A Roatan Thanksgiving

We were delighted to have the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with a great group of guests this year. Country Pleasures, an active fly-fishing shop in Alberta, Canada, sent a group of nine for the week, and we enjoyed their company immensely.

While the guys hit the flats, Carol Byler, the lone eco adventurer, took advantage of our snorkeling and kayaking sites to explore Port Royal and the Pigeon Cays by water. Carol was a great sport and was introduced to multitudes of new species on her several underwater excursions. Read more about the guys’ adventures on the Mango Creek Lodge fishing blog.

On Thanksgiving, we celebrated our many blessings with a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. The lodge managers took the reins in the kitchen to create an American-style feast of Thanksgiving turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and rolls. The Mango Creek Lodge cooks contributed with wonderful pumpkin and key lime pies for dessert. It was a great meal and a great way to finish this special day.

Country Pleasures guests (back, from left) David Byler, Les Guzowski, Larry Briggs, Vincent Ircandia, Don Seaman, Darren Soice, and Mango Creek Lodge Manager Kevin Claughton; (front) Bob Shaunessy, Scott Lenover, and Mango Creek Lodge owners Patrice Heller and Terry Kyle

High Tides and Early Rains

If there’s only one thing you’ll remember about Mango Creek Lodge in September, it will be the tides. September always brings unusually high tides to Roatan, but this year might have been a record-breaker. The water continually lapped just below the tops of our docks, and the swift tides washed all sorts of debris in from the ocean.

Manuel rakes seaweed from
the Mango Creek Lodge beach

Every few days, the grounds staff had to report to our beach for clean-up duty. They found basketballs, bottles, all varieties of plastic tidbits, tons of seaweed, and—of course—numerous shoes and sandals. It was hard (and sometimes stinky) work, so the fishing guides were happy to get a break from the hauling to take Chuck and Rod Hornor fishing. Read more about their time on the flats in our September fishing report.

Once the raking was complete and the tides finally started to recede, we turned to the decks. Mango Creek Lodge has an extensive system of docks, decks, and stairways, and it all must be treated with sealer yearly to prevent rot. This is another big job, as it is all done by hand and paintbrush. By the end of the month, it was almost all done when the rains started.

October is usually the beginning of rainy season on Roatan. However, it appears it is sneaking up early on us this year. Toward the end of the month, we had a few small showers that built in duration. It’s just a sneak peek of what’s ahead.

In September, we also made progress on some new plans for the lodge. First, we welcomed the return of Dalia, who spent the month on the mainland taking massage classes.

Dalia, a Mango Creek Lodge
cook and massage therapist

Dalia worked hard to receive her certification and is looking forward to the busy season when she can put her new skills to work and treat our guests’ tired muscles.

Other upcoming developments include the construction of new lodging options. Our treehouse rooms will be built on 16-foot platforms that overlook the grounds and the sea. Their connecting walkways will make them a great option for families and groups. Groups will also look forward to the completion of our double cabana. These rooms will be similar to our existing over-the-water cabanas, but they will share a platform and space. Stay tuned for more information!

The beginning stages of Mango Creek Lodge's

new accommodation options

Winding Down

With the coming of August, things slowed down at Mango Creek. Of course, no one told the fish that. Early in the month, we found two large permit tailing in the water right in front of the restaurant! They must have been checking in to see what happened to all the fishermen.

Permit visiting our front-porch waters

With time to focus on the Mango Creek Lodge grounds, our staff got to work. Their first task was to raise the primary pathway to the main lodge. This stretch of walk had washed out a bit from past rains and was taking on water and sand during showers. To fix it, the guys hauled in sand and raised the area under the stepping stones. Then they replaced the stones and dug a drainage canal to better channel future water flow.

The grounds staff puts the finishing
touches on our improved pathway

Their next task was to build a landscaping wall on the hill above the stairway to the lodge. Manuel, our resident concrete expert, oversaw the construction and cement work. When they were finished, we had a beautiful new planting area to display red ginger plants and control water flow down the hillside.

Manuel also oversaw the construction of a new concrete wall in front of our generator shed. We only run the generator about three hours a day to supplement our renewable power, but when it runs, it can be loud! This wall has helped cut down on the noise by reflecting the sound back toward the shed rather than across the grounds.

And in the midst of all the new construction, the staff still managed to make progress on the ongoing task of revarnishing the lodge. Each year, every piece of wood at the lodge is taken down, sanded, revarnished, and replaced to keep our buildings strong and beautiful. It’s a monumental chore, and it takes months to accomplish!

A Busy Summer at Mango Creek Lodge

July was wonderfully busy at Mango Creek Lodge as we celebrated the return of old friends and welcomed the arrival of new ones.

Cindy Garrison and her camera crew
filming on Mango Creek Lodge's panga

The month finished in a whirlwind with a full house of anglers hooking up on our flats. Cindy Garrison, host of ESPN’s Get Wild with Cindy Garrison, joined us with a camera crew to learn more about Mango Creek’s environmental and conservation initiatives and to try her luck with our bonefish. Look for future reports about Mango Creek’s inclusion in Cindy’s future projects! Gord and Cathy Joyce returned to the lodge for their third visit. William and Will Talley kept everyone smiling with their great humor and incredible photography. And Sue and Bill Martin showed us how fishing should be done. Read more about this group’s luck on the flats in our July fishing report.

July also presented us with a new responsibility: training a baby parrot. Pita is a sweet little bird who is also a bit mischievous. Patrice, a Mango Creek Lodge owner, adopted Pita while she was here earlier in the year and worked hard to tame and train her.

Pita on her favorite perch in
the Mango Creek Lodge restaurant

Pita is already talking and has developed a fondness for sitting on people’s heads. We work with her daily, and she has become very loving. She likes to sit on her perch in the restaurant and welcome returning fishermen with a friendly “hello.”