Life on Roatan

By Chas Watkins

Whether investing in a new permanent residence or a part-time vacation home, people from all over the world come to Roatan seeking happiness and well-being for themselves and their families. Roatan, a Caribbean island off the coast of Honduras with world-renowned beaches, tropical weather, stunning reef life, a strong ex-pat community, and a continuous fun island lifestyle, is a great choice. But deciding to relocate to another country can be both exciting and daunting. There is much to learn and the adjustment period can be stressful, particularly if undertaken without guidance. Life on Roatan contains detailed information on residency, purchasing or building a house, shipping and mail, cell service, banking, education, utilities, medical insurance, pets, and lots more. Information on these topics is freely available directly from the author, but this guidebook pulls it all together in one handy reference.
Chas Watkins, a RE/MAX agent on Roatan, represents only buyers in real estate transactions. He feels that representing both buyers and sellers creates an unacceptable conflict of interest. He is focused on using his knowledge, experience, and trademark frankness to find the property of his client's dreams, at the best terms and the lowest possible price.
As this publication demonstrates, Chas is very knowledgeable about Island life and truly enjoys showing off its beauty and uniqueness. RE/MAX makes the buying process as smooth as possible and you know with Chas as your representative that you have an expert that is focused only on your needs.
Chas relaxes by running, playing with technology, reading, and enjoying Roatan's unique culture. He is also the author of To Hold the Sun, an award-winning philosophical book that he based on the island of Roatan. It is also available in Spanish as Sosteniendo El Sol.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chas Watkins
• Release date: Sep 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005749194

Chas Watkins

CHAS WATKINS was born and raised in England and is a naturalized Australian. His children are all American, which he finds very confusing. He moved to Roatan nine years ago. He has an unused degree in electronics from Hull University in England and has somehow managed to work for many fine and good companies without being fired.After the raging madness of the dotcom world in California, he moved to Roatan to settle with his family. Chas currently pretends to work as a Realtor and Radio DJ. He reads an awful lot, watches the sunrise and sunset every day and consumes way too much coffee. He runs on the beach in the mornings, practices handstands, and lives happily on Roatan with his cat Gary and the children who have not yet deserted him. Even on his best day he is nothing like his character Paul, but strives to be so.Occasionally he "likes to dance as if no one is watching" which is ironic as his dancing makes people stare. If you are really unlucky, you may meet him, and whatever you do, don't offer him a drink as he is a very rude and uninteresting person.

Book preview

Life on Roatan

A guide to understanding

by

Chas Watkins

Life on Roatan

A guide to understanding

Chas Watkins

© September 22nd 2022 Chas Watkins

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

Published by: Chas Watkins

Typesetting: Chas Watkins

Cover Design: Chas Watkins

A CIP record for this book is available from the Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

ISBN-10: not available

ISBN-13: not available

ASIN: BOB9WYVH9M

Printed in USA by KDP

Electronic versions available at all major outlets.

Disclaimer

The information provided within this ebook and associated website is for general informational and entertainment purposes only. While I try to keep the information up-to-date and correct, there are no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in this eBook or website for any purpose. Any purpose whatsoever!

All opinions expressed are solely the authors and not representative of any other person or company. Information that is available directly from primary sources is copied from that source and no representation is made that the source or the copy is accurate. 

Any use of the methods, or opinions, described within this ebook or website by the reader is made at their own risk. As expressed throughout the book proper legal, financial, and medical advice should be sought from respective experts at all times. All actions undertaken by readers of this book are solely the responsibility of those taking said actions..

...it has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate, it scores over the older, more pedestrian work in two important respects. First, it is slightly cheaper; and secondly, it has the words DON'T PANIC inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover.

― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Dedicated to Bill and Stacey whose kindness and generosity knows no bounds and to my friends and family for their love and support.

Contents

Foreward - A history of the Bay Islands by Matt Harper

How best to use this book

How to search on the Internet for your dream home

How to purchase homes and land in Honduras

Building your own home

Should I be a resident?

Banking on Roatan

Crime and security

Education on Roatan

Useful Facebook groups

Pets - travel, and care

Weather and yearly events

Help out and volunteer

Transportation to Roatan

Getting around Roatan

Cell phones TIGO & CLARO

Starting a business on Roatan

Mail - I want my Amazon!

Power Generation on the island

TV and Internet

Renting your property

Medical and Dental

About the Author

A guide to understanding

Foreward - A history of the Bay Islands by Matt Harper

It should come as no surprise really to any Historian, Geologist, or Anthropologist that recent Bay Islands history (1990’s to the present) is consistent with its overall story ever since the Caribbean tectonic plates pushed against the North American plate at the long Sierra de Omoa faultline to push the edge of it out of the sea millions of years ago to form the Bonacca Ridge, the Bay Islands as we know it today. This convergence of Latin American, North American, European, and Caribbean influences has been a constant throughout our history here.

I jumped at the chance to write about Bay islands History, of course, when Chas asked me to write a forward to his latest book. Besides writing, I derive great pleasure from researching and sharing my findings. There have been many academic papers written about our Anthropology and Geology but much remains unknown or unsolved thus far; we don’t know exactly when the Bonacca Ridge was formed, we still don’t know if the Paya Indians were indeed the only Indians to have lived here before. Besides being a long-time resident here for the past 17 years Chas shares my curiosity of our History among other things and having lived here since the relative beginnings of the development boom has seen much change and has a lot to share from his experiences and local knowledge.

The original inhabitants prior to the Europeans were most likely the Payan Indians; a conclusion disputed by many archeologists during the 10 known expeditions to the islands since 1924. There is evidence of the presence of Maya, Lenca, and Jicaque aborigines in the Bay Islands however the strongest evidence points to the Payas, specifically a group originating south of Trujillo. Evidence unearthed by Islanders in recent history point to mostly residential sites but also offertory, burial, and some ceremonial (interestingly the largest and most significant being on an 40-acre site on Utila and several acre site in Plan Grande, Guanaja). Yaba Ding Dings (Indian artifacts) being a common find throughout the Bay Islands drew amateur archeologists as well as looters to the aboriginal sites. Sadly, the first Bay Islander’s idyllic lifestyle of fishing, farming, and turtling started its decline with the arrival of the first Europeans, from Spain, with Christopher Columbus’s first voyage in 1504.

Slowly the Spaniards began to take control of the Indian’s lives and they were subject to the same treatment as other indigenous peoples in accessible locations the world over for around 136years, first being raided and enslaved, Christianized, and then exploited as labourers. Their legacy today are the old pieces of pottery jars strewn around the hills of the Islands, a few interesting monoliths in Guanaja, and their names which could be where the 3 islands’ names originated; Wa-nak-ka (Guanaja) modern Payan word for ‘cloud’, Arroa or Roata (Roatan) modern Payan for ‘Pine’ and Uu-tia (Utila) meaning ‘sand-water’. It was not until 1638 that another European Imperial power, the English, challenged Spanish control of the region when the Puritan settlement of the Providence Company under William Claiborne and a group of English and Scots emigrants from Virginia and Maryland settled in what is Old Port Royal today. The colony, however, was short-lived, lasting just 4 years. Besides Claiborne’s cousin, Captain Butler making a nuisance of himself by burning down the four Indian towns in the islands and creating strife with them, England was in the midst of a civil war and as a result there was no protection available in the Caribbean. By the end of 1642 most of the settlers were evicted and the Islands remained sparsely populated with the only inhabitants being the few remaining Paya who had not died, ran away to the continent, or been enslaved. A few English settlers who remained turned to darker ways and joined in the wave of Piracy that was sweeping the Caribbean filling the power vacuum left by the Spanish and English.

There is much commercialization of the fact that the Islands were once frequented by Buccaneers; the name of the infamous Henry Morgan is used frequently but it is disputed that The Bay Islands were his base of operations, more likely he just passed through to collect water or victuals or careen his vessels on more than one occasion. Two of the most notorious Pirates who were known to have used the Islands (Guanaja being a favourite because of its deep protected harbour) were Blackbeard (Edward Teach or Thatch) who would careen his vessel Queen Anne’s Revenge at a shallow bar east of the Airport called Thatch Point, named after him; the other notoriously violent Pirate who made Roatan his sanctuary was Edward ‘Ned’ Lowe whose ghastly cruelty was documented by Philip Ashton who escaped Lowe on a victualing and water supply trip to Port Royal and was subsequently marooned, escaping certain death. The young Ashton spent 2 years in between islands until rescued and his story is included in Edward Leslie’s, Lost Journeys, Abandoned Souls. Many other Buccaneers were rumoured to have passed through since the islands were ideally positioned as a refuge after attacking Spanish ships carrying Indian treasure looted by the conquistadors from the Spanish Mainland. Names like John Coxen (after whom Coxen’s Hole is named), Morris, Jackman, Van Horn, Uring, and L’Ollonais (who fixed nets, made rope from Macoa, and fished for Turtles when not pillaging and creating havoc).

The Bay Islands were a no man’s land at this stage in their history for around 100 years, no more than a victualing station and temporary base for Pirates, log-cutters, and the odd Paya Indian survivor. At the outbreak of war (The war of Jenkin’s ear) in 1739 England was looking at bases in the region and the Bay Islands was one such area. In 1742, 250 soldiers and slaves landed in Port Royal and started to build fortifications. Later, families of the soldiers were brought in to populate the area and records show that the population in 1744 was at 1,000. The town of Augusta in Port Royal was part of this ‘Royalization’ with farmland being cultivated and even a cooperage set up operations. Some of the settlers found the red land and oak hills unsuitable for agriculture and with William Pitt’s (the first civilian superintendent and cousin of the soon to be then Prime Minister of England with the same name) blessing moved to the northwest coast of the island to Anthony’s Cay (today Key) and started to cultivate 100acres of flatter more fertile land. This occupation ended in 1748 with the signing of the Aix-la-chapelle peace treaty and the last troops to leave did so in 1749. The island once again remained abandoned with no record of any permanent settlement until 1779 when war once again broke out and a Colonel Dalrymple was ordered by Jamaica to once again occupy Roatan and the Bay Islands as part of a greater English strategy to dominate the region which included attacking Fort San Juan with disastrous results. A young Horatio Nelson participated in this raid and nearly died of Malaria. In actual fact, Nelson was stationed in Port Royal for half of 1778 and performed anti-piracy patrols of the Western Caribbean on his first command, HMS Badger. Omoa on the mainland was also attacked and occupied by HM forces for a brief time. English presence in the region was eventually weakened and the last English stronghold at Port Royal was attacked by a combined force from Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua under the leadership of Guatemalan president Matias Galvez who attacked on the 16th March 1782. The English seeing that they were outmanned and outgunned scuttled their only ship in the main channel to impede the Spaniard’s access to the harbour. The fighting went on for 48 hours and despite a valiant effort, the Spaniards were victorious. The Spaniards made a few futile attempts to populate the islands after the battle but were mostly unsuccessful.

The first permanent settlement on Roatan was formed in March of 1797 with the arrival of 5000 Caribe prisoners from Saint Vincent who had proven to be so problematic that they were sent to Roatan to be marooned, so goes the narrative depending on who you ask. The Caribes or Garifuna are of Bantu descent from West Africa mixed with Island Caribe Indians. After this mass arrival the Spanish, immediately suspicious that this ‘marooning’ was a ploy at repopulating the Islands, shipped most of the group to Trujillo where they settled. A smaller group stayed behind in Punta Gorda where they still remain to this day a thriving, dynamic community. Gradually the Garifuna diaspora spread themselves out all over the Central American coast of the western Caribbean from Livingstone in Guatemala to Puerto Limon in Costa Rica. Here on Roatan, Punta Gorda remains a compelling place to visit with unique foods, dancing, and their unique language which contains some French and English words. Until recently most houses in PG as it is popularly known were wattle and daub and Palmetto thatched. The Garifuna culture revolves around fishing using handmade dugout canoes with a small amount of subsistence agriculture but with the recent influx of visitors, most of the economy is revolving more around tourism.

The second most important permanent settlements were of slaves and slave bosses who originated mostly from Cayman and Belize beginning in the 1830s, mainly after 1834 when slavery officially ended in the Cayman Islands with the population rising exponentially every year and peaking in 1844. In 1838 with the overwhelming influx of English-speaking settlers, the Spanish authorities declared that all settlers should apply for residence with the authorities in Trujillo. This created some dissatisfaction at which the settlers appealed to the Superintendent of British Honduras (Belize), Colonel Alexander McDonald, claiming harassment by the Spaniards. McDonald, a fervent patriot who was itching for a chance to mix it up with the Spaniards, proceeded to Roatan, where at Port Royal he landed and proceeded to lower the Central American flag and raise the Union Jack. No longer had he sailed away than the Spanish Commandant, Juan Bautista Loustrelet lowered the Union Flag and hoisted the Central American flag again which so infuriated McDonald who returned, clapped the Spaniards in irons, and sailed them to Trujillo where he abandoned them on the beach and warned them never to return. The Settlers enjoyed this protection from here onwards helped in part by the fact that the newly independent Honduras had its own problems nation building on the mainland. The islands flourished during this time and even had their own local government set up by the English authorities from Belize. Settlements were formed coastwise around the islands in Utila and Guanaja and on Roatan in Flowers Bay, West End, and Jobs Bight with the main centre of population gradually becoming Coxen’s Hole while Port Royal became less popular and eventually abandoned until the 1960s with the arrival of the first group of expatriate American and English.

In 1852 the Bay Islands were recognized as a crown colony and the population under British Protection thrived with communities popping up everywhere by 1858 with numbers reaching nearly 2,000. The Bay Islands were a center for agriculture in the western Caribbean and the mainland, boatbuilding began as a Bay Island industry. Sadly (tragically if you ask a modern-day Bay Islander) pressure was mounting from the US congress who claimed that Britain’s incorporation of the Bay Islands as a crown colony was in direct infringement of the Monroe doctrine and by default the Clayton Bulwer non-colonization treaty. Britain was forced to cede the Islands back to the Republic of Honduras. An island whose languages and culture were English and Garifuna and not Spanish. Although disappointing, this didn’t really impact the Bay Islanders who kept flourishing with little interference from an