The wild waves of Water Key: A trip off the coast of Utila, Honduras

(In case you didn't catch this one on examiner.com, here is a rerun)


While visiting the island of Utila, one of the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras, my son, a friend, and I chartered a 10 foot “lancha” out to see one of the cays. The cays are the epitome of the deserted tropical island.

We visited Water Cay, a privately owned, undeveloped, three-acre cay that is a half-hour boat ride from Utila. The ride over was choppy but exhilarating and provided glimpses of a mellow sea turtle, a mansion built on a miniscule cay, and the topsy-turvy development on Pigeon and Jewel Cays. When we arrived, we arranged with our captain to meet him for the return trip at 1 o’clock in order to avoid the rough seas.

For about two dollars per person, payable upon arrival, you can spend the day lounging in the powder-white sand, floating in the shallow water, or walking over to Morgan’s Cay. We made sure to bring food and water with us, because when they say that the island is undeveloped, they mean that there is nothing, not a shack or a dock or a boat ramp. There were several trash cans, however, and a handsome young man raking up palm fronds and coconuts.

At 1 o’clock promptly, our captain was waiting for us and we hopped in the boat for our return trip. The captain suggested we move to the back of the boat and it didn’t take long to find out why. In the three hours that we had been on the island, the swells had grown and the chop had picked up. At one point, I swear the swells were over five feet, at least it seemed like they were. The bow of the boat would rise like a needle piercing the blue sky and then moments later plunge downward, leaving you with nothing but a view of the aqua-marine underworld. We screamed, gasped, laughed, and hid our eyes. It was then that I realized that I was possibly the only one in the boat that could swim. I clutched my son to me as he reached farther and farther out of the boat to touch the water. By the time we returned safely to Utila, I was soaked, hoarse, and exhausted from one of the most memorable days I had ever experienced.