Marquito and Carmen are finally back home on Roatan

Marcos (our boatcaptain) and his fiancee Carmen are telling me once again to thank everybody who helped them getting through the months of uncertainty for their little boy, Marquito. Are the doctors going to remove the kidney or not? Is the new treatment they decided to try out gonna work? And on top of all these worries, Carmen herself had to have kidneystones removed.
Thanks again for all donations and great tip money to Marcos which went to help to pay the hospital bills.
Well, Carmen and Marquito are back on Roatan. Marcos is happy. They came for a visit today at the diveshop. (I know the photo got a bit too much sun}. As I understand, Marquito will still be on medication for a long time still. If no complications occur, they will first have to go back for a check up next year. So fingers crossed. He is a sweet little boy, who has been in and out of hospital many times over the last many months.

Mariposa Lodge

Great deals at Mariposa Lodge and Mariposa Pequena this month for walk- ins.

Min. 3 nights at the Mariposa Lodge for $35 a night (1-2 people), 3rd person +$10
Luxuary accomodation, hot water showers, TV with DVD (no cable, but they have a big selections of cd's), fully equipped kitchen, bottled water supplied, safe box in room, daily housekeeping.

Mariposa Pequena for $20 a night (1-2 people), 3rd person +$10
Shared bathrooms with hot water, shared spacious well equipped kitchen, ceiling fans, bottled water supplied, personal lockers, daily housekeeping.

Enjoy canadaen Sue and Mikes hospitality.

And its only 2 minutes away from Tyll's Dive!!!

New face at Tyll's Dive

Let us introduce Amanda and welcome her to Tyll's Dive.
Amanda is taking over from Kala who is going back to Canada mid June. We don't need to change on the board that we speak Canadian, since Amanda is also from Canada.

Luckily Clay and Lisa arrived from Arizona on thursday, after not having been here for about two years, and wanted finally do their advanced course. Here they are going over homework, and what they saw on the dive.

Feeling comftable busy is a good feeling

There is nothing better than have some nice people wandering in and out of the shop. Enjoying their dive experience with Mo and Rino.
After Semana Santa was over it got kind a quiet. But still had some great divers coming through from the cruiseship. People who do not like "cattle-diving".
Then Ernesto contacts us. Me and some friends are coming down for a few days. Always thinks he is from Nicaragua, bu everytime he has to correct me, no Guatemala, I lived in Nicaragua. But we remember always right that he likes the german football team from the last World Cup.
Ernesto is a diveenthusiast, and got a treat going out this afternoon one on one with Rino. And they spotted an octopus feeding on a conch. They told they wanted just to stay put and watch this. So rare to see.
And now we wait for them all to come back from the nightdive. Hope they saw "Strings of pearls".

What a nice letter

Til:

"Uwe-Dorte Bockwoldt"

Hello again Dorte!

We just returned from our trip Sunday night, so I am just beginning to get caught back up with reality ; )

We VERY MUCH enjoyed our scuba diving experience with you and Monique.

Everything went very smoothly--Tony was wonderful--and it was VERY reassuring to know that you had those details handled for us ahead of time.

I was very glad not to have to deal with the scammers at the port and have to haggle on transportation to and from your place and be assured return to the ship on time. Not knowing the local customs, and being a single mother, I was very leary and YOU made it all work out just perfectly!

Tony was a true gentleman and very attentive.

That being said, it was our scuba experience with you all that was BY FAR the highlight of our trip! We can't wait to come back and are thinking of maybe staying out there on the West End by you somewhere for a week next year and really take the time to enjoy that gorgeous little piece of paradise!

Be sure to Thank Monique for holding my hand throughout the entire dive experience--I was clearly the most difficult diver and she was a true GEM! Love HER!

When things settle down here a bit I will send the photos you requested and would be happy to write a review for you on Trip Advisor or do anything else I can to help you and your wonderful business thrive!

Thanks again for everything!

Fondly,

Linda Zubek and family

Largo, Florida

April

It's mid april already. Time seems just to fly by. The dmt's (Jacquie, Conal and Mike) have finished and flown out of the nest. Left is Kala and Chase to take out the divers, but not for long.
They want some new adventures before they too have to go back home.
This is the hard thing living and working in a place like this. The changeover of people.
You get to know so many great people, but one day they have to go back home.

At least we have found a new instructor, Amanda. This is fantastic because she knows most of the divesites here and been on the island for a while already. And she is a very sweet person, and we are sure we will have a good team again.
I have to mention that Mo and Rino still will be helping out. And of course Marcos is here and still the best boatcaptain. So there will still be familiar faces around at the shop.

Cruiseship season is slowing down. Less ships coming in now untill fall. Last week we had a couple a taxidriver brought in. They loved the diving and are planning to come back later this year for a week. Well now they for sure have to, because in the hurry after the dives to get back to the ship in time, they forgot their regulators...
At least they got our flyer so they can contact us. So far they haven't. The cruiseships charge up to $1 pr minute for internet use.

Updates on Marquito.
Today when Marcos was getting the boat ready for the night a phonecall came from Carmen, who is still in Tegucigalpa with Marquito. Last we talked to her she was hopeful, things looked better. But the message today was Marquitos condition had taken a turn to the worse again.
I saw Marcos out at the boat, hiding his face. I think he was crying or most likely trying not to.

Updates on Lowfat and Molly.
None.

Weather updates.
It wanted to turn ugly today, but the sun won the battle, and the 2 canadians could still do 2 dives today. The sea was a bit bumpy, but now this late afternoon its calm, its sunny and warm.

Life is good.

Chasing the sunsets

Kristin Haynes has over the last months been a busybee here in West End.
She has made a painting of nearly every diveshop, bar and restaurant by now.
Postcards have been printed and the profit from the sales goes to the SolFoundation:
www.solroatan.org
You can see more if you visit www.kristinhaynes.blogspot.com