2 Feb, Tues - Part 2

Tues, 2 Feb. - Part 2. it was time to go, the captain said he was getting low on fuel; and we'd probably been there over an hour. so we hoisted ourselves back in the boat, (no ladder) which i didn't think i could do, but did with no difficulty. :) here is a picture of the Lionfish, dead, with a sad face. not as pretty as it is in the water, but it gives you a better idea of the colors and stripes. this is what the 'weapon' looks like. nothing is projected. you just hook the rubber hose around your thumb, and pull it tight towards the 3-pronged spears. Then let go. BAM! dead Lionfish! if you don't miss :) we passed around the west side of the island where their "keys" are. a group of trailing islands, similar to our "Florida Keys" ... but only 2 of them are connected. and many of them are really small ... i hope to be able to set foot on one before i leave! they are so intriguing! here is a map of the island. -town is on the south side, in the cove, where it says East Harbor. -the Keys are in the lower left hand corner. -please note there is a MICHIGAN key. !!!!!!! -Turtle Harbour is on the North side in the middle of the island. the day was not without it's 'cultural misunderstands', ....for the lack of any other terminology. the bar where we stopped had this small, 10x10, pen, with several turtles, a nurse shark, crabs, and other fishes...... i don't think it is legal to do this. ..... it was sad to see those poor animals in jail like that :( there was also a little girl in the restaurant with 4 bowls of turtles at various stages of life. none larger than my hand. and, this is a home with it's front 'yard' filled with fish.... drying ... and another place with fish drying on lines everywhere. i've not yet been able to find out what they do with these dried fish. we had lunch with our group on the main inhabited Key ... and as we left, we saw these beautiful Triggerfish ... they are not part of the 'normal' diet of the Hondurans ... pains me to see this ..... :(