We spent 7 weeks in the Rio Dulce, waiting for our canvas work to be done, cleaning the boat, making repairs, provisioning, and spending the holidays with our family community at Tortugal Marina. Oscar and Carola, our friends in Guatemala, invited us to a lunch on their beautiful riverfront home in November.
A weekend away to Flores and Tikal with Cindy and John from Tashmoo, and Heather and Jon from Evergreen broke up the monotonus rain and life at the marina. What fun we had! We hired a van for two days - first stop Flores, a small island on the way to Tikal, where we walked around, shopped and had lunch.
It was in the van that the guys learned the girls had reserved a room at a hostel for our first night away. Thinking the worst, our first look at the place confirmed our fears. Wooden-planked walls, with a half-inch separation between the boards, bare floors and no mosquito netting. The good news was that the host spoke perfect English and the room came with free breakfast. Luckily there were no bugs, but roosters crow from 2:00a until dawn. It was clean, beds comfortable, private baths - what more do you want for $24 US total a night!
We went to Yaxha, a Mayan ruin site. There we climbed up one of the temples to watch the sunset over the lake. Right after, we had to move quickly, because darkness set in and the bugs came out, and we weren't quite sure of our way back to the parking lot. We took a short cut through the jungle. Fortunately the snakes were not out yet.
We got a 6:00a start for our ride to Tikal. Tikal is truly one of the wonders of the world with over 4,000 ruins (only 20% have been uncovered) and five of the six tallest temples in Central America. The site rivals the great temples of Egypt and is sprawled over hundreds of acres of park. Cindy and John just returned from hiking to the base camp of Mt Everest, and Jon and Heather are both marathon runners - Bob and Maggie are out of shape and did our best to keep up with them. Climbing and climbing and climbing. What vistas from the tops of the temples. Some of the temples were so high and steep that you had to come down the ladder backwards. It was not for the weak of heart.
Our next night was reserved at Finca Ixobel, where we hoped to do a river rafting trip. No such luck - with the lack of rain (unlike the Rio) there was not enough water in the rivers to raft. So the four hikers set out for a walk up the highest peak, while we opted for time at the lake.
Our driver left us at the finca, and we were on our own for the return trip to Rio Dulce. We thought we'd catch the chicken bus as it went by, though you never know when that will be. So we decided to look for any vehicle that might accommodate the six of us.
Within 20 minutes, a van with two young Guatemalans stopped, and offered us a ride for $3US each. What a deal ... and what a ride! The speaker on the dashboard throbbed up and down with the music, we passed every vehicle we approached by just inches; Maggie and Heather said prayers while Bob cheered the driver and insisted on rigging a speaker just like this in his Ford Taurus when we get to Connecticut!
We were safely back at the Rio in time to celebrate Maggie's birthday. Cindy thought it was a good reason to call a potluck gathering. Heather made Maggie's requested chocolate cake, complete with 8 (we don't know why) candles. Ocho (aka John on Tashmoo)showed up late and had to be inserted. Front left are Michael and Robin on Seabiscuit , from New London CT. Small world, isn't it.
Rosie is at peace with the boat - well, whenever she can find a comfortable spot to rest.
Finally, our canvas work was done and we were free to leave. On Christmas Day, Tashmoo and SeaTryst moved off the dock and onto moorings. Evergreen is a deeper draft boat and needed a high tide to get over the sandbar at the mouth of the river, so they left a few days before.
After 9 months at a dock, SeaTryst was underway and heading out of the Rio Dulce. Both boats anchored in Texan Bay, where we dinghied the 6 miles through the canyon to Livingston. The canyon is beautiful and we will never get tired of traveling through it. We did this so we could check out of Guatemala and leave the next day without stopping. Plus, in Texan Bay, we got to have dinner with Bob and Bonnie from Spray.
A 7:00a start on December 27, SeaTryst and Tashmoo weighed anchor and headed out. Mostly motor sailing (though we had a brief time with just the sails), we dropped the hook in New Haven, Belize - a much more beautiful harbor than the one in Connecticut. Surrounded by palm trees and just three boats in the anchorage, we felt as though we had reached heaven. This is why we are out here!
We spent two nights at anchor in this paradise, did a few boat chores, and collected coconuts.
After a downpour on the 29th, we were ready to weigh anchor. John caught a picture of SeaTryst under the rainbow.
We beat our way up the coast to Placencia and spent a day there waiting for the wind and rain to die down. As usual whenever she can, Maggie found internet, we got a few groceries, and oh yes, a trip to the best ice cream place in all of Central America, TuttiFruiti.
Another early start on Tuesday, we were underway to Southwater Cay; a dolphin swam around our bow to say goodbye as we were weighing anchor. With more rain showers; we were glad Maggie insisted on a new full enclosure - we were high and dry. We even saw a waterspout about a mile to our south. At about noon we reached Southwater; the rain had stopped and the water was calm - we decided to make the 18 mile hop to Glover's Reef to catch up with Evergreen. Unfortunately we hit some rough seas and were a washing machine for three hours.
Glover's is one of three Belize offshore atolls, made up of 4 small islands. Maybe this is paradise. (It even has internet! So yes, it must be paradise, says Maggie!)
New Year's Eve was celebrated with a potluck on SeaTryst, after a drink or two at the local bar.
We'll be here for a few days, and when the winds are right, will head southeast to the Bay Islands of Honduras, where we will meet up with Bob's son and daughter-in-law (Greg and Beth) for a visit in Roatan.