151 replies to this topic

[DivinDave]

We are on our way... but so is the weather.

Sea conditions around the island have halted the ferries, and the storms have grounded the planes..!!

Weather has us all waiting at the gate in San Pedro... and we're just keeping our fingers crossed that we can at least get to LaCeiba (one step closer to Utila) and diving..!!

Fortunately there is duty free...!

So as it stands for us, the only thing going down is the booze..!!

I'll send more for the Hotel.. wherever that is going to be.

David

And that was the start of our amazing adventure. Please read the rest of this thread for how it all turns out and to see all the fun...either check the pictures in the thread or click here for our photo gallery for this trip! -ww

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Edited by WreckWench, 15 March 2008 - 11:43 AM.
To add the trip photo gallery link!

[bowjunkie]

we are on our way... but so is the weather.

Sea conditions around the island have halted the ferries, and the storms have grounded the planes..!!

Weather has us all waiting at the gate in San Pedro... and we're just keeping our fingers crossed that we can at least get to LaCeiba (one step closer to Utila) and diving..!!

Fortunately there is duty free...!

So as it stands for us, the only thing going down is the booze..!!

I'll send more for the Hotel.. wherever that is going to be.

David

great pic and thanks for the update... hope things clear up quick

[diverb0b]

Boy does that sound familar, only difference is ,it was Feb 8 2001 ,I made it cause I flew out of Montreal and the rest of group flew out of Toronto.Result was they did a milk run to Miami and lost 3 days off there holliday which the airline offered them an extension.Hope you all get there sooner than later

Edited by diverb0b, 08 March 2008 - 06:23 PM.

[DivingDeb]

I am sending the god of good weather, calm seas & gin clear water your way. I do believe her/his cousin is the god looking over whale sharks Therefore, a double bonus & I expect personal reports from Barb & Jim my Florida & Cozumel dive buddies. I dive vicariously thru this site so your good fortune is mine as well.
Here's hoping your ing will be GREAT

[WreckWench]

Felipe aka fel_gomez and I met up in Houston and made it to Roatan early afternoon. We were to leave around 3pm and found that no flights had made it out yet that day. Everything was IFR...Instrument Rating Only and the weather on Utila was not cooperating. The morning flight left around 3pm and the 3pm flight left with SOME of its passengers around 6pm. They had hoped to have a 3rd flight but the Utila airport is NOT lighted so the rest of the people....many who had been there even longer than Felipe and I DID NOT MAKE THE FLIGHT.

Felipe teaches communications at the University of San Marcos and decided that between the two us we scored an "A". Seems the resort made our flight arrangements with Atlantic Air who then was to set up our flights with Central American Air or CAA. CAA did not have us on their manifest however after much discussion assured us we would be added to the list. We finally spoke with the resort and they could not reach the Atlantic Air rep that booked our tickets so we paid the owner of CAA again for the flight figuring we could work it out with the resort later and started to systematically get our departure tax paid, get our bags checked and finally get outselves checked on the plane. When the final 15 people were called to make what would be the LAST flight to Utila...Felipe and I were on it.

Upon arriving at the resort...you arrive to the airport, get picked up, drive thru town and then take a boat to the resort...we discovered that we were with 2 other guests for the week from Indianapolis...now honorary SingleDivers.com members and the two girls that were from New England that couldn't get back to La Ceiba cuz nothing came in from La Ceiba. And they just got certified this week here in Utila so were VERY interested in checking out SD.com too!

Felipe's and I all-nighters are rapidly catching up with us so crashing is high on the priority list. The resort assures us that they have heard from EVERYONE in route to them so with that good news I you can poke me with a fork...I am done!

More tomorrow....kamala

[CaptainMorgan]

Well, AriesNo1 and I have made it to a temporary home for the night in La Ceiba. After a 4am departure and stop in El Salvador, we made it to San Pedro Sula only to find out about the weather delay. This turned into them deciding it would be better to send us on a bus to La Ceiba rather than hope for a plane. Unfortunately there wasn't room for all on the first mini-bus, so they decided to get a coach and combine us leftovers with another cancelled flight.

Met up with the other group of refugees in the airport lobby and looks like they are going to try for another flight in the morning. We're hopeful the ferry is going to be running as there are no scheduled flights to Utila on Sun and the one from San Pedro Sula was full of passengers that had been booked for today.

Had a wonderful exotic dinner at Popeye's chicken (gotta love that ethnic food!) as it was the only thing we were brave enough to walk to in the rain. Hopefully the weather changes, my missing bag arrives, and we're diving tomorrow afternoon.

More to come...

BTW, we're at the La Quinta in La Ceiba if anyone else from the group is trying to find us.

kelly

[diverdeb]

How frustrating! I hope the weather clears tonight and you all make it there tomorrow. Good luck!!

[diverb0b]

thats a real drag....but hopefully there is a silver linning on the horizon

[DivinDave]

Bruce... where are you..??

the rest of us are at the airport in San Pedro Sula waiting for the weather in Utila to calm down. Looks like we will be flying into Utila today, just don't know when. So we are having fun with internet, books bananas and changing head shapes...

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[WreckWench]

Jim aka parrotman said that HALF the adventure was just getting there...

Truer words have never been more real!

Felipe's bag did not make it but fortunately has been located today and should make it today sometime. He smartly packed his reg, mask, computer & camera along with toiletries and shorts/tee-shirts in his carry on so was fine for last night and today.

The waves are a mixed blessing...they are beautiful as they crash upon the shore yet we know they are the reason that we can't get people here yet. They are DEFINITELY calming down as go out so that everyone makes it safe and sound.

The storm hit again in full force at 3:30 this morning and showed no signs of relief until after 7:00am. RECALL this is the same 'tail' of the storm that hit most of the country and left 4-9 inches of snow around the Dallas area. (Dallas had 200 flight cancellations on Thursday, 50 on Friday and not sure how many on Saturday as we were able to get out without problems Saturday.)

The latest update is that the 3 in LaCeibe are hopefully going to make the Ferry later this afternoon....the waves are hitting broadside so must calm down more than if they could 'ride into them'. The group from San Pedro is all consolidated together and should be on THE SAME FLIGHT to Utila as we speak. We have not had confirmation that their flight has landed but it is supposed to have left the island of San Pedro. We'll update you as we know more.

If everyone gets here today then the worst is we'll have lost a day. Fingers crossed that we get everyone in soon!

[WreckWench]

GREAT NEWS!!!

The 3 from LaCeiba are in route..they were able to get on the plane coming to Utila that then would take stranded people from this island to San Pedro.

The balance from San Pedro are also supposed to be in route and Felipe's bag has made it!

Once we do final headcounts I'll update you to see if we have everyone!

(That flight info you all give us before each trip is sure paying off today!)

[bowjunkie]

GREAT NEWS!!!

The 3 from LaCeiba are in route..they were able to get on the plane coming to Utila that then would take stranded people from this island to San Pedro.

The balance from San Pedro are also supposed to be in route and Felipe's bag has made it!

Once we do final headcounts I'll update you to see if we have everyone!

(That flight info you all give us before each trip is sure paying off today!)

WOOHOO things are looking up hope this is a sign

[WreckWench]

Ok we have Bruce aka ScubaShafer, Kelly aka Captain Morgan and Doris aks Ariesno1 are HERE!!!!

Unfortunately Kelly's clothes are not. Several of the gals have offered him him a bikini to wear. Speaking half jokingly but not all in jest...he has allowed the creation of the FUND KELLY'S NEW CLOTHING FUND and we can accept paypal payments for your donations. PICTURES of Kelly wearing a bikini will be posted AFTER the fund has generated enough payments to purchase swim trunks for him.

PLEASE be sure to indicate in your paypal payment that you are sending funds for the FUND KELLY'S NEW COTHING donations.

To pay via paypal.... go to www.paypal.com click on send money and send it to kamala@singledivers.com

[Sassi]

Glad you are getting closer to your dive destination!

[WreckWench]

The rest of the gang is here....YEAH!!!

We are off to get some dives in...

more later!