How Hurricane Wilma affected us. Part one. Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2006 by divecare
Now that we are back online I can tell you the story of what happened when Wilma came knocking! And how we are getting on now.
Well where do I start,Wilma was a record breaking Hurricane the largest recorded in the Atlantic, near the end of a record breaking year for Hurricanes (so many that they ran out of names.) We were like many of the Dive operators and residents of the North West of Roatan, caught out and unprepared for the size of Wilma and the amount of damage She was going to cause, many people lost docks and some lost boats, we lost both.
I suppose Saturday is a good day to start at, it was a nice sunny day, looking back 'The quiet before the storm'. And we had heard of a tropical storm maybe heading our way or maybe not, Kate and I had decided that we were going to move Treasure Hunter round to Gibson Bight (a small sheltered cove with a good mooring), but everyone that we talked to said that the storm wouldn't amount to anything, so we left Her where She was (Always follow your instincts!).
We woke up on the Sunday and the weather had got much worse, with big swells coming in from the North East, making it almost impossible to get Treasure Hunter out through the channel at Anthonys Key, we were advised not to try it unless we wished to wreck the boat, so I went out to the boat and collected some personal belongings, put out the storm anchors, pumped out the bilge and checked that everything was locked down.
Over the Monday and Tuesday the winds got stronger and stronger and the waves coming over the reef got bigger and bigger until the lagoon was so full that the whole of Sandy Bay beach had disappeared under the water and the waves were crashing through our fence and onto the property. We managed with the help of some locals to get the little boat up out of the water and tied to the fence (out of harms way) but the bigger boat and Treasure Hunter were having a hard time of it, with the big boat starting to sink, so I took the kayak out to Treasure Hunter and removed the outboard from the bigger boat and brought it back on the kayak and checked the ropes were still secure on the anchors. That night we had a number of trees and branches come down on the property with one hitting our bedroom window, so on the wednesday we decided it would be safer to take the children, Chino our monkey some food and personal items and go with our neighbours to shelter with Brad and Debbie at the solidly built Orphanage that they run. Brad and Debbie and the kids at the orphanage were wonderful and made us feel very safe and secure, although I was still very worried about the house and the boat and so kept making up excuses to come back to the property and check on Treasure Hunter, It had got dark when I left Sandy Bay on the Wednesday night, the bigger boat had mostly sunk under the waves and Treasure Hunter seemed to be doing alright with large waves coming from the North West now, we went to bed resigned to the fact that we couldn't do anything now to change the outcome of what was going to happen, and the wind had seemed to be dying down during the evening, so we had hopes that Treasure Hunter may survive the night (after all everyone always said She was a strong boat) .
When we woke on the Thursday the wind was weaker but looking out to the reef, the waves coming over the reef were still a good twenty or thirty foot high. I went to the property and walked down to the beach, but Treasure Hunter had gone and the beach was being washed over by the waves coming across the lagoon and most of the dock had gone. I waited for a lull in the waves and worked my way along the beach until I could see Treasure Hunter floundering in the waves and caught on the legs of an old pier with all the cylinders and equipment missing, I cannot really describe quite how devastated that sight made me feel, and how difficult it was to go back to the orphanage and tell Kate and the kids, when we all got back down to the beach Treasure Hunter had turned around and was now facing the beach and washed right up onto the shore. Kate just started to cry, it was an awful moment.

Back on line! Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2006 by divecare
We have changed our internet provider after seven months of problems and lack of service, our new provider has sorted out the internet problems that we had and we now have high speed wireless internet service around the property, so while you are staying with us you can keep up with news and information from friends and family back home, or maybe keep an eye on work while enjoying a Rum and Coke and a beautiful sunset.

Hi from Roatan Posted Friday, August 26, 2005 by divecare
Hi everyone,
Just a Quick note to let you know we are alive and well and everything is going good, the temperature here has been in the high nineties the last couple of weeks and the water is crystal clear and swimming trunks warm. Recent sightings have been a Whaleshark, a large shoal of around twenty Great Barracudas, Turtles etc. etc.
To get out to Roatan and join us for some memorable diving, snorkelling or just some relaxation in the Caribbean Sun, the following details may help;
Carol Smith
Personal Travel Advisor
Future Travel Ltd/Cas Scubatours
ABTA G1147
TEL/FAX: 0208 501 5317
EMAIL: carol.smith@tarsc.net
WEBSITE: www.casscubatours.co.uk - including holiday search website
Please mention David from Divecare/ Treasure Hunter when you contact Her, So She will know the routes etc.
We have used Carol to plan and book our last two trips out to Roatan and have been very pleased with the results.
Also remember to look on our new website www.treasurehuntermatt620.com for some pictures of our boat, accomodations and Diving.
Warm wishes from the Caribbean
David
Please send all future correspondence to divesandybay@yahoo.com Or use the web link on treasure hunter website.
As I no longer use the scuba@divecare.co.uk email address, this is now used by Keith and Liz at Shark Scuba. Thankyou.

News from Honduras Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by divecare
Hi everyone,

I hope you are all alright, and starting off the diving season in the UK in style, The diving here is exceptional with deep walls covered in corals, sponges and fish life, Caverns and caves to explore and some big wrecks teeming with fish and photo oportunities.
I will be back in a few weeks for a little while before coming out here for good, so if you need me to help with anything just let me know, you can contact me directly on Divecare Roatan or if you have any questions about diving or training in the Uk you can contact Keith or Liz on Divecare Essex
So get yourselves a couple of weeks booked off and a ticket to Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras and lets dive some of the best sites in the Western Carribean
Warmest wishes from Sunny Honduras!
David.