La Ceiba Violence

[bonairefans]

On March 08, 2010, we had a brush with violence near La Ceiba while in transit to the Bay Islands.

We were staying in an isolated location on the Rio Cangrejal a few KM south of La Ceiba. We were having breakfast when a volley of popping sounds rang out VERY close to our cabin, lasting about 30-seconds. We considered the possibility of automatic weapon fire, but dismissed it as firecrackers. After eating, we loaded our luggage into the truck and departed our rental. As we pulled out of the driveway onto the street, we came across a man lying at the side of the road. To describe the remains as bullet-riddled is a gross understatement. A distraught woman sat next to him. We drove by very slowly, totally numb and uncomprehending.

Honduras has seen a steep increase in violence since the coup d'état in June last year. Divers may wish to exercise heightened awareness.

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, I never have liked the idea of going thru LCE to save money. I like to fall asleep in Houston, wake up in Roatan.

 

[Doc]

I'm with DandyDon on this one. But he did forget to say "Welcome to SCUBA Board, nice first post!"

On March 08, 2010, we had a brush with violence near La Ceiba while in transit to the Bay Islands.

Calling that "In Transit" is quite a stretch. You were traveling and staying on the Honduran mainland. Fly direct, never overnight. If you want to pinch pennies or savor the Central American Mainland culture, knock your socks off.

Bonairefan, let me put it in terms that might be more relevant to you: On your next trip to Bonaire, overnight in Caracas. Then tell us why you did that and how it went.

Honduras has seen a steep increase in violence since the coup d'état in June last year.

Police statistics would disagree with that "fact", but those are just statistics. Roatan itself never noticed "the Big Coup". Island Life went on, as it does since and today.

Divers may wish to exercise heightened awareness.

Yes, there's lots to see, but more so if you dive with heightened awareness.

Was a trip report forthcoming? About Roatan and the diving?

 

[DandyDon]

His first post? Missed that.

B-fans you ever been to Roatan before? Even if yes, driving by a bullet-riddled body you heard go down had to have unsettling. Traveling in a foreign land, I think I would have wanted to get on the ferry as quickly and quietly as possible hoping no one saw me. Brrrrrrr!

I am growing a little more cautious about traveling along the drug supply hiway to the US. I'm looking at a drive from Playa del Carmen to Chichen Itza this summer, thinking about how close it is to Merida, telling myself that the war isn't that close yet. Fortunate that the ABCs don't have turf wars even with Curacao as the supply connection to Europe. Their worst problem seems to be the Scope thing.

Hope you had a good visit on Roatan or whichever island you went to next.

 

[RTBDiver]

You say you were In Transit? Sounds more like you were staying on the mainland. Kinda like, OK I was in transit to Hawaii and had a layover in California so I decided to stroll along East LA and ..................., so beware when going to Hawaii.

 

[gcbryan]

You say you were In Transit? Sounds more like you were staying on the mainland. Kinda like, OK I was in transit to Hawaii and had a layover in California so I decided to stroll along East LA and ..................., so beware when going to Hawaii.

It happens. I was in transit until the flight for the last leg didn't come in time to San Padro Sula and they couldn't get us to Roatan before 1/2 hour before sunset (no runway lights) so we got a "free" stay in La Ceiba (which was a little closer) and took the 5am flight the next morning.

In Honduras you never know what is going to happen.

 

[RTBDiver]

Yes, of course it happens, People travel around the mainland every day

 

[keesmon]

Somehow I'm still not worried about traveling by bus from San Pedro to La Ceiba next week. My caution level is always "high", but it does not stop me from traveling along routes taken by many Hondurans and foreign travelers alike.

 

[DandyDon]

I don't understand why anyone is taking issue with the word Transit. Many cheapest fares to Roatan require an overnight on the mainland. I won't do them, but many do.

 

[Doc]

I don't understand why anyone is taking issue with the word Transit. Many cheapest fares to Roatan require an overnight on the mainland.

Read the OP: We were staying in an isolated location on the Rio Cangrejal a few KM south of La Ceiba.

This location is not "in transit" in the sense of an airline layover. They were "trekking" in Central America... the Rio Cangrejal is a white water river.

I won't do them (overnights), but many do.

No~ Comparatively very few do. For the vast majority, the lure of a cheap layover flight does not trump an extra day in paradise.

Travelers can still transit through the mainland and merely change flights while staying within the confines of the airport. This is simply not what we're talking about here. Anybody that gets the yips while standing in a Central American airport should have just stayed home.

I am absolutely with you, DandyDon, Fly right into RTB Roatan from the U.S. That's the best way to "up the checked-baggage retention quotient".

If you have to, accept a quick routing stop on the mainland in El Salvador or Honduras, enjoy the transit lounge, then promptly leave on your next assigned flight.

This entire thread has an irrelevant premise to begin with, much as the other recent thread about the "drug war". To associate this incident with a SCUBA forum really stretches the definition. Possibly relevant, but only if understood in context.