After a 7:30 departure and a beautiful ride down through the gorge we stopped in Livingston to check out of the country. Jim and Liam dinghied in and were back in half an hour with all paperwork in hand, ready to cross the bar just before high tide.

As when we entered last spring, we highly recommend using the services of Raul Morales Veliz. Find a link to his company, Servamar at www.riodulcechisme.com - mobile phone and email are: (502) 5510-9104, navieraservamar@gmail.com. He makes everything so easy and his fee seems fair. We paid him Q400 for the zarpe (customs and port captain and his fee) and Q80 per passport to immigration.

We set a course between two waypoints and made a successful crossing of the bar that stretches across the entrance to the Rio Dulce. The tide was 1.14 ft above mean low water and although the depth sounder registered 0.2 a time or two, we didn't touch bottom at all (and the bottom is all silt so it is easy to just power up and shove through it anyway.) Three black-flagged buoys mark the channel now, but we found that using the waypoints in Freya Rauscher's book "Cruising Guide to Belize and Mexico's Caribbean Coast, including Guatemala's Rio Dulce" worked perfectly.

As seems to so often happen, there was no wind at first and then just a little wind on our nose so we motored with mainsail up (just because) over toward Seal Cay. We knew that Tiff Blue had enjoyed a few days there on a mooring ball, and that both Guatemala and Belize bound boats frequently stop in the Sapodilla Cays on their way to or from those countries, and it seemed like a good place to make a halfway stop. Unfortunately, despite circling the area for half an hour we could not find any mooring ball(s) so at 4:30 we made the decision to go through the nearby reef and over to Northeast Sapodilla Cay.(pic) We knew from Freya's book that we would be able to get to an anchorage there without needing good light to navigate through coral heads. Good thing, because we dropped the anchor on the west side of the Cay about 30 minutes before sundown. Good thing too that we had our exit zarpe from Guatemala showing that our next port of call was Placencia, because we had just gotten stopped when a lancha with 3 fisheries officers came alongside to say that we should really check in at Hunting Cay. Jim explained (in English - this is Belize) that we were enroute to Placencia and would check in there the next day. An officer looked at our papers - they conferred a bit - and nodded OK. So unfortunately, we didn't feel able to dinghy ashore or over to the reef, or to stay another day before leaving.

We had a somewhat rolly night and did a little snorkeling from the boat before our 11 am departure on Wednesday morning. There was some nice soft coral, and a few pretty fishes to enjoy, and the tantalizing sight of gentle waves over nearby coral heads and reefs that would have to wait for another visit. The cay was a lovely one - situated between Tom Owens Cay to the north, where we could see 2 boats anchored, and Franks's Cay to the south.

Heading over to Placencia, we were once again travelling into almost no wind at first and then 10 kt on the nose so it was with bare poles that we joined the 10 or so boats (including the familiar Yonder, Peking and Patron) in the nice little anchorage here. Our anchor was hardly down before we spotted Sandi and Steve (Yonder) climbing into their dinghy. We explored some of the Belizian waters with them last spring before parting ways as they travelled back North to Florida and we went South to Guatemala, and it was a treat to quaff a few beers and get caught up on the news.

Boats kept coming in for the next couple of hours and by sundown there were 27 here - a sure sign that weather is coming! Our yellow Q flag was hoisted but it's a relaxed atmosphere around here and we dinghied in to the thatched roof Yoli's bar where the cruising crowd gathers for sundowners - continuing the greetings and conversations. We enjoyed a great dinner at the Galley (the little restaurant beside the ball field) with Steve and Sandi - delicious fish, shrimp and conch.

It was time for business on Thursday, so we went ashore in time to catch the 7:45 Hokey Pokey (yes that's the name) water taxi to Independence/Mango Creek to check in. We shared a taxi with Nancy and Gene who were renewing their immigration permit and had a thoroughly enjoyable time learning about their travels and stories as we waited for the Immigration office to open (not till 8:30). With the paperwork done there - 30 days despite our answer of 40 days please to her question, "How long do you want to stay?" - the taxi took us across the road to the Port Captain and Customs. We paid B$100. (2 B$ to 1 US$) to the Port Captain for the initial 48 hours and 10 days worth of the daily fee (B$5 per day) and were on our way back to the dock in time to catch the 10 o'clock boat (which interestingly enough left at 9:45 when the seats were filled.)

As we landed in Placencia again, Liam was amazed to hear someone calling his name! It was Patty - from El Tortugal - aboard the next Hokey Pokey boat - headed farther on her journey. Too bad we didn't overlap longer than a few minutes.

Next stop - Above Grounds - the great little coffee shop at tree level that sells excellent Guatemalan coffee and yummy treats, and then off to lunch at the Pickled Parrot - pretty and tasty stuffed peppers.

On our way back to Madcap, we popped by Patron and enjoyed a visit with Honey Lynn and Ted (Patron). We always enjoy the interesting company of these two fellow Canadians and this time was no exception - especially over rum punches sprinkled with freshly grated nutmeg from Honey Lynn's stash.

We'll be here for a few days before moving out to the reefs - there's music and BBQ at Yoli's tonight and superbowl on Sunday. And sun and some rain and food and friends...