Traveling around Roatan’s Bights

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French Cay area 1st

Aeeshah returned to French Cay area in the second week of January to meet friends Derick and Carol on Latitude who had sailed from the Rio. It was also about time we did some boat chores, stocking up and such. Derick and Carol arrived with no problems despite the higher winds and seas. We had a very nice evening aboard Latitude catching up.

Old French Harbour

John and I dinghied into Old French Harbour in search of a fuel dock. We also toured the Harbour while there. We both really like the traditional fishing boats of which Roatan seemed to have many, new and old.

The homes in Old French Harbor and the ones around the back area where we go to get to the grocery store are also quite a sight. On stilts over the water, built of wood and tin sheeting they often look unsafe lying at angles that suggest they are in need of greater support.

Many are gaily painted but surrounded by trash and grunge in the yards or under the wooden stilts they sit on. People sweep it off their porches, old cars, toys, ships just lay where they were last left rusting and decaying.

Anyway the rustic homes and fishing boats derrick and new make for interesting sights and photos as we pass by.

Snorkeling off Little French Cay

We went on the dinghy to the off reef side – outside of Little French Cay where we tied to mooring buoys and went snorkeling. To say the reef is really, very, beautiful, is an understatement.

The corals are numerous and healthy, the fish are abundant with a wide variety of sizes and species. The water is very clear with great visibility. The reefs slants from the shore downward dropping off on a wall of several hundred feet not far from shore so the temperatures of the currents vary.

We both enjoyed the different snorkels and Derick came along on one too. After which we stopped off shore from the tiger’s cages to visit with them. On Little French Cay they have a number of exotic animals, some of which are tigers. They look to be in good health, but must be bored in their empty cages.

In French Harbour

we were able to take the shopping bus to Eldens, plus get our laundry done, then it was time to move on………..

Jonesville Bight

We set off for new adventures, first stop being Jonesville Bight, just up the coast, bay that we were told was a popular destination with cruisers. A bight is an old English term for a long bay – as in wide at entrance and going in quite a distance.

It was just an hour away, we negotiated the entrance, between the reefs and anchored up on the northern side off Dry Point. In the afternoon we had a dinghy ride around the bay looking at the various areas and then stopped at the small marina/resort/bar across the bay called Trico.

Trico Marina

This turned out to be a lovely place, quite new with guest accommodation, docking, a bar and restaurant plus excellent wifi. We met the folks running it, had a few drinks and information about the area.

Hiking around Jonesville Bight and Bodden Bight

For our first day we set off from Trico’s Dock through the property to the road for a good long hike. The roadway wound steadily uphill past areas where the foliage was being cleared for development.

The homes that had been built were lovely with brilliant views downhill looking out towards the sea. We really enjoyed the walk with the views changing to forested slopes and rugged farmland all steeply sloping downward.

We reached the main road and walked half a mile in both directions to gain views of the other shore. Most of the walk was somewhat shaded by the large trees that grew along the roadway.

Dinghy ride To Hog Pen Bight and further

In the afternoon we set off in the dinghy to explore the bay’s/bights eastwards along the coast. We found that there were canals connecting the bay’s so you are able to stay inside the reef for an easier, less rough passage.

We passed inside of Jonesville Cay to the next bight Hog Pen Bight where there were homes, a few bars and small tiendas. The bight itself was quite similar to Jonesville with forested slopes and the structures mainly along the shoreline.

From Hog Pen Bight we followed another Chanel passed Carter Point on the inside and shallow reefs on the outside. This was a very scenic area with a few small resorts.

Along further we passed under a small bridge, along a narrow stretch which was lined with homes, some of which were literally over the water and just held up with wooded posts.

The homes are again wooden gaily painted, very rustic, most having laundry hanging underneath along with trash. We were wondering about the waste water and sewage when suddenly someone must have flushed, or emptied the drain as a large amount of brown dirty waste water was expelled from under the home to the shallows below.

The end of the channel was Oak Ridge Harbour. Oak Ridge is one of the few towns in Roatan. It is the center for the shrimp boats and trade. There were many shrimp boats docked, both the old and the new. We had a quick look around the Harbour and then headed back.

Oak Ridge for groceries?

On another day we ventured back to Oak Ridge and went grocery shopping.

Leaving the dinghy at the water taxi stop we literally visited every tienda/grocery store. Yes, we did find most of what we needed, and it was very pleasant wandering around.

The town is mainly situated just along the shoreline, very rustic, the streets are kept clean of trash, and the locals are very friendly and helpful.

Dinghy to Calabash Bight

On yet another venture we passed through Oak Ridge and along a canal to Fiddlers Bight and then Calabash Bight. Fiddler’s Bight was smaller bight with mainly fishing and shrimp boats while Calabash Bight was huge with a few homes and a small marina.

There were a few cruising boats there which looked like the owners had left them. The slopes are all steep and forested, a good area for a boat to shelter from bad weather.

Jonesville village walk

Our second walk was along the Jonesville village shoreline along a lane with rustic homes, tiny tiendas, and other gaily painted wooden buildings.

We soon left the village and were climbing the roadway past the forested slopes. This road offered less in the way of views other than the forested slopes and large grassy slopes for the cattle. Upon meeting the main road we had a look around and then headed back. It was a very quiet area and we were warned that there had been robberies.

Jonesville Point walk

This day we walked down the hill to the bay below the Trico marina. The lane heads downhill past homes and surprisingly a cemetery where the graves were all brightly decorated with plastic flowers.

Along further we crossed a bridge and discovered that the canal under the bridge led towards the mangroves and there was a local longboat touring with tourists. This of course gave us the idea of doing our own tour.

Past the bridge we walked following the rough road along the very pretty shoreside. We crossed another bridge followed the way up a very steep hill and then the track just petered out.

On the way back as we passed a construction site the workers called us over for fresh coconut. They topped the coconut so we could drink the water, which was delicious and then when we finished our nuts he chopped them in half, fashioned a coconut spoon so we could eat the white meat. It really was a yummy treat!

The canal to Carrib Point

Our final dinghy exploration was along the amazing canal that has been created between Jonesville Point and Carib Point Bight.

It leads you down a mangrove corridor passed a few homes and empties you into a mangrove lagoon.

From there you join another mangrove corridor which ends at an area the locals call the Blue Lagoon or Blue Hole.

It is an area where the sea filters over the reef and the bottom is sandy thus the water is a lovely shade of turquoise blue. Beyond there we found Carrib Point Bight. This is another large bight/bay. There we found expensive looking homes on one side while the other is just forested.

We spent nearly a week in this area of Roatan and had a lovely time, met some more cruisers on other cruising boats, many very helpful, friendly locals and had some excellent walks plus we were safe through a strong northerly wind that blasted in for a few days of disturbed weather.