The Cruising Adventures of Joan & Ben Schuetz aboard  
Francesca
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      Part 1:  Caribbean Bound   |         Part 2: Southern ICW   |         Part 2A:  Preparing to cross the stream   |         Part 3: Cuban Delights   |         Part 4: Great Hospitality, Awful Beaurocracy   |         Part 4a: Interesting weather   |         Part 5: Lo siento (I'm sorry) no lobsters   |         Part 6: If you make plans, don't tell anyone   |         Part 7: At the western tip of Cuba   |         Part 8:  War Stories   |         Part 9:  Hanging out at Isla Mujeres, Mexico   |         Part 10: Isla Mujeres to Puerto Aventuras   |         Part 11: Bahia Ascension y Bahia del Espiritos Santos   |         Part 12: Oooh, the weather is so exciting. . . .   |         Part 13:  The illegal aliens beat it over the border   |         Part 14: San Pedro and Caye Caulker, Belize   |         Part 15: Bluefield Range (Belize)   |         Part 15A: Waiting for good weather at Bluefield Range   |         Part 16: Rio Dulce Bound   |         Part 17:  On the Rio   |         Part 18: A Spectacular Couple of Days   |         Part 19:  On to Lago Izabal   |         Part 20: More on Lago Izabal   |         Part 21: Rainbow on a full moon   |         Part 22: At the dock            |         Part 23:  It gets better & better & . . . .   |         Part 24: Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenango   |         Part 25: Panajacel and Chichi   |         Part 26: Heide heads home   |         Part 27: Leaving river city for a while   |         Part 28: Back to Belize   |         Part 29: Time out for paradise   |         Part 30: Natures way   |         Part 31: Best of the best   |         Part 32: Jack's Cay No - Glover's Reef Si   |         Part 33:  A few days of ambling   |         Part 34: Treasures of a Lifetime   |         Part 35:  It's a better day today   |         Part 36:  The loss of a friend   |         Part 37:  Rite of passage   |         Part 38:  The last bit of open water   |         Part 39: 1000 miles and counting   |        Part 40:  Shoes-, me?

      Part 29: Time out for paradise
Saturday, 15 April 2000

Our couple of days here at Frank's Cay were kind of extended.  We've been here a week now and will stay until Monday morning.  A nicer setting one could not find.  The islands are like visions of the South Seas, the snorkelling is excellent, fishing is good, water is warm and there is always a nice breeze.   We have been through several nights of moderate winds, but the anchors have held well.


We got a report that Heide was having mechanical trouble and was anchored in Bahia Ascencion.  On single side band we were able to make contact and found out that they were having engine raw water pump problems.  After some discussion, there was a work-around fix that Marv could do, but to be safe we would try to get some spare parts to them.   A boat was found heading in that direction, but Eric and Carol on “Driftwood” would not be at Bahia Ascencion for about a week.   Driftwood met up with us here at Frank's Cay, we gave them the parts and they stayed a couple of days.   Two other boats also came in to anchor in this little lagoon and it got kind of crowded.   Then, the day before yesterday, all of the other boats left and it was back to paradise as usual.

We then heard on the Net that Heide had made it to Isla Muheres, Mex. and was leaving for Key West.  Apparently the work-around or some other fix was found and they are confident enough to take on the 340 mile open ocean crossing.  The weather for the next few days appears to be ideal for their crossing.

Yesterday, Delphys left for Placencia to resupply.  We will meet them Monday at Jack's Cay about 30 miles north of here.  That will be about as far north as we plan to go.   If it is as nice as the Frank's Cay area we will probably stay there a week before heading back to the Rio.


Capt. Norm of Kids to Kids should be returning from Texas soon on their sailboat “Quetzal”.  When he gets back, we should have some indication how our summer will go.

More.
Joan, Ben & Maggie