Day 61, Weather Worries.
16 May 2012 | West End, Roatan, Honduras, CA
Mark
Tuesday, May 15. Well, Chris Parker is still predicting nasty weather for the end of this week with 20-25 kts sustained from any direction and 30-40 kts in squalls. No other model suggests this, in fact most show very light winds, but all agree there will be rain. Based on Chris Parker's forecast, both Silver Sea and Salida have decided to run direct to Rio Dulce and be safe. We knew George & Pixie were going to do that and said our good-byes yesterday, but I am a bit surprised at Salida. Oh well, we went over this morning and said our good-byes, bought half of their Honduran money so they could have some US cash (FineLine bought the rest), and took their trash to take in with ours so they didn't have to put their dinghy in the water. FineLine is going back to French Cay Harbor to sit out whatever weather comes and we probably will too. It is quite protected. The main problem is that it is 12 nm in the wrong direction (away from Utila AND up wind). I decided to wait until tomorrow to go as the wind, though still against us, is predicted to be lighter then. FineLine left today. So suddenly we are alone in the anchorage. Well, not really alone as there are a couple other boats here, but we don't know them. After everyone left, Deb & I went snorkeling. We went to the Blue Channel again as Deb hadn't seen it and it appears to be the best snorkeling around here. No turtle this time, but we did see the big scrolled filefish again very pretty. Also something that might be a white margay sort of like a chub but with vague spots and a blunter head. More fish at cleaning stations, even relatively small fish being cleaned. It was a good snorkel, but it sure made us miss the hookah as floating on the surface is no where near as nice as going down into the canyon even though the visibility was excellent. After snorkeling, we went in to town, dropped the garbage, bought some more limes (enough for a key lime pie!) and diet coke, and looked in a few gift shops. We checked at the cinnamon roll place but she was just making them. On return to the boat, we did a life jacket drill with pina coladas to cool off and then Deb made chicken wings (Kim's recipe I think), I made conch salad, and we had a nice dinner in the cockpit enjoying the solitude. Unless things change, tomorrow we will slog our way back to French Cay Harbor to wait out the weather (and the arrival or our part for the hookah!)