pricked by a lionfish, well, I can’t sugarcoat it for you…… it will freakin’ hurt. I saw a tiny lionfish cripple a 240lbs man with hours of intense pain. The best treatment is to apply a hot water compress (40-50C/104-122F) through a soaked rag over the puncture wounds, which attempts to draw the toxin towards the site of the injury. Spines should be removed with tweezers only. Also, rum helps pass the time until the pain subsides.

The following is a review I wrote for TripAdvisor about Sundowners Beach Bar in West End, Roatan:

When you think of the idyllic Caribbean beach bar, you’re thinking of Sundowners.

There’s nothing quite like Sundowners. THE watering hole for West End, this is where town’s eclectic mix of tourists, dive instructors, locals, expats, and street dogs come together to toast the sunset with a cold beer or a glass of rum and pineapple.’

It’s called Sundowners for a reason: located directly on the white sands of Half Moon Bay, this site is privy to exquisite sunsets for most of the year. The popularity of sunset-watching is only eclipsed by the weekly game of “Chase the Ace,” where every Wednesday each drink buys you a chance to win a growing pot of money. When the pot gets full and the odds are good of winning, nearly the entire town will turn out for their chance to draw the Ace of Spades (the winning card). Hilariously, the crowd will cheer when you lose– it means another chance for them to Chase the Ace next week!

If you’re only in town for a few hours or just simply want a place to chill for the afternoon, Sundowners has immediate shore access to the shallows of Half Moon Bay. Wade in with a beer and beat the heat– just don’t be surprised if one of the bar’s friendly Rottweilers decides to join you! If getting salty isn’t your thing, Sundowners also offers beach chairs for sunbathing and a shaded lounge deck.

So the location is unbeatable and your relaxation options are great, but what about the bar itself? Drink-wise, Sundowners offers all the Honduran beers (all four of them, all equally terrible– Salva Vida is the most drinkable in my opinion), basic well drinks, and a few blended concoctions. If you’re new to Roatan, you have to try the Monkey La La, a delicious yet deceptively potent frozen drink (careful! it will sneak up on you!). Personally, I prefer sipping on rum and pineapple juice with a lime wedge; with enough rum and vitamin C to fight off scurvy, it’s the pirate’s choice!

Sundowners’ food is mostly good but a bit uninspired. The hamburger, nacho cheese chicken sandwich, and any of the chicken wraps earn high marks from me. Food delivery is usually reasonable (especially for “island time”), though it can become a bit of a wait if the bar is busy. Rarely do I crave Sundowners’ food; it’s more often that I find myself several rums deep and realize that I have yet to eat dinner!

The staff is friendly and, more importantly, long-term. Unlike most of the bars in West End, Sundowners staff has been around for a while. Not only does this make the bar run more effectively, it means that tourists can learn insider tips by simply sitting down and chatting. A personal shout-out goes to Paul, the (sometimes) afro-sporting cousin of the owner who is a killer bartender and really cool guy. Also: TIP YOUR BARTENDER! Trust me, it goes a long way to getting even better service.

Prices are reasonable across the board. While the drink prices are a fraction higher than other bars in West End, they’re still less than the overpriced West Bay bars and in a range that most tourists will find acceptable. Locals and expats typically find the marginally higher prices a bit of a turn-off (and are vocal about it), but that doesn’t keep them from gathering together for the daily sunset. Backpackers, sorry, but you’re in for a shock: Roatan is not mainland Honduras, and the prices are significantly higher… but then again, Sundowner’s isn’t some trashy mainland hole or sulfur-reeking shanty on Utila.

One other thing to note: Sundowners is the “early” bar on Roatan. It’s usually closed between 9 and 10 pm. If you’re looking to carry on with your evening elsewhere, just follow the crowd on the nightly West End “drift dive” to the next hot spot.

I know this site has been quiet for a bit. I’ve been busy recovering from a body surfing wipe-out and programming like mad to get a few web contracts wrapped up.

WordPress, the blogging platform used to power TheScubaGeek.com and my other sites, recently released some big changes in version 3.0. I’ve been hacking through the code for the last two months for another project and have grown quite fond of some of its hidden features. The WordPress open source code base is still definitely a “point-oh” (lots of undocumented code and some sloppy implementation in parts), but wow— definitely some big improvements!

I’m going to be porting TheScubaGeek.com to my newest engine based on WordPress 3.0 over the next few days. There may be some interruptions, so bear with me and the mess!

» Read more of 2010 Roatan Marine Park Photo Contest «

As the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico grows ever more catastrophic, it can be hard to truly grasp the scope of this disaster amidst all the rapidly changing numbers and apocalyptic predictions. It wasn’t until I visited If It Was My Home – Visualizing the BP Oil Spill (http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/) that I could get my head around the mind-blowing size of the spill.

Warning: this may be you.

For example, this is the size of the spill compared to my current residence on the island of Oahu in Hawaii:

Try to imagine that entire area covered in an oily sludge….

...like this poor guy here.

I’ve included more screenshots comparing the oil spill to other places around the world.

Be sure to visit http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com to track the spread of the spill.

» Read more of BP Oil Spill vs. The World «

The phenomenal underwater and travel photography of Lia Barrett now has a new home on the web at http://www.liabarrettphotography.com.

Lia and I go back a few years when I was a scuba diving instructor at Coconut Tree Divers on the island of Roatan, Honduras. When I first met her, she was helping film the hilariously disastrous Roatan Movie— the making which was infinitely funnier than the final result. We later collaborated on photo shoots for a few web projects around the island.

Lia probably holds the world record for most time spent inside a homemade submarine (not including Karl Stanley and Barry, of course). For theses images, she was crouched for hours in a tiny spherical dome. She had to keep her lens close to the mere five inches of convex glass separating her thousands of pounds of crushing pressure— but not too close or the cold condensation dripping from the ceiling would fry her camera. She had to wait— and wait— and wait until the right deep sea creature swam by, then try to snap off quality shots with both the submarine and the creature in motion. The results are nothing short of incredible.

Lia has since explored the seas and land of Asia and the South Pacific. She is currently in Australia.

Yaaaay, I’m #1!

My buddy Deshman sent me an email this morning pointing out that I was #1 on Google searches for Ron y Piña. I’ll drink to that.