After leaving Key West on the 14th December Restless Rosie and I headed for the NW Coast of Cuba and then followed it onto to the San Antonio Cuba wh ere we headed on a heading of 219 degrees true to The coast of Belize. Stayed one noc behind "Middle Long Cay" We ran out of diesal just after starting out the next morning and it took 6 hrs to get the motor started and on our way again. If any one want s to know how to restart a Diesal engine after running out of gas well Iam now a expert!
I then proced inside the reef of Belize to Placencia Beliece where we anchored out there to reprovision. thre was no problem here to just dingy in and grab some fuel and food and water and then head on our way! You can anchor here in about 12 ft of water with good holding.
From Placencia Belize we sailed to Cabo Tres Puntes for the night before proceding into Livingston Guatumala.
A word of caution1 You must wait for a rising tide to get into Livingston. I draW 6 FT AND WE HAD NO WATER UNDER US AT .35 %HIDE TIDE. iT IS THICK MUD SO YA JUST GOT TO PLOW THROUGH IT!
You must then anchor in livingston harbor and wait on your boat for immigration ;customs and health to come to your boat to process you into the country. It was quite streight forward without problems; then the officials tell you to come to their office of immigration in about a hour to p/u your passports.
After that We proceded up the river to a anchorage outside a Marina called Texas Bay in about 20 ft of water . the next morning we arrived at the Marina "Monkey Bay"
here is the lat and long of the three anchorages used along the way
Middle Long Cay Belize; N17.16'.459/W08805'.86
Placencia Belize;N17 16'.45/W088 05'.86
Cabo Tres Puntas;N15 57'.11/W088 37'.11
Livingston Guatamula; N15 49'.36/W088 44'.86
Guide Book to use;Belize and mexico's Caribbean Coast by Captn. Freya Rauscher
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Comments [2]
I just continued on without stopping in Cuba! Boat handles rellly well offshore. Only minor problems. only anchored twice. So you still interested in South Pacific leg?
LEFT bOOT kEY hARBOR ON THE 11TH OF DEC 2010 AT 1430 ARRIVED AT NEWFOUND HARBOR FOR OVERNIGHT ANCHORAGE AT 1730; LEFT IN AM 12/12 FOR KEYWEST; ARRIVED AT 1630; MOTOR SAIL ENTIRE LEG; AS WE ANCHORED A NOOA GALE WARNING BECAME IN EFFECT; THAT NOC WINDS WERE 30 TO35 KNTS. PUT OUT 2 ANCHORS BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NOC(ALWAYS AT NOC) THE SECONDARY ANCHOR RODE CHAFE THROUGH AND LOST 50 FT OF CHAIRN AND ANCHOR! THEN AT 0430 A WELD ON THE DINGY DAV ITS BROKE AND ALMOST LOST THE DINGY AND MOTOR! THE WIND NOW ON THE 15TH DEC 2010 IS CALM AND SEAS STATE SAME.
WE WILL LEAVE KEYWEST BOUND FOR ISLA MAHURAS MEXICO ON 17TH AT 8AM.
KEEP READING FOR THEE WILL BE PICS NX B LOG AS WE SAIL ALONG
TESS MY WIFE IS IN PHILIPPINES FOR VACATIION AND I HAVE A EXPERIENCED CREW MEMBER PAUL FURSTINBURG WHO ALREADY HAS HIS BOAT IN RIO DULCE WHERE WE WILL HOPEFULLY END UP BEFORE CHRISTMAS(879 NM AWAY)
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Current location; 24 42.33'N 081 05.29'W
Only 2 more months and will set sail again! Have crew to Rio Dulce and then on to the Panama Canal for tenative transit in March of 2011.
The nx Leg will be as follows;
Florida keys to coast of Cuba then follow the NW Coast of Cuba to Cross over to Mexico; Dn to Rio Dulce; stay there for a month then off to Beliese exploring the reefs and sailing inside the reef. Then on dn to Explore the San Blas Islands of Panama.
Have made a complete enclosure for cockpit and made new dodger since I raised it 5 inchs. Will enclose a pic later.
Tess will be flying Home to the Philippines in November and returning later for the trip to Panama.
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Hi Everyone
Here is a very funny story! Its not funney at first but turned our quite comical!
I woke up the other night and went to the stern to take a look at the Dingy and "OH MY GOSH ' The dingy was upside down in the water with the motor compleatly submerged!
So tess and I worked about 40 minutes to up right it and get the one tube inflated so it could be turned upright. I called the cruisers net at Boot Key Marina and a nice man came over to help me try to get the motor started and drain all the water out of it!
It finally started and "Ridgey" the nice sailor who lhelped me told me to go and get a motor lubracant called "TCP3" So to spray the inside of motor housing to jprevent corrosion from the salt water. So I went looking and couldnt find it anywhere so I thought i would try at KMART!
So Iam strill worried about the motor and when i walked in the the K-mart marine dept. I asked the young girl that was there as to where i would find a TCP-3 lubricant(forgetting to ad tha it was a motor lubricant! She without hesitation tells me to go to Isle number 16 "The PERSONAL HYGENE DEPT"
oh MY GOSH I WAS SO EMBARRASED"
All is well with the motor and Iam still looking for the Lubricant!!!!!
regards
gary and tess
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Hi everyone
Looks like Tess wants to stay here a while and also we can build up the cruising kittie. We got a older toyota to get us around while here . The plans are to stay here till summer and then head on lfurther. Will sail dn to dry tortugas and a few other week long trips and will update this site with new pics then
regards
gary and tess
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We are finallly now anchored in Boot Key Harbor Marathon,Florida! we had to wait 3 days for a Weather Window while anchored in Long Key (Florida Keys)
On the 11th of February there was a real strong Front pass through and with winds
recorded to 52knts! while on watch I could only see them go to 44 knts then I head into the shelter of the salon! we had two 44#Anchors out and at 2am I went forward and placed a third anchor of 35 #'s! we draged quite a bit but with the wind out of the west it blew us offshore! Tess told me the nx day she was done with sailing! But now in lthe bay at boot key she is doing better!
We are not sure when to head on to central america yet for all the Books and autorities say the best time to cross over to Mexicos Eucatan Penensula is in Mid april or may. So we will continue to figure it out and let everyone know when we strat the 330 nm passage over to mexico. I willupdate the website with new pics tomorrow
regards
gary and tess
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