Feb 25th, 2015
Photo of Hotel Paridise where we can get internet.. Please drop us a line or two by email... but mostly a pic of the neighbouring bar that is very popular called Yollies (sp?) that we have yet to enjoy.

Yesterday we cleared into Belize. As when entering every country, you arrive with so much misinformation, you just have to sift through it all and prepare to take what transpires.

We split up for the morning. Steve took his dinghy in with Tom from sv Liberty and I caught a ride with Patti to go into the town of Placencia in search of a well-deserved hair cut. For 20 Belize dollars (that's $10US plus a $1US tip) I lost about 3 inches of grey hair.. what a deal!

The report from Steve:
He took the dinghy over to the old dock, which is situated beside the new government dock. Why not tie up at the new dock? Because they charge you. He then walked a short distance up the street to catch the 10am Hokie Pokie (boat taxi) that took him to the mainland near Big Creek, Belize. It cost 6 Belize dollars/$3 US (each way) for the Hokie Pokie.
At Big Creek he climbed into a taxi and drove to the town of Independence and the customs office. You don't pay per taxi. You pay per person. It cost 25 Belize dollars/$12.50 (return).
Our costs to clear into Belize, Feb 2015: $45 US Immigration (for 2).. $115 US for the Port Authority.. and today, after several attempt to find someone at the Agriculture Dept., we paid nothing. No one was home. Bonus! We were told that it cost $10 US and no-one here comes to the boat to remove all your veggies and fruit. Note: We've heard that if you clear in at Punta Gorda, a few representatives from the Agriculture dept. would come to your boat and tear it apart looking for a beetle or bug that comes from Guatemala... but we have no experience of that, so can't say.

Of course there are other expenses, like $4.50 US for three beers, while waiting for the taxi (2 beer for Steve and1 for a friend).
At 12noon we met the boys for a basket of really great wings at the Tipsy Tuna. The cost was only .50cents/wing. Add a couple of beers and it's $16.50US for a wonderful lunch and the company of other cruisers doing the same.. Satisfied with a great first morning in Belize, we headed back to our respective boats and enjoyed the brilliant sunshine. It is the first day of hot weather according to those whom have been here for the last month or two. They've had nothing but northerly's coming through and have been in jeans like we have been in the Rio Dulce but the easterlies are starting to take hold and the weather will be improving. Welcome to the Caribbean!