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/

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.

» Read more of 2010 Roatan Marine Park Photo Contest «

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.

URGENT ROATAN NEWS

Luca Pagliaro, an Italian native, has disappeared in Roatan, Honduras last week, probably on 16th March 2010, with Mauriliuo Mirabella, owner of a diveshop who has also disappeared. Everybody who has useful news about him please contact me and my mother without hesitation.

Please let me know also when is the last time you have seen him. Thanks.

Licia and Francesca

liciapagliaro@hotmail.com
francesca.vcr@libero.it