Roatan's Beauty, Truth & Wisdom
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PÄYÄRoatan’s Beauty, Truth & Wisdom October & November 2019 Vol. 2 No. 5 $ 4.00 The Johnny Water Going Deep, Changing Colors in New Dock in Story Going Blue French Harbour Santa Helena 0.0007 1 PÄYÄ October and November 2019 6 PÄYÄ Roatan’s Beauty, Truth & Wisdom October and November 2019 17 4 • Table of content & Masthead Eleventh Issue PERSPECTIVE 6 • Paya-in-Chief The Manipulated Migrants 19 • Jon’s World William Walker’s Roatan Adventure 23 • Straight Talk In Path of Hurricanes IN DEPTH 8 • Feature - History The Undiscovered Mecca of Kiteboarding 17 • Helping Hands Painting the Future 24 • Business The Prophet of H20 27 • Hidden Corners Dock, Fresh Water & Electricity PROFILES 16 • Island Sports The Blue Abyss / Volleyball 18 • Island Senior Fruitful life of Miss Vida 20 • Lyfestyle Socials WANDERINGS 28 • Off Island News Off Island Perspective 24 30 • Calendar Yearly & Weekly Events COVER PHOTO: Kites lined up and ready to launch in Camp Bay 27 (Photo by: Chris Bergler) STAFF Editorial Staff Paya Magazine is published Copyright notice: Managing Editor Thomas Tomczyk bi-monthly by Paya Mag S. A. All text, graphics and photographs are Writer / reporter Opening Roatan, Honduras copyright of Paya Magazine. All rights History writer Jon Tompson reserved. No part of Paya Magazine can be PayaMag.com reproduced in any form without written Island perspective writer Keena Haylock [email protected] permission of the publisher. (504) 9764-5968 Editor’s note: Support Staff The editorial content of Paya Magazine is Office manager Opening independent from paid-for advertising. We Graphic designer Gabriela Galeas made every effort to ensure the accuracy of Printer Lithopress Industrial the information at the time of going to press, but assume no responsibility for errors or changes. Thanks to the many people that made the Eleventh edition of Paya Magazine possible: Chris Bergler, Kim Serrao, Jennifer Serrano. 4 PÄYÄ October and November 2019 PERSPECTIVE | Paya-in-Chief THOMAS TOMCZYK THE MANIPULATED MIGRANTS recently attended a church service where we were asked nating from disintegrated families and fractured communities. to pray for “Honduran migrants on their way to chase their According to World Bank, Honduras has the world’s ninth larg- dream.”I for one decided to pray for someone much more for- est share of remittances as part of its GDP. In 2018 it reached 20.1% I gotten in this tragedy: the children, spouses and families these of the country’s GDP and continues to rise. Honduras has gradually migrants left behind. The irresponsible dreams of economic riches in joined the ranks of Haiti, South Sudan and Gaza as a place that ex- faraway lands are nightmares for Honduran families left behind. ports its people as a resource. Honduran migrants bring more cash Few of us question the lack of responsibility in attempting a pre- for government officials then coffee. Stateside companies like Western carious journey like that. Even fewer discuss the toll it takes to bring Union or Tyson Chicken benefit greatly from Honduran labor and re- up a child without a father or a mother. That youngster will most likely mittances. have low self-esteem, more likely will drop out of school, and more The systematic exploitation of Hondurans isn’t just happening likely join some of Honduras’ notorious gangs. The absence of these due to incompetence and corruption, it is in its nature malevolent. migrants from home contributes to the destabilization of the already These migrations are a manufactured phenomenon and migrants are weak fabric of the Honduran society. being used to destabilize traditional, family cen- The migrant’s children are taken care tered societies and debase whatever remains of of by extended family if they are lucky, or by Western culture. gangs if they are not. The migrants pay thou- The central American migrant sands of dollars to travel to the US and that caravans’phenomena are organized by nonprof- debt is guaranteed by families that stay behind. These migrations its, Pueblo sin Fronteras, and CARA, a coalition Irresponsible dreams of economic riches of four other NGOs (non-governmental orga- in far away lands are nightmares for Hondu- are a manufactured nizations) three of which are funded by George ran families left behind. Currently $10,000 is Soros. Soros, a billionaire currency manipulator being raised on Roatan for the release of two phenomenon and revolutionary agitator, who uses his front Roatan residents, Elvis Gutierrez and his son, groups to promote global social causes, useful to who have been kidnapped by the Zeta Cartel the oligarchs he serves. Soros’ NGOs have been during their trek across Mexico. Sadly, pay- promoting euthanasia and abortion since 1990s, ment of extortion money to kidnappers not drug legalization in the 2000s, and for the last only encouragers further kidnappings, it also offers no guarantee that seven years, the issue became open borders in selected countries: yes, the victim will be released alive. for Europe and North America, but not Japan, Israel or Saudi Arabia. The life of Honduran migrants with no language or professional In 2008 Honduran President Manuel Zelaya said at a Soros fund- skills that do make it to US is far from easy. Many women end up ed Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy conference working as cleaners, while men end up working at construction jobs held in Tegucigalpa: “Drug use ought to be legalized as a way to com- and chicken slaughterhouses. These “dream chasers” are often paid off bat violence.” Soros has been part of the 2009 upheaval in Honduras books, live in fear of immigration authorities and acquire no benefit of and continues is interest in the present crisis. US social security pensions. While we are told that economic wealth is very important to The disintegration of Honduran families, the boom of street our happiness, this is a lie. What makes us happy is family, fulfillment gangs and focus on material growth has caused a steady degradation of in our work and appreciation of our fellow neighbors and coworkers. the fabric of Honduran society and rise in the Honduran security state. What we should be discussing, is not how to help Honduran eco- While violence terrorizes Hondurans at home, the armed to the teeth nomic migrants get to the US, but how to keep their skill, energy and Honduran police and military patrol the streets and trolling facebook family obligations here. Hondurans have found themselves as useful posts. That is just part of the emotional and economic cost paid, origi- pawns in the global game of forced, coordinated population exchange. 6 PÄYÄ October and November 2019 IN DEPTH | Feature - History THE UNDISCOVERED MECCA OF KITEBOARDING Consistent Winds and Pristine Beaches Make Roatan a Words by Thomas Tomczyk Perfect Destination for Kiteboarders Photos by Chris Bergler Punta Gorda and Pigeon Cays, as the island turns completely east west, that is the best place to kite- board. All-in-all it is Camp Bay Beach that is the ideal overall place for kiters practicing surfboard, twin tip or hydrofoil. Camp Bay’s Pigeon Cay is another great long, two-kilometer beach has side kitesurfing spot for more advanced or side on shore wind conditions kiteboarders. While the two cays are For a couple decades, Roatan and is sheltered by the reef a cou- slowly disappearing, the left-over has been a place for sailors and ple hundred meters to the north. and bar is surrounded by turquoise “This spot is the best in the morn- windsurfers. More recently it has blue water and plenty of wind. ing, with super steady winds com- become a place to learn and en- ing from ESE and butter flat water.” joy kiteboarding. Located on the path of eastern trade winds The kiteboarders also go to Saint Roatán is one of Central Ameri- Helene harbor for their kite sessions. ca’s top kite boarding locations. “The spot needs to be handled sen- The prevailing eastern winds sitively because of its fragile shal- and the angulated, slightly curved Roatan offers many months of low water ecosystem,” says Chris. shape of Roatan create great con- solid wind throughout the year. The ditions for kitesurfing. Between dry months of May thru August of- fer great, strong predictable east- erly winds. January thru May are not bad wind months either. ‘That’s the big advantage of Roatán. Eight great months to learn and progress.” says Chris Bergler, the owner of Kite- surf Roatan, Kiteboarding School in Camp Bay. The trade winds are an ever present part of the Bay Islands weather and only stop during peak hurricane season in September, and rainy season in October & November. 8 PÄYÄ October and November 2019 October and November 2019 PÄYÄ 9 The History ompared to the Caribbean, of the extreme sports. “It [kiting] has sport,” says Chris. The typical kite- how to Kitesurf and often it becomes wind. “This kite session, it was just magic. of Kite Sailing Central America is practi- a steep learning curve, though a few boarder is between 30 and 60 years old. a life changing decision,” says Chris. Blue sky, blue water, great wind, beauti- cally undiscovered by kite- days are required to ride independent- Most kiteboarders will have a quiver Chris and Marilou found Roatan ful waves on the reef, outside huge ocean boarders. Over the last few ly,” says Chris, who taught children as of two to three kites allowing them to while looking over a Yoga magazine. It rollers which we shared with a pod of C years, kiters mostly focused young as 10 and clients as old as 75. surf in a variety of wind conditions. While was 2012, and someone was advertis- jumping pilot whales,” remembers Chris.