Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Susan and I took the early ferry from Port Townsend to Coupeville on Whidbey Island, then on to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, and we managed to avoid some of the crowds. We had hoped for a sunny day as forecast, but as is the norm up here in the Pacific Northwest, the weather guys were wrong, and it was a gray, dreary, cold morning. But it didn't dampen our enthusiasm, as it has been several years since we went to see the flowers, and that day it was pouring!

Whidbey Island is beautiful; very different from the Olympic Peninsula, with rolling hills and pastureland and lots of farms and old barns. It's a couple of hours to get over to the Skagit Valley and we made out way to Tulip Town. The valley plants hundreds of acres of bulbs and the fields are easy to spot, the brilliant, jewel colors glowing against the drab browns and grays of the fallow and plowed fields.

Tulip Town, one of the show gardens, was already busy, and even though we were early (before 10am) the parking lot was almost full and the tour buses were starting to arrive. It's expanded since last time, with a big indoor area with a food vendor, (I hesitate to call it a cafe or coffee house) and a couple of gift stores where I hoped to buy a tulip dish towel! The cold wind was making it's way through the building as we made our way out to the fields.

As always, and despite the cold, the colors and the wide swaths of color are mind-blowing! The tulips were early this year, so even though it was the first part of the month, several areas were already over, but there were still acres and acres of color. It's also fun to see the kites that are set up in a field adjacent to the flower fields. The are staked down and the fanciful shapes and sizes soar in the steady breeze (wind). There were ones that twirled and others with l-o-n-g tails and Susan's favorite, the pterodactyls!  All very colorful against the leaden sky.

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Close, but not too close! The Tulip Police were out in force to keep visitors out of the vast fields of flowers! Although there were, of course, those who had to get out into the middle of the field for a selfie! (Not guilty.)

Trying to stay warm, we tried to keep moving but it was easy to get sidetracked into more and more pictures! Finally, we headed inside for a warm drink which worked more on our hands as we cupped them around the drinks, sipping to warm up!

Our next stop was RoosenGaarde, the second show garden. Both show gardens are owned by the Roozen family, which owns the Washington Bulb Company, Inc,/RoozenGaarde.

We pulled into a parking lot which ended up not being the main access but for us, it was perfect. There were very few people there and we enjoyed seeing the blooms without selfie sticks being thrust into our faces as we walked along! When we continued on to the main area, we were dismayed to see the masses and masses of people being herded down the pathways to the fields and decided that we would bypass this opportunity and headed intoLa Conner for lunch, a much more civilized idea, I thought!

A pleasant outdoor patio (the sun was coming out) at a Thai restaurant, a glass of wine and we headed back to Coupeville and the ferry home.

A very gentle adventure!

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Day Trip to Tikal, Guatemala

World of the Maya

Crossing the border from Belize into Guatemala was simple! The border is barely 20 minutes from the hotel, and we were offloaded on the Belize side, went through Immigration, paid our $20 and met up with our Guatemala guide, Mariella, on the other side and climbed into her brand new van for the 2 hour drive to Tikal. Just 24 years old, her whole family is in the tourism industry and she has the canned history and geography down pat.

The countryside is beautiful, with huge vistas, lakes, small villages - and rough roads!

We stopped for a bit of shopping before coming to the Park; t'shirts for the little boys and coffee for me - and for gifts ☕️

[su_pullquote]There are really no words to describe this place, this sacred area of Maya history, and photos don't do it justice. It is definitely one of those places that you have to see and experience for yourself. [/su_pullquote]The Tikal National Park is a designated World Heritage Site. Spending just a short day there is not enough, just enough to whet the appetite for more. The day tour just touches on the most important areas, but I would like to discover some of the lesser-known parts.

Also, it was extremely hot and Mariella (despite her size) kept up a grueling pace that nearly got the better of me. Fortunately, Jane noticed I was looking overheated and so I downed a very cold Belikin beer, which cooled me down and I was able to continue!

It's a very physical tour, with lots of walking and climbing stairs and pyramids. We could actually climb some of the temples' rock stairs While others had wooden stair cases built to keep people off the ruins. But it makes you wonder how the Mayas, who generally appear to be quite short, were able to regularly go up and down these towering edifices with steps that seem to be twice a normal (or modern) height! Once in a day is more than enough for me.

Some of the viewing platforms, especially on Temple lV (I think) are very high and un-fenced, just a few feet wide. People and their children were nonchalantly walking back and forth and I was cowering, back against the main wall, with very wobbly knees! Me and heights don't get along!

Mariella told us which temple was which but I probably have not identified them correctly in the photos! Gives me a reason to go back to explore at a slower pace and also time to read up on it more.

The day we went was during Easter week, right around the spring equinox, so there were a lot of people visiting. Tourists, but also a lot of local people; whole families with grannies and infants, the men carrying coolers and women with hampers who set up picnic spots under the trees to spend the day in this very sacred spot.

On our long walk out of the park, we saw coatimundi rummaging around on the forest floor, heard the howler monkeys and saw spider monkeys swinging through the branches. At the lunch restaurant on the outskirts of the park, there was great excitement when toucans were sighted outside! I was so tired at that point, I really didn't care but got a shot (that if you look closely) of the colorful bird!

The ride home to Maya Mountain Lodge was a lot quieter than our inbound trip. I was thinking about the long flight the next day, looking forward to seeing Ryan, but dreading being back in Washington. Hanging on to memories!

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Exploring San Ignacio, Belize

Our DIY Tour of San Ignacio

Our day off turned into a day of exploring San Ignacio Town, a bustling place with wild traffic and lots of people!

It seemed like there were no rules of the road as we know them, but no one seemed particularly concerned by cars and vans careening around corners, honking at pedestrians and generally appearing out of control. Most of the intersections had no stop or yield signs and it was a free-for-all!

Our taxi (we bought air freshener sheets from the driver - the smell has permeated everything that was close to it in my bag!) dropped us at the town market place. Even though it technically wasn't a market day, the stalls were stocked with local produce and we wished that we had been able to stock the boat from a place like this. Besides all the usual fruits and vegetables, we saw custard apples and papayas and granadillas! Plus some fruits and veges we couldn't identify. There were of course, lots of oranges, pineapples, coconuts, plantain and bananas. What a treat!

Next, we wandered down to the main part of town where the Main Street is closed to traffic and lined with stores and bars. After browsing for a while we headed to the San Ignacio Resort Hotel where the Green Iguana Conservation Project lives. I had absolutely no intention of handling one of the reptiles, but they seemed to enjoy it and are quite docile, so I did! And four of us, Tina, Jane, Betsy and myself had a picture taken of us, each with a small iguana on our heads! That was a first, I think, for all of us!

Back down into town, a bit more shopping then a taxi back to Maya Mountain Lodge for couple of drinks on the deck before a delicious dinner.

Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (ATM) Tour

Early to rise and a thumbs up! The river had receded and the caves were open.

Because the caves had been closed the day before because of high water, it was quite busy out at the staging area. We had prepared ourselves, wearing the right clothes and shoes, although a couple who joined our group had not, and had no idea what they were getting into. She was all twittery, a newly wed, with all the right clothes etc., just not for what we were going to experience!

This really is an amazing adventure! No cameras are allowed, and after experiencing the tour, I can understand why!

The caves were discovered in 1989 and a National Geographic documentary put them on the map.  They have been left as they were found. The only thing keeping people from stepping on the artifacts and skeletons were two strips of orange tape fastened to the rocks, forming a pathway!

Before entering, we were outfitted with helmets and headlights. Then walked for about 45 minutes along a cleared jungle trail Tapir Nature Mountain Reserve ( which is 6,741 acres of protected land), stopping every so often for a bit of history and nature tidbits from Orlando, our excellent guide. One time we stopped by a tree that had an ant's nest on it. Orlando stuck his finger into it and when he withdrew it, it was covered with tiny termites which he said,"Taste like carrots!" Which they did! Yes, I did eat one but they are tiny and not like the big, fat ones we get in South Africa.

We crossed the river three times, each time wading up to our armpits, pushing through the fairly fast moving water, stumbling on the smooth rocks, clutching the rope strung between the two banks. Just a taste of what was ahead of us.

The entrance to the caves loomed ahead and we waded in, turned a corner into pitch darkness! Headlights on, we moved forward, our group of eight keeping up with Orlando as he followed a path only he knew! Working our way through caves and caverns, stopping every so often to check we were all still there, Orlando pointed out the spectacular stalagmites and stalactites that created a fairy landscape when our headlights illuminated the tiny drops of water hanging on the tips of a gazillion of them! Pure magic.

All the while, we were climbing and came to caverns dotted with artifacts - broken urns and pots and yes, skeletons of the Maya people, the nobles, who lived and worshiped in the caves centuries ago. The bones were exactly as they were found; men, women and babies. Stories tell of human sacrifices in these tombs. Chilling!

We saw the crushed skull of one of the men - and the reason no cameras allowed. A clumsy tourist had dropped his camera and destroyed the bones! I know I needed every finger and toe to make my way through and if I had had my camera with me, it might not have been a pretty sight! And I am actually amazed that tourists are still allowed in but apparently there are 12 other caves being excavated that are closed to the public. I am just glad that we were able to do this before they decide to close this one.

We continued on to the scariest (in my mind) part, where we had to climb a ladder (remember it is all pitch black except for your headlamp) to a platform to see the "Crystal Maiden," a fairly young female skeleton. And then going back down the ladder was even scarier. Even writing about it makes my knees go weak! It's like stepping into a void!

Clambering back out, sliding down smooth rocks on my butt and going with the water flow made the trip out seemed easier, although we went through areas where you had to duck down in the water, turn your head sideways and wiggle your head through a gap! Good thing the water was low! Rounding the last bend and suddenly, there was light! We trudged back the 45 minutes to the staging area. The hotel had packed a lunch for us and we needed sustenance after the three-hour adventure!

Guava Limb

Our day wasn't over, even though we were all pretty tired. We had decided to go off the reservation for dinner, to Guava Limb, a restaurant in town that came well recommended.

Extensive menus. both food and drink, reduced us to trying a variety of dishes and drinks, all well-worth making the effort to come out to enjoy. The service was excellent and it was comforting to know our waiter was checking on us as we waited for our taxi in the barely-lit street. Naturally, we made it home safely, for a good night's sleep before our departure in the morning.

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From Sea to Jungle

Heading to the Jungle

Petria

With half our crew heading back to California, the rest of us prepared to head northwest to San Ignacio. After a quick lunch at Laru Beya, we hopped on our Belize Shuttle that was waiting for us at the Moorings base, the van already loaded with all our bags. We settled in for the three-hour drive.

When I was in Placencia 16 years ago, the main road was a very bumpy dirt road, with very few houses. Now the road is paved and there are literally hundreds of houses and several resorts lining the beach. Quite a change! On the way we passed the turn-off to Gales Point, where Susan and I spent several days. Next time I return, I'm going to visit Mr. Gentle's bar if it is still there!

We drove through miles of orange orchards and banana plantations and brand new juice-making facilities that are apparently owned by the Mennonites. When we turned on to the Hummingbird Highway the terrain became quite hilly with much more natural vegetation, different to the type we saw around Placencia.

As we neared San Ignacio, we realized we were low on rum and as Maya Mountain Lodge doesn't serve liquor we needed to stop and stock up! Troy, our driver graciously agreed to stop at the local market where we loaded up with a large bottle of 1Barrel, the local rum, and a dozen Beliken beers! All set and just five minutes later, Troy deposited us in the lush entrance to the hotel.

It felt like home with all the tropical vegetation. Heliconia of all kinds and a wide variety of gingers grew madly, with philodendron climbing anything they could attach themselves to. Big petria plants, loaded with helicopter flowers, climbed the fences. It so reminded me of Mum's forest where she had so many of these kinds of plants growing.

Garifuna boys playing drums

Checking in was a breeze, and it was good to meet Elmer, who had helped us with our reservations. We were in time for dinner and a Garifuna event that included the young women, all but one dressed in yellow dresses, giving a little history about their people and then singing and dancing, accompanied by the two brothers on drums. It was very entertaining and I joined the girls in a dance! (Continuation of my birthday celebration!)

We made it an early night as our plan was to do the Actun Tunichil Muknal (or ATM for short) tour the next day. But it rained in the night and at 6 am, Carlos told us the tour was canceled because the river was too high so the caves were not accessible! Hopefully, if it didn't rain, the water level would have fallen by the next day and we could go then. It would put our tours back to back, with the day trip to Tikal in Guatemala planned the following day, without a lay day in between.

So we had a leisurely breakfast in the delightful open-air dining room. With plenty of good coffee and fresh fruit to fuel us, we made arrangements to go into San Ignacio Town and explore. Our own free-form tour.

But first, a tour of the grounds with Bart Mickler, who has owned the property for 35 years with his wife Suzi. Part of Maya Mountain Lodge is a Wellness Center and many of the plants on the property are used in the natural healing process as well as in the kitchen! Our walking tour took us through the herb garden with numerous edibles, many used by the local bush doctors, and into the orchard. A lovely stand of papayas caught my attention along with large ginger plants. Bart showed us the Annatto seeds from the Achiote tree used to color the pottery of the area, and for flavoring in cooking. I was very impressed by the way he and Suzi are helping regenerate the use of local plants and vegetables into the Mayan culture.

Stay tuned for an article about Bart and Suzi - who Bart describes as "two people accelerating."

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The Endless Estrogen Chronicles Part 6

We Hoped for a Breeze

The Endless Estrogen crew

Not that I'm complaining! But we haven't had a breeze the entire time out here! The weather reports have consistently said 10-15 knots of breeze but they never materialized! But the weather has cooperated in every other way - sunny, warm, clear, no rain! But also no wind, which is sad as we came to go sailing! Hence a sailboat!

Fortunately, even though we had a couple of gung-ho sailors aboard, no one was really put out by the lack of wind. We just took advantage of the still waters for great snorkeling and peaceful nights!

Off to Wippari Caye

Toes up!

This will be our last anchorage on the trip, just a couple of hours out from Placencia. But first we need to make our way back through the coral mine field, back through the Blue Ground Range and out to the main channel. After a picture-perfect anchor retrieval from our picture-perfect anchorage, we once again made sure our lookouts were stationed on the bow and off we went. Having traversed this tricky area once, it wasn't quite as hairy going back, but we didn't let down our guards!

It was all pleasantly uneventful and we picked up one of the two buoys at Wippari Caye, just before several other boats came cruising into the anchorage. Score! Betsy decided we should go into shore immediately and pay for the mooring, to secure our spot. Which proved to be unnecessary, as the buoys are not owned by the island owner!

Wippari is a private island that occasionally serves a beer and dinner. That was not to be the case this evening. Restaurant and bar were closed to the public. Too bad, but Dustin at Hideaway Caye had warned that this was a distinct possibility, so it was dinner on board, with the sense of inevitability that our cruise was coming to an end. I didn't want to think of that at all!

It was a very warm, still night and this was the one time we ran the air conditioning, although I remained outside in my preferred sleeping location! Everyone was up early on the last day, (but not early enough to see an amazing sunrise) busy packing up and sorting through snorkels and goggles and other stuff that had accumulated! Bunks stripped, cushions replaced, bags packed, everyone ready as we made our slow way up the narrow inside channel and called Mooring base to "come and get us." They are required to bring the boat into the slip, although Betsy, tongue in cheek, told Diego she would do it! He declined the offer!

Endless Estrogen on the mooring at Wippari Caye

Four of the crew would be stepping off the boat as soon as we arrived in the marina and into a taxi for a flight out. The rest of us had time, once we completed the checkout, to go across the street to Laru Beya for a quick lunch before the shuttle would pick us up to head into the jungle for the second part of the big adventure.

There were big hugs all around, and promises of reunions and "Let's do it again" pleas! (Stay tuned for that one!) And then they were gone.

9 Women on a Boat for a Week

We were 9 women ranging from 43 to 67, from disparate backgrounds. Some married or in relationships, a couple of grandmas, a couple never married and happy about it. And guess what? Everything was copacetic from the very beginning. In all that time, I never heard a harsh word, criticism, snide remark, nothing. Everyone chipped in to do what needed to be done. Private space and time was honored and the mood was comfortable and friendly throughout the entire trip! What a great bunch of ladies!

I don't want to get all feminist about this, but really! Would it have been the same if it was an all-male crew? Or even if it was a mixed crew? Just sayin'....

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The Endless Estrogen Chronicles Part 5

Turn Right at the Mangrove Islands

This is where we turn right

Moorings gave us prescribed courses in and out of the Pelican Cayes and Blue Ground Range. And it's a good thing!

This was probably the trickiest section of the trip, and after a false start, retraced our way points out of our sheltered moorage at Hideaway Caye. Then turned north, back into the main channel. Our way points took us through the Blue Ground Range of Cayes, with tiny coral outcroppings and shallow areas visible in the bright sun! Many of these are private islands and the development on them ranges from flimsy fishing shacks, to elaborate resorts and everything in between.

Through the first section, with some beautiful buildings close by to port and a fishing shack off to starboard, we kept watching for an area that was marked as "dry!" With only an 18" tide, this area could be covered during a high tide, but we did pick it out and our way point put us right in the correct spot where we made a sharp right turn towards South Water Caye, our planned overnight stop. South Water was just a blip on the horizon as we navigated through a couple of really, really narrow and shallow areas, our lookouts on the bow scanning the water ahead as Betsy and I watched the depth sounder in the steering station.

A local boat

But it seemed we were the only ones on this course, as local pangas and fishing boats went full speed across what appeared to be shallows and full of coral heads! Local knowledge!

South Water is part of the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, the largest Marine Reserve in Belize, encompassing 117,878 acres  and is part of the Belize Barrier Reef System World Heritage site established in 1996. It's a popular Caye with three resorts and several mooring buoys and we approached hoping for a hook-up! Unfortunately, all the mooring were taken but not to be discouraged, we made the perfect anchor set! Right on the edge of the sand, almost in the sea grass, plenty of chain and we were solidly there.

Just to the south of the cut, the break in the reef, lies Carrie Bow Caye, the Smithsonian's base for the Tenenbaum Marine Obervatories Network and of particular interest to our two NOAA crew members who dinghied over for a visit.

Birthday Celebrations Continue

As we hadn't made reservations for dinner, I tried calling on the VHF to the two resorts that purportedly served dinner, but with no luck. Tina, who was out kayaking went ashore and discovered that The Blue Marlin had just hosted a large group and was out of food except for pork chops! And so she made a reservation at Pelican Beach where our choice was Tumeric shrimp or Tumeric shrimp! So guess what my birthday dinner was? Right!

Of course, no one needed an excuse for a party, but seeing as it was my birthday, Jane had planned for the fun and brought out a whole lot of decorations, including a transparent air mat, or as we used to call them, a li-lo that lit up with colored LED lights! How she got everything into her bag, I have no idea! Bubbly appeared and the celebration began, with a ride to shore for dinner. The meal was delicious and our charming waitresses treated us to some special, local fruit wine and a little birthday desert! It probably wouldn't have mattered what they had served, it was such a fun evening onshore which culminated with all nine of us dancing!

Back to boat and once again, seeing as it was my birthday, it was time to test out the birthday suits! Over we went, in the dark, with the lit air mattress sparkling in the night. We almost lost Jane as she swam into the darkness, chasing the all-important $1.99 (also LED lit) beach ball, the gently drifted away! But being the strong swimmer that she is, the ball was captured and returned!

It's been years since I went skinny dipping, I think the last time was in the British Virgin Islands! I do love the freedom and I definitely plan to do it more often.

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The Endless Estrogen Chronicles Part 4

Looking for Manatees

Happy birthday to me

Saint Patrick's Day dawned bright and cloudless and after big pancake breakfast, we went looking for manatees. We had heard that they gathered in the sheltered waters of Lagoon Caye, where we could anchor away from the entrance and then dinghy, kayak or paddle in to the area.

Wending our way north west up the Victoria Channel, through the cayes and reefs from Hatchet Caye, we kept a sharp lookout for shallow areas. The cayes all lie very low and it's difficult to recognize which is which as they are also very close together. Sometimes the cruising guide will identify one by indicating there is a house on the northern point, or a large stand of coconut palms! The charts are filled with notes of "Numerous coral heads" and "Incomplete Survey" which was a bit nerve-wracking!

But we reached Lagoon Caye, and anchored in about 10 feet of water off the entrance of the horseshoe-shaped caye. The weather cooperated as usual, with the water absolutely still and glassy and we hoped this would give us an advantage to see the manatees. All the toys went overboard and the crew headed into the mangrove-lined lagoon. Pelicans roosted on the tree tops, watching as we slid by, slowly circling the entire shoreline without a sighting. The manatees were not cooperating! That was disappointing but of course, there are no guarantees that the giant mammals will be there. They were definitely operating on Belizean time!

to hideaway

Back on board, the next short leg was through  a maze of small islands, coral heads and shallow water. On one of the tiny cayes, someone has built a whole compound and it sits out there, all by itself, brightly showing off it lively Caribbean colors! Underway, in honor of Saint Paddy's day, we enjoyed corned beef and cabbage for lunch!

Very carefully, we made our way to Hideaway Caye.

Hideaway Caye

If you have ever dreamed of living the Robinson Crusoe life, this is where you will find it. Hideaway Caye is the manifestation of Dustin and Kim Ingersoll's dream, a built-from-scratch restaurant and cabana, where they work and live with their young daughter, Ama. Completely self-sustaining, boaters must call ahead to find out what's for dinner, as Dustin fishes each day to provide for the restaurant.

We called in early in the day and he asked us to call once we were actually there before ordering dinner, which we did. As we attempted to order, there was so much laughter, he could hear us from his aerie, our sounds wafting over the water! We confirmed that along with the grouper and conch, he had conch fritters and he replied, "Always, and the best rum punch in the islands." That settled that!

Shortly after that, Dustin paddled out in his kayak, a big, burly guy with his 3-year old daughter in his lap, and Ki the dog, swimming alongside. Apparently, Ki swims three miles every day! He is a big, black Rottweiler-mix I think.

Conch shells tangled in the mangroves

The island is magical, there just is no way to really describe the winding wooden walkways, meandering through the mangroves, piles of conch shells tangled in the tree roots. The stairs switchback up to the small restaurant and bar, perched on stilts. A long bar spans the length and two big dining tables, all hand-made from native woods, take up the rest of the space. The kitchen, visible through the pass-through is tiny! But Kim churns out the meals, while Dustin pours the rum and keeps an eye on Ama, who is very outgoing and entertaining, especially to a bunch of women with children and grandchildren of their own.

The next morning, my birthday, I woke to the sounds of birds squawking and men's voices echoing across the water from the far side of the adjacent caye. As the sun rose, I felt so lucky to be spending a second birthday in Belize. The first time was 16 years ago, when I first fell in love with this little country and I knew, then, that I would soon be making an all-out effort to move there. Some places just feel right, and fit!

We wanted to make an early start as it was a bit-longer-than-usual passage to South Water Caye but we were delayed because, darn it, our fresh-baked bread delivery was a few minutes late! It amazes me that Kim could produce fresh baguettes and have Dustin deliver them by kayak, all by 9am  after cooking for our crowd the night before. Of course, one of the loaves was demolished as soon as he delivered and the rest were reserved for our pulled-pork lunch.

Then it was throw off the mooring lines and make our way through the very tricky Blue Ground Range on our way to South Water Caye.

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A Day On Board Endless Estrogen

Life on Board

Betsy checking the oil

Cruising the Belize Barrier Reef System on board a 4800 Moorings catamaran is anything but boring!  But there are everyday tasks that need to be performed to keep the boat and crew happy.

First, it's all about the food!

A great deal of thought goes into provisioning for one of these trips. Especially in out-of-the-way places like Placencia, Belize. Mid-way in the trip planning process, Betsy sends out a questionnaire to the guests, asking them to identify any allergies, likes, dislikes (liver), gluten-free, etc., and suggests to anyone with off-the-wall preferences, (chocolate low fat soy milk) that they bring it with them, as it is highly unlikely this kind of product will be available. When these questionnaires are returned, she starts considering the meals. On this trip, Lu Ann was the designated cook, so when we landed in Placencia, she and Betsy went grocery shopping, using the lists as a guideline, and improvising, depending on what is available.

Lu Ann our designated cook with the first cup of coffee of the day

So, first thing in the morning, the generator is started to provide power to the coffee maker, probably (in my mind) one of the most important pieces of equipment on board. This trip, a normal breakfast was coffee, granola, yogurt and the wonderful fresh fruit available in this part of the world. Other breakfasts included breakfast burritos, pancakes and scrambled eggs.

Lunch was varied, including pasta salads, sandwiches and salads. This was often enjoyed underway as we headed to our overnight destination.

And then, as is at home, the dishes need to be washed and put away (no dishwasher here!)

On this trip, we ate dinner ashore several times, able to sample the local fare; traditional Belizean food and lots of seafood. Some of the restaurants were toes-in-the-sand but none required shoes! Definitely a bonus.

General Boat Maintenance

Just like a car, the boat required general maintenance. Not the heavy kind, just things like engine oil check, water intake strainer cleaning, cooling fluids check, and holding tank clearing. Betsy was the "lucky" person responsible for this and it is no mean feat to slither down into the engine compartments to do the checking!

There are four heads (toilets) on this boat (actually five, but one was way up forward that did not get used) and four showers. The heads empty into holding tanks (no paper or any other "solids" went down) and when we were in the deep channels, it was permissible to flush the tanks. It's something that goes against the grain for me, but there are no other options as there are no holding tank pump-out facilities. The showers drain into sumps which also have to be pumped after each use. With 160 gallons of water, it was important to use restraint when showering. The California crew members were used to this, as they live through the devastating drought there. So the below-deck showers weren't used a lot, as there is a fresh water shower on deck to rinse off after swimming. And most of us used biodegradable, natural soaps and cleansers to minimize any adverse issues!

We collected out trash and it was stowed in the forward lazarette for disposal at the Moorings base on our return.

Power

Our engines, which we used a lot, as there was absolutely NO wind to sail, kept our 12-volt system healthy, but we ran the generator every morning to charge electronics and make coffee, which is a household machine.

The boat is air conditioned, but we only used it two nights - one on our first night which we spent at the dock, and the second time the last night out, when it was totally still and the cabins were stifling. The AC requires generator power, which is noisy so mostly we opted for natural breeze and circulation. However, Jane and I both chose to sleep on deck, and as there was absolutely no sign of rain, we felt pretty confident that we wouldn't have to make a bee-line below during the night!

Radio Monitoring

The VHF radio is the lifeline to civilization in the boating world. Every morning between 9:00 and 9:30, the Moorings base came on with a weather forecast, that incidentally didn't change until the day we disembarked, when a cold front and rain was predicted. Talk about good timing. The radio is also used to call the local island restaurants for reservations, a very important function! Most boats monitored Ch. 16, the safety channel, so the quiet was often broken by a call asking a boat to switch channels for a chat.

Navigation

As skipper, Betsy was in charge of getting where we wanted to go. The boat is well-equipped with the latest navigation gear, including a chart plotter, depth sounder, windex etc. The base also provided a cruising guide and a chart with preferred routes marked on it. The chart plotter was also programmed with waypoints to follow through some of the extremely shallow, narrow passages!

The area is only partially charted, and the guide books courses and waypoints didn't necessarily match with the ones from the base. So navigating was a bit hair-raising and we always had two of us at the steering station, plus through the tricky areas, crew were stationed as lookouts on the bow, watching for shallow areas (bright turquoise), areas of sea grass (clear but tinged with brown) and the deep channels (deep blue).

Anchoring and Mooring

Mooring was preferred and we were fortunate to pick up a buoy at almost all our overnight anchorages. By the end of the trip, the crew were masters at it, picking up the mooring line on the first try and threading the mooring lines quickly before securing them.

Anchoring can be an issue, but again, by the end of the trip, we had it down to a fine art. Learning how a boat responds, the feeling of the anchor "setting" and how much scope to let out is something that takes a bit of time. The last spot we anchored was picture perfect! Right on the edge of the sandy spot, the anchor dug in just like it supposed to and with lots of chain out, we spent a very secure night!

Resting place

Toys and Dinghy

We were lucky to have two paddle boards and a three-man kayak to play on. They were kept lashed to the lifelines while underway. Once anchored, they either went directly overboard or stored on the forward trampoline for easy access. But each time they were used, they were brought aboard.

Our great inflatable dinghy lived in its davits most of the time. It was always brought out of the water at night for security and generally we ran with it secured, as well. Only once, on a very short passage to Silk Cayes Maritime Reserve, did we tow it.

General Housekeeping

Everyone did their share, specifically keeping their own space tidy and helping keep the main salon and deck areas comfortable. There were times when piles of goggles, snorkels and fins threatened to take over the cockpit, but generally everyone was conscious of safety issues (keeping walkways clear etc.).

The only rule we tried to keep was to dry off as much as possible before going into the main salon, and we kept a large towel in the doorway to catch drips. The cabin sole could get quite slick and we didn't need anyone slipping and hurting themselves.

So generally, life was simple for everyone.

Eat, swim, sleep.