5/30/06

Orchids growing along the sidewalk

We woke up with the sunlight in our hatch at about 6 a.m.  as we were anchored in Placencia. We secured the boat and started pulling up the anchor.   It was very muddy, so by the time we cleaned the anchored, we pulled out of the Placencia, Belize harbor before 7 a.m.

We headed 45 miles south to anchor outside of Livingston, so we can cross the shallow bar in early morning with high tide.   The bar is 5 1/2 feet, and our draft is 6 feet, so we have to go across it at high tide to get into the Rio Dulce River.

The winds are at 15 knots and seas are 1-3' inside the reef.  We are headed to Cabo Tres Puenta.  It is an anchorage about 2 hours from Livingston behind the point that sticks out at Guatemala.

We checked into the NW Caribbean net on the SSB radio and gave them our update and position.

We had 4 dolphin swim along with us for a very long time.  We saw a big tortoise swimming along also.

We set anchor as the clock chimed 3 p.m.   Our location is: N15 55.77, W 88 35.91

It was a great anchorage at Cabo Tres Puenta. 

We snorkeled & swam around the boat.  Sonny picked up 3 starfish & 3 sand dollars.

We watched as the locals set their fishing nets nearby in their long powerboats with motors.

We went outside and sat on the deck to listen.  The animals were constant.  Dark clouds began to gather around us.   Lightning and thunder were getting closer.  We checked the radar, sure enough, it was heading our way.  

We closed all the hatches below and prepared for rain.  We were down to about 1/2 tank of water, so after the deck received a good soaking bath, we plugged up the scuppers and siphoned the rain water into our water tank once again.

We then got out the shampoo and soap and took a shower in the rain.   Of course, when you get all soaped up........right......the rain becomes a light shower, then stops.   Our first rain shower.  Nice.

Once the rain stopped, at about 7:30 a.m. Sonny pulled up the anchor and we raised the mainsail.  No wind, so we slowly left the anchorage.  We have to wait until 10:35 a.m. for high tide to cross the bar.

Right at 10:35, we arrived at Livingston and followed the markers in as we crossed the bar.  We had .6 foot under our keel, at times.  But, we made it without a bump.   

After we crossed the bar, we went nearby to anchor, with our "Q" (quarantine) flag flying, so immigration, customs and the Port Captain would come to our boat.    

While they were aboard, a sailboat nearby that we had been watching swung around too close to our boat. So the officials went over and pulled up the anchor and set it again while the owner was in town and we, in turn, moved farther away from the roaming sailboat.

At about 2 p.m., we had cleared all of our paperwork and headed down the Rio Dulce River.   It was so beautiful!  The video camera and digital camera were going constantly.     What do you think?

As we headed down the river, we followed the path thru the twists and turns.

There were huge cliffs on both sides.

We wandered 10 miles along the river.

It was so pretty......

Our marina is 20 miles from Livingston, so we had to anchor along the way.

We dropped anchor behind Cayo Grande, an island in the El Golfete portion of the Rio Dulce, about 10 miles inland.   It was an awesome place.

We went for a swim and Sonny was still in the water while I was on deck and I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

   It was a homemade Cayucos with two small Mayan girls inside who had rowed, with a board for a paddle, probably 1/2 mile to see us.   They were very shy, but curious.   We gave them each a bag of candy, and made friends with them instantly.  Their names were Maria, 10 years old on the right, and Yolanda, 7 years old, on the left.  They spoke no English, so Sonny managed to communicate in Spanish to them.  The girls were very small. 

We had been watching them ashore in their modest home on the water with our binoculars.  We noticed they had a younger brother, so we went over to take him a bag of candy.  We met their family and enjoyed them.

About two hours later, we arrived at Mario's Marina.   We were given a slip right in front of the restaurant.   It is a very nice marina on the river.   Most of the cruisers have not arrived yet, so it is quiet.   Our buddy boat, Deux Pieds, should arrive around June 20th.   It will be good to see them again.

We bought 3 fresh pineapples from a local who came to our boat for $2 US, for all three.   Then. Sonny walked around the marina and found a coconut and cut it.   It was delicious.

I can't believe we have been here for one week.    We have fallen in love with this place, like all cruisers that come here.   It is like jungle all around us.   Where there is not trees, we have mountains in the distance on three sides.   Early in the morning, we turn off the fan in our v-berth hatch and listen to all the birds and the howler monkeys.   The monkeys sound like a lion or something huge.

We have gone to Fronteras, the closest town, by dinghy.   From our marina, there are no roads, you go everywhere by dinghy.

Fronteras is a poor community, but has great vegetables and fruit at the market.  Boat supplies and normal things you may need are hard to find.

We have walked down the path to a tiny village, Esmeralda.   Along with primitive homes, there are 4 churches, several tiny stores, a school and a clinic.    We took pictures of the children at the school and they would rush to us to see their picture on the digital camera afterwards.   It wasn't their first pictures, right?

There is a clinic next door to the school where cruisers volunteer their time.  We have already gone to the clinic.  Sonny organized some medications and helped with putting vitamins labeled in plastic bags and Kay sprayed children with scabies.  It is truly a different world here.   Makes you not complain about our health insurance, doctors, or hospitals.   We are thankful.

Hopefully, next Monday, we will begin our Spanish classes.   We plan to take lessons in Quetzaltenango.   It is about an 8 hour bus ride from here.   We will live with a Guatemalian family for 7 days and take one-on-one Spanish lessons for 5 hours during the day, then do activities during the afternoon and evening to practice our Spanish and learn the culture of the country.   The host family provides us with 3 meals a day.   The total for everything for one week is $125.  We plan to take one week, then go back later for another week or two.    We are excited about that.   You can only talk so much with your hands.   We were trying to explain in Fronteras that we needed a submersible water pump that plugs into 110 power that you connect a water hose to, so we can wash the boat.   That was a challenge.

June 13, 2006

We arrived in Quetzaltenango on Sunday evening after a long day of bus rides.   It was a 5 hour ride from Fronteras to Guatemala City, on a nice bus with air conditioning and a great view along the way of the mountains, mud slides, and villages.   At Guat. City,  we hopped in a taxi to change bus stations to take us to the Galgos terminal and take a 1st Class bus from Guat. City to Quetzaltenango, 4 1/2 hour trip.

The 5 hour bus ride from Fronteras to Guat. City was 50 quetzals or $7 US.  The 4 1/2 hour bus ride from Guat. City to Quetzaltenango was 45 quetzals or $6.50 each.   

The Galgos bus was not air conditioned, the roads were like spagetti up and around the mountains, with the bus driver zooming around cars, trucks, and buses on blind curves on the mountain.  It was a very rough trip.  One stop, a large Mayan family got on, 14 of them, and they all climbed into the four seats behind us.  They just kept coming.     

We are in front of the sauna which is heated by the Santa Maria Volcano.

I have a log page of Quetzaltenango and our Spanish Classes and will have monthly log pages.

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