Part 28: Back to Belize

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</div> <script type="text/javascript"> if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "slider" in lycos_ad) { document.write(lycos_ad['slider']); } </script>  <div id="FooterAd" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-top:1px solid #393939; clear:both; display:none; width:100%!important; position:relative; z-index:999999!important; height:90px!important"> <div class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;"> <div id="footerAd_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px"> <iframe id="lycosFooterAdiFrame" style="border:0; display:block; float:left; height:96px; overflow:hidden; padding:0; width:750px"></iframe> </div> </div> </div> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFCC80" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="09c8e8e3.jpg"> <div> <IMG SRC="09e95810.gif" border=0 width="149" height="129" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  </div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFCC80" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="09d00c82eoxkoh.jpg"> <div> <B>The Cruising Adventures of Joan & Ben Schuetz aboard  </b></div> <div> <B>Francesca</b><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div>  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >   |     </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Cruising Adventures of Joan Ben Sch"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 1: Caribbean Bound"><U>      Part 1:  Caribbean Bound</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 2: Southern ICW"><U>      Part 2: Southern ICW</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id76.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 2A: Preparing to cross the s"><U>      Part 2A:  Preparing to cross the stream</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 3: Cuban Delights"><U>      Part 3: Cuban Delights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 4: Great Hospitality, Awful B"><U>      Part 4: Great Hospitality, Awful Beaurocracy</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 4a: Interesting weather"><U>      Part 4a: Interesting weather</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 5: Lo siento (Im sorry) no lo"><U>      Part 5: Lo siento (I'm sorry) no lobsters</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 6: If you make plans, dont te"><U>      Part 6: If you make plans, don't tell anyone</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 7: At the western tip of Cuba"><U>      Part 7: At the western tip of Cuba</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 8: War Stories"><U>      Part 8:  War Stories</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 9: Hanging out at Isla Mujer"><U>      Part 9:  Hanging out at Isla Mujeres, Mexico</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 10: Isla Mujeres to Puerto Av"><U>      Part 10: Isla Mujeres to Puerto Aventuras</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 11: Bahia Ascension y Bahia d"><U>      Part 11: Bahia Ascension y Bahia del Espiritos Santos</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 12: Oooh, the weather is so e"><U>      Part 12: Oooh, the weather is so exciting. . . .</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 13: The illegal aliens beat "><U>      Part 13:  The illegal aliens beat it over the border</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 14: San Pedro and Caye Caulke"><U>      Part 14: San Pedro and Caye Caulker, Belize</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 15: Bluefield Range (Belize)"><U>      Part 15: Bluefield Range (Belize)</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 15A: Waiting for good weather"><U>      Part 15A: Waiting for good weather at Bluefield Range</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 16: Rio Dulce Bound"><U>      Part 16: Rio Dulce Bound</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 17: On the Rio"><U>      Part 17:  On the Rio</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 18: A Spectacular Couple of D"><U>      Part 18: A Spectacular Couple of Days</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 19: On to Lago Izabal"><U>      Part 19:  On to Lago Izabal</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 20: More on Lago Izabal"><U>      Part 20: More on Lago Izabal</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 21: Rainbow on a full moon"><U>      Part 21: Rainbow on a full moon</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 22: At the dock "><U>      Part 22: At the dock         </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 23: It gets better better "><U>      Part 23:  It gets better & better & . . . .</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 24: Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Ch"><U>      Part 24: Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenango</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 25: Panajacel and Chichi"><U>      Part 25: Panajacel and Chichi</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 26: Heide heads home"><U>      Part 26: Heide heads home</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 27: Leaving river city for a "><U>      Part 27: Leaving river city for a while</U></A>   |         Part 28: Back to Belize   |   <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 29: Time out for paradise"><U>      Part 29: Time out for paradise</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 30: Natures way"><U>      Part 30: Natures way</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 31: Best of the best"><U>      Part 31: Best of the best</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 32: Jacks Cay No Glovers Ree"><U>      Part 32: Jack's Cay No - Glover's Reef Si</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 33: A few days of ambling"><U>      Part 33:  A few days of ambling</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 34: Treasures of a Lifetime"><U>      Part 34: Treasures of a Lifetime</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 35: Its a better day today"><U>      Part 35:  It's a better day today</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id82.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 36: The loss of a friend"><U>      Part 36:  The loss of a friend</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id83.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 37: Rite of passage"><U>      Part 37:  Rite of passage</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id84.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 38: The last bit of open wat"><U>      Part 38:  The last bit of open water</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id85.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 39: 1000 miles and counting"><U>      Part 39: 1000 miles and counting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id86.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Part 40: Shoes, me?"><U>     Part 40:  Shoes-, me?</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>      Part 28: Back to Belize</b></div> <div> Sunday, 9 April 2000 </div> <bR> <div> April 6, Thursday morning at sunrise we slipped out of Suzannah's Marina and headed down river.  It really felt good to be underway again.  Engine checks that morning revealed a main engine belt had been slipping a little and as it was 3 years old anyway, it was replaced.  After traveling 2000 miles during the  last 6 months this belt and the small inverter have been the only casualties.</div> <bR> <div> We met up with Delphys at Livingston at the mouth of the Rio and together we were checked out of Guatemala by noon.    Then, crossing the bar, we found that the seas in the Gulf of Honduras as slick as glass.  With no wind, Delphys had to motor all the way to Punta Gorda, Belize at about 5.5 knots.  We went on ahead at about 6.5 knots, but were running only 1200 rpm.  We all got back together at Punta Gorda by around 3:30 PM and had time to check in with the authorities.  P.G. is by far the best check -n/out place we have encountered on the trip.  All of the various departments are located in the same small building and within 100 feet of the city dock.  They are helpful and pleasant and there are no fees.</div> <bR> <div> By the time we finished checking in, the day was gone and we remained for the night on the hook.  The anchorage at Punta Gorda is fully exposed to the Atlantic, but that night the wind remained calm and Francesca was as steady as if it were cast in concrete.  A benign cold front had moved through and it was very cool (low 70s).   We had a great nights sleep with no smoke and even had to use a blanket.</div> <bR> <div> In the morning, we set out for the Sapadilla Cays located about 30 miles east and across the banks.  Almost immediately Mark caught a nice 12-15 lb. king mackerel.  We matched speed and he came aboard Francesca with the fish.  It was filleted and in the refrig. within minutes of arrival.  The weather held and the seas remained calm.   The Sapadillas are the southernmost cays of the Belizean barrier reef.  There are no really good anchorages except to say that the reef offers protection from the open ocean and if you're lucky a small island may break the wind a bit.  Our first night was at the very first and very small island.  Snorkeling there was disappointing as the coral we saw was either dead or dying.  We spent the night there, but the wind picked up and Francesca rolled uncomfortably.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b516550.jpg" border=0 width="534" height="341" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> In the morning we moved about 7 miles north to Frank's Cay.  There, next to the island, a lagoon is ringed by a coral reef that is mostly submerged.  It has a narrow entrance and depths of less than 10 feet, but offered a lot more protection than we had the previous night.   The snorkeling here is better too.  More fish, a few lobster and several square miles of coral bottom to explore.  Frank's Cay is beautifully palmed and has a few rental cottages, but we have seen only a couple of people.  The next cay, a half mile to the north is larger, densely covered with palms and uninhabited.  Joan, Mariam and Maggie explored that island while Mark and I snorkeled it's coral edges.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b7c23a0.jpg" border=0 width="450" height="314" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Pilot Whales </div> <bR> <div> In the evening, the four (five) of us had the second meal from the mackerel.  The wind had picked up to 20 knots.  While we ate, a small voice on the outside said “hola.”  We couldn't imagine, but it turned out to be an indian in about an 8 foot cayuca.  He had only a mask and set of fins in the little craft.  He asked if we had a cigarette.  Non of us smoked, but we gave him a beer and he happily set off for an island about 2 ½ miles to the south.  It was hard to imagine how he could be out all day with no water.  These islands are almost all devoid of drinking water.  With the wind up, the seas between the islands were running 3 to 4 feet, but I'm sure it was just another day for him.   If you try to think about how he got way out here and how he survives, you just get a headache.</div> <bR> <div> Later last night, the wind picked up more and blew an easy 25 knots.  Joan and I took turns on anchor watch until about 2:00 AM,  then it dropped to less than 15 knots and we finished our nights sleep.   This morning it is just lovely with a nice breeze and around 80 degrees.   We will probably stay here at Frank's Cay for another day or so.</div> <bR> <div> More.</div> <bR> <div> Joan, Ben & Maggie</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>