Wed
It was 1976 when I first met Marv. I was 15 years old and madly in love with his youngest daughter. (Still am)I had long hair and rode a dirt bike. My bike would drip motor oil in his driveway while I hung out on his couch trying to make out with his youngest. He ran a tight ship. House in perfect order, dinner at 6 every single night, every penny accounted for,. Lucky for me they were devout Catholics and Diane was looking to bust out, I was the man for the job. Diane's family was the polar opposite of mine. No order at the Branltley household, lots of chaos., good fun loving family. Over the years Marv and Nora watched over my kids way more than they should have if I would had it more together. I will be forever thankful to both of them for that. I believe marvs greatest legacy is his two Daughters, A man could not ask for more than Karen and Diane, two of the most giving, caring , loving and hardest working women you would ever want to meet. So I sit here in Punta Allen shedding some tears and lifting my glass to you Marv, you were loved and will be missed.

I left San Pedro tues am. I almost left Monday but changed my mind just as I be gain to untie the lines. I was tired and upset with the news of Diane's fathers death. It was still blowing 25 to 30 and I new it would be rough out there. I had gone out to the cut in the reef on Monday o check it out nd nearly got flipped in the dingy when a wave came from behind and the next thing I new I was surfing a large wave. I gunned the engine and took off ahead of it and got out of there. The local talent said it was passable. I cautiously moved into the cut, very alert t the breaking waves on both sides of me. Just passed the breakers and big wave appeared in front of me an perrovida started to climb it. It broke on us just as the bow got to the top. Very freighting. I wanted very badly to get away from this and out to sea. It was very rough and the sweel was large as we headed for deeper waters. I raised the main and was wondering why it was flapping and looked up to see it torn in half about 8 feet from the top. I lowered it. It was very rough for the rest of the day. I was making good time with the current pushing me along. Around 6 pm I was along side cayo Norte. I was in its lee and was protected from the swell. I decided to anchor off it for the night . I cautiously moved east and anchored in 10 feet of water. Still a bit rough but I was glad not to have to out in this rough sea at night. I was about 5 miles south of Cayo Norte and no one around for miles. Thought about trying to fix the sail but had no motivation. Got up very early and got going. 70 miles to Punta Allen. The sea was scary again, with big sets of swells coming at me from the side and confused swells coming from other directions. I decided to ignore it and wedge myself on the floor of the cockpit next to the companionway and read a book. I arrived at the bahia Accension around 5 pm I had covered 70 miles at a 6.2 average speed. It took a hour to reach the anchorage. I dinged in and sent off a couple of quick emails and even found a phone and tried to call Diane but did not reach her. I decided to stay a extra day and see about repairing the Main sail. And that's what I did today. It took about 5 hours of sewing with my old Kenmore sewing machine. I used duct tape and sunbrella fabric. I hope it works tomorrow. I think I will shoot for Puerta Adventuras with is 50 miles away. From there I think isla is 50 more miles or so. The weather has been a little better with winds around 20 and last night they fell off quite a bit more at times just 5 to 10.
Friday
Left at o dark thirty for Adventuras. Made it here around 3pm

Comments [0] | | More

Tues- Did not leave, just too tired and not ready. Now I am. Heading for Isla this am. looks good feels good time to go. See you all in a few days. OTG is watching out for me
Sunday 6th
Currentliy in San Pedro . Diane and I were going to head to Isla in the am. Instead Diane is heading home, her dad died. I will make for Isla and see what happens from there. Should arrive in a few days. Terry on OTG is keeping track of me.

Thursday

All is welll . we are in Cae Caulker


Friday , June 27
Back at Cucumber beach, Visited Rendezvous Cay and Tobacco Cay, Sailed back here 35 miles today. I will add details in a few days

Sunday
Diane arrived as scheduled. She has been relaxing and gettting into the cruising mode. The boat next to us here at the marina is Polaris Mar. This is the same boat that washed up onto the beach in San Pedro during TP Arthur. He showed me where is anchor snaped in too. It was a 65LB CQR and it snapped at the piviot. I would want my money back on that one. Polaris Mar left yesterday on a non stop to Tampa Bay. We are going to head out tommorro and head south to Rendevous reef and maybe Tobacco Cay. We will return here to pick up Karen and Jim. on the 28th. I think they will be here a week with us. Diane and I are looking forward to spending some Island time with them. Not sure were will will go with them but I will let D, J and K deceide. I will steer the boat and watch the weather. They might not be any contact untill we return to pick up K&J

WED.
Only 27 hours untill Diane arrives. I am having lunch at the Marina restraunt. This place is a little beach resort complete with a big water slide and Zip wire tower. I wuld guess there are a couple of hunded people about today. A cruise ship came in the early morning hours this am. I heard them calling the Belize port for a couple of hours around 3 am. Finally they got a anser around 5 am. The cruse ship is anchored bout 6 miles out. There are a lot of big tourist type cats docked here that service the cruise ships. I guess they run scuba and snorkel trips to some of the reefs and give rides into the city of Belize. I have arranged to pick up Diane tommorow with a taxi driver that chatted me up this am. Very smart, very large Rasta type of guy. He will take Guinness and stop at a grocery on the way back from the airport. He wanted thave a big sign made up to hold up at the airport for Diane. He showed me his official travel guide card from the Belize goverment. He assured me that you could not get one if you had a criminal record, good to know. Doing wash and trying to get the a guy has been living here smell out of the boat.
Monday

I thought about heading to the east side of Cay Caulker. The weather has changed to just light breezes and fewer clouds. I thought that the bugs might not be on the windward side. I talked to a couple who charter there big catamaran. They said they have tried it 3 times and only made it once. They only draw 3.5 feet so I decided against that. Then I decided to see if I could find that heap of Lobster traps and see if any Lobsters were home. The fisherman who where there on the first day of the season said that they were there early before others came. I took that to mean that it was just a spot , not a owned spot. So I cruised around standing up in the dingy looking for the heap. Since the wind had died down the water was very clear. A fisher boat or two went by and as usual I waved . I was not getting waved at in return. I lone fisher guy came by and definably gave me the mad Dog stare. Then he came back so I shut off my engine so I could here what he had to say. He asked what I was looking for " Lobster " I said. "Where" he asked " In the sea" I replied. He said he had many traps in the area. I told him I would not bother his traps but was looking for a pile of old traps in a heap. He said hat was his as well. "OK". I am not having fun here anymore so. I guess I have worn out my welcome ,so time to hit the road. I pulled anchor and headed for Cucumber Beach Marina. Part of the way was road already traveled so the snail trail on the GPS lead the way. The bigger Auto Pilot drive was working well. I cleaned and straightened while under way. . I left the snail trail and needed to pay more attention to navigating. My route was taking me near North Drowned Cay. And threw a cut called Swallow Cay Bouge. I was reading the guide and they stated that when they were coming threw here they had followed a Barge. I as in luck as a barge just happened to be overtaking me. They passed me and pulled ahead, the depth went to about 6 feet then up to 20 feet for a while. The barge was to far ahead now and had turned. Suddenly I was in very shallow water 6 feet again. I slowed and turned a bit west. The water deepened. A tricky area to travel threw. I made my last turn and now had a straight shot to Cucumber beach. The water was turning very brown , like chockalott milk. By the time I was ready to turn into the breakwater that leads you into the marina the water looked like a chockalott milkshake. After all the clear water I have been in for months it made me nervous as you could not gauge the depth at all. I could tell it was shallow from the wave action and the depth sounder it was shallow 6.5 feet. I left the AP on right up until I entered the break water which was only 50 feet wide. I had contacted the Marina a couple of minutes previous on the radio and they were standing by on the starboard side of he Marina. I am always nervous when coming into a Marina. I had prepped the ropes and fenders at strategic locations around the boat but had not finalized anything as I had no idea what the set up was like. I saw two men waiting and showing that I would just pull up to a dock. Like parking on a empty street by pulling up to a curb Got a rope to them no problem and reversed to a stop. The trip took about 6 hours going 4 knots or so. I tipped them $10 Belize to get started on the right foot. Met the very friendly marina manager named Carlos. The weekly rate is $38 dollars Belize about $20 dollars US. Not bad. They have wireless Internet but he signal is very slow at the boat. I saw one boat with a TV cable running to it and asked carols about it, yes we have cable A mad rush to find all the TV coax I have on board . I have enough make the 75 foot run. Ya Hoo I have cable TV. 40 channels or so. So I have the A/C going and cable TV, this is heaven. In the morning I went over to the restaurant side of the marina. The wifi signal is much faster over there. There is a huge restaurant and a swimming park complete with a giant tower with a wire you can ride to the ground. Not many people around, mainly just labors working on boats in the yard. .

Comments [5] | | More

Sunday
A fishing boat was around early this am. he was hunting for something. Finally about a 100 yards from me he found his spot. Two men jumped into the water. I could see that they were bringing Lobster aboard. I jumbed into the dink and went over to see how it was done. They were fishing in about 8 feet of water and had little gaffs made from a small pole and large fishing hook. On the sea floor was a big pile of old Lobster traps, just a heap. They were gaffing the Lobsters in the heap. By the time they were done they had 12 good size Lobsters. Very cool and so close to where I was Anchored.
Last night I told my tale of woe to a couple of americans who have lived here for 8 years. They said all you have to do is bend down and act as if you are picking up a rock and the dogs take off. I was a bit scheptical but gave it a try this Am and it worked like Kriptonight on superman. They took off the moment you droped down. I mean the took off like they were on fire, good deal for me and Guinness. Might head to cucumber beach in the am. I have not been able to contact them but hopefully they will have space for me.

Saturday maybe June 14th or so
Lobster season opens tomorrow. I can not wait to see the fishermen head out in the AM. Helped a Fisherman repair his small boat today. The storm had baged hole in the side. I have a bunch of fiberglass and we patched t. His main boat is a 20 foot local type sailor craft, all wood. The little boat we fixed may have been a canoe at one time. On a bad note I had a run in with some locals this AM. I have been running in the am lately and a couple of mornings ago a dog bit Guinness on the ass. The dogs seem to get more aggressive the longer we stay on a island. I noticed the same thing on Isla. Some times the dogs gang up together. I took to carrying a fiberglass rod about 2 feet long so I could fend them off if needed. This am the same dog that bit came out charging. No a big dog maybe 25 lbs. He had a buddy with him and they both came out charging. . When one got within a a foot of Guinness I gave him a thwack with the rod. A woman yelled "Hey" I kept running. Now when the dog bit a few days ago I protected Guinness and yelled at the dog while raising my hands. The same lady yelled "Hey" at that time as well. I was not sure the first tme or this time if she was yelling at the dog or me. On the way back I found out. She came out just like her dog, just not barking. Walked next to me glaring at me. I said " I hope that dog learned his lesson and leaves us alone from now on" She went off. She thought I was a idiot for having my dog on a leash. Dogs had there own rules here and thy did not like dogs on leashes. They just bark any ways " But that one bit Guinness just the other day" That was just a nip, it was nothing. I let her go on for a minute then let here have it. Then her husband showed up." He wants to whack our dog." I became a politician very quickly. He wanted none of it at first but then we shook hands and all was well. They still did not get any of my side and I was left like I had been dealing with animals, Throw a little beef their way and it is over. A sad feeling. Oh well the good and the bad. A couple of boats from ISLA are in the harbor right now. One is Jewell and the other I forgot. We towed him into the marina at Isla one evening after his engine failed on the crossing. 5 days till Diane arrives, I need her

I am going to hang out hear for a while. Diane gets here in 7 days. I miss here too much. I will neaver go this long apart again!!! Replaced the auto pilot drive with the monster 50 lb unit. The small one was working fine but the bigger one has been repaired. The small drive motor apeard to be wearing a bit at the bearing.. I will keep it as a back up. Checked the battery water on all 14 batterys. All needed water but were not to low. In a couple of days I will change the oil and fuel filters and engine oil. Other than that not sure what to do to keep busy. I sent cucumber beach a e-mail but did not hear back yet. I think I will head that way on the 17th or so. When Diane gets here I have been checking out the offshore atol of Turnereef. It looks prety good.

Comments [2] | | More