pigeon cay: a human tragedy unfolding

This is what Pigeon Cay, one of the Universe's masterpieces, looked like nine years ago. Heaven on earth. One of the most beautiful and magical places in our hemisphere.

I had not been to Pigeon Cay during the last eighteen months or so. I was shocked - SHOCKED! - at the apocalyptic scene I found when I visited two days ago! It seems climate change and rising sea levels are quickly destroying this amazing little island that we Bay Islanders cherish and love so much. The cay is now only about a fifth of its former size and the thick jungle of palms, shrubs, and trees down its center that held it together is nearly all dead or dying. The cay is unraveling and dissolving. Fast. It looks as if a bomb exploded on it. I am SO heartbroken! WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

I felt a deep sense of sadness and foreboding as we were leaving, as the boat floated away from the fragile remnants of our magical little Pigeon Cay. If something is not done -- and done fast -- I estimate that the cay will slip below the waves forever in the next three to five years (faster if we have a big storm come through). That would be a tragic loss for humanity. We humans are responsible for this. We have to at least try to do something to help! Please feel free to share this blog post and/or these photos with anyone you feel needs to know about this crisis and who might want/be able to help. The Bay Islands won't be the same without our beloved Pigeon Cay. 

After all...

...where will our black iguana buddies on the cay get to live if their home completely slips under the sea? Put yourself in their shoes.

Look him in the eye. Where?















The tragic plight of our cay and my iguana buddy reminded me of this song...




Who?

What?

snorkeling pigeon cay

Located about an hour's boat ride from Paya Bay Resort, Pigeon Cay offers some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. Paya offers a weekly excursion to this gorgeous cay. Learn more.

Map image courtesy of Google Earth.

tidied up and ready to go!

Our oddly-named 28-foot boat, the Polar (or, as Lisa and I mischievously call her, the "Bi Polar") just got some love. Fresh interior paint, and both her motors were tuned up and are working like fiddles. She's a great boat for the excursion to Pigeon Cay (see last photo).

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

memories of pigeon cay

Paya Bay Resort offers a weekly boat excursion to this heavenly cay. The snorkeling at Pigeon Cay is some of the best in the Caribbean.

Photos: Chris Burg

pigeon cay IS public!

Pigeon Cay was declared public in 2006! The money quote:

Municipal officials unanimously agreed to not approve any titles for the following cays: BIG AND SMALL PIGEON CAY, COW & CALF, LIME CAY, as well as any other islands or cays, as these are property of the state.

Background: recently Roatan's East End community became aware that Pigeon Cay was "up for sale." Apparently, some unscrupulous person in cahoots with a corrupt municipal official(s) was claiming "ownership" of this beautiful cay (a cay that has - historically - been a recreation area in the public domain), and trying to sell it! NO WAY, BEYOTCHES! Pigeon Cay belongs to the public and will always be unrestrictedly available to the worldwide human community.

Kudos to my uncle, Harvey McNab, for doing this investigation and finding this document! (Click on the image above to see the full document [in Spanish]).

the (bi)polar

The oddly-named Polar (or, as we wittily/cattily call her, the BiPolar) returns to the resort from a trip to Pigeon Cay in the late afternoon.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

snorkeling pigeon cay

Located about an hour's boat ride from Paya Bay Resort, Pigeon Cay offers some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. Paya offers a weekly excursion to this gorgeous cay. Learn more.

Map image courtesy of Google Earth.