Procrastination is like masturbation: you only screw yourself.

I’ve been putting off posting version 4.0 of TheScubaGeek.com for some time. Why? Partially because I was experimenting with new layouts and blog editors, partially because I was busy busting my bum on a slew of other websites, but mostly because, quite frankly, spending more time on the less-than-speedy Honduran internet updating my blog wasn’t something that I felt too keen to do in the evenings.

Just call it real-time development on island time— who wants to look at more code when there’s a sunset to watch and a ron y piña to drink? Not this beach bum.

So what have I been doing? After returning to Roatan (tiny Caribbean island off the north coast of Honduras for those of you geographically challenged) following a six-week stay in North Carolina surrounding my little bro’s wedding, I’ve been coding like crazy to finish up my web contracts. I’ll have a portfolio page up here soon, but as for now here’s a list of my completed projects.

• Coconut Tree Divers (www.coconuttreedivers.com): The site that made my mark on Roatan got an upgrade to version 3.5, adding some nice layers of graphical polish to this already beautiful site. Version 3.6, which is only a few more manhours away from completion, will bring this iteration of the site to a close just in time for the coming high tourist season (and just in for me to start teaching diving again!).
• Stanley Submarines (www.stanleysubmarines.com): I was never satisfied with the layout of version 2.0, so I designed a completely new look for the site in version 3.0. Featuring the stunning photography of Lia Barrett, this site lets you go face-to-face with truly alien creatures living over 2000ft (600m) underwater as viewed through Karl Stanley’s homemade submarine Idabel.
• Anemona Divers (www.anemonadivers.com): Sophie and Mari Paz, two wonderful scuba diving instructors from Spain, saw their lifelong dream of owning a dive shop come true with the opening of Anemona Divers in West Bay. I worked with these ladies and an Italian graphic designer named Luca (Luca: please email me!) to create the online presence for their operation (currently in version 1.2).
• Villa Royale (www.villaroyaleroatan.com): When “Big” Lauren asked Lia Barrett and I to journey to Roatan’s East End and photograph the Gonzales’ Villa Royale estate in Port Royal, we had no idea of the sheer luxury and enormity of the place. Seeing is believing: take a look at the photos on the site (currently version 1.0) and you’ll understand too.
• SOL International Foundation (www.solsite.org): I partnered with photographer Lia Barrett and graphic designer EJ Proctor to create this site (currently version 1.0— amazing photo galleries coming soon in version 1.1) for the amazing children’s charity of SOL Foundation International. Your donations are crucial to the future of Roatan’s children, so please visit the site and make a difference!
• Go Pro Caribbean (www.goprocaribbean.com): While technically designed and operated by Will Welbourn, the PADI Course Director at Coconut Tree Divers, I worked as a code consultant and graphical layout designer to create this site, which promotes the outstanding career development opportunities available through Coconut Tree Diver’s PADI professional development program. Start your professional dive career today with a visit to this site!

Of course, I’m always working on something new. The following contracts are currently in development:

• Keyhole Bay (coming to www.keyholebay.com): Call it version 0.99+. This site, which features excellent photography by Lia Barrett with local model Robyn, has been languishing for the last month awaiting final approval by the business owner. It really shows off the amazing condominiums and home sites being developed in the Keyhole Bay Community in West Bay, so I hope to receive the thumbs-up very soon so I can show the site off to the world.
• SOL Excursions (coming to www.solexcursions.com): Currently in version 0.8, this site will feature the outstanding graphic design of EJ Proctor as will promote the volunteer-based adventures offered by the founders of SOL International Foundation around Roatan and Belize.

Lastly, there’s my big projects. The culmination of nearly three years of living on Roatan and working in the dive industry. These two projects will (hopefully) serve as my magnum opus and help usher in a new era for Roatan’s web presence.

• This Is Roatan! (coming to www.thisisroatan.com): Promote the tropical paradise of Roatan. Encourage responsible business practices. Bring the local community together. Let the island sell itself. It’s no small set of tasks, but this is no small project. Currently in version 0.52, the project has already been generating rave reviews from the select members of the beta testing community. Look for the beta to go online by early October (around version 0.70).
• Diversoft: Coconut Tree Divers’ PADI Course Director Will Welbourn wrote version 1.0 of this project two years ago to help manage the day-to-day activities of the dive shop. I will be taking the robust business logic behind Will’s design and applying my programming and design expertise to create a marketable dive shop management suite. There will be no version 4.0 of the website for Coconut Tree Divers; instead, the business and website will run on Diversoft 2.0.

Check back to this site frequently to find out how my projects are coming along!