March 21, 2024

Good morning Bay Islands. This morning’s picture of the day comes from Judy Donie, taken at sunset at the top of Milton Bight of our waxing moon. Sunday night begins full moon for this month, the first full moon after spring starts.

Let’s start with our 7:15 a.m. satellite showing lots of popcorn clouds around and one of these might have a shower in it, though no weather station has picked up any rain as of 7:20. We will have these clouds around in the morning and then get clear for the afternoon. We will have mostly clear skies tomorrow and a few clouds around Saturday. We have a 20 percent chance of a morning shower on Sunday.

Wind and wave forecast: We start the morning with 10 mph east winds and 2 foot seas coming from the northeast so waves are similar on both sides of the island. Through the middle of the day winds and seas will stay the same, but as we get toward evening east winds will pick up to 20-25 mph and seas 3-4 feet on the south side. Tomorrow east winds will be 10-15 mph from the east and seas starting 2-3 feet and dropping to 1-2 feet by evening. We have a strange scenario with an east wind on Saturday morning. In the next three posts we will look at three different models and what they say about that wind.

We’ll start with the Euro which shows moderate west winds Saturday morning at 15 mph. A lot of boaters I talk to tend to prefer the Euro wind forecasts, but the accuracy of models can vary from day to day.

Here’s the GFS, the most commonly used model because it is provided for free from the US National Weather Service. It shows 18 mph winds from the west Saturday morning.

Finally here’s the ICON showing a bit windier morning on Saturday, but in general the ICON is one of the less accurate models for wind.

I know lots of folks are going to be buying lots of meats for grilling next week, and you can do no better than prime cuts of beef, chicken and pork from Carniceria Rosita.

Low tides are 1 p.m. and 1 a.m. Have a great Thursday.

March 20, 2024

Good morning Bay Islands. Our photo of the day comes from Amanda Anctil in Half Moon Bay-West End. Remember the five photos with the most likes compete March 31 for $50 in Roatan Pets food. Please send your photos to bookmybio@gmail.com with name and location. We have fairly calm conditions at sea and that will last at least through tomorrow morning.

We have a very few popcorn clouds on our satellite view, but not enough to worry about. We will be dry today. I will still keep in a 20 percent chance of a morning shower tomorrow morning. Other than that we should be dry until Sunday morning when we get another small chance of a morning shower. We reached 90 degrees again yesterday at the airport (32.2C) and nothing is changing as far as temperature goes, so upper 70s (26C) for lows and upper 80s to around 90 (31-32C) for highs.

Wind and wave forecast: We wake up to 10 mph winds from the northeast and seas around 1.5 feet on both sides of the islands. We will stay right around there for the rest of the week into the weekend with the exception of tomorrow night and Friday night, when we will see 20 mph east winds and 3 foot seas.

I know a lot of you are planning your trips for Semana Santa, so I have included the Galaxy Wave’s special expanded schedule for the week. Next week looks pretty good on the seas, with the waviest mornings being Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning, but even those morning we will only be at 4 foot seas, so all in all a great week for travel.

Low tides are 12:45 p.m. and 12:45 a.m. Have a great Wednesday!

March 19, 2024

Good morning Bay Islands. Our photo of the day comes from Deanna Jones in Turquoise Bay. Those beach chairs want people in them to watch the sunset. Our winds will be light over the next couple of days and we should see a few more clouds.

On our satellite view we can see more clouds as a very weak cold front moves into the Caribbean, but most of the moisture is well to the east of us. They are getting nice showers southeast of Cayman but that is not coming our way. Over the next two days we will see more periods of clouds, which should cool us off a couple of degrees. The airport actually got up to 90 degrees (32.2C) yesterday. If we can get a few clouds in here we should stay around 85 (29.4C). There will be a small chance of a shower somewhere, especially tomorrow morning, but the chance is only around 20 percent. We’re still watching a chance of a shower for Sunday morning, but we will be almost completely dry through the rest of the week.

Wind and wave forecast: We start out the day with mild east winds around 10 mph and seas 3 feet on the south side. Those will continue to calm. Winds this evening will be from the northeast at 7-12 mph and seas 2-3 feet and tomorrow winds will be light and variable and seas 1-2 feet, even on the southside. Thursday starts out with mild winds but will get windier from the east Thursday evening into Friday before a calmer weekend.

I had the opportunity to go to Ikigai by Robby Molina Sunday and I will be telling you a little about the wonderful experience I had there each day. Let’s start with the appetizers. Our server, Veronica, soaked a hunk of cheese in brandy and set it aflame, and let me tell you the results were out of this world. I had never heard of it, but it is now my go-to appetizer.

Don’t forget the surf and turf special for Honduran Father’s Day. Ikigai by Robby Molina is in the old Romeo’s building in French Harbour. Reservations are never required, but you can call ahead at 9343-3135.

Low tides are 12:15 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. under a quarter moon. Have a great Tuesday!

March 18, 2024

ood morning Bay Islands. Our photo of the day comes from Phil Sikora and shows the sunset over Maya Key from Coxen Hole. I picked this photo because this week we will see a few more clouds than last week. But the big headline is winds will be calmer.

On our satellite view we can see a very weak cold front moving into the Gulf of Mexico. By this time of year, whatever arrives down here can’t be called a cold front, but it will be a few more clouds, starting this evening and lasting through most of the week. This should cool us down a couple of degrees. Our high yesterday at the airport was 88 (31.1C). So starting this evening into Thursday we should be more like 84-86 for highs (28.9-30C). Starting tomorrow and especially Wednesday and Thursday morning, I expect A FEW popcorn clouds around and someone getting a small shower, at least enough to wet down all the dust, but most of us probably won’t see a shower.

Wind and wave forecast: If there was ever a week for a Galaxy Wave ferry ride, this will be it. We start the day with winds already calming at 7 a.m. to 15 mph from the southeast and seas at 3 feet on the south side. We will have southeast winds 10 mph and seas 2-3 feet for the middle part of the day, but the real change comes tonight when winds stay around 15 mph overnight, whereas previous nights we’ve been getting up to 25-30 mph. Tomorrow we will have east winds 10-15 mph before they turn to the northeast in the evening. Wednesday looks quite calm with light and variable winds and seas at 1 foot even on the south side.

With such a great week with calmer winds, you definitely need to check out Jolly Roger Roatan if you’re planning an excursion, either for an island visit by air or on a cruise. You just concentrate on having fun and they will take care of the rest.

Low tides are close to noon and midnight. Have a great week!

March 17, 2024

Good morning Bay Islands. This morning’s photo comes from Darlene Cresswell and shows what at first glance appears to be an alien planet, but is actually our sun setting amid all the haze. We haven’t had a good rain to wash out the atmosphere and we have some pollution and water vapor in the atmosphere creating these vivid sunrises and sunsets. Don’t forget the five photos with the most likes compete on March 31 for $50 in Roatan Pets food.

We start the day pretty windy on the main island with 25 mph east winds and 5 foot seas on the south side. Things are quite a bit calmer on Utila, where a light wind is coming from the southwest. Things should calm down quite a bit by midday as we get down to 10 mph east winds and seas 2-3 feet. We have another windy night tonight with winds around 20 mph and seas 3-4 feet, but things get a lot calmer Monday, with light and variable winds and seas around 2 feet. Tuesday we will have moderate winds around 10-15 mph from the east and Wednesday gets super calm again. All in all a very nice week ahead for your Galaxy Wave ferry ride.

Monday through Thursday morning of this week we will see a few more of those popcorn morning clouds and I suspect someone will get a shower good for a tenth of an inch or so, but most of us will probably stay dry, sadly.

Speaking of Roatan Pets, Mitch Cummins has produced his first batch of dog treats and I’m sure your best friend will tell you how tasty they are. Contact him for more info at 9801-7828.

We’re moving into half moon phase with low tides 11:40 a.m. and 11:40 p.m. Have a great Sunday!

March 16, 2024

Good morning Bay Islands. Our photo of the day comes from Debbie Aaron in Sandy Bay, and shows a sunset off a very calm sea. That won’t be the case this weekend, but next week will be much calmer and Wednesday will be close to dead calm. We start the day with east winds 20-25 mph and seas at 5 feet on the south side. That should calm to 15 mph and 3 feet by midday. Tonight we’ll get back up to 25 mph east winds and seas 4 feet but by mid morning we should be back down to 10 mph winds and 2-3 foot seas. Sunday night will be a bit windier, but as we get into Monday and into the week, we will see winds more in the 10-15 mph range and seas 2-3 feet, calming to 1 foot by Wednesday.
As for rain we will have more clouds Monday through Wednesday and a small chance (20-30 percent each day) of seeing a shower Monday evening through Wednesday morning. Have a great weekend!

If you want a great meal combined with soothing sounds, head out to Ikigai by Robby Molina in French Harbour for the musical stylings of Scotty C. Reservations are not required but you can definitely call ahead at 92497662.

Low tides are 10 a.m and 10 p.m.

March 15, 2024

Good morning Bay Islands! This morning’s photo fo the day comes from Debbie MacConnel in West Bay. I asked her about the ripple in the middle of the photo and she said she thought a turtle had peeked out from the water, but she wasn’t sure. Maybe he was peeking out to see if it will ever rain.

We start with good news from Guanaja, where Lisa Garcia near that island’s Sandy Bay registered .17 of an inch yesterday, by far the most we’ve seen around here in the last month. You can see that she had two strong downpours in the five o’clock hour, followed by two lighter showers around 10.

Sadly, we have fewer of those popcorn clouds that brought showers to Guanaja yesterday. We have waves of cirrus clouds, which make the sky hazy, but don’t have any rain in them. Rain chances are quite low until we get to the 20th, when we have maybe a 20 percent chance of morning showers. After that in the extended forecast we see two more waves of small chances of rain, the 24th and the 28th.

Wind and wave forecast: This morning we have 25 mph east winds and seas around 5 feet on the south side. Those will calm slightly toward midday at 20 mph and seas at 4 feet. This wave map shows that when you are on your Galaxy Wave ferry trip to La Ceiba, things calm nicely past the Cayos Cochinos, to 2 foot waves. The return trip is always to roughest as you are running into waves coming toward you as your return to Roatan. But the good news is today is the roughest day. Things calm a bit over the weekend, with 20 mph winds and 4 foot seas for overnight and early mornings, and 15 mph winds and 3 foot seas middays. Monday and into next week things get much calmer, with seas down to 1 foot by midweek.

If the man in your life likes great beef and great lobster, washed down with a cold beer after relaxing with a glass of wine, the special on Tuesday is just for him! Chef Robby and his amazing Team has created a Surf & Turf just for dad!

Ikigai by Robby Molina, located on the water front in the iconic Romeo’s building in French Harbor!

Hurry to make reservations!

+504 9249-7662 / 9606-1668

Lowest tide is around 9 p.m. Have a great Friday!

March 14, 2024

Good morning Bay Islands. This morning Lisa Strachan greets us with a blue-headed anole peeking in her window as our photo of the day. This guy would probably love to get his mouth on some Roatan Pets food, but remember the five most-liked photos compete on March 31 for $50 in premium pet food.

Surprise, surprise. We have some rain to report. Lisa Garcia in Guanaja got a couple of rounds of showers in the 5 a.m. hour to give her .14 of an inch. This is the first measurable rain anyone’s gotten in a few weeks.

We have quite a bit of high clouds around. The clouds that caused rain on Guanaja are the popcorn (altocumulus) clouds you see here. The wispy, cottony clouds are cirrus clouds that will not cause any rain. The popcorn clouds almost always come in the morning. We will have maybe a 5 percent chance of seeing a small shower somewhere. But generally we will have hazy high clouds and dry conditions through the day. We’re seeing indications that we could have more scattered showers in the period between March 20 and March 30. I know that’s getting into Semana Santa, but even if we get a little rain, it won’t be much, just enough to keep the dust down on the way out to Camp Bay Beach, and we desperately need that.

Wind and wave forecast: I got up to 34 mph wind gusts around 8:30 p.m. last night. This morning we’re a bit calmer, around 20 mph and seas at 4 feet on the south side. We will continue with those winds and seas 3-4 feet today, before we get windier again tonight with east winds 20-30 mph and seas 5-6 feet. This is a cycle we will stay in through Sunday. Monday into next week looks a bit calmer, with east winds mostly around 15 mph.

Wind and wave forecast: I got up to 34 mph wind gusts around 8:30 p.m. last night. This morning we’re a bit calmer, around 20 mph and seas at 4 feet on the south side. We will continue with those winds and seas 3-4 feet today, before we get windier again tonight with east winds 20-30 mph and seas 5-6 feet. This is a cycle we will stay in through Sunday. Monday into next week looks a bit calmer, with east winds mostly around 15 mph.

High tide is 7:05 p.m. as our moon waxes into a crescent moon. Have a great Thursday.

March 13, 2024

Good morning Bay Islands. Our photo of the day comes from Colleen Willis who lives in the state of Washington in the US, but took this very reflective photo in West Bay. These trees will be swaying in the breeze, but of course West Bay is the most protected part of the island during these easterly trade winds.

As you can see in the satellite, we are mostly sunny this morning, and we will be mostly sunny all day. Over the next few day we will have periods where we may get mostly cloudy, with high, hazy cirrostratus clouds, but those clouds will hold no rain. We will be dry for the next week. We’re still watching the possibility of showers next week Tuesday or Wednesday, but those chances are looking smaller and smaller.

We start out today with east/southeast winds 15-20 mph and seas 3 feet on the south side and 2 feet on the north side. Winds will settle to 15 mph and seas 2-3 feet for the middle of the day before getting up to 20-30 mph for tonight. This wind map is the forecast for tomorrow morning. We will see gusty east winds in the morning time and seas 4-5 feet. Tomorrow and Friday will be the windiest days. As we get into Monday and Tuesday of next week we should be much calmer.

We want to thank Roatan Pets for sponsoring this month’s photo contest. Don’t forget that Mitch Cummins’ dog food is locally sourced, designed specifically for your dog’s health, and 10 percent of proceeds goes to help out Roatan Operation Animal Rescue.

Low tide is 5:40 p.m. Have a great Wednesday.

March 12, 2024

Good morning Bay Islands. Our photo of the day looks at the sunset through the entrance to Tequila Jack’s in West End. There are a few showers toward Puerto Cortes on the coast again this morning. We had reports of some showers between West Bay and West End, but none of those showers registered on our weather stations over there.

Here’s the 7 a.m. radar, showing a few showers near Puerto Cortes.

Our 7 a.m. satellite shows quite a few clouds and the coast to our southwest, but only a few popcorn clouds, just south of Roatan. These clouds are slowly moving west and may give Utila a little relief from the sun this morning. We will be mostly sunny this week, except for a period of high clouds Friday into Saturday, but there isn’t any rain in the forecast for those clouds. In the long range forecast our potential rainmaker March 20 is looking weaker and weaker.

Wind and wave forecast: We start the day with east winds at 15 mph and seas at 3 feet on the south side. Winds will stay around 15 mph and seas will calm to 2-3 feet midday. Winds get up to 20 mph tonight . Wednesday will be around 15 mph and again seas 2-3 feet, but the wind machine really cranks up Thursday and Friday with evening winds 20-30 mph and daytime seas around 4 feet south side.

I have recently become a big fan of the chorizo (sausage) at Carniceria Rosita. I crisp them up in the air fryer and they have just the right amount of spice and are a great alternative to pricey US sausages.

Lowest tide is 4:35 p.m. Have a great Tuesday!