Product Safety Recall: Garmin® BlueChart g2 and g2 Vision v2009

Product Safety Recall: Garmin® BlueChart g2 and g2 Vision v2009

Posted June 4, 2009 | 09:17 AM in Marine | Permalink

CAYMAN ISLANDS/June 4, 2009/Business Wire – Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today that the company is conducting a voluntary product safety recall of the 2009 version of its marine cartography data card known as BlueChart® g2 and g2 Vision. The affected data cards have been sold between April 8, 2009 and June 3, 2009.

In certain waters, the data card provides inaccurate indications of the depth of the water. This creates a risk of boats going aground, which could result in damage to the boat and/or personal injury.

While Garmin has only received reports of data cards giving inaccurate depth indications in the waters along the coast of Sweden and Denmark, out of an abundance of caution, Garmin has voluntarily chosen to globally recall all 2009 versions of the BlueChart g2 and g2 Vision cards. Garmin has notified relevant authorities about this issue and is working closely with them. No other products are affected by this recall.

Affected products are the 2009 version of the BlueChart g2 in Garmin proprietary card format, BlueChart g2 in microSD/SD card format and BlueChart g2 Vision in microSD/SD card format. Customers are being advised not to use these data cards for navigation.

Affected customers will be provided with a free replacement BlueChart or BlueChart g2 Vision v2008.5. When the 2009 version has been corrected Garmin intends to make it available free of charge to those customers. For more information on the recall and to determine if their cards are affected and eligible for a free replacement, go to www.garmin.com/bluechartrecall.

Check Your EPIRB Registartion

We posted earlier about what happens when you activate your EPIRB. Now comes a notice that perhaps there is a problem with the EPIRB registration at NOAA.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - APRIL 23, 2009 - Cobham Life Support, ACR Products, the world's leader in safety and survival technologies, is urging all EPIRB and PLB owners to double check their 15-character identification code registration.

According to a recent Marine Board of Investigation inquiry, which is looking into the sinking of the scallop boat Lady Mary on March 24th, there was a discrepancy in the EPIRB's identification number, marked on a decal that the boat's owner had received from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after he registered the EPIRB.

In the case of the Lady Mary, the emergency signal initially received by authorities was regarded as unregistered which may have led to delays in response time while emergency center controllers waited for additional satellite passes to fix a location. Had the controllers been able to pull the Lady Mary's registration data, they could have contacted emergency contacts to confirm the status of the boat and its general location prior to a satellite fix.

"Because this situation came to light, we are urging all beacon owners to compare their 15-character identification code printed on the beacon with the registration sticker they receive from NOAA just to ensure they both match," said Chris Wahler, Marketing Manager for Cobham Life Support, ACR Products. "If there is a discrepancy, we urge the owner to contact NOAA immediately to correct the information."

An EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) or PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) is a satellite-signaling device of last resort, for use when all other means of self-rescue have been exhausted and where the situation is deemed to be grave and imminent, and the loss of life, limb, eyesight or valuable property will occur without assistance. All US beacons must be registered with NOAA following purchase. Registration, including the beacon's unique 15-character identification code, often is made online at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov.

Despite the requirement to register all EPIRBs and PLBs, some reports show that up to 40 percent of EPIRB activations are from unregistered beacons, a possible deadly mistake when minutes can make the difference between life and death.

In an emergency, the EPIRBs and PLBs transmit on 406 MHz via the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system with the sender's unique, registered, digitally coded distress signal. The code allows emergency officials monitoring the system to tell who is sending the signal (thanks to the coding and registration data). Once the emergency is confirmed and location data is received from the satellites, a search can be authorized.

Wahler said proper registration is vital in the early minutes of an emergency so rescue center officials can obtain critical data about a boat's owner, home port, emergency contacts and other information to begin a search even before a satellite gets a fix on a beacon's location.

See our previous post at http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/search/label/You%20activated%20your%20EPIRB...%20now%20what%3F

Cruising On a Working Class Budget

Our Mariner 40 ketch, Sea Trek, has been our home for 17 years. In that time we have lived aboard and cruised her whenever the kitty reached the magic number we had set for our next voyage.

Since leaving our previous home base in the Florida Keys for this most recent trip we have put a bit more than 3,000 miles under her keel. We visited four countries and transited the coastline of five states — two with the largest coasts in the United States and two with the shortest. We have put 750 hours on our engine and that means eight oil and filter changes and five changes of our three fuel filters.

Our unscientific estimate of anchoring is that we have dropped and raised the anchor more than 190 times (and with a manual windlass). We were very fortunate in only having three pieces of equipment break down and we believe this is a result of good preparation and a good maintenance schedule along the way.

We only spent 127 days at a dock out of 20 months. We anchored behind a reef with nothing but ocean on the other side for thousands of miles. We visited remote Mayan villages and dispensed medicine to a people that once ruled the land in a grand civilization. We visited thousand-year-old ruins of that civilization. It has been a grand adventure.

We also spent a few hard-earned dollars. Walk any dock or visit any cruisers’ hang-out or surf the Internet and stop in at any boater’s discussion board and the “How much does it cost?” question always pops up.

Our expenditures presented here are for one year only and do not include preparation, gear, provisioning purchased prior to leaving or money needed to get by once you return to reality, but before the paychecks start coming in again. It includes actual money spent from the time we left the dock until the end of the 12th month. Our cruise began April 1, 2005 and the figures are through March 31, 2006.

We enjoy eating out occasionally, and love to travel and explore the countries we visit. Boat maintenance and repairs are a fact of life and how much you need to budget for repairs is going to be mostly guesswork based on the condition of the boat and the age of your equipment.

Assuming that you have fully outfitted your boat with all the gear — watermaker, life raft, wind generator, solar panels, dinghy and outboard — that you feel you must have to enjoy cruising and to be comfortable and safe, you will then have to provision the boat with foodstuffs and other non-food items. Again, I am not counting this in our expenses, but mention it because there are some items we generally stock up on prior to leaving U.S. waters because they are often difficult or cumbersome to get in remote places. We buy toilet paper and paper towels in large quantities and store them in our largest hanging locker. (The clothes that resided there are packed away for the duration, off the boat and in storage in a friend’s garage.)

We also buy as much soda and beer as we can stow on the boat because it is much cheaper in the United States and it is easier than bringing it by dinghy back to the boat. A year’s supply of vitamins, herbal remedies, prescription meds, over-the-counter remedies, etc., are also placed on board. The over-the-counter medications are generally cheaper in the United States and you might have favorite throat lozenges and if, by chance, you can find them in Belize, they will cost two to three times the amount.

Regarding paying the bills: If you have a boat payment to make each month, have those payments automatically deducted from your account. We only use our debit card from that same account when traveling so we don’t have to worry about monthly credit card bills.

We decided to keep our car instead of selling it this time around so we had the insurance automatically deducted from said account every six months. The car was left with friends, who drove it instead of just letting it sit and rot. Any other bills that may be floating around get sent to us periodically through our mail forwarding service. They are great and will even open the mail and tell us how much the bill is if we can’t access it online, or if we don’t want to pay exorbitant postage to have it sent to us outside of the United States.

We also have made the decision not to carry health insurance while cruising outside the United States. If we need healthcare, we have found it to be affordable everywhere we traveled (except the States) and there are competent physicians in most places. Knock on wood — we have not had any serious health problems in all of our years aboard. This is a personal decision that someone with specific health issues may not be able to make. We don’t own a home or any property anywhere that has to be maintained and the kids are grown so when we are ready to go, all of the strings and umbilical cords have been severed.

Breaking it down

Now, after spending $1,000 or so putting canned foods, paper products, snacks, cookies, juices, shelf milk, rice and so forth into every possible nook and cranny aboard Sea Trek, we are ready to go. The budget consists of about nine months spent in the Western Caribbean and three months in the United States.

The category for boat fuel consists of both diesel for the boat and gas for the dinghy. Boat repair consists of what we paid others, and parts and materials for repairs and replacements that we did ourselves. We have found this figure to be pretty steady throughout recent years. Remember, the wear and tear you put on your boat while under way is much more than it would be just sitting at the dock, so these repairs are inevitable even for a relatively new boat.

The amount we spent on dining out was a big shock to us, but we have included all trips to the local ice cream shop and stops for sodas and beer as well as lunches and dinners in restaurants. If it didn’t get consumed on the boat, it was considered dining out.

Dockage was a fairly large figure for us, but it seemed we spent more time in marinas for various reasons than we usually do. In some places, anchorages just aren’t available due to shoaling or the anchorages have been replaced by mooring fields. In other areas, like Belize City, services can only be accessed by going into a marina. Entertainment included Internet cafes, CDs, museums, concerts, visiting ruins, satellite TV and the like. Travel is taxis, buses, rental cars, etc. Housing was our boat payment. Miscellaneous was haircuts, insect repellent and strange things that didn’t fall into other categories or cash that was spent that we could not account for. Maintenance included any item that was purchased to maintain the boat in her present condition. Most of the other categories are self explanatory and should not require any further explanation.

So here is how it breaks down per year:

Auto insurance (recreational use only) – $378.20

Gas for borrowed cars and rentals – $130.21

Bank charges – $270

Boat fuel (diesel and gas) – $1,440.06

Boat insurance (covering Caribbean) – $2,631.92

Charity – $13

Clothing – $63.02

Dining – $1,792.05

Dockage – $1,833.07

Entertainment – $654.46

Gifts – $229.02

Groceries/provisions – $3,828.54

Housing (boat payments) – $4,479.36

Laundry – $165.10

Maintenance – $888.97

Medical/doctors – $242.50

Medicine – $233.09

Miscellaneous – $730.39

Port fees – $608.83

Postage – $17.28

Subscriptions – $52.86

Taxes and registration – $45.60

Utilities/electric – $161.99

Phone – $304.40

Hotels – $395.07

Travel – $369.66

Our total expenditures for the year were $25,805.10. If your boat is paid off, you’re down to about $21,500 and the amount can be even less if you only anchor out, don’t eat out, etc. Again, we feel this amount is fairly accurate as other friends of ours whose boat is paid off figure they spend about $20,000 for a year off in the wild blue yonder. Surprisingly enough, as I look at our budget for previous years, the costs have not changed dramatically except in the areas of insurance and fuel.

Behind the numbers

To give you an idea of what boat repairs we encountered, the depth sounder transducer needed to be replaced and it had to be a special length so it cost more than your standard transducer. We hauled the boat and had the bottom painted, which should probably be in the maintenance category, but we had the depth sounder installed at that time so we considered it a repair. We also had our outboard completely rebuilt when it was becoming sluggish. We decided that our anchor rode was a little tired and should be replaced. Also, we had to buy a new microwave oven in Guatemala when the old one gave up the ghost. If it was on the boat and had to be repaired or replaced, it was counted in the boat repair category.

The last thing you have to take into consideration over and beyond the above-mentioned expenditures is the amount you will need when you return to keep you going until you are gainfully employed once again. We generally like to set aside about $3,000 for this.

Let your needs and considerations be the determining factors to help you compute your costs, but by all means go and have fun.

Preparations For Cruising

The true meaning of cruising plans are “made in jello” came to live with us several years ago. We had quit our jobs in the Florida Keys, sold our car and were ready to get underway when we had one parent die and the other become injured and need to go into nursing care. That idea that cruisers need to be flexible and change their plans at a moments notice was clearer to us at that moment than at any other since we moved aboard 17 years ago. Instead of turning right outside of our channel, we turned left and started heading North. After getting things settled up North, we were then underway in the ICW heading South after putting our cruising plans on hold for a year and a half and working in the Baltimore/Annapolis area.

You can generally predict the first question people ask you when you tell them you are quitting your job. “Oh, where are you going?” To be able to predict their response when you tell them you are sailing your boat from the Chesapeake Bay to San Diego is not quite so simple. The responses have ranged from “That is so cool!” to simply looks of amazement and open mouths. Once the shock has passed, another barrage of questions begins.

How much money do you have to save to cruise per year?

The answer to that differs for each person. If you have a bottomless pit from which to pull dollars or pesos, you really don’t need to read this, but for most of us, cruising is a break from reality to which we eventually have to return. Unfortunately, we still have a boat payment, so that is a given each month before we even begin to consider other expenses. What we did do in the past few years was to take advantage of the lower interest rates and refinance our boat, making our boat payments $110 dollars less a month! Any payment like this is automatically deducted from our money market account so we are not trying to mail payments from small islands with questionable mail service. (We sent “certified” mail from the Dominican Republic a few years back and it never made it back to Baltimore.)

A trusted friend or relative might also handle payments that need to be made on a regular basis. If the payments and dates are fixed, a good solution might be to write out the checks for each month, put each in an envelope pre-addressed and stamped and date the bottom left hand corner as to when it will need to be mailed. This eliminates the guesswork and makes the process easier for the person assisting you.

Back to my original question, how much do you have to save? We take our monthly fixed expenses and add about $1,250 to that and get our budget. We have talked to many people who are living on $800 per month pensions and do okay as long as they don’t have any major breakdowns. We traditionally have had expensive problems so budget that into each month, then hope we don’t have to spend it. Some months cruising in remote places have seen us spend only $500. If there is no place to spend money, it gets to stay in your pocket. We don’t go out to dinner, but chose lunch on occasion instead. It is cheaper and we still get to treat ourselves. We are also much more comfortable being back on the boat at night. Due to our set monthly obligations, spending habits and past experience, I like to have $1750 in the bank per month for each month you anticipate cruising, with a $3 –4000 buffer to set up camp when you reach your destination. That should hopefully cover a used car and dockage until you can find work and get some money rolling back in. For those of you who are permanently retired, the buffer will be good for those unexpected surprises or airfare.

What do you do about health insurance?

We have made the decision to cruise without health insurance. Some people think that is crazy and foolhardy, but for our budget, $350 per month means the difference between going and not going. That is each person’s decision. What we do is try to anticipate what medications we may need for the duration of the cruise and stock up on them. Most doctors will get on board (no pun intended) with the program if you let them know you will be in remote places for a long period of time and need to have antibiotics, anti-malaria drugs, etc. on board. We keep a Merck’s medical manual, an emergency medical advice book as well as some homeopathic remedy books on board. If one of us comes down with something, we research the symptoms until we figure it out if a medical person is not available. We have also found that good medical care is indeed available outside the US at a fraction of the cost. We don’t encourage others to adopt our philosophy, since each must determine their own needs and expectations.

How do you know what to provision? What do you take with you?

This would be another, of many times we have gone cruising for a year or more. We have learned to only take what you use. Extra stuff just takes up space for things that you really need. I start by buying a ton of paper towels and toilet paper. Almost everything comes out of our big hanging locker and it becomes the paper product locker. We also purchase cases of already cooked canned meats from a company called Werling and Sons in Ohio. There are a number of other companies that folks use; we just have always used Werling. The delivery is prompt, the product is good and the cost is reasonable. I ordered 4 cases for our last cruise and had a lot left over so only got 3 this time. We rarely are unable to find food. We also take canned vegetables and fruit, enough to last about 6 weeks. If we get to a place we really like, we don’t want to have to leave for lack of provisions. We stock our small Adler Barbour freezer with as much frozen meat as we can. Take ground beef, etc. out of its original packaging and place in freezer bags to maximize space, which allows you to fit more in. Sea Trek also gets stocked with cereal, snacks, sodas, and whatever other items you really like and are afraid you won’t be able to find outside of the country. Always eliminate extra cardboard and packaging and try to store as much as you can in zipper storage bags or airtight containers. You may want to try inserting a bay leave into each baggie of food to deter bugs. (They tell me that bugs don’t like bay leaves, but who knows.)

Because we like particular hygiene products, I buy enough of those to last us for the duration - razors, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste and those sorts of things. I also purchase enough vitamins, cotton swabs and balls, stomach remedies and the like to last the entire length of our trip. This action was spurned on by the cost of Pepto Bismol in the Bahamas!! I also don’t want to have to look for sensitive toothpaste in a 3rd world country. We keep a storage list of where everything, and I mean everything, is on the boat. If we forget where we put something, we simply look it up in the computer or on the hard copy that we print out. After you bury things deep in your bilge, you will be glad you took the time to take inventory.

What kind of gear and safety equipment do you have on board?

This is an area unto itself, but I’ll try to keep it short, starting from the bow. Check your ground tackle. We didn’t like the looks of our 1st 100 feet of chain a decided to replace it. It was a bit too rusty and we could not find anyone in a multi state area to re-galvanize. Also make sure your ground tackle is adequate. We use a 45-pound CQR with 200 feet of chain and 150 feet of rode as our primary, with a 35-pound CQR with 25 feet of chain and 150 feet of rode as our secondary. This has served us well except for the one time we got lazy in Georgetown South Carolina and didn’t back down on it like we usually do. We had a close encounter with a shrimp boat at 3:00 am and got the engine on and SeaTrek moving forward just in time! Sea Trek survived Hurricanes Georges in the Florida Keys, Floyd on the Wye River in Maryland and Irene in North Carolina on this tackle.

We added a life raft after our trip to the Bahamas. It is a 6 person raft. We figured if we got stranded, we might as well have some room to move about. It is serviced and repacked according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. We hope we never have to use it and that it was an invaluable insurance policy.

After 10 years and at least 2 biminis, we went with a hard top. It is built out of ¾ inch starboard with an aluminum frame built by a local welder. We then constructed side curtains led through tracks attached to 1 x 3 teak strips, which are screwed to the hardtop. There are side panels as well as a back panel. Two separate smaller panels cover the walkway areas to connect the sides to the windshield by snaps. The dodger also had been replaced at least twice and was replaced with a clear, heavy duty plastic windshield with a starboard hard top. Now we just have to remember not to stand up quickly! The hardtop is not as forgiving as the bimini.

In order to be able to communicate more effectively with people from long distances, Susan got her General Class ham license with the Morse code endorsement. We had a SSB, but now have a radio capable of both ham and single side band. Additionally, we need an email fix on a regular basis so we also purchased a Pactor IIe modem. It works like a charm and we can keep in touch with loved ones from afar. This is very beneficial for those of us with elderly parents. It also provides us with valuable weather information.

We have asked a lot of our little autopilot that gets connected to the wheel steering in the cockpit so decided on a heavy duty below decks hydraulic autopilot. After having the smaller one shipped back to the US last time and hand steering from Mayaguana to Luperon, we decided we needed to upgrade as the one we had wasn’t quite up to the task for heavy weather steering. Although costly, it is well worth the expense and is like having another crewmember on board without the messy bunk and stomach to feed. We made the decision to upgrade to a unit considerably larger than needed. We are sure this will pay off later.

Besides new equipment, much of the existing equipment received maintenance and repair. The watermaker got a thorough cleaning and check. The radar unit was not working properly and went back to the manufacturer for service. The wind generator came down. It was vibrating a bit and we know now small things lead to bigger problems later. We corrected the vibration, lubricated the bearings and gave the housing a fresh coat of paint. When that was not sufficient, it went back to the manufacturer, who did a much better job than we did and it is now working wonderfully. All onboard systems received a thorough check. Anything suspect was corrected or replaced. Every battery operated item on board got new batteries and we made sure an adequate supply was on hand. Pumps, alarms and safety equipment were priority issues. All outdated equipment in the life raft was replaced with the repack but there is still the boat equipment to consider; replacing expired flares, old life jackets and more.

On board electrical demands is a concern for all cruisers. A wind generator, solar panel and the engine alternator had served us well for many years. But our demands have grown. One of the decisions to add the hard top over the cockpit was to enable us to add additional solar panels. Four would have been preferred, but two were settled for. We also opted for a larger alternator on the engine. Cost was a big factor. At some point you have to stop spending and adding to, and go. The addition of 12-volt refrigeration, below decks autopilot, computer and more made the decision for us. We have chosen to run our AC appliances from an inverter rather than add a generator. Aside from the noise factor, we don’t want another system to maintain. Our 110-volt needs are few. The 1500-watt inverter will power the TV, VCR, microwave and all of our power tools.

Our family car (the dinghy) had proven to be dependable but very wet in most conditions we encountered. We upgraded to a RIB with larger tubes and a flare at the bow. This proved to be a much drier ride. It only followed that our outboard was too small so it too was upgraded. This is one piece of equipment that some cruisers don’t give serious consideration until well into their journey. It becomes the most used equipment on the boat and can make the difference between some very enjoyable times or sitting on the boat watching others have all the fun.

The electronics received a complete check and cleaning. Yes cleaning. All connections, plugs and battery terminals were cleaned and tested. We carry two GPS units since this is a very important navigational tool. We have also gone high tech and have a laptop, which allows us to use the latest chart and navigation software, receive weatherfax over the HF radio and be able to do email wherever we are on the planet. Consequently, we have a back up laptop also. Radios, antennas, ground planes and potential interferences on the boat were all checked and corrected as needed. It is so much easier to do it now, than when parts and assistance are not readily available. We also decided to update our VHF to the latest version with the remote mike for the cockpit.

We decided to take down the spars, repaint them and replaced any suspect rigging. This was a lengthy process and is deserving of its’ own space.

As you can see, the preparation appears daunting, but don’t let that stop you and keep you at the dock. We want to cruise while we are fit enough to enjoy it and young enough to have the energy needed to make such a long journey. Also, don’t forget to prepare your family and friends for your departure. Sometimes, that is the hardest preparation of all.

About The Boat

Sea Trek is a Mariner 40 Ketch designed by Clair Oberly and built in the Tayana yard in Taiwan. Her keel was laid late in 1978, she was finished in 1979 and shipped to the United States and commissioned by her first owner in 1980. She is a very traditional, heavy displacement (15 tons) extremely well built offshore cruiser. We purchased her in March of 1992 of moved aboard almost immediately. The previous owner had not abused her but also had not used her much. The equipment list was short so we pretty much started from scratch. She has a lot of teak on deck to keep us busy and a beautiful all teak interior.






Short trips on the Chesapeake Bay showed us the basics we would need. Our first weekend brought about our first addition. Bringing up the anchor from some muddy bottoms encouraged us to immediately install a good wash down system on the foredeck. The basic electronics such as speed, depth and wind instruments came very soon after. She had a VHF but it was old and also was replaced. Our first cruising plans were to head down the ICW to the Bahamas for an initial shakedown. Creature comforts as well as safety equipment took priority. The previous owner believed that the only way to cook on a boat was with an electric skillet and a microwave. He had a large microwave gimbaled in where a stove should go. We made the decision right from the beginning to do all of the installations ourselves as long as it did not endanger the safety and integrity of the vessel. Our first major project was a three burner propane stove with an oven. That meant we needed to completely install the entire propane system. This and all following installs were done according to all manufacturers and AYBS standards of safety and gave us a head start on repairs should something break.

We tried different types of dinghies from the hard rowing type to our final decision for a rigid hull inflatable. One of our friends came walking down the dock one day with a pair of beautiful stainless steel dinghy davits they had just remove from their boat. They ask us if we wanted them and before he finished asking I had them off his shoulder and sitting in our cockpit. The dinghy has almost never spent an night in the water since then.



Other than the normal and required safety equipment we were still pretty basic. But those creature comforts are what makes a cruising experience a pleasant one or a camping trip on the water. We installed a power inverter to run our small appliances and tools as opposed to a generator. We decided we could always change this later on. We never did. New cushions and blinds on the ports had the boat looking much more homey. With the inverter and more electronics we knew we would need a better source to keep the batteries up. Initially we installed a Four Winds wind generator as a starting point. It kept up on that first Bahamas trip but as we added over the years we also added three 85 watt solar panels.

That first cruise taught us a lot. We needed a good source for weather when not available through VHF or TV. At first a small transistor SSB receiver hooked to our laptop got us weatherfax and text weather forecasts. As our cruising expanded we joined all of our fellow cruisers with a SSB which of course did much more than our tiny receiver. Even later Susan received her ham license and we added ham radio to our communications. The 406 epirbs came into their own and we added those. A liferaft was next since we knew longer offshore passages were on the horizon. Over the years we have added new full batten sails to replace the originals. Our Perkins 4-108 proved to be woefully under powered for the boat so a new Yanmar took a big bite out of the cruising kitty. We have added a microwave, DVD/VHS recorder and player and a new LCD HD TV. Our original outdated autopilot did not survive that first trip down the ICW so we installed a heavy duty below decks hydraulic pilot that was designed for boats up to 75 feet and it has paid for itself over and over. One lesson we learned right off was not to buy cheap, ask others that have been out there and always go bigger than you think you will need.

On this last trip we replaced the canvas bimini and dodger with a hardtop that I designed from aluminum frame and Starboard, with a clear Lexan windshield. This has been a fantastic improvement. It allows us to completely enclose the cockpit like a pilothouse and gives us a good place to mount some of the solar panels. A plus lets me climb on top of it to deal with the mizzen. Radar, dual GPS units, a chartplotter, a new stereo set up and just recently a new central AC/Heat unit rounds out just some of the improvements we made along the way, The AC only runs when plugged into the dock by the way. We also found that a watermaker was much needed after that first trip. These are only some of the upgrades we have done. She has custom non skid decks, electric windlass, custom seats on the foredeck and in the cockpit and the list goes on and on.

We carry 78 gallons of fuel which gives us a cruising range under power of about 400 miles. We carry additional plastic jugs on deck with extra fuel for long passages or when in areas where fuel stops are few and far apart. Our water tank hold 100 gallons and can be refilled endlessly from the watermaker. Our draft is 6 feet and although sometimes a bit of a concern, it has not kept us form any cruising grounds. Over the years we have AwlGripped the boat form the waterline to the masthead. She has never experienced the problems many Tawain boats have had with leaks and deck problems. Perhaps that is due to our diligent maintenance or testimony to her solid construction.

To us she is the perfect cruising liveaboard and although she is unlike the new modern "cruisers" with 5 cabins that sleep 12 and can entertain 16 at dinner she is for us, very comfortable, and not too overwhelming should something happen and perhaps only one of us would need to get her home. Her solid construction give us that feeling of safety and well being no matter what the conditions. She has kept us safe and sane through 15 named storms, a few offshore gales and just a bunch of crappy weather. Don't know if you can tell but we kinda like our boat. Fair Winds

Let It Begin Florida Keys to Guatemala

We crossed the bar at 7 a.m. just as we had planned. Well, almost, since we originally thought we would be here yesterday. But today worked out even better after our rain delay because an astronomically high tide of a little better than 2 feet gave us more water to cross over and transit the shallow harbor into Livingston, Guatemala

Sea Trek’s full keel and 6-foot draft make playing the tides an important part of our navigation process. We don’t run aground like other boats — we park.

By 7:30 a.m. the anchor was down off the Municipal Dock and the Q flag was up. All we had to do was wait for the officials to come out to us to start the clearance process. It all went quickly and the officials were the friendliest we have met in all of our travels. After a short trip to town to finish the paperwork process, and the purchase of a few items at the grocery store, we headed back to the boat and hauled up the anchor. We motored across the harbor toward “the gorge.”

As we entered this narrow lower part of the Rio Dulce we were awestruck. Shear cliffs rose above our masts to more than 300 feet, but they were covered with lush green tropical foliage that reached right down to the water. Even with the drone of the engine we could hear the sounds of the jungle above us. Sitting at the helm, and with Susan on the bow watching for river debris, I tried to absorb it all. The contrast of the emerald water, the dense green vegetation and the narrow strip of crystal clear blue sky above was almost overwhelming. It was at that point that I really began to reflect back to the beginnings of our adventure.

Getting started

After waiting for parts, weather, and taking care of last-minute preparations, on April 9, 2005, we untied the dock lines for the last time and pulled out of our slip in Marathon, Fla. We actually began this cruise six years ago, but for a while seemed doomed by last-minute health problems, family issues and financial setbacks that delayed us time after time. At one point this included a 1,200-mile detour in the opposite direction.

The marina was quiet that morning: No fanfare or bands playing to our farewell. We just quietly pulled out into Hawks Channel and motored about seven miles west to Boot Key Harbor.

One last problem needed our attention. During the insurance survey for this trip it was determined that the cutless bearing was worn. We decided to have it replaced now so it didn’t create a problem later. The stop was short and the repairs quickly made at Marathon Boatyard. Sea Trek moved out of the Travelift bay and made a short trip out into Boot Key Harbor where we again anchored and waited for weather.

After a day or so of strong winds coming from the direction we were going and a few squalls now and then, the weather turned calm and we motored the 50 miles to visit with friends in Key West and say goodbye. Living in Marathon we had forgotten the throngs of boats coming and going in Key West Harbor. Cruise ships docking at the main piers, tour boats in an endless parade and the ever-present sportfishing boats (waking everything and everyone) greeted us as we made the turn and headed for our anchorage behind Garrison Bight.

Boats of all sizes and shapes were anchored everywhere outside the channel. Our plan was to spend a few days here, then move on to the Dry Tortugas 70 miles west of us. There we would wait for a weather window to cross to Mexico. Our go-to guy for weather, Herb Hilgenberg on Southbound II, was telling us that the forecast did not looking promising for some time. So we waited another 10 days for things to improve.

During that time, our daily discussions with Herb on the SSB radio about the weather patterns and Gulf Stream currents brought us to a change in our direction to reach Isla Mujeres.

The accepted route is to cross the Gulf Stream twice. Heading south from the Keys, most boats cross directly to the coast of Cuba, find the counter currents that usually run about 12 miles out, then follow the coast until just due south of Cabo San Antonio. From that point, most turn west and make a run for Isla Mujeres, crossing the Stream again, except it is now the Yucatan Current. But Herb’s research of the currents in the areas that we would cover revealed that the currents were very close to the Cuban coast and would be against us most of the way. Instead, we determined that a better plan would be to go due west into the Gulf of Mexico until we reached a waypoint of about 24 degrees north and 088 degrees west, then turn to the south heading for Isla Mujeres.

On April 20, with the outlook for good weather, we left Key West behind and had a great sail with winds on our port quarter to the Marquesas Keys about 25 miles west. Again we planned to go to the Tortugas for a few days and visit with our friends who bring the tourists out to the fort on the big catamarans. A check with Herb that evening told us our weather window was now and might not look better. So the following morning we pulled up the anchor and changed our plans. We were heading for Mexico.

Promises kept

Our first day out was a perfect sail: Wind on the starboard quarter, as promised, and soon after we left the shallow waters of the Keys the seas flattened out. Herb had been right on the money regarding the currents, and we did indeed have a favorable current with us for all but six hours of the entire passage.

On Day 2, also as predicted, we lost all of our wind and the Gulf of Mexico took on the characteristics of a swimming pool. That meant motoring. One of our under way routines is to do a check of the bilges and the engine compartment about every three hours. This has headed off many problems in the past.

During one of these inspections the gauge on the Racor fuel filter was starting to show a vacuum. This means the filter is dirty and will soon clog. So off went the engine and I did my first filter change in the Middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Since sea conditions were calm, the change went quickly and easily.

The rest of the passage went smoothly. A combination of sailing, motoring and motorsailing brought us off the southeastern tip of Isla Mujeres at around 2 a.m. We had excellent waypoints to get us up the channel on the western side of the island and with a bright full moon that you could almost read by, we dropped anchor about a mile off the island. With the moon and crystal-clear water we could see the anchor drop in the white sand below, even though it was still only 3 a.m.

The entire passage took us 68 hours — short by offshore standards — so we did not have the time to get into a good rhythm for sleeping and watch standing.

Although very tired and looking forward to a good night’s sleep, we both just stood together on deck thinking that if we really closed our eyes we might wake up in our slip in Marathon and once again this was just a dream. But not this time. Our adventure had finally begun.

Seeing and Being Seen

We had been anchored in the harbor at Isla Mujeres for two weeks. This was short by some others’ standards since many boats had been here for months and some even for years. This Caribbean island has much to offer so we do understand why many linger. From the tourist shops and restaurants in town to the reef at El Garrafon and the excellent beaches, the days are filled with all sorts of activities.

But for us it was time to move on.

A few days prior to departure we began the process of restocking the boat. This means provisioning for food, filling the water and fuel tanks, including the extra jerry jugs on deck. We also wanted to take an extra couple of days to finish a protective cover for the dinghy. Monitoring the weather forecast for several days finally gave us a departure date.

The departure drill

We have a pre-departure routine that is always followed without exception. This simple routine is done whether we are just planning a daysail or crossing an ocean. Some tasks we can take care of the night before, but usually we wait until just before we haul up anchor.

All necessary charts and guidebooks for the passage are at the helm or the nav station. We go through a checklist in our log, which includes checking all fluid levels in the engine, checking that all electronics and radios are working properly, and all through-hulls are secure.

In addition we note current as well as expected weather conditions. Our forecast was for east-northeast winds at 10 to 15 knots — absolutely perfect for our move to the south.

The anchor washdown system is activated and the time we begin to haul up the anchor is noted in our log. We also note how much fuel and water is on board. We turn on and test our two-way radio headsets for communicating between the helm and the foredeck. The engine is fired up and allowed to warm up for a few minutes. A visual inspection of the engine compartment and bilge is performed.

Under way again

At 7 a.m. we hauled up the anchor and got under way. By the time we had the chain and anchor washed off and hauled aboard, and moved out of the harbor, the morning net on VHF had begun. We said goodbye to all those we had met during our short stay, and motored south along the island on the same course we had come in on two weeks earlier. As usual at this time of the morning, the breeze was very light.

Once we were out of the lee of the island it began to freshen, and we shut down the engine and raised all sails. Going past the beaches and hotels on Cancun we were amazed at how it reminded us of Miami. This resort area has prospered since its days as a small fishing village in the 1970s, and it is evident even from offshore.

This would be a short run, since our destination of Punta Maroma — also affectionately known to cruisers in the area as Hut Point — was only a little more than 40 miles to the south.

The entire coast of Mexico here is paralleled by one of the longest barrier reef systems in the world. Any stops along this coast mean finding a break in the reef and negotiating it safely. That would be our challenge all the way to Belize. The other issue we would have to deal with is a strong 2- to 3-knot current running north along the coast. When you average 5 or 6 knots under sail in light conditions this can be a big factor. But if one follows the reef line at about a mile or two off, you can actually find a counter-current setting south of 1/2 to 1 knot. This passage is best done in daylight hours and during settled weather since the onshore winds could set a boat on the reef. Surf breaks on the reef almost the entire way down the coast, so even by sight you can see its location, and we found it did show up well on our radar screen. This was to be one of those perfect days that you read about in the cruising magazines.

Making the move

Around 2 p.m. we were at the GPS coordinates that had been given to us by our cruising friends for the break in the reef. Since this was to be our first run through a reef break we were a little apprehensive. With Susan at the helm, I climbed the mast steps to the spreaders to get a better read of the water and reef location. We could obviously see, even from deck level, where the reef stopped breaking. We had been told to stay about 200 feet south of where the breaking waves stopped. My climb up the mast confirmed this.

Each time we are in a situation like this we realize the value of our two-way radios. We would have liked to have had the sun behind us, but since we were heading west behind the reef that could not be. Still, everything went smoothly and we crossed behind the reef with 10 feet of water under the keel. About two-thirds of the way in toward the beach we turned north and ran parallel to the reef. Our guidebook noted the best anchorages were north of the resort located there and in the sandy patches. The bottom here is a thin layer of sand over hard coral, and there is a lot of turtle grass covering the bottom. The water is crystal clear so it’s easy to tell where the sandy patches are. Finding sandy patches would be our routine for anchoring for some time to come. After three attempts, following our usual anchoring procedures, we finally were able to set the anchor just before 3 p.m. The water behind the reef was flat and comfortable. We made sure we were anchored behind an area that was breaking fairly heavily since that meant the swells were being knocked down by the reef. We began shifting into our at anchor mode, not yet realizing this would prove to be an interesting anchorage.

Taking in the sights

On cue the winds dropped after sunset and we had a very peaceful night. The next morning dawned an almost perfect day. After the morning SSB nets, retrieval of weather faxes and breakfast, we began to explore. As is found along this entire coast, we were anchored off a beautiful white beach. Tall palms waved in the wind and the occasional Casuarina Pine dotted the coastline.

There is also a small resort here. We saw several large catamarans and tied to their dock, and a series of small powerboats with large outboards beached. Shortly after we were up and about, the first of the catamarans came out to the reef loaded with tourists for a snorkel excursion. They would be ferrying the tourists back and forth all day. On our first day we had designated one of the cats “the naked boat” since it had obviously been chartered by a group of nudists. They came close by us and invited us to “take it off.”

Circle the wagons

Suddenly, all of the small outboard powerboats on the beach launched one after another. They seemed to be playing a game of follow the leader with an employee of the resort as the leader. He would take them out and have each one follow in his wake as he did figure eights, circles and other geometric shapes, all at maximum speed.

At some point another boat would station itself in a designated spot and the leader would bring his followers close in to the stationary boat. At that point the tourists would have their picture taken as they sped past the photo boat. This, too, went on three or four times a day. We found they took great delight in making our boat a tourist attraction, which made us think of what the early settlers must have felt like as their circled wagon trains were surrounded by the Indians. However, the boaters were always friendly and everyone waved as they went past.

Observing the tourists

We decided to do a little snorkeling on the reef and exploring of the beach and resort ourselves. We were disappointed with the condition of the reef. It was obviously distressed and damaged, and fish were scarce.

A trip to the beach offered a few more surprises. The resort has a very nice restaurant right on the beach. The rooms looked inviting and all of the grounds were well-kept. At the far end of the resort area on the beach we found a line of tourists standing next to a couple of horses. Each tourist would get on the horse, which had no saddle, and a resort employee would walk the horse into the water. When the horse and rider were walking back out of the water after circling a piling, another employee took their picture, but they never actually rode the horse anywhere. We finally figured out how the package worked. The tourists were bussed in each day in shifts. When they arrived they were taken to the reef for snorkeling. On the way back to the dock the boat would anchor and the spinnaker would be raised. Anyone could sit on a plank attached to the spinnaker and ride it up as the wind filled it. There was lots of screaming and squealing with delight. Next they returned to the dock and hit the beach where the powerboats were waiting. They would then play the follow the leader game for maybe 20 to 30 minutes. After returning to the beach they would then be taken to the line for the horse in the water ride. After that they ate and drank in the restaurant, boarded their bus and returned from whence they came. This process continued all day until about 5 p.m., then we would have the anchorage back to ourselves.

This was amusing to watch, but after five days of swimming, beach walks, and boat wakes, we were ready to move on again, especially since we had only planned to be here overnight. More new experiences awaited us.

Be Flexible

For years I have dreamed about visiting Mayan ruins — ever since I dug up that first tooth in my mother’s flowerbed at the age of 10. I thought I had found some wonderful artifact, but it was, in fact, an old cow’s tooth. Our property used to be pastureland. Oh well. I was still interested in archaeology and decided one day I would immerse myself in history. Tulum, about 80 miles south of Cancun on the Yucatan peninsula and until the 1960s accessible only by sea, seemed like the place to start.

Chuck and I pored over the charts of the Mexican coast to decide our next stop after Punta Maroma. The number of good and accessible anchorages is few and far between on this part of the coast and getting caught in the wrong place in bad weather here can be downright dangerous.

Our weather reports indicated very light winds and no rain for the next several days. We had heard from a number of people that the anchorage at Tulum had poor holding and was good only in settled weather. Still, after talking to the vessel, Nueva Vida, on the SSB one morning and getting waypoints and a thumbs-up on the weather, Chuck agreed to go there.

We were told the reef pass was easy to navigate and the holding was better than at Punta Maroma. The ruins of Tulum sit up on a hill directly on the Caribbean Sea in Mexico.

Charting a course

Before we leave even for a daysail, my job is to get out the charts and plot our waypoints, being careful to ensure our course line does not go over any hazards or shoal spots. I draw lines with the parallel rulers between the waypoints, and measure and label the distance and compass heading, noting whether the course is magnetic or true. Sometimes we use the GPS in true mode to navigate to our waypoints. The waypoints are then written in the top of our logbook for that day and entered into the GPS to determine our route for this leg of the passage.

I picked a waypoint a bit offshore to stay away from the reefs, but remain close enough into shore to avoid the counter current. The waypoint was a half-mile or so from the reef pass. The next waypoint would be just outside the reef at Tulum and the last where we passed through the reef. From there, we would just turn north and run parallel to the beach, as instructed by the guidebook.

Making way without wind

We had little wind the morning we left Punta Maroma. We’d had a nice time there, but it was definitely time to head farther south. After crossing our earlier waypoint outside the reef, we turned to head southwest toward Tulum. We motorsailed all day, never having enough wind from the right direction to turn the engine off. Any time the engine is running for a period of time, it is our practice to do a visual inspection of the engine compartment and bilge every two hours, and make a note in the log.

While cruising along like this it is customary for us to stream a fishing line behind the boat. Chuck will decide what lure he thinks will attract the fish that day, and put it over the side. We have a rod holder secured to the starboard stanchion amidships. Once the line is let out about 100 feet, Chuck ties the rod to the holder. It didn’t take long and we were reeling in a nice plump little blue fin tuna for dinner.

It was a beautiful sunny day and by mid-afternoon or so, the ruins of Tulum began to appear in the distance. I got the binoculars out and tried to make out the different buildings.

Navigating the pass

As we got closer, we realized a sailboat was heading north and about to enter the reef pass as well. Lady Galadriel had been a vessel we spoke to on the Northwest Caribbean Net on 8188 a number of times in the morning. Being polite, we told them to go ahead and go first. OK, so I’m a chicken. I wanted to follow someone else in. This time, Chuck stayed at the helm and I crawled up on the main boom to get a better look at the bottom as we came through the reef.

The “flat awash rock” reported in the reef break was somewhat visible and right where it was supposed to be. The reef pass was much wider than I had imagined. I always have these visions in my head of going through these narrow passes with 2 feet on either side of the boat and big aggressive coral reaching up to hole the hull.

In reality, the pass was probably 100 yards across. Once we cleared the reef Chuck turned to starboard and began to head north toward the ruins.

Lady Galadriel made her turn again to starboard and was preparing to anchor just behind the reef. We passed well behind them to stay out of their way, and went a little further down the beach. At that point, we switched positions and I was back on the helm to anchor. We then turned toward the reef and dropped the hook.

Pitching and rolling

After our usual routine of dropping anchor, paying out a good deal of chain, letting it settle, then backing down, we realized it was not holding. We pulled up, found a sandier patch, dropped the hook a second time and got it to hold.

That’s when we realized we had a problem. No, nothing was wrong with the boat, the engine, or the sails, it was the anchorage. The wind had died down leaving us sideways in the swells; we were rolling, pitching and yawing like crazy.

Lady Galadriel had asked us to stop by for a visit before we realized what kind of anchorage this was. We called them back on the VHF and politely declined. It was actually too rough to launch the dinghy from the davits and, at one point, Chuck asked me to cook dinner earlier than usual because he thought if he waited any longer, he might be seasick.

We considered a stern anchor to keep us bow to the swells, but decided against that because of the rocky bottom. Plus our secondary anchor is rode with a short piece of chain, so we might have a problem with the line chafing through from the motion.

The problem here is that the reef is too shallow to break up the swells as they roll in toward the beach. They come unimpeded for hundreds of miles and, unless it has been flat calm for many days, this anchorage would not be comfortable. The difference between here and Punta Maroma was that the reef there was higher and actually almost dried at low tide. We had even tried to get behind a patch of reef that we thought was breaking more than the rest, to no avail. At this point I realized I would not be seeing Tulum on this trip. The word “untenable” comes to mind. If this is considered a fair-weather anchorage we could only imagine what it must be like in a hard blow with large seas.

Reality and the rules

I sat out in the cockpit until sunset and looked at the spectacular view of the beach, huts, ruins and people frolicking. There was a small palapa-style restaurant right on the beach. It was a beautiful place and we were saddened to know we could not spend one more night in this place. If we stayed to visit the ruins the next day we would not be able to get out in good light. The rolling continued all night and moving about below was quite an exercise in balance. We got up at sunrise, raised the anchor and made all due haste to the reef opening as soon as we had light enough to see it.

I think next time I will follow the advice of other cruisers who stayed the night at Puerto Aventuras, a marina about 20 miles North of Tulum, and take the bus to the ruins. Live and learn the hard way, I always say. But enjoying ourselves while cruising means sticking to two important rules: Never keep a schedule and always be flexible.

As we left Tulum behind, for another time, we wondered what new experiences we would find at our next stop.

Off The Beaten Path

By 8:30 a.m. we had crossed the reef line and watched with regret as the beautiful beach at Tulum faded behind us. The weather forecast was for another perfect day with the exception of predicted light wind. Our destination was only 35 miles south of our current location, but it would be a motorsail all the way. As with our arrival, we were holding our distance from the reef line to approximately one mile, and as a result a favorable current of 1.5 knots helped move us along. Since we were under power and charging batteries from the engine we used the time to run the watermaker and fill our tanks. The system is 12 volts and takes around 25 amps, so the assist from the alternator was welcomed.

At around 10:30 a.m. I did my usual visual inspection of the bilge and engine compartment with no surprises. The autopilot was steering us effortlessly to our next waypoint and all was good with the world. It is days like this that make all our hard work and efforts to prepare for this trip totally worthwhile.

Around noon we were sitting in the cockpit contemplating lunch when the familiar sound of the fishing reel set us into action. We had done well on this part of the coast so we knew what to do. Susan eased the throttle back to idle and I grabbed the reel. Within a few minutes we had landed another blue fin tuna. We were beginning to wonder if any other species roamed these waters but we were not complaining. Once again, fresh tuna would grace the captain’s table for dinner. And fresh tuna salad is always one of Susan’s favorites for lunch.

A dramatic reminder

The break in the reef at Bahia Ascension is very wide and there are few or no breakers to show us the edges at the entrance. As we approached the bay we first noticed something large and white some distance off to our starboard. As we moved further along the reef we both determined what it was at about the same time.

The shining white hull of a pretty good-size sailboat was lying on its side on the top of the reef — a dramatic reminder that a mistake along this coastline could be serious and disastrous.

We wondered aloud how the wreck might have happened. Did the boat lose steering and drift up on the reef? Did the crew make a fatal mistake in navigation? Was a storm responsible? The hull seemed pretty much intact so it must have only been there a short time. Anyone who has spent any time cruising will understand the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach anytime you encounter such a sight.

Now it was our turn to cross that same reef without mishap. We had been provided a set of waypoints by a friend in Isla Mujeras that had been in and out of here only a couple of weeks before. Even with first-hand waypoints we are always cautious and a little apprehensive. We had plotted them on our paper charts, and on the electronic charts on the computer as well as entering them into the GPS as part or our route. All seemed in agreement that we would enter with a good margin of safety.

The first waypoint was outside the reef line and put us in a good position to maneuver to the second waypoint inside the reef line. Even with good coordinates we still always maintain a watch on the foredeck and, when entering a pass, will even climb the rigging using our mast steps to get us high enough to get a good visual on the depths and the periphery of the reef pass.

Our third waypoint put us well inside the bay. Our anchorage was a good five miles once we had crossed over the reef line. From our third waypoint the rest was all eyeball. We knew from information we had gathered and from our guidebook of the area that there was a shallow bar that extended almost a quarter-mile off the north end of Culebra Cay, where we planned to anchor. So from our third waypoint we headed directly for the north end of the cay, then maintained the quarter-mile distance once we were close in. We saw no less than 12 feet of water all the way to our anchoring spot on the west side of the cay. There we would have good protection from the swells that worked in from the sea as well as the prevailing easterly winds. As usual, things were going too easily.

An uninvited guest

It became apparent from the thick grass on the bottom and a few attempts to set the anchor that our CQR was not going to grab. Both our primary and secondary anchors are CQR so that meant switching one out for our Danforth. This takes a little time since we always make sure the anchor shackles are wired closed for safety. But by 3:30 p.m. local time we were anchored, and began to open the boat up and settle in for a few days of rest and relaxation. Almost as soon as we had the cockpit stowed and went below we heard a scratching sound on deck.

We both noticed it and went topside to inspect. We both know that new sounds unfamiliar to us sometimes mean problems.

As we came out on deck we found a pigeon had landed on deck and was walking around as if disoriented or not well. This has happened in the past when a stray bird came in contact with our wind generator. This one did not have any visible injuries. But we also knew what kind of a mess birds make on the deck and canvas. So we made an attempt to coax her off and convince her to fly away. She would have none of it and ran around the deck staying just out of our reach. The end of any passage, no matter how short, is time to just relax, so we decided to leave the bird be for now and perhaps she would just leave later.

We went below and started planning dinner for the evening, and doing a few boat chores. Not giving the bird another thought we finally sat down at the table for dinner a couple of hours later, and suddenly noticed the bird standing outside the companionway screen watching us eat.

Since Susan is an old softy she insisted on giving her food and water. I warned her that if we did, the bird would move aboard, and reminded her of what the decks would look like the next morning — but she insisted. The bird stayed with us for another day and a half, then just flew away. No thank you or anything, just little deposits everywhere.

Questioning the guidebook

For the next couple of days we just relaxed and enjoyed our quiet and peaceful anchorage. The VHF radio is always on and we had picked up the conversations of two boats that were heading into the bay. They were happy to hear that we were already inside, and we gave them our waypoints in. We had also picked up a boat on the Northwest Caribbean Net that morning that was heading in, and we shared our waypoints.

The anchorage was soon to get crowded. By that evening we were sharing the anchorage with two trawlers and a large motorsailer with friendly crews aboard. We found that we were all heading in the same general direction, for Belize. The folks on the motorsailer had just made a five-day passage from the United States.

The settlement at Punta Allen was about three miles due north of us in the bay. Our guidebook suggested it was unimpressive and not worth a visit. In addition, there was a naval base there and a visit could result in a hassle from officials.

One morning we happened to pick up a conversation on the VHF from a couple of boats that sounded close by. So we jumped in and introduced ourselves. We were surprised when they told us they were anchored near the settlement, and it was really a great little place and we should visit before we left. Within the hour we’d hauled up anchor and moved the three miles to the anchorage behind Punta Gorda.

After we splashed the dinghy we stopped to chat with one of the boats we had communicated with earlier. They gave us the scoop about the town and where everything could be found, including the new town-built dinghy dock, the local tiendas — or grocery stores — and the all-important Internet cafe.

We found the town delightful, and the people friendly and helpful. We learned they are trying hard to attract tourists since this area is famous for its fishing, and diving and snorkeling on the reefs. As evidence of their sincere intentions, it appeared they had converted every other house on every street into a restaurant.

We stayed another two days just to enjoy the settlement. The navy presence was never a problem, and they were always friendly and polite when we met them on the street. But we knew it was time to continue pushing south.

Belize Begs For Exploration

The spring trade winds have been very kind to us along the entire Mexican coast, sometimes too kind since we have spent more time motoring than sailing. The upside is that we haven’t spent a lot of time waiting for weather windows. So far we have pretty much been able to move to our next destination whenever we were ready.

By now our routine was well developed and at 9 o’clock Sunday morning we hauled up anchor and headed back out through the reef at Bahia Ascension, Mexico. We used the GPS track that we came in on to also leave. We always go out the same way we came in. If we get in OK then, logically, we should get out with no problem. This time was no different and we had very light northeast winds at about 5 knots.

The run out of the bay to cross the reef was more than 5 miles. For the next 26 hours we would sail a while, then motorsail a while, off and on for the 128 miles to our next port in San Pedro, Belize.

Around noon we hooked another tuna on the fishing line and shortly after that a barracuda. With that we hauled in the line for the rest of the day.

All along the Mexican coast we had played the currents to our advantage. By staying less than a mile off the reefs during the day and keeping a careful watch on our position, we were able to avoid the strong north-setting current that can run 2 to 3 knots at times. But in this area we were not able to avoid it and had to deal with a 1- to 1-1/2-knot counter-current. Even with that, we found ourselves just outside the reef break at San Pedro on Ambergris Cay Belize at 10 a.m. Monday morning.

Once again we had good waypoints outside the reef and through to the inside anchorage, but we arrived to find the area busy with boat traffic and dive boats anchored all along the reef. The entrance was still easy as long as we avoided the partially submerged portion of the reef that extends inside the break and required us to make a sharp turn to the north just after we entered. This cut would be treacherous in strong easterly winds.

The entire area shallows quickly, so we did not have much choice in where to anchor. With our 6-foot draft it was strange to have to anchor in 6-1/2 feet of water. The occasional wakes from the boats coming and going actually caused us to bump on the bottom. As we anchored we discovered that two other boats we had briefly met along the way were also anchored and had been there for several days.

Settling in

Ambergris Cay was once attached to the mainland. About a thousand years ago the Mayans dug a canal and cut the cay off from the mainland. The north side of this ancient cut is actually Mexico. This is a major tourist destination and is the largest and most developed island in Belize. Diving the reef is the biggest draw, but boats carrying tourists on snorkel and fishing trips are constantly in and out all day; and dive boats even run at night.

San Pedro has its own airport and crewmembers can be flown in and out. We had timed our arrival for Monday morning to avoid any overtime charges by officials. The check-in is simple and only takes a visit to the immigration office, and then to customs, which are next door to each other. Occasionally, we’re told, the agricultural department folks will come out to inspect your foodstuffs and look for infestations.

To our surprise we learned that we had entered on a national holiday and had to pay the extra fees to clear in anyway — so much for careful planning. Because of the holiday, we had to wait for about a half-hour for the customs worker to come from her house. No matter, we just went and had ice cream while we waited.

We enjoyed our visit, but because of the heavy boat traffic and wakes, we decided to move on after only spending one night.

Playing the tides

Heading south into Belize there are two options. One is to go back outside the reef and head for the Belize City ship channel 30 miles to the south. This option is especially appealing if the sea state is too rough to allow safe entrance through the reef at San Pedro.

The other option is to run south on the inside. Because of the outlying reef that runs almost the entire distance of Belize, a boat will encounter small seas while sailing on the inside. The problem for us — with our 6-foot draft — is shallow channels in several areas along the inside route, but only as far South as Belize City.

We choose this course anyway and decide to play the tides to get to Cay Caulker, about 15 miles south of San Pedro.

Almost as soon as the anchor was up we bumped bottom, but were able to continue on our way. We had timed this to keep us about an hour ahead of high tide just in case we ran aground. With the exception of touching bottom at the anchorage, the average depths along our route were around 7 feet.

We arrived at Cay Caulker three hours later.

Island life at its best

Cay Caulker is actually two cays — after being cut in half by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. Today its primary source of income is tourism as are most of the outer settlements of Belize. The lobster industry that was once its mainstay is still present, but not as predominant as it used to be.

The best word we could think of to describe Cay Caulker is “funky.” Its few streets and roads in the settlement are sand and the primary means of transportation is golf cart. The carts are so quiet that you don’t hear them come up behind you as you walk down the streets.

Restaurants line most of the streets as do the dive and fishing charters. The most famous eatery is the SandBox Bar and Grill, which serves great meals, sandwiches and even vegetarian food. We also found a post office, hardware and grocery stores, a bank, gift shops, a soda-and-beer distributor that sells to the public and one of the best bakeries we have found so far. Susan often bakes bread and other goodies on board, but we still found ourselves visiting the bakery almost every day. We also found a coin laundry — a rarity in our travels.

There is a large commercial dock where the supply ferries come in on a regular basis. Cruisers can tie their dinghies here on a side dock built especially for that purpose.

After a couple of days we regretfully started our leisurely cruise south through the cays. Our next destination, Cay Chape, was a short 7 miles south. The cay has been bought by private developers and converted to a high-end resort and golf course. Landing here is discouraged, although we did explore the resort by dinghy. The marina area is sadly unused and would make a nice secure overnight stop. Instead, we anchored near the marina entrance in the lee of the island. From this point on cruisers can move from anchorage to anchorage in minutes or an hour or so. There is no shortage of cays to visit and enjoy. Most are close enough to dinghy to the reef for diving or snorkeling, and the fishing is some of the finest we have found. Anchoring here can be a challenge because of the heavy growth of sea grass around the cays so looking for sandy patches is essential.

In search of deeper water

To get to the Belize City area we would have to pass through the infamous half-mile-wide Porto Stuck channel between Montejo Cay and Hicks Cay. It is called Porto Stuck for a good reason. This is a winding, shallow channel with little in the way of markers (actually tree branches with plastic bottles hanging on them) and a 5-1/2-foot depth at mean low water. That meant we must pass through just at high tide.

We left Cay Chapel at 8 a.m. and passed through Porto Stuck at 9:30 a.m., just about 20 minutes before the scheduled high tide. Some of the shallow depths were nail-biters, but we navigated through without parking Sea Trek. We only touched bottom in the trough of a wave just north of Porto Stuck.

There are also narrow, shallow channels that we needed to clear just south of there before we found ourselves in the deeper waters east of Belize City. One must use Ships Cay Bogue and not Swallow Cay Bogue unless you want to spend time waiting for high tide to lift you off the shoals. We settled on a great anchorage at the Drowned Cays behind Gallows Point.

We picked our way carefully in until we had protection from all direction but west. These are mostly mangrove cays with many channels called bogues that can be explored by dinghy. We found several rusting wrecked barges in one of the bogues near our anchorage. These channels can be deep and, if careful, can be navigated and offer good all-around protection if bad weather threatens. We stayed here for two days.

In just six days we had traveled about a third of the way through the outer cays. All of the reports we had gotten before we arrived in Belize were all accurate. This is truly a wonderful tropical cruising ground that could take months of exploration.

Placencia Belize

The quaint village offers Caribbean flavor and more services than cruisers might expect

For cruisers in the Western Caribbean going north to Mexico and the United States, or heading the opposite way to Guatemala, Honduras and points south, a very logical and popular stop is at Placencia, Belize. The nearby Port of Big Creek is becoming more and more of a choice to either check in or check out of the country.

Big Creek is a commercial port just west of Placencia. This is a port for large ships so the channel is deep and well-marked with red and green buoys. You must bring your boat to the port for either checking in or out. The Customs official will not clear you if you try to simply dinghy over. We found it’s a good idea to call Belize Port Control on Ch. 16 to find out if there will be any ship traffic as you enter or leave. The river is at least 20 feet deep, but it is also very narrow.

Travel up the river and drop anchor just beyond the commercial docks past a series of white floating buoys in about 8 to 10 feet of water. Anchoring beyond the buoys will put you out of the way of any ships or commercial vessels. Do not tie up to the commercial docks or you’ll be charged for docking as if you were a commercial ship. You can dinghy in past the commercial seawall to a small wooden dock with a roof and tie up for clearance.

At this point you may very well be met by Elvis. OK, not that Elvis. But this Elvis has been working here at Big Creek for many years. He operates all of the heavy equipment at the port, but most importantly to the cruisers, he is a cab driver and his cab is almost always available. If he is unloading or loading a ship you might have to wait a bit.

Your first stop needs to be Immigration, and that is where the cab will come in handy. It is at least a couple of miles away and hard to find, so sharing a ride with fellow cruisers can save some money. As of Dec. 1, 2005, the fare was $25 (Belize) round trip with $1 (U.S.) equal to 2 Belize dollars.

Our immigration charges were $25 (Belize) for two passports. After returning to the port, the next stop is customs, which is right outside the front gate for the port. Paperwork is quick and easy, and if it is not a holiday or overtime hours there is no charge.

Next you’ll need to go to Health and Agriculture, which has offices directly across the street from customs. Their process is also quick and easy and their charge is also $25 (Belize).

After that, the Health and Agriculture inspector and Customs inspector will come to your boat for an inspection. They are looking for the usual things plus contaminated fruits, vegetables and meats that might be harmful to the agriculture and poultry in Belize. Small amounts for personal consumption are OK. You will need to ferry them back and forth in your dinghy. Remember that this port is primarily to receive large ships.

Tickets punched

After the clear-in process is completed the move to Placencia is a short trip. Once you’re clear of the last set of channel markers coming out of the river you can turn Northeast to the anchorage easily seen just off the village.

There are no marinas here. We usually anchor just west of the small cay, also called Placencia, in about 20 feet of water. This gives good protection from the north to the east. If a swell works in from the south it will get a little rolly no matter where you anchor.

Placencia, or Placentia as it is also spelled, has undergone quite a change over the last several years. This was originally a small fishing village with just a dirt road and a few amenities.

It has since become quite a tourist destination with many resorts, guesthouses, restaurants and endless opportunities to snorkel, fish, dive or trek in to the mountains. Resorts both large and small are nearby with some still under construction — by film director Francis Ford Coppola.

Eco-tourism is the word we hear over and over again and the Europeans have definitely discovered the area. Most small hotels and guesthouses are full of what are affectionately known as “backpackers” — young folks who travel the country visiting out-of-the-way places with all of their belongings in their backpacks.

Many of the guesthouses and restaurants can be found along the “sidewalk.” This is just what you think — a continuous sidewalk that extends from the waterfront near the Fisherman’s Co-op to the north end of town. It parallels the white sand beach lined with palm trees as it meanders past quaint homes and commercial establishments. The amazing thing about this particular sidewalk is that it took the local residents 30 years to complete. Different dates and names can be found embedded in the cement all along its length.

The sidewalk is connected to the main road by many footpaths and short dirt roads. There are many hidden treasures along these footpaths, like John the Baker Man. Each morning the line forms for his breads and cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven. You must look closely for the signs directing you to his bakery.

Tips on food and fuel

As cruisers we are always interested in the ability to replenish provisions and other necessities. There are two small grocery stores on Main Street. They can provide almost anything that might be needed. Good supplies of frozen meats are always on hand, along with plenty of canned goods, cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products on the shelves. Fresh vegetables arrive every couple of days and, in addition to the grocery stores, there is at least one fresh vegetable stand with excellent products just next to the smaller of the two groceries. Fresh seafood as well as ice by the pound can be purchased at the Fisherman’s Co-op just off the waterfront, but you must bring your own bag for the ice.

There is a fuel dock at the end of Main Street where you can also land your dinghy. As with any fuel docks in the Caribbean we suggest that you take an empty, well-marked 5-gallon container and ask them to put five gallons only in it. We have been very surprised at the results many times, but it helps us determine the “actual” cost we will be paying for fuel and has helped us determine in some cases whether we might want to fuel up elsewhere.

The gate at the fuel dock is locked after 6 p.m., so if you will be later be sure and tie up on the inside of the gate at the dock. We know of no security problems here with dinghies but we usually lock the dinghy to the dock no matter where we go.

Local flavor

If you nail down any cruiser that has been to Placencia before as to why they come back time after time, you will time after time get two reasons. One is the Tuttifrutti Ice Cream shop and the other is Skip and Magda’s Smoothie Shak. Skip is a transplant from Los Angeles looking for a simpler life and Magda is from Honduras, but has lived in Placencia for 20 years. Their colorful shop makes great iced smoothies using only fresh fruits and you can find flavors from mango to seaweed. (Don’t knock it until you try it.) They also serve fresh vegetarian, chicken and fish lunch dishes. You won’t find any red meat on their menu.

The other delicacy in Placencia is Tisiana’s Italian homemade gelato ice cream at Tuttifrutti. Tisiana is truly Italian and the recipe has been in her family for generations. The flavors sometimes change, but never the quality. She also serves fantastic shakes and sundaes made with flavors of your choosing. If you hang around long enough you will notice some people coming back several times a day.

There are many restaurants in town serving all types of food. With names like the Purple Space Monkey, the Pickled Parrot, Yoli’s and De’tach, the atmosphere and cuisine is quite diverse. We always ask around town where the locals tend to eat and get a pretty good idea who has the best menu and prices. You can dine right on the beach or find a place with Caribbean flavor. Some of the restaurants now offer Internet service with your meals and one is free if you are eating there. Placencia even has a Wendy’s (not the fast food chain), which serves a great breakfast and lunch and dinner with a down island flavor. Fresh seafood and local dishes are found on most menus, as well as some more familiar items.

Fun in the sun

Eating and provisioning are not the only reasons to stop here. Each year the village puts on a number of annual events that should not be missed.

Each February for the last three years the village has put on a Side Walk Arts Festival. The festival has been so successful that artists from all over the world, as well as some wonderful local artists, come to show off their latest creations. Paintings, sculptures, jewelry and just about anything you might be interested in is on display.

In June the tourism center sponsors a Lobster Fest that is now in its eighth year, and well-known to cruisers that come to the western Caribbean on a regular basis. Seafood and entertainment are the order of the day and the celebration goes on for the entire weekend.

The annual Placencia Fishermen’s Day Saltwater Fishing Tournament is also held in June. The tournament covers fishing for Kingfish, Barracuda, Wahoo, Dorado, Tuna, Rockfish and Mutton Snapper. Prizes run from $750 to $1,000 for certain categories. Most folks come down for the fishing and the fun, and not necessarily the prize money. This year will be the seventh year and the number of entries gets larger and larger every year.

A new festival held for the first time this year is the Jambalaya Carnival Parade. Street vendors, music, dancing, entertainment and, of course, the parade made this first year such a success that planning is already in the works for next year.

Each Halloween a big celebration is put on for all of the local children; everyone is welcome. It is designed to give the kids a fun evening and all proceeds go toward the local humane society. This is a major source of their funding. The adults seem to have as much fun as the children.

The Annual Mistletoe Ball is held each December. Everyone dresses in their most formal wear and celebrates the beginnings of the Christmas season. Music and dancing along with contests make this a favorite for the folks all around the village as well as all visitors.

Celebrations are also planned for national holidays with parades, music, dancing and a whole lot of fun. Add to that the wonderful snorkeling and diving on the reefs and outer atolls and the great year-round fishing and Placencia is truly an undiscovered jewel in Belize. There seems to be something going on almost any month here. More details for dates, times and events can be found at www.placencia.com and also www.placenciabreeze.com. Information can also be found by doing a search for Destination Belize.

We have found this a wonderful place to stop and relax and highly recommend it to cruisers coming this way. We also know in doing that we take the chance on spoiling a great location but we felt the need to share Placencia with all of you. If you see a very pretty traditional ketch with red stripes and a white hull in the anchorage, stop by and see if it is Sea Trek. I suspect we will be here again and again.

Wandering through Belize

From our nice, protected anchorage behind the Drowned Cays about 10 miles east of Belize City, we called to see if the marina had any room.

“Cucumber Beach Marina, Cucumber Beach Marina, this is Sea Trek on Channel 16, over.”

Carlos, the marina manager, indicated they did and we could arrive any time that day. We decided to go into a marina — something we normally do very seldom when cruising — for several reasons. First, very strong winds were expected to develop over the next few days. Second, our outboard was cutting out at inconvenient times, such as heading downwind in a strong current. Good thing Chuck is a strong rower or he might have been blown to Belize City in a good easterly.

Since we were in no hurry, we got the anchor up, motored out of our little “bogue” and headed just south of west across Belize Harbor. Once on course, we popped the jib and cut the engine. What started as flat-water sailing got progressively more boisterous as we left the lee of the Drowned Cays. By the time we approached Cucumber Beach, we were surfing down 4-footers. I thought it was supposed to be flat sailing behind the reefs in Belize, but this is a wide area with a 10-mile fetch in waters of only 25 feet or so.

From a few miles out, Cucumber Beach is very apparent with its red-and-white roofs, which stand in stark contrast to miles and miles of nothing but mangrove trees. The marina entrance coordinates had been provided to us by Carlos and we rolled up the jib about a half-mile from the waypoint. A jetty running diagonally to shore has been built at the marina entrance to reduce the amount of surge that is allowed to enter. We were guided in on VHF channel 68 to our slip, having cleared ahead of time which side we would be tied to and had fenders and dock lines ready. Smiling, friendly dockhands were on hand to assist us, and within minutes we were secure.

Repairs and provisions

Cucumber Beach Marina is truly an oasis along the mainland coast of northern Belize. Once a commercial port for the exportation of, you guessed it, cucumbers, the property has been converted to a marina, yard, restaurant and museum. Just five miles from Belize City on the Southern Highway, this is the perfect place to reprovision, do inland trips or get those repairs done that have plagued you since you left the United States.

Our first order of business was the outboard. Carlos and Paul know every mechanic, taxi driver, service provider, etc., in the area and within hours, had a mechanic respond to our boat. There are no services on the grounds, but someone can drive out from the city very quickly. The mechanic took our outboard back to his shop and delivered it the same afternoon in much better working order. We also needed propane and were concerned about riding the bus with our tank. No problem. The gas company came to the marina, picked up our tank, refilled it and also had it back in the same day for around $5 (U.S.). (Note: Belizean currency is $2 to 1 U.S. dollar, which gives you the illusion of getting everything half price.)

Now that the critical issues were resolved, we could move on to the more mundane concerns of laundry and groceries. With only one washer and one dryer, laundry took a while, but it was a short walk from the boat. Shopping was another issue with town being five miles away.

We happened to strike up a conversation with a Canadian woman whose cousin lives in Belize, and had lent her a car to use during her stay. I was able to hitch a ride to the store with her and top off Sea Trek’s stores with items from the Save-U and the wonderful produce markets directly across the street. We found local meats and produce to be fairly reasonably priced and of good quality. U.S. products could also be purchased, but for substantially more than at home.

Taking in the sights

Back at the marina we had finished all of our projects so decided to explore the grounds. From our vantage point on the northern side of the marina basin next to the office, we had to walk west and around the Travelift pit to get to the restaurant.

Very noticeable are all of the very large ferry catamarans parked in the basin. They service the cruise ships that anchor out in the middle of the harbor, just south of the city. They begin early in the morning on days when ships are in port and take passengers to the ferry terminal in the city. (Should you make it into the city, there are wonderful duty-free shops and arts galleries near the terminal.)

Also on the property is Old Belize, a museum with artifacts and historical background on this tiny country. On the waterfront is Sibun Bite restaurant.

The entire complex is owned and operated by Francis Cisco. A nicer and friendlier proprietor you will not find. He personally greets all boaters and is very open to suggestions. We should also mention that we found the food at Sibun Bite reasonably priced and delicious. Free wireless Internet is available in the marina and restaurant.

Francis has taken the area in front of the restaurant on the harbor’s edge and transformed it into a beach complete with tiki huts, kayaks and palm trees. It makes one feel like they are in Polynesia.

We got weathered in Cucumber Beach with very strong trades so decided to go inland. If your cruising kitty is well-stocked, you can hire a private taxi to take you virtually anywhere in the country, even to neighboring Guatemala to Tikal. (It’s closer from here than from the Rio Dulce.) The Belize Zoo is only 20 miles away from the marina and is an inexpensive, fun-filled day. With limited funds, we braved the country’s bus system and rode to San Ignacio. It was hot and crowded and lots of water is recommended. We had the small ruins of Cahal Pech, a Mayan city, to ourselves one bright morning. Hotels and restaurants are plentiful and reasonably priced. We spent three great days in this rustic small town that is loaded with tourist attractions.

Island hopping

We knew we needed to press on so continued south after saying goodbye to the friendliest, most helpful marina staff we had ever met anywhere.

We broke the days up into short hops of 15 or 20 miles as the weather forecast looked quite good for the week. The first night was Bluefield Range near Rendezvous Cay close to the reef.

This defunct fishing camp is distinguishable from a distance with its light blue tiny stilt cabins. One can anchor in its lee, in between the cays for all around protection or on the Caribbean side in a westerly, with good holding. It is a short two-mile dinghy ride to the outlying reef for snorkeling, fishing or diving.

The next night we had chosen Coco Plum Cay near the Tobacco Cay reef pass. Although a beautiful little cay, broken up into three after numerous storms, the holding was terrible and we spent two hours trying to get either a CQR or Danforth to hold. The bottom was just too hard and grassy for anything to penetrate so we let out the 45-pound anchor and 150 feet of chain to hold us in place. We prayed for no squalls overnight and fortunately there were none.

Ordinarily we would have moved to a better anchorage, but the afternoon was wearing on and we didn’t want to get stuck in reef-strewn waters in the dark.

We moved on to Placencia the next day. I was very excited to see so many anchored boats through the binoculars as we approached from the north, but quickly realized the majority of them were charter boats. We did become reunited with some recent friends that had left us back in Cay Caulker.

Placencia is an interesting town at the end of a very long road. (See accompanying story, Page 11.) We cleared out of Belize in Big Creek, just south of Placencia. Chuck and the captain of the other boat dinghied the three or so miles there from the anchorage in Placencia. (It’s only three miles by water, but 45 miles by road.) They were chastised for not bringing the big boats to Big Creek as well as fined an additional $20 by the customs official. Live and learn.

A quiet anchorage

Our last stop before the Rio Dulce was New Haven Bight. This secure, protected anchorage on the mainland side of Belize is also part of the National Park system. We decided to spend two nights there to wait a weather window to cross the Gulf of Honduras to Livingston, Guatemala. Once the home of Hard Luck Charlie’s Boat Yard, this quiet anchorage is all but deserted. Hard Luck Charlie died some years back, as rumor has it, by getting drunk and driving his boat into the mangroves.

You can’t get your boat hauled here, but there is a lovely mango tree next to Charlie’s old house that was spilling delicious fruit onto the ground.

A catamaran anchored in the little bay was occupied by an American couple looking to buy property in the cove and spend their retirement here. We found this to be true in many places in Belize and Guatemala.

Like much of Belize, this area is now designated as part of a park system. On our second morning there we were hailed on VHF 16 by the Port of Honduras. Two gentlemen in a panga approached our stern and advised us that we would need to pay $10 (U.S.) per day per person for our stay there. Chuck politely discussed this with them. We could not understand why this would be part of the park as it was mainland area and not reefs, and there were no moorings or services.

They couldn’t have been more courteous and accepted payment for one day instead of two. They told Chuck that some people refuse to come out of their boats to speak to them and others don’t let them touch their boats to hang on to talk.

Belize is a wonderful, beautiful country with friendly people. However, one should note before traveling through Belize by boat that much of the country, mainland and cays, is part of the park system and as such is subject to a per-person charge to anchor. Tropicat, a cruising boat out of San Francisco, reported to us in December 2005 that at Lighthouse Reef the charge is $30 (U.S.) per person per day.

For those of us on tight budgets these costs can become prohibitive so, unfortunately, we did not see as much of Belize as we would have liked. Hopefully, the government there will reconsider some of these charges and the effect they might have on future tourism.

Having said that, we loved the time we spent in Belize and the new friends we made. But it was time to move on and experience Guatemala.

Arriving in "The River"

The weather was still holding for us but rain and thunderstorms were forecast for the Bay of Honduras for the next few days. We were also timing our arrival at the entrance to the Rio Dulce to coincide with an astronomical high tide to give us as much water as possible when we crossed the famous “bar” at the mouth of the river. Leaving New Haven Bight early in the morning meant the next high tide would not be until the next day.

There are a couple of choices when waiting to enter the river as to where you might want to anchor for the night. Most folks, it seems, anchor behind Cabo Tres Puntas, which is due east of the river entrance by about 10 miles. The prevailing winds in this area generally switch to the west at night and hold there until about late morning. This means the anchorage behind Cabo Tres Puntas is exposed to swells with a 10-mile fetch, which puts you on a lee shore if things get exciting. Not a situation we prefer, especially since the afternoon and evening thunderstorms can produce winds to 50 knots and some pretty uncomfortable seas.

The second option, and the one we chose, was to continue in along the coastline of Cabo Tres Puntas in a southeast direction into a well-protected bay called Bahia La Graciosa. By avoiding the uncharted shoal on your portside that extends off the tip in toward the bay at the entrance, coming in is easy and the entrance is otherwise very straight forward.

Local sights and sounds

We had arrived at about 4 p.m. along with our friends on the sailing vessel Nueva Vida. This is a couple from Alaska with three children aboard whom we had met in Tulum and had traveled with again for much of Belize.

We positioned ourselves in the northern end of the bay for protection from the forecast winds. This bay is beautiful and affords 360-degree protection in just about any weather condition.

We found ourselves anchored just off a native fishing village. As we sat in the cockpit enjoying the afternoon, we watched as they strung their nets between trees, and cleaned and repaired them. We also saw a group of natives fishing from a panga just off our stern. They tied the boat to shore and extended their nets out at right angles, then walked them in an arc to the stern of their boat. They were corralling the fish back toward the shoreline and the boat. Once the circle was completed and the nets were right along side their panga they simply reached down, grabbed the fish and threw them into the boat.

These were no small fish since some seemed to be almost as large as the fisherman. And, no, this is not a fish tale. We were totally fascinated and this was our first look at how the Guatemalan natives lived and worked. This area is very remote, with access only by boat. The closest town is Livingston, 10 miles across the bay.

Near sunset the fisherman hauled in their nets and headed home. Just as the sun was going down we were treated to another first.

From the jungle we could hear the very distinctive calls of howler monkeys. Many cruisers that had come here before us had told us to listen for them just after sunset and as soon as the sun comes up. This is the time they are most active and vocal.

It was quite an experience the first time and Susan was really excited. She soon had the imitation of their call down, and could even get them to call back to her.

A weather window decision

Our plans were to leave around 5 a.m. the next day to be across the bar on the rising tide. During the night we had become surrounded by thunderstorms, but none drifted over our small bay.

By the time we were ready to pull up our anchor they had positioned themselves directly between us and Livingston. The light show was pretty impressive. We talked on the radio with Nueva Vida. They had anchored about a quarter-mile from us and we told them we really did not feel comfortable with the storms out in the bay, and were concerned that one might sit on top of us as we tried to cross the bar.

We waited a couple of more hours, but the storms were holding and the clock was ticking for us. Finally we knew we could not make it to the bar with a good tide so we sat out the rest of the day right where we were. This was not a bad thing since the high tide was a little later and a little higher the next morning.

Other than a few sprinkles in the morning, the storms stayed outside the bay, so we enjoyed this beautiful place surrounded by jungle and flat calm water.

We took some time to take the dinghy and get a little closer to the fishing village. The villagers watched us with curiosity and waved enthusiastically when we came by.

Later that night they had some kind of celebration and turned on their generator and ran electric lights. They spent several hours playing guitars and singing until about 9 p.m., when the lights went out and all was quiet again in our world.

You really have to experience these kinds of moments to appreciate the feeling that one gets. These are the reasons we worked hard and planned hard to get out here to travel the watery part of our planet on a small boat. But even on this evening we could not imagine that the best was yet to come.

Cutting it close

That night and early the next morning we once again had thunderstorms in the vicinity and you have to see the lightning displays to truly appreciate them. We had encountered this off and on down the entire coast from about Tulum south, but it was obvious that from now on this was to be a nightly occurrence.

The plus side in the morning was that the storms were over inland Honduras to the east and were not blocking our path.

So at 6 a.m. we hauled up the anchor along with our friends and headed across the bay to the bar and Livingston. We were making a little better time than we had planned so we slowed down a bit, but even then knew we would arrive well before high tide.

If we did ground at the bar we would simply wait a bit for the tide to come up. Nueva Vida draws 6-1/2 feet and Sea Trek draws 6 feet. The bar is reported to be 5 feet at mean low water.

The tidal range here is not very much and is dictated by the depths of the river further upstream. This is determined by the amount of rainfall inland as well as over the river and the two lakes that make up most of the system.

Since our draft is a little less than Nueva Vida, we crossed first and stayed in radio contact to provide them with depth reports. Sea Trek crossed the bar at about 7:45 a.m. with no problems. We were in the Rio Dulce and had met one of our greatest goals for the trip so far.

I can’t describe the excitement we felt at that moment, but just crossing the bar is not all we needed to worry about. The river entrance is very shallow in many places in the Livingston Harbor so our excitement was short-lived.

Once again we had a good set of waypoints provided by our friends on the sailing vessel Filia and followed them carefully to the commercial dock at Livingston. Filia has been in and out of the river every year for the last 10 years and their draft is also 6 feet. We have used their waypoints several times in the past and found them always to be extremely accurate. We are well aware that using anyone else’s waypoints should be done with caution, and with careful examination of charts and any other navigational references available. Situations and conditions can obviously change rapidly in the marine environment.

Nautical gymnastics

A sailboat with a deeper draft trying to enter the river system creates an interesting challenge that calls for a technique that can be a bit unnerving. It entails the assistance of two local pangas working in tandem with each other. One panga will attach halyards from the mast head to their vessel and pull straight out from your beam. This heals the boat over far enough to reduce the draft sufficiently to get you over the bar.

At the same time the second panga is attached to the bow with a tow line, and pulls the boat forward until it’s in deeper water.

It sounds scarier than it actually is because these fellows do this all the time and are quite good at it. The cost to get you over is usually $100 to $125 (U.S.) for the assistance of both boats.

Once over the bar, the deeper water doglegs straight up river for about a quarter-mile and then makes a turn to starboard toward the concrete municipal dock, the area where you must anchor. We found the holding here to be poor for anchoring, so this should not be attempted in bad weather. It’s also a good idea to leave someone on the boat at all times while at Livingston, unless the conditions are totally calm. Luckily calm conditions were our experience as we finally dropped the hook.

A sincere welcoming

We found the check-in process here to be one of the most pleasant and easy we’ve experienced almost anywhere.

The first step is to call the Port Captain on VHF Channel 16. He speaks only Spanish so if no one on the boats has a grasp of the language a call to the Customs agent, Raul, might help smooth thing along. Raul is extremely helpful and speaks English. We are fortunate that Susan speaks pretty fluent Spanish, which has made our travels along Central America much smoother.

Once contact has been made you need to wait on the boat and all of the appropriate officials will come to you. You will be visited by the Port Captain, Customs, Immigrations and Health. Of the four, only Raul from Customs speaks English.

Their visit was short and very pleasant. No search or inspection was done. They sat in our cockpit and chatted a bit, collected our passports, gave us a map of the town showing where all of their offices where and told us exactly what the charge would be at each office. This was amazing since it eliminates the possibility of unexpected or unofficial charges coming up at any time during check-in.

They welcomed us to Guatemala and expressed a hope that we enjoy our stay. We were instructed to go to shore to begin the process, and told our passports would be in Immigration. The whole process, including a stop at the bank to change our U.S. dollars to local currency, took 40 to 50 minutes.

Once officially cleared in, we were free to enjoy these fantastic cruising grounds. We made a few stops in town to purchase some supplies and returned to the boat. Because of the strong current, poor holding and wakes from the local fishing boats it was decided that we would immediately move up river.

Our first stop was to be a small bay only about 12 miles away and it was still early morning. So, without hesitation, we pulled up the anchor and headed toward one of our greatest adventures to date.

Life on the Rio Dulce

Cruising is not really a fitting description of what most boaters do once they reach this beautiful country of Guatemala. The area near the mouth of the Rio Dulce is one of the most popular and safest areas in the Western Caribbean during the hurricane season.

In our research, we had heard some disturbing accounts of security problems on the river. There were tales of theft, intrigue, drugs and even murder in the idyllic setting. Later, we would uncover the true nature of those reports.

Most boaters arriving here immediately head for the Marina District. By doing so, they bypass some great opportunities to enjoy the lower part of the river and experience some of the native settlements.

We did an unscientific survey of the marinas when we arrived, and found to our surprise that around 80 percent of the boats were unattended and basically in storage for the upcoming hurricane season. Their owners had returned home or gone off for extended traveling elsewhere; as cruising sailors, we found this sad.

Even the owners that stay aboard during the “season” rarely went anywhere on the boat. Yes, many did the typical inland exploration — as did we — since there is much to see in this beautiful country and we could have spent a lot more time doing just that if we in fact had the time.

Inland travel is fairly easy since there is a bus terminal in Fronteras, the main town here, to anywhere in the country you choose to go. We visited Guatemala City several times, the Lake Atitlan area, Antigua and the black sand beaches of the Pacific coast.

But we have always enjoyed exploring new places on Sea Trek and that is why we have lived aboard and cruised her for almost 14 years. So coming to a perfect and protected cruising grounds such as this and just parking the boat seemed almost sacrilegious.

Caution and common sense

When traveling inland for extended periods of time cruisers should leave the boat in one of the dozen or so marinas for security reasons. Petty theft can be a problem. Some marinas are not as secure as others, so be sure to ask around and get some first-hand advice; we found that unsubstantiated rumors do move up and down the river.

It is, in part, those rumors that keep many from exploring any farther on their own. When we first arrived, we were warned not to go anywhere outside the marina area unless we buddy boated.

Even our outdated guidebook, which everyone uses, warns that anchoring in the Gorge or anywhere on the lower river can result in midnight boardings — banditos swinging from the trees down onto your boat from the jungle. In retrospect, we think they saw too many Tarzan movies as children. (Some of the Tarzan movies with Johnny Weissmuller were actually filmed here.) Over and over again we heard about the security issues of traveling alone here. We had to wonder then why so many cruisers came here after all.

From what we determined, no serious crimes have been reported here for years. However, incidents from years back are still retold as if they happened last week. The murder we had heard about was more than eight years ago. Even our embassy warned us about a “non-resident” being killed and a woman being raped. When we pressed, they admitted that it happened five years ago and in Guatemala City, far from the river. We were also told of boats being boarded and things stolen in the middle of the night when anchored off alone.

But then we discovered — after being here for four months — that there was not one incident of a boat being boarded or anything being stolen off any of the few boats that did cruise the river, including ourselves.

The people that live here seem basically happy and hard-working, but they are very poor.

Simply put: you need to use a certain amount of common sense and caution. Lock the boat when you leave and don’t leave things just lying about, especially at night. Boat traffic is heavy on the river day and night and the locals are curious about us, so they often come right alongside the boat as they travel up and down the river. Once we determined that things were pretty safe we began to spend more time exploring and cruising.

Exploring the beauty

Every anchorage on the river — as well as El Golfete and Lago Izabal — is spectacular. Lago Izabal is 15 miles wide and 30 miles long. The average depth is about 20 feet but as deep as 59 feet. El Golfete is a 10-mile-long beautiful bay surrounded by mountains that are covered with jungle.

The waters are deep almost right up to the shoreline and you are surrounded by breathtaking vistas. If you are anchored in the right places the jungle sounds at night are fascinating.

This whole area is unlike any cruising grounds we have visited. And because most other boaters don’t leave the marinas we had the entire river system to ourselves, with peaceful anchorages wherever we went. There is one village on the Lago Izabal called El Estor that should not be used as an overnight anchorage. This is a former mining town that has fallen to hard times. Here we suspect you might experience some theft problems, so a daytime visit only is recommended.

There are rivers running in to the entire watershed from the mountains almost everywhere. These are wonderful for dinghy exploration, but be sure and use lots of bug repellent and always keep in mind that you are in the jungle.

Of course there is much to do if you hang around the main marina area. Each morning the day starts off with the local VHF net on channel 68. New arrivals introduce themselves and folks leaving on their boats say goodbye. It is an opportunity to locate hard-to-find parts or sell something you want to get rid of.

The local restaurants announce their daily specials and any upcoming social events. Every Saturday morning The Cayuco Club sponsors a swap meet on the grounds of Mario’s Marina – just in case you didn’t sell your stuff over the VHF. Even local handicrafts are sold by local indigenous people.

This is a good opportunity to catch up on river gossip as well as socialize. On almost every holiday some event is going on at one of the marinas, including Fourth of July celebrations and huge Thanksgiving dinners, plus everything from pot luck dinners with everyone invited, including the locals, to Hawaiian Luaus.

Guatemala City is a five-hour bus ride and at some time everyone makes the trip at least once. We made the trip two times and can’t tell you how much we enjoyed ourselves. A private van with a driver can be arranged that will take you to the Mayan ruins in Copan, Honduras or Tikal in Northern Guatemala. Trips to any of the country’s fabulous tourist destinations can be arranged in Fronteras. It does not surprise us that some boaters came here for a visit and have stayed, in a few cases for more than 10 years. Many more come back here year after year and say they never do the same things twice.

We are not sure if or when we might return, but we know that if there is a next time we will spend a great deal more time on the water than tied to a dock. If your plans bring you to Guatemala in the future, consider a long, slow cruise along the Rio Dulce.

The Jungle Medic

Cruising does not always mean boisterous passages or cocktails on the aft deck at sunset. To the contrary, much of our time is spent exploring the country side and getting to know the local people. This approach for my wife Susan and I has enriched the experience far beyond what we expected when we moved aboard Sea Trek and started the cruising life almost 14 years ago. Beginning in mid April of 2005 the passage from the Florida Keys, down the coast of Mexico, and wandering through the many Cays in Belize has been wonderful. But that did not compare to our fantastic experience upon arriving on the Rio Dulce in Guatemala.

We had heard from many sources, of the wonderful work done here by Bryan Buchanan and his wife Riechelle. Bryan is a certified paramedic and has done a residency here with a family practitioner and he has also done some dental training. Both he and Riechelle have been Missionaries in third world countries for several years, the last few here in Guatemala. They primarily travel to remote villages that do not have access to medical care and set up their clinic for the day, but they will offer care and medication to anyone that might need it, including the local cruising community. Bryan and Riechelle are known locally here on the river as The Jungle Medic.

Each morning here on the river at 07:30 there is a cruisers net on VHF channel 69. So when the call went out for volunteers for one of Bryan’s clinics we jumped at the chance, and so did several others. Crew from Nueva Vida, Dragonet, Island Time, Anon, T.O. Sea, Morenga, Balance, Rose of Sharon, Bold Venture, Pegasus and of course our own Sea Trek answered the call. Arrangements were made by Bryan to pick up the individuals at the various Marinas in his van on Wednesday and we all met at Bryan's home just outside of town. The turnout was great and we had 25 volunteers for our "team". Bryan instructed us as to what to expect and how to set up for the clinic. We were all also issued scrubs for the purpose of showing the villagers that we were part of the team and there to help them as opposed to just a group of Gringos. Bryan also noted that this was a very large village by comparison to others he regularly visits and it was also a very sick village. Because he had needed to assemble a large enough group, but until now had been unable, the village had not been visited for almost a year. He generally tries to return every few months to the areas he has covered.

The next morning at 08:00 we set out in two vehicles. Bryan's van with a trailer in tow, carrying all the medical supplies, and a Jeep loaned to us by one of the local Marinas. The village was approximately 45 miles away. Once we had left the main paved road the going was considerably slower. After about an hour we reached the village and began to set up tables and the supplies on the front "porch" of two buildings of the school. Immediately after our arrival the villagers began to line up for what proved to be a long day. It had rained that morning and all of the grounds were muddy and it continued to rain off and on several times that day. We all received thorough instructions on just what our assignments were and exactly how to perform them. Once everything was ready and we were sure of what to do the first villagers started down the line.

This is not a true Medical Clinic in the sense that most might normally consider. There are no Doctors here most of the time. We had one other certified paramedic and two experienced nurses as part of the group. No one tries to diagnose serious illnesses or treat those that should see a doctor or be treated in a hospital. Those people are told they must go to one of the larger cities for appropriate treatment and Bryan frequently assists them by providing transportation. Our purpose there was to treat the most common problems related to the lifestyles and environment in which these people live. The most significant issues are infections that needed antibiotics, treatment of various types of worms that affected most of the children, and getting everyone some type of nutritional supplement since the local diets are very poor and lacking even the basics. This is indeed simply putting a band aid on a wound but as we saw it does make a difference in their lives and they do respond to it.

This was a local village of the Kek'chi Mayan Indians. That does present somewhat of a language barrier since none speak any English and most do not even speak Spanish. And add to this the fact that there are over 20 different dialects. The few that spoke Spanish served as interpreters including the village Chief who helped in translating and keeping order as the day progressed. We could usually get the message across using some crude sign language. This village was very near a local tourist attraction so they were somewhat used to interacting with outsiders.

Each family was seen as group and at least one parent had to accompany any children. One thing that struck us right off was the lack of men waiting in line. We later found out that they usually won't come because it is not macho to stand in line with the women and children or to admit that you are sick. Many are also out working during the day. The line was very long and there were many children including some very young girls, only teens themselves, with three, four, and five children. These were the ones we were especially there to help. Riechelle kept control of the line and assigned numbers to each individual, but as a family group. The number was written on the back their hands so we could keep track.

Their first stop was at the table of either Bryan or the other paramedic, Mark. They determined the specific needs and wrote that down on a piece of paper with the number that coordinated to the one on their hand. They then moved to the next table, or station, and we would check their paper to see if they needed anything from our station. The paper needed to match the number on their hand since many mothers carried the papers for all their children. Most of the children required worm medicine which was liquid given orally. Next the children and adults were given vitamin supplements. They had been given instructions at the paramedic’s station by the interpreter as to when and how to take the pills or capsules. Next stop was for skin problems as well as eyes, and ears. Any needed antibiotics were applied by the team members. Their last stop was the pharmacy station. Each of the two pharmacy stations were manned by one of the two nurses on the team along with one helper that could at least speak Spanish. Since Susan speaks pretty good Spanish she was assigned to one of the pharmacy stations. Most of the items passed out there were some form of oral antibiotics to treat the infections diagnosed by the paramedics. There was a station set up in the middle of the school grounds at the town water pump. This station was to wash and treat the hair of the children infected with lice. We saw women and children from infants to ages I did not even want to guess.

We had started early in the morning and except for a quick lunch break finished up by mid afternoon. We saw, in all, almost 500 people. Several of us had brought along our digital cameras to photograph our experiences. The children were delighted to have us take their picture and then show them the results on the cameras LCD screen. Except for reflections in the water most had never seen an image of themselves. It was indeed a moving experience and we will jump at the chance to go again. At the end of the day we all had a good feeling inside and knew that we had made a difference in these peoples lives however small it might be. It also showed them that there were people out there that cared about their welfare. This was an experience that we will never forget. And the small space here really can not give it proper understanding.

At the end of the day we were all pretty tired but Bryan's offer to take us to the local tourist attraction, which happened to be a nearby waterfall, was too good to resist. We packed up everything in the vans and headed out. The waterfall is just across the river and a little up stream from the village. It originates from a hot spring on a cliff above that has a constant temperature of about 120 degrees. Pools at the top are better than any hot tub. The water fall tumbles into the very cool river below and the temperature difference leaves a mist on the water. You can swim from the very cool water in the river to the heated water as it runs down the waterfall. It is a great experience and we know why the tourists like to come here. This was the perfect end to an unforgettable day. As we were leaving the falls it rained again and we had a very cool drive back to our Marinas. We went to bed that night exhausted but satisfied that we had been able to give something back to these people that allowed us to share some of their beautiful country.

Bryan's clinics are not always conducted by layman. He has a group of Doctors from outside the country that participates on a regular basis and it is not unusual for him to have medical teams booked for a year in advance. He spends some time each year in the US speaking at various venues and is constantly finding medical folks willing to donate their time to this great cause. His funding comes from many private donations from folks that know of the good work he and Riechelle do, as well as a few churches that regularly donate to the cause. But funds are always needed and appreciated. Also many individuals as well as drug companies in the US regularly send donated medicines and vitamins. At the writing of this article Bryan is in the field with a full medical team for ten days.

Bryan and Riechelle also have a completely converted and fitted medical bus outfitted in the US and brought to Guatemala by the US Air Force. It has complete diagnostic, treatment and lab equipment as well as examining rooms. The bus will greatly improve the quality of care that Bryan and his teams will be able to provide these wonderful people. The United States Air Force graciously agreed to fly the bus down on a military transport. You can find out more about the work that Bryan and Riechelle do and see some wonderful photos from some of the villages they have visited. The website is http://www.junglemedicmissions.org and should not be missed. If anyone ever has the opportunity to come and visit here and participate in Bryan's clinic we highly recommend you do so. It might just be the experience of a lifetime. And you can sure bank a bunch of good karma. Chuck and Susan