We always meet new friends. Here at Caye Caulker, we met John & Betty (SV Second Wind) and Ron & Karen (SV Happy Feets). We will all try to travel together all the way to Isla Mujeres if possible.

Last Friday, we took a water taxi to San Pedro. It cost $45.00 RT for tourist and $28 RT for locals. You can tell them that you are either a tourist or a local and they don't ask for ID. The check out was quite painless. The cost $75.00 which includes immigration fees, customs and port fees. Since we had time to kill before the next taxi back to Caye Caulker, Penny & I went shopping for souvenirs while the guys went to the marine store. After shopping, we had lunch at a beachfront restaurant where I discovered fry bread. These yummy things taste better than doughnuts and it's served hot with jam and syrup. Thank goodness I didn't know about this a few days ago or I'll never get into my new clothes!

Yesterday, we scoped out the town and Penny showed me cool places to shop and hang out. We had homemade ice cream and again shopped for souvenirs.

Tomorrow, we pull anchor and at 1000 hrs, we head out with 4 other boats for San Pedro. It's shallow and if our 6.6ft draft can't make it through, we come back to Caye Caulker for the evening and catch up with the gang the next day.

The route for the next few days will be, San Pedro, Xcalak, La Victoria Anchorage, Bahia Espiritu Santo, Cayo Norte, Bahia de La Ascencion, Tulum and finally, Puerto Morales (El Cid Marina). Why you ask are we taking these baby steps to get to Puerto Morales? Answer is more engine troubles. Although the alternator bracket seems to be holding, the alternator belt loosens after so many hours of engine work. Aside from that, the regulator is overcharging by 15 volts. There's also a funny noise going on with the transmission (clacking away). Finally, the propane alarm (which detects hydrogen gas from batteries) keeps going off and we can't pinpoint the source of the problem. The solutions to these problems so far is beyond our reach and so we decided that the safest thing is to harbor hop with a group of wonderful people until we get back to civilization where I can fly out to the USA for parts.

The weather seems to be holding - the next step is the nerve wrecking passage through the reefs of San Pedro pass.

Keep us in your prayers, Steve, Marie and Angel