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He Says vs.She Says A couples review of the Hole in the Wall in Roatans east end community of Blue Rock Read More > XI Annual Roatan Municipal Fishing Tournament ...is also Roatans first Annual Catch and Release Tournament Read More >
Feature article: Turtlegrass Before and After Read More > Best real estate bargans on the island. Motivated sellers and fire sales from the entire MLS. View >> |
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… in the tiny community of Blue Rock, near Jonesville, is one of the most popular east end tourist destinations on the island of Roatan. Famous for the Sunday afternoon surf and turf barbeque, the Hole as locals refer to it, is much more. The fun begins long before you arrive because Hole in the Wall is only accessible by boat.
A scenic island tour of about an hour and a half from the busy West End affords stunning views as guests travel along steep, winding roads with breathtaking, panoramic views of both the north and south coasts. If you stop in Jonesville, just across the bight from the Hole, a boat from the restaurant will pick you up and return you to your vehicle or taxi. If you continue a little further east to the charming fishing town of Oak Ridge, a water taxi will ferry you to the Hole, providing you with a longer and more scenic boat ride.
Long, diesel powered dories fitted with sun shades and thatched roofs chug at a leisurely pace through crystal clear water, past small fishing communities, under foot bridges and through mangrove canals. To the south, just beyond the reef is the Caribbean Sea and if you’re lucky the giant peaks of the mountains on Honduras mainland may be visible in the distance.
He Says:
Half the fun of our trip to the Hole was the dory ride there and back. Our guide suggested a mangrove tour after the buffet and this was a highlight for us. Everyone was so friendly; we were made to feel like a part of the crowd from the moment we stepped onto the dock. Hanging from the ceiling and covering the walls was a collection of autographed tees and baseball caps from all over the world. Graffiti covered every available surface, the tables, the chairs and washroom walls and we were encouraged to leave literary evidence of our visit. A basket of big, fat cigars were free for the taking and before long it seemed like every guy in the place, and even one woman, were puffing on them.
The meal was a man-sized feast, with tender beef, succulent lobster, heaping pots of mashed potatoes, home-made bread and salads.
She Says:
We received such a warm welcome at the Hole In the Wall, and by the time the afternoon was over, we had exchanged email addresses with a number of new friends. The crowd was a mix of tourists and locals and we were amazed to meet so many Americans and Canadians who have made this island their home.
For 475 lempiras or roughly $25 US the all you can eat buffet was worth the price. On non buffet days the regular menu offered a wide variety of local delicacies. Owner Bob Lee and his trusty sidekicks Dwayne and Harry took care of our every need, from helping us from the dory on to the dock to suggesting other things to see and do on the island. We really enjoyed the change from the busier West end of the island.
Best real estate bargans
on the island. Motivated sellers and fire sales from the entire MLS. View >>
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. held in West End from September 16 – 19 was also the FIRST annual Roatan catch and release tournament. Under mounting pressure from the global community and anxious to conserve dwindling fish stocks, this tournament saw crowds gathered around a large screen prominently displayed over the main festival stage beside xxx rather than around a pole hung with enormous dead fish as in years gone by. On the overhead screen spectators enjoyed video taped segments of several of the tournament winners struggling with their catches, all blue marlin this year. Winners were decided by a point system, with points allotted according to the type of fish caught. 50 bonus points were allotted for video-taped proof of a clean hook removal.
This years tournament winner was Treasure Chest, a 52 boat from Puerto Cortez. Captain Arturo Estrada scored 1,000 points, accumulated from a combination of three blue marlin caught by his crew. Tournament rules, categories, costs and a list of the winners can be found at http://www.roatanfishingtournament.com/.
As darkness fell, the crowds continued to pour into town for the nightlife and there was certainly no lack of entertainment, as disc jockeys set up along the road, a different one every few hundred feet and bands performed in the various town hot spots. The variety of music was as diverse as the crowd, spectators were treated to a dazzling fireworks display and the dancing began. Nothing beats a good West End fiesta and the fishing |
tournament is always one of our favorites.
Whether you have visions of displaying your catch on the big screen next year, or simply long for a relaxing family weekend, a delicious meal or a night of music and dancing, plan to catch one of the best attended and well loved festivals in Roatan.      Best real estate bargans
on the island. Motivated sellers and fire slaes from the entire MLS. View >>
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In each issue of our newsletter Roatan Success Stories will introduce readers to people who have chosen to buy property in Roatan.
We will highlight a wide variety of homeowners from different parts of the Island, some who built themselves and some who bought turnkey properties. We will find out why they moved to Roatan and what made them choose their particular location.
The first of our Roatan Success Stories features Mark and Lori, originally from Tampa Bay, Florida, who sold their home in the US, bought property in Roatan and developed a successful marina in the east end Calabash Bight.
“I had been to Roatan in 1977 and 1979 as crew on CSY (Caribbean Sailing Yachts) sailboats built in the Tampa, Florida factory and bound for the bare boat charter base at Brick Bay on Roatan Island. In the 70s, minimum services and access to other areas on the island were limited at best. There was no electricity and roads were unpaved trails.” said Mark.
“We decided to cruise the Western Caribbean but still liked the idea of having a base of sorts to pull into, rest a bit and call home (and where Lori could put up a Christmas tree). It occurred to me that Roatan fit the bill nicely because of its location in the Caribbean, land was reasonably inexpensive, and we could keep the boat in the front yard so to speak, live on a tropical island, and cruise to our hearts content!
Mark and Lori flew to the island for a week in July, 2006 to meet with their buyer’s agent Alex Poirer. The West End was too busy for their taste and land prices were too high. None of the properties in the middle of the island that Alex showed them really caught their attention. Later in the week, on an outing with friends in Calabash Bight, Mark and Lori spotted a vacant piece of property. Upon return with Alex, they spotted a For Sale sign on the vacant property. Alex showed them other properties in the area but they both knew that the vacant lot with the gorgeous view of Calabash Bight and the Caribbean sea beyond was for them.
Once the deal was done Lori drew up the plans for the island dream house they would build and Turtlegrass was born. From living on their boat at the dock, through construction of a new dock, a guest house, the stairway up the hill, and finally the house overlooking beautiful Calabash Bight, just four years later the little vacant property that the couple had spotted on their chance outing is a popular and thriving east end Marina.
The couple became self reliant, not only in the construction of their home, but in the choice of solar and wind power generation and reverse water osmosis to make their own water in times of scant rainfall. The entire tale of Turtlegrass, The Roatan Story can be read at http://www.turtlegrass.net/roatanstory.
The success of Turtlegrass continues as Mark and Lori plan the upcoming opening of the Turtleshack Internet Café. In addition to internet access (already available at the marina), they plan to offer a good time, including American and International TV football coverage, opening two or three days during the week during cruising season for visitors in Calabash Bight and surrounding area.
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The Turtleshack will be offering wonderful gumbo and pizza made by Lori and other items on a short menu and serving Mango Tango and Vino De La Pina, made on the property from fresh, local ingredients as well as a selection of island made wines. Local beer and soft drinks will also be available. More information on locally made wines can be found at http://www.roatanwinery.com/.
   Best real estate bargans on the island. Motivated sellers and fire slaes from the entire MLS. View >>
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The real estate market in Roatan is more stable than in the United States right now. However, as with all markets there are always a few exceptional opportunities. Below are what I personally believe to be exceptional offers that I selected just for our newsletter subscribers. Alex Poirier
Special Properties List
About Roatan Real Estate
Marci Weirsma, Broker
Alex Poirier, Buyer Agent
Jackson Plaza, French Harbour
Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
Office: 011 (504) 455-7140/7046
Home: 011 (504) 435-1554
Mobile 011 (504) 9876-8758
US Fax: (305) 704-8565
SKYPE: calabashbightyachtclub
Email: cbyc@globalnet.hn
Certified International Property Specialist Network Member
Member NAR - National Association of Realtors
Member of Roatan Realtors Assoc., ANIBIR, (Honduran Realtors Assoc)
Web site: aboutroatanrealestate.com
Email: alex@aboutroatanrealestate.com
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