A day on the ship
No two days are the same. As it is an expedition cruise, we receive our schedule in the evening for the following day. The plans could change in an instant, depending on the weather; the expedition guides always put safety first.
5am: I couldn’t sleep to I started the day by heading up to the observatory on deck 6. There is a wonderful library filled with books on travel, culture and history. It was sunny and warm as we anchored down at 7am so I had my cappuccino on the deck before heading to the fitness centre for a quick work out.
8am: After showering, I went to a talk by one of the local Caracoles people. She told us about Bonacca the Cay which we were about the visit. Tragically, the locals lost about 259 homes due to a fire in 2021. They were also hit badly by covid as there were a lack of supplies available to them. They depend mainly on fishing as an industry as tourism is not encouraged by the government. We were to be the very first passengers from a ship to be able to visit and the first time Ponant asked for permission, it wasn’t granted.
After the short talk, I had a delicious breakfast outside gazing at the open sea and then got ready for our morning expedition. Sunscreen, insect repellent, waterproof gear etc.
9:30am: Boarding the zodiac to heard to the islet. Bonacca the Cay is the wildest and most remote of the Bay’s islands. It’s coral reefs attracts divers from all over the world. John, our local guide, would accompany us for the day to show us around.
As we approached, we heard the most wonderful music. Getting closer, we saw a group of school children playing various instruments and dancing. A banner reading ‘Bienvenue a Guanaja,’ (Welcome to Guanaja) was waiting to greet us. I felt so touched and we were all a bit emotional as we got off the zodiac and were greeted by beautiful smiling faces who ushered us over to dance and enjoy the music. Almost everyone on the island speaks English as the region was once ruled by the British, however school lessons are taught in Spanish. We were greeted by calls of ‘hola’ and even ‘bonjour.’ We met three more local guides who led us on a short walk around the island. It was clear how little these people had but what struck me was how welcoming and friendly they all were. Up until a couple of years ago, they didn’t lock their doors or windows however as more people are coming over from mainland Honduras the community is not as tight-knit. The cay’s population is about 10,000. We saw destroyed houses being rebuilt, this time in concrete. Sadly, they have not received much help from the government so they help each other out with whatever resources they manage to pool together. By this point the sun was getting very hot so we purchased some local drinks and bought a few souvenirs and snacks from the local vendors. Their ‘main street’ was extremely modest. We had a look at the primary school, library and government buildings. They thanked us for visiting and told us they were so grateful we were there. I do hope the municipality will put the money they are being paid to good use to help the community. The guides were all paid directly but for the moment it is unclear how the rest of the money being received by Ponant is going to benefit them. I would have loved to be informed of things they needed and I wish I had brought schools supplies or books to donate to the local library. If you are going to visit a local community, this would be very useful and gratefully received.
After a musical send-off, we were back on the zodiacs to head to La Giralda Cay. This cay seemed a bit more developed and there was a nice hotel with a couple of beaches. We watched a pottery demonstration and a chocolate making demo.
The zodiacs then brought us back to the ship and we had a delicious lunch. There is no lack of food and a there are new menu options each day.
1:30pm After a quick lunch, we got our beach gear and set off to a remote beach, Robinson Crusoe style. The plan was to set up umbrellas and a beach bar for us and the activity choices were a waterfall hike, snorkelling or various beach activities. We were to have a mangrove cruise on the way to the beach. Well as we set off, the weather turned very quickly which made for a very bumpy zodiac ride and we all got soaked!! The beach was remote but not so idyllic as the storms had washed up a lot of garbage/rubbish and the water was not very clear. Having been on the zodiac for an hour in less than ideal conditions, I opted out of the waterfall hike as that meant getting back on! I ended up having a few rum punches on the beach while others went for a swim and did aqua aerobics. The weather got worse and we ended up being on the last zodiac to head back. Luckily, the ride back wasn’t as bad. We arrived back on the ship wet and cold and while others in my group decided to use the pool (they were already wet anyway!) and have some ‘Honduran Margaritas,’ the cocktail of the day, I headed back to my stateroom for a warm shower and some chill-out time.
8pm- Dinner. There is an A La Carte restaurant and a more informal buffet. We opted for the A La Carte again. It is never crowded, the food is varied and the servers are wonderful and at this point know us by name.
After dinner, we headed to the main lounge for drinks and ‘Casino Night.’ There was a singer which all created a great atmosphere. After a couple drinks, off to bed for more adventures the next day.
The highlight of the day was visiting the beautiful community of Bonacca. The music and warmth of the Caracoles will forever be in our hearts.
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