BACK IN FRENCH CAY HARBOR, ROATAN

To get away from here for a few days, we sailed to West End last week so I could fulfill that need "to shop"!  All better now!  While we were there, the winds changed direction from easterly to westerly, and was blowing @ 15 knots.  The West End is not where you want to be for westerlies as the seas can get pretty rough.  So we set sail to return to French Cay Harbor which is @ a 3 hour ("tour") sail.  The winds were @ 12 - 15 kts with the waves 3 - 4 feet.  As soon as we rounded the corner to the southern coast, the seas were flat and no wind...... so we motored!  (Sure hate using up the gas.)

One reason to return here is that we are having a new hard top made that will not only better protect us in the cockpit but enable us to collect water, like a sistern, plus it will replace the canvas top on there now.  The tropical sun does much damage to Sunbrella, as we folks from Florida know oh so well.  Monday is the scheduled start day and should only take a week.  Let's just see how it goes since they are on island time down here.

Weather report - HOT and MUGGY!

Next week I am taking a Scuba Discovery lesson.  It is a four hour session for the newbie to determine whether scuba diving is for them (me) or not.  A fellow cruiser is a Master Diver (his wife is my yoga instructor) and he will be introducing me to the sport.  Never, I repeat never, in my life did I ever think I would scuba dive, other then when I was kid and played Sea Hunt in the bathtub -(somebody please tell me you did that too!!!)  There is a LOT of equipment necessary - like skiing but heavier.  Paddy just replaced his gear and wants to dive more, so with the gorgeous destinations we have planned, I need to give it the all American college try to enjoy the fun underwater!  It is fun though to snorkel above him and enjoy the tickle of the air bubbles - like taking a Perrier bath....................oops!  I'm in the tub again.
Will keep you posted.

Tonight we are going to the marina for a pot luck and dance------------ I'll be wearing my party flip flops. 

Have a great weekend - here are some photos!

Namaste'

Interesting "yard art" by the outside lavatories.

The Queen in her garden!

Outside showers at Frenchy's.

Evening cocktails on the bow.

Life of Sailors!

Just wanted to let you know that it's not all "fun and games" living on a sailing vessel.  Typical day:  starts out with yoga or a walk and/or run, load up the dinghy with garbage for the drop off, grab recycle grocery bags for our trip to Eldon's (local market - not quite Publix, but close!), drop off food scraps at the Iguana Farm, tie up at the shrimp boat docks, walk to market, shop, bring everything back to boat, then find a place to put everything (my biggest challenge of the day!)!!! :)  Let's do some waxing, and we need to transfer the fuel.  Forgot the laundry ......we can do that tomorrow. Now we're hot, so jump off the stern for a dip in the Caribbean to cool off.  Now it must be time to read a book or play on the computer.  (did I tell you I'm addicted to Mahjong??)  Oh boy, now it's cocktail hour - oh, it's only 2:30?  Oh well.  Thinking about you!  Wish you were here!

Gasolina dispensed via garden hose and funnel from 1 gallon whiskey jugs.

Waterfront living in Oak Ridge Harbor, the Venice of the Caribbean.  Water taxis everywhere!

Sunset at Los Cayos Cochinos, great snorkeling in the fans garden next to the cliff on the right. 

Salva Vidas at Frenchy's island...................

We recently had a decadent day...... a local gal, Flaca, came to the boat and gave us both pedicures and I had my hair trimmed.  Cost - men's pedicure 400 lempiras, women's 350 lempiras, trim 100 lempiras.  Total 850 lempiras, or USD $41.50 plus tip.  Then we celebrated our re-newed feet with champagne!!!! 

 

 Jill and Ray Thomas at Frenchy's 44, French Cay Harbor, Roatan

Frenchy's 44, looks like paradise, right?  It is and they have the best Monkey La-Las!

 Turtle Grass Shack, Calabash Bight, Roatan

 Venice of the Caribbean - canals from Calabash to Oak Ridge.

Le Chat Beaute - in all it's glory!

We have been very busy the past 5 weeks.  Paddy's friend, Larry, visited for 3 weeks from Seattle.  Went zip lining and toured an Iguana farm.  Also had a bad storm come through The West End - we were rocking and a rolling for @ 30 hours!  It was NOT fun.  Jill and Ray Thomas, from Crystal River, were here for 2 weeks.  Lots of food and alcohol consumed, sailed around the southern coast of Roatan, plus to Los Cayos Cochinos, islands @ 18 miles south of here.

Updates - Mom is still in Cypress Cove and when you asked her how she's doing - you'd think she was training for the Boston Marathon.  Obviously not, but she is improving.  Thank goodness.  Kerry has been very attentive - and thank goodness for that too.

It's starting to get hot here!  Paddy's having some boat work done here so could take up to 3-4 weeks.  Then off to the Rio Dulce to "park" the boat for hurricane season.

Since things change often.....................my new motto is:  "Plan" is a four letter word written in the sand at low tide.

Finally in Roatan

My last posting was on my Mom’s 90^th birthday. Unfortunately, a week or so later she fell and broke

her hip. Surgery was performed and pins were inserted instead of a hip replacement. After a few days in Seven Rivers Hospital, she was transferred to Cypress Cove Assisted Living. Kerry has been there for her and keeping him busy. Gator Dave visits with chocolate, so I know she’s eating! She’s very anxious to get home to her cat, NLB. Get well soon Mom!

Our Valentine’s Day present to each other was finally leaving the marina in Belize City and heading

south. Spent a few days “cay hopping” and arrived in Placencia, Belize on Feb. 16^th. Now this place is very quaint, nice anchorage harbor, met several other yatistias at the happy hour tiki called Yolie’s. Everyone has a dinghy or they would never get off their boat! At 4:50 everyone is jumping into there dinghy and racing for a parking spot at the dock! The next evening we were invited to a pot luck where we met cruisers from Sarasota, Canada, Michigan, England, just to name a few places. There are stories flowing all the time, and certainly very interesting ones about all their travels around the world. Of course there are lots of conversations about boat parts and engine problems – however, you find out how to fix just about anything that could go wrong.

Knowing we had to move on, we left Monday the 20^th for Ranguana then Tom Owens Cay. Go to www.reefworldbelize.com for the full scoop. This area of the world is very popular for scuba diving and snorkeling because of the barrier reef. Many of the resorts are set up for these activities including lessons. Reef World is for those who don’t mind roughing it. But what a LOCATION!!

Roatan was our destination which is @ 75 miles from where we located at Lime Cay. Because it was @ 12 hour sail, we left at 3 p.m. so we could arrive in Utila (west of Roatan) the next morning. The sky was clear, but the winds kicked up to @ 15 – 20 knots (that’s a lot!) and waves that were 4 – 5 ft. so it was a very interesting trip as I had the 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. watch while the captain napped. (Yes, I took a Dramamine!) Thank GOD for auto pilot! Just makes it easier but NOT easy. Proceeded onto to West End, Roatan. Radioed for a mooring, and coordinates to get through the opening of the reef. Had a guy in a dinghy (of course) guide us thru the opening and to our mooring. The island is in front of us, the mountains of Honduras are to the southwest of us. Roatan is 28 miles long west to east and @ 1 – 2 miles wide. It’s hilly and lush – reminding me very much of Maui with the beautiful vegetation and flowers. Spanish is the primary language and there are many English speaking people here. Currency is Lempiras, value 19 lemps to $1 US. So a Salva Vida – Honduran beer - could cost you 60 lempiras. (3 bucks) No coins only paper.

Paddy and I went for a run/walk this morning along the beach. The path took us through a park and several resorts. Check out Las Rocas Resort. Beautiful places…………………it’s another kind of paradise.

Hope all is well with you. Thanks for checking in. Oh, who is the follower Sunshine?

The Captain repairing the headsail - getting ready to go up the mast.

Here's the Captain AGAIN..... caught a dorado - a/k/a Mahi Mahi - and it was great cooked on the grill.

View of West End, Roatan, Honduras.

Repairing the headsail.

Cucumber Beach Marina - We're STILL here!

Happy 90th birthday Manatee Mari!!!

 

 The Le Chat Beaute is tied up right next to this tiki! 

The famous Mayan calendar ending Dec. 23, 2012!  Want to buy one?  They're real cheap as they're only good for 11 months when the world ends!

 Jenensa, our favorite waitress delivering 2 Belikins, the beer of Belize.  

 This is the Ladies room, toilets inside and sinks outside under the foliage - it's very lush here.  Below is the stellae of the Sun God.  There is a museum on site here depicting the history of Belize, i.e. the "sleeping arrangements" (man on cot, woman in hammock), original sugar cane grinder over 150 years old, history of the logging of mahogany, and the Garafuna settlers.

 Spent the day in Belize City Thursday, for no other reason than to take a break from the marina.  Stayed in an old inn called the Great House Inn, across the street from the Raddison with all the amenities.  Above is a breadfruit tree which creates a nice canopy over the bar, which is where we were sitting of course!  Below is the lovely Smokey Mermaid Bar & Grill. 

The Captain is still in recovery mode as it has only been a week since his surgery.  He has a followup appt Monday - and hopefully we will be leaving the Marina to cruise south.

So who are we rooting for in the Super Bowl since Tebow didn't make it?  Miss all of you a bunch!

N 17.28.319, W088.14.916  Belize City

 Left Cay Caulker and made a 4 hour sail to Long Cay which was once a bird sanctuary until a hurricane came through a few years go.  But that didn't seem to negatively affect the sunsets here.  Arrived at the Cucumber Beach Marina, Belize City, on Wednesday as we needed to get Paddy in for a medical check up.  Ah, a hernia - go figure!  Surgery was scheduled and completed on Friday as an outpatient procedure.  The private clinic, doctors and staff were very thorough and friendly.  The surgeon is Indian, spends 6 weeks in North Dakota and then 2 weeks here.  Gets around.  The total cost was $1,300 USD, or $2,600 Belize $$.  Sound cheap? So he's now recovery nicely.
  
We met some Rotarians from New Mexico.  They are in Belize along with a group from 2 other states to distribute the wheelchairs pictured below.  The Rotarians got together with a company in California that was able to order these chairs from......where else? - China.  Over 200 were shipped here, assembled and are being distributed to the needy throughout this country.  Do those white chairs look familiar?  Well they should since we probably all have a few!  The chair is attached to a structure that has bicycle tires (allowing the user to better navigate on dirt and cobblestone roads).  The kit includes a seat belt, bicycle tire pump and a wrench in the foot plate to change positions for adults and children.  It is always a humbling experience to see in person the good works of other.  All you Rotarians and other volunteers can be proud!

Things are quiet for the time being until the Captain is fully recovered, as his 1st mate is still in major training! 
Book recommendation:  The Tiger's Wife, a novel by Tea Obreht.  Very interesting mix of legend, magical realism and reality.  (thanks for the bookmark Gail P.!)  Any reading suggestions would be appreciated!
And I'm now addicted to Mahjong - playing that on my new laptop.

Caye Caulker, Belize

Very Colorful fabrics made with the ancient Mayan tradition into bags, table runners, and anything else they can think of.

 This is how the "yatistas" prepare for a run on the mainland.

Below -  Numerous frigate birds flying overhead and pelicans floating waiting for this fisherman to toss in the air the foot of the conch -- that's what he is cleaning.

Party boat for the Sticky Ball?????

It’s Sunday,  January 21, 2012 and we have been at Cay Caulker south of Ambergris Cay since……I forgot! Oh well, it’s definitely a funky island – 4 miles long, lots of mangroves, backpackers, beach bars, and people from all over. Lots of Canadians.  Most are even young – what a concept!  This island also parallels the reef, so yesterday we went on a guided tour with 4 other guests for a day of snorkeling with nurse sharks, rays and a great variety of beautiful fish – big and small as well as swimming over and around the many varieties of coral. 

Every morning at 8 am all the cruisers get on their ham radios for the NW NET.  First the “leader” asks for any medical or emergencies that require immediate attention.  Then we are given a complete NOAA weather report for the western Caribbean from as far north as Isla Mujeres (near Cancun) and as far south as Roatan, a beautiful island off the coast of Honduras.  It’s on our list!  Any cruisers under way are asked to identify themselves as in some cases you are cruising straight through the night.  Then the rest of the “yatistas” (cruisers) can check in announcing the name of their boat and the names of the people aboard, their location, and local weather.  Many of them know each other, so they are making plans for birthday parties and when they can meet up.  This yachting community keeps close track of each other.  We have already had cocktails with the Queen Mary and Expectations.  We are all meeting up on Tuesday to sail south to the Turneffe Islands which are @ 8 NM (that’s nautical miles) east of Belize’s barrier reef, also the largest of Belize’s three offshore atolls.

Milk – real milk - is hard to find here.  Daily Paddy and I are on a mission to visit every market to see if they have any.  This is when you really appreciate Publix!!  Otherwise we are eating and drinking like the king and queen that we are.  Can’t say I miss working - J just Brad!!!