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.

The Endless Estrogen Chronicles Part 3

Swimming with Sharks, Rays and Turtles

Chart

I love sleeping on deck! With not a hint of rain in the forecast, the forward cockpit was my chosen sleeping location! A cushion from the main salon, a sheet, pillow and blanket and I was set. Looking out at the brilliant stars each night and waking just before dawn...those were special times for me. Still, quiet with just a gentle slap of a tiny wave on a hull, a faint splash of fish jumping, paradise! And oh, the sunrises! Mind blowing!

Each morning, as people started to stir, we fired up the generator for coffee and an hour or so of charging, not just the boat batteries, but all the electronics - phone, iPads, cameras! Every outlet put to full use!

Pina Colada

Hatchet Caye

Our next destination was Hatchet Caye, where we planned to spend two nights as there is a protected area we wanted to go.  Silk Cayes Marine Reserve is a protected area on the reef and we were required to have a guide onboard to enter the area. We arrived at Hatchet mid-afternoon and once again, it was everyone in the water! Who can resist the warm Caribbean sea? Then, after a little beauty party! It was all ashore for dinner. From bikinis to dresses, a touch of makeup and we had a full boatload of glamour girls!

Hatchet Caye is a private island and we had called ahead for dinner reservations. The open air restaurant and bar is so Caribbean, and the drinks so wonderful, I think if we hadn't had plans for moving on, many of our crew would have been happy to stay for the remainder!

However...

Silk Cayes Marine Reserve

Next morning, on the dot at 9 am, we met our guide Eyanick Pop, who would direct our anchoring and accompany us as we explored the Silk Cayes. A short motor out to a dot on the horizon took us to another little paradise. Our biggest issue was anchoring in extremely shallow water. We watched the depth sounder with trepidation as the water got shallower and shallower. But Eyanick knew what he was doing, and we anchored in what seemed like less-than-wading-depth water. When we knew the anchor was set, once again it was "Everyone in the water." We followed our guide as he snorkeled over the coral, pointing out the various fish and picking up a beautiful conch to show us! He carefully replaced it and we snorkeled on.

Later, we dinghied over to the tiny caye. These minute islands and the waters surrounding them are really indescribable - this is a classic example of "You had to be there." The colors, the fish, the coral and the feel of the water took me to another world! Even the photos really don't do it justice, just convey an inkling of what it is really like!

Eyanick our guide to Silk Caye

But there were indications of other visitors to the caye who were not as caring about the environment as we are, so we rallied and did a quick beach clean-up, netting plastic bottles and broken bits of Styrofoam. And fresh rubbish that someone had left very recently! Our good deed done for the day, back to the boat and up anchor to go swim with the sharks, rays and loggerhead turtles!

What a treat that was. It was also the only place where we had run into more tourists out snorkeling, but the big fish are a big draw. Once anchored, over we went in amongst the fish! Rays flew by us, there expansive wings undulating; nurse sharks cruised along the bottom and then... a huge loggerhead turtle appeared and he obviously owned the area! "Give him space, give him space," Eyanick implored! This big guy was guesstimated to be between 50-75 years old and has been know to nibble toes! But, oh what a treat this was! It is an amazing feeling being in the same environment as these animals, yet knowing that you are the intruder!

Definitely a highlight!

Back at Hatchet, we picked up our mooring again and several crew went ashore, but I stayed behind onboard, enjoying a bit of solitude after another amazing day. 

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The Endless Estrogen Chronicles Part 2

Ranguana Caye, the quintessential Caribbean island

All Aboard

Waking in the tropics is heavenly! Walking out onto the cool sand, paddling in the warm water in the still of the morning...you can't beat it! Add a cup of coffee and this, for me, is paradise.

But this was the big day; we board the boat and the rest of the crew arrives. The plan was to load up at the hotel, head to the boat and provision at the local stores. But Maria, our hotel driver had other plans! Fortunately, Paradise Resort has a golf cart to take us and all our baggage to the van so we avoided dragging our bags up the gravel path! Once in the van, Maria suggested we stop at the vegetable stand on our way to the boat, all on her time. This was one of the many kind and thoughtful instances we encountered on this trip. She took us right to the vege stand, where Betsy and Lu Ann, our designated cook, stocked up. The arrays of papaya and coconuts and yes, granadillas was a sight to behold! Packed into boxes, we headed for the marina to unload. We planned to take a taxi to the grocery store but once again, Maria said she would drop us there. So we piled back into the van and off we went. At the grocery store, she talked to the store owner, asking to have him deliver us and the groceries back to the boat.

Belize29

Although that didn't happen, for various reasons, mainly that there were too many of us and too many groceries to fit in the truck, we managed to cruise the grocery aisles, finding just about everything we needed. Remembering that we are in Belize and on Belizean time, we hung around the front of the store, sipping our Belikin beers, and waiting for the taxi the store owner grudgingly called for us. We heard later that the Asian store owners are not the most popular people in the community and their unwillingness to help was not unexpected. We did not let their attitude affect us!

Back to Moorings base, all our gear had been transported to the boat. No schlepping for us!

The boat, a Moorings 4800 catamaran, was amazing! And huge! Stepping on board was like stepping into a fair-sized condo, only better! With four big cabins, four heads and a small v-berth and head up forward, there was ample room for all of us. The aft undercover seating and table was where we all spent a lot of time, plus the forward seating and trampoline strung between the amas provided lots of seating and lounging areas. The steering station has all the necessary, latest nav devices, too.

Designating who was to occupy which cabin involved who wakes early, who are the party animals, who snores, etc. These details all noted on a questionnaire Betsy had sent out early in the planning process. My roomie was Pam, my friend from Washington, but it ended up I slept out on deck, my favorite place! But I was always ready to pop back inside if it rained!

And Then There Were Nine

Dinner at Laru Beya

Our remaining four crew, Pam, Claire, Laura and Katie showed up in the early evening. After getting everything stowed, we made our way across the road to the only restaurant within walking distance. The Laru Beya is a beautiful resort with a good restaurant where we celebrated our first night together.

The next morning, bright and early and after a quick Betsy briefing, Diego our go-to person at the Moorings base, took us out of the slip and we were off on the Big Adventure, making our way down the very shallow channel and out to the deep water. Although the boat is big, Betsy is a pro and because the setup and navigation systems are very similar to the Moorings 4400 she recently sailed on, she soon got a handle on it. We did a bit of maneuvering out in the open water to get the feel of the boat and then it was off to our first anchorage - Ranguana Caye.

Ranguana is a tiny two-acre caye but it is the quintessential Caribbean island. Beach bar, sandy beach, palm trees and turquoise sea. Pulling into the anchorage, we had hoped to find a vacant mooring buoy but they were all taken so this became our first anchoring experience! Third time was a charm. Our avid swimmers were overboard almost instantly, snorkeling over the anchor and Betsy got the thumbs up - anchor in sand and holding well. Shortly after that, we got a message that the French boat with the closest mooring was vacating it and letting us have it because "we were damaging the coral!" We later found that the reason he gave it up was that he didn't want to pay the nightly fee! What a wanker!

The paddle boards and kayak were deployed and the crew dispersed. I went snorkeling with my new prescription goggles and camera which I discovered is going to take some getting used to! But nothing was going to stop the bliss I felt as I cruised the reef, enjoying every second of it. Being so fair skinned and white from living in the gray Washington climate, I was very careful to use lots of sunscreen and wear coverups as the sun in Belize is ferocious. By the end of the trip, I was very proud of myself for developing a light tan and no burns!

That evening, we went ashore for dinner at Billy's on the Beach. What a pleasure to sit out on the benches, toes in the sand, enjoying a tropical rum drink and eating fresh snapper and grouper, caught fresh that day.

It just felt like life couldn't get any better!

Stay tuned...

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Part 6

The Endless Estrogen Chronicles

Back of the bus on Tropic Air

I am pretty sure that the owner of the Moorings 4800 catamaran did not have this in mind when he named his boat Endless Options. With nine women on board between the ages of 43 and (gulp) 67, it was quickly renamed Endless Estrogen.

🏝 Note to readers: I will be posting the Chronicles in sections, so sign up to receive updates through the link on the right.

Part 1

Back in November, Betsy and I put our heads together and decided to do this trip to Belize, a place I nearly moved to 16 years ago and have been hankering to go back to. As soon as the word went out, all bunks were filled and it became clear right away that it would be a an all-girls trip.

Organizing and planning and confirming our assignment for Sailing Magazine continued right up to our departure. Anxious to get out of the nasty Pacific Northwest winter, I flew south to Southern California a week prior to our flight out of LAX to Belize City. A few days with Ryan and then the few days before departure with Betsy in Santa Barbara, where we put the finishing touches (sort of) to our trip.

Sneaking a nip in the girls room

First stop was to pick up Jane, one of our crew who drove with us to the airport. We dropped the car at La Quinta where we would stay on our return, hopped on the hotel shuttle and made it to the Delta gate with time to spare. Feeling like naughty schoolgirls, we slipped into the ladies room before security for a quick nip on the gin Betsy had hidden in a flask! We certainly got some funny looks as we sipped and slugged away!

After a long red-eye on Delta, we arrived in Belize City at 7:30 am. without so much as a cup of coffee on the flight. I have never been on a 4:45 hour flight without any sort of service! And after not getting even two hours of sleep I was ready for some caffeine. Which we did find, but not the kind of coffee us spoiled American girls wanted. Try lukewarm water with a spoonful of local instant coffee in a styrofoam cup, heated in a microwave! It came from a tiny little food stand within the Tropic Air departure lounge. Marginal!

Two other crew appeared while we were fueling up at the Duty Free liquor store. Tina and Lu Ann had arrived on an earlier flight and were booked on a later puddle jumper for Placencia, the Moorings base. The half-hour flight down, with three of us in the back of the bus, er plane, took us low over the mangrove-lined coastline, which peeked out from the low clouds. But the water was dazzling - brilliant, clear turquoise and shades of blue. I noticed a lot of development along the shoreline of the peninsula and sad to see the mangroves being torn up for houses and marinas.

The dirt runway in Placencia has water both ends - quite an incentive to hit it just right. No problem!

But first getting to our hotel, the Paradise Hotel and Resort was via a beat up old taxi that dropped us at the end of a gravel pathway. Have you ever tried rolling a wheelie bag along gravel? It doesn't work well and by the time we made the couple of hundred yard haul, we were soaking, sweating like crazy. The room was basic and three of us shared it. The redeeming factor at that time was the free welcome rum punch which we consumed in the open air bar, with it's overhead fans and lovely view of the water. By this time it was lunch time and I had the local stew chicken with rice and beans which was surprisingly good.

Belizean girls

I'm a lousy napper, but the others all had snoozes on the lounges by the water. I ended up floating with some of the local little girls who are so friendly and not filled with the "don't talk to strangers" admonitions the Americans have drummed into their children's heads. They wanted me to take pictures of them and then I allowed one of them to take pictures of them with me! Very cute.

Betsy and I went for our fact-filled chart briefing at the Moorings base later in the afternoon - a lot of info and of course masses of questions and astonishment and several raised eyebrows from the men in the briefing (also going out on charters) when they found out Betsy is the captain and me first mate!

Dinner at De Tatch (The Thatch, we discovered ) right on the beach in Placencia that came well-recommended and definitely worth it. That was the beginning of the Caribbean drink exploration that continued throughout the charter! Fortunately, we had stocked up at the Duty Free store at the airport, so there wasn't a dry day on the boat!

By this time, I was really dragging but the others wanted to stop at Tipsy Tuna as there was a fireman's benefit going on and as we had made an agreement that we would go with a buddy system whenever we went anywhere, I was outnumbered. So we stayed for a while - the music was actually pretty good, rock and roll and not really appreciated by the younger ones in the group!

By the time we left, the sidewalk through town was almost deserted and we walked back to the boat, passing by some dodgy bars and dark areas along the shore. But we navigated our way home to the Paradise Resort and fell into bed, looking forward to a new day in Belize. 

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Amazing Belize

Belize

What an amazing trip! Belize is everything I remembered - and more!

The people, the colors, the smells and sounds all combine to create a true rainbow nation.

This is not going to be a travelogue (which would end up being an entire book). I am going to just highlight what really stood out for me. What the differences are and what has remained the same as when I visited 16 years ago.

The first big difference was of course, seeing the country from the water rather than driving it.

Flying down to Placencia from Belize City to pick up our boat, although that day was a bit cloudy, showed me a bird's eye view of the coastline we had driven before. The numerous lagoons and the water - oh, the water! The colors! A million shades of turquoise and blue creating a tapestry below us. Tiny cayes dotted the tapestry and the mangrove-lined coastline popped in and out of the clouds. As we neared Placencia, our home base, I noticed the development along the shore which 16 years ago was almost completely uninhabited. Resorts and private homes; new marinas carved out of the mangroves. Progress, I suppose?

Our Tropic Air twin puddle-jumper came in low and slow into the dirt runway (a new international airport is being built a bit north of there) and we unloaded our gear for the short trip by cab to the Paradise Resort where we spent the first night. And I got my feet and bod into the silky Caribbean water, exactly as I remember it. Soft, warm, refreshing, salty.

A group of little girls were playing on the dock and when I joined them, I was reminded of my youth. These kids are not taught to fear people, but to embrace them. They wanted to talk and have their picture taken, strutting and posing without a parent in sight. Then, of course, one of them wanted to take a picture of me with the rest of them! Very cute! I jumped in and we floated around in the shallow water as they chatted and giggled before rushing off to get dressed for a birthday party. How refreshing! Not just the water, but the kids as well.

The boat, a 48 foot Moorings catamaran, incidentally built by Camper and Nicholsons in Cape Town, was amazing, providing a perfect platform for exploring the reef. Shallow draft, beamy, room for all 9 women aboard to live together for a week. And almost brand new, not even a year old! So we were very spoiled in that regard. I was the only one who had visited Belize previously, so for the others, it was a new world to discover. And for me to rediscover. Our daily plan (Betsy as skipper and me as first mate) was to sail a few hours, find an anchorage or pick up a mooring early in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day snorkeling, swimming, paddle boarding and kayaking.

Belize Fishing boat

The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System is the second largest barrier reef in the world and was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1996. Belize has strong environmental policies throughout the country, a good thing or the country would be ruined. As it is there is probably a lot of backhanding going on with the amount of development being allowed along the shoreline where it looks like the mangroves are being indiscriminately removed for marinas and resorts. But on the reef itself due to its UNESCO state, we didn't see much new being developed. We didn't get to to Tobacco Caye, which was the only caye I visited last time, but listening to comments from the locals, it has remained the same, still very Belizian.

We had two NOAA girls onboard, who were impressed with the conditions of the coral and it was obvious from Eyanicke, our guide who took us into Queens Cayes Reserve, how proud and careful they are of the reef. We were allowed to be in the water and swim with spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks and turtles! I especially enjoyed the old loggerhead turtle who owned the place! Apparently, he has been known to nibble toes so we were all a bit cautious around him but managed to remain digitally intact!

Talking digital in another sense, we were pretty much cut off from the world, except for VHF radio contact with the base (sometimes) and WiFi as some of the resorts. None of us had opted for an international cell plan so contact with the rest of the world was quite limited. Forced withdrawal! But the proliferation of mobile devices was a big change I noticed, but that phenomenon is not limited to Belize!

Belize has been getting a bad rap recently. Before we left on the trip, people were saying things about how scary the place is, how dangerous etc., etc, etc. I am pretty sure that in areas of the country, just as there are areas of all countries, that it isn't wise to visit. But for our group and on this trip, I never felt a sense of fear around anywhere we went or anything we did. We had agreed ahead of time to use a buddy system, always go with someone, be aware of the surroundings. These precautions are universal, especially for women. We never experienced any intimidation or anything negative.

In fact, the most impressive thing about Belize, for me anyway, was how friendly, kind, accommodating and considerate the local people are. Our drivers, guides, wait staff, hotel staff, in fact almost everyone we had any interaction with, made our visit memorable. And that has not changed from when I visited before. For instance, Betsy and I were lucky enough to get Troy from Belize Shuttles, the same shuttle driver from Maya Mountain Lodge (more on MML in another post) who had delivered us there from Placencia four days earlier. As we had a bit of time on our hands before our flight home, we mentioned we wished we could visit the rum distillery in Belize City, and lo and behold, he made that happen! It was a very quick visit, but he did not have to do that!

The whole experience reaffirmed my belief that people are naturally good and that I would still jump at the opportunity to live there. I wonder if 78 Front Street in Punta Gorda is still available?