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Underwood Sailors Enjoy MWR Activities in Honduras

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060510-06
5/10/2006

By Journalist Seaman Charles A. Ordoqui, USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs

ROATAN, Honduras (NNS) -- USS Underwood (FFG 36) Sailors enjoyed their latest port visit in Roatan, Honduras, May 5-7 by participating in a few Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) activities.

Sailors not only enjoyed Roatan's tropical beaches, cool water and hot sun, but they also enjoyed several activities such as snorkeling, canopy tours, fishing and diving trips, and supervised swimming with dolphins.

“Roatan is an outstanding place to visit, not only for Sailors on liberty, but for vacationers as well,” said Cmdr. Roderick Fraser, commanding officer of Underwood. "I am considering bringing my family here on vacation. I really enjoyed the dolphin interaction and swim. The snorkeling here was awesome, also.”

Many Sailors took advantage of Roatan's beautiful beaches by going snorkeling.

"I had a blast snorkeling," said Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Aaron L. Preistkorn. "The water was amazingly clear, and the reefs were so beautiful."

Others enjoyed being harnessed up and suspended from a line while sliding through Roatan's jungle and wildlife during a canopy tour.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the canopy tour," said Preistkorn. "It was awesome to see parts of the island that you could never see on foot."

Sailors not only encountered the foliage of Roatan, but were also able to interact with small monkeys while on their tour.

"We got to play with small monkeys during the canopy tour," said Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Matthew Cole. "It was really neat to have them jump up on our shoulders. It really gave us the overall tropical island atmosphere experience."

Other Sailors took the opportunity to go right back out to sea on fishing and diving trips.

"We had a great time diving and catching lobster," said Hull Technician 1st Class (SW) Eric Boehinger. "The port visit overall was just amazing."

Underwood is operating in the Caribbean Sea as part of USS George Washington (CVN 73) Carrier Strike Group (GWCSG) conducting “Partnership of the Americas,” a training and readiness deployment of U.S. naval forces with countries from the Caribbean and Latin America, in support of U.S. Southern Command objectives for enhanced maritime security.

Underwood and the other GWCSG assets, George Washington, USS Monterey (CG 61) and USS Stout (DDG 55), are operating with various forces while focusing on unconventional threats such as narco-terrorism and human trafficking.

Underwood will return to her homeport in Mayport, Fla. later this spring.