For Polaris and her crew, cruising season 2009/10 has been a richly mixed porridge of sublime encounters. Seasoned with some hearty sailing under moonlit skies, generously sweetened dollops of reunions with old cruising buddies, a sprinkling of new friends, and bucketsful of crummy weather, this season was a heady brew. We are keenly aware that our worst day cruising can be far better than someone else's best day at work. In a season with snow covering parts of 49 states for the first time in recorded history, record high unemployment nationwide, and the horrific deaths of thousands from earthquakes in Haiti and Chile we have precious little to moan about and much for which we are grateful. But reality has it that cruising does come with its occasional small dose of imperfection. This was not the perfect season. In the end, though, we were lucky that the imperfections weren't plentiful enough to spoil this year's batch of fun.

This season was served up much like a four course meal, each course being one of the tropical locales we spent time in from the November to May.

The first course found us back in Guatemala's Rio Dulce...tropical in every sense; from the lush jungle canopy- home to colorful flora and fauna; to locals plying the river- endlessly casting fishing nets from their simple cayucas; to scattered marinas full of jovial game-playing, rum-drinking gringos; to unassuming thatched roof homes dotting the river's edges-the Rio is the real deal. Partly tropical paradise, partly Wild West, for five hurricane seasons the Rio has consistently peppered our stay with spice.

Our anxious return to Polaris after our longer than normal sabbatical was sweetened by the condition we found her in. We credit RAM Marine and Boatyard for taking care of the boat in exactly the manner we requested. We let out a collective sigh of relief upon first climbing the ladder and opening the companionway; followed by successive awe with each successful system start-up. With the usual head (toilet to you landlubbers) issues, came a need to replace a bad lift pump and the boat's batteries (they were over 5 years old... it was time anyway). But that was it. Other friends storing boats in marinas, returning after 5-7 months away, had many more challenges awaiting them. And one friend who left his boat in the water the same length of time we left ours on the hard returned to a veritable nightmare. We considered ourselves very lucky, and were well on our way to a post Thanksgiving Day departure.

We soon discovered, though, that our dinghy, left folded and uncovered for 17 months on the side deck, had sustained a hairline crack that required shipment from the states of some very specialized magic tape called 'Tear Aid'.

Like every past cruising season we were beset with the usual good news/bad news scenario. Our first bad news...the magic tape took over a month to get to us due to the chemical nature of the tape. It held up our departure into December.

The good news...our great friends onboard the Wayward Wind sped up their schedule sailing from Panama to the Rio. Our delay meant that upon their arrival we could spend some overdue fun time with Art and Dar before we sailed east and they flew north.

*Art (aka Arturo): A gregarious and happy Cajun of the southern genteel variety; of normal build, slightly graying at the temples, always dressed to shield from the sun...a straw hat on his head, long sleeved cotton shirt, mid -calf pants and Crocs on his feet. Usually seen with a Brava beer in his hand whilst moving his hips and feet to some background rhythm.

*Dar (aka Darlena or Voodoo Queen): A true southern lady identified by her wild mane of Cajun curls, an endless supply of clothing with bling, kewl jewels and the fanciest foot wear of any cruiser in the NW Caribbean. She, like hubbie Art, is overtly friendly and is also always moving to the beat of some distant music.

They are the ultimate party people and a hoot to hang out with. Besides spending time with them our delayed departure also allowed us to surround ourselves with our cruising "family" for the holidays.

It was actually the first Christmas we'd spent in the Rio and it had all the warmth and comfort of a family holiday gathering. We were deeply touched by our visit to the local orphanage on Christmas Eve. For years cruisers have been donating gifts and cash in order that the happy children at the orphanage are not forgotten during the holidays. It was a heartwarming and rewarding evening on many levels.

More good news came when we took advantage of our delay by hiring a talented local woodworker to make some dandy improvements to Polaris in the midst of our non-stop social schedule. Great improvements for a pittance of what they'd cost stateside.

The really bad news: as we prepared to make our post Christmas departure, the engine decided to start overheating. Challenge enough, the engine woes coincided with the additional aggravation of having all our credit and ATM cards stolen off the boat (a story for another time). That delayed our departure significantly once again. FYI-it isn't as easy as you might think to have these replaced away from home. They must first be sent to your Stateside billing address before arrangements can be made with someone else to ship them to your exotic location. Luckily both issues were handled without much ado in less than a week.

The good and bad news with this departure delay: Guatemala was experiencing a drought. What brought terrible famine to many in this beautiful country translated into picture perfect conditions for visiting Gringos. Word coming back from those friends already out in the islands was not very positive. High winds and constant squalls as well as a late season tropical storm kept them slaves to their boats in Belize and Honduras, while we basked in hot days with nothing but unusually sunny skies and afternoon breezes in the Rio.

As ready as we were to poke our noses out once more into Caribbean waters we felt equal regret about leaving the country that has embraced us for over 4 years. Culturally speaking, Guatemala is far richer than it's Central American neighbors to the south and east. We saw and experienced more of that richness than most. Western Guatemala, filled with the ever-industrious Maya, includes brilliantly colored Chichicastanango, volcano-fringed Antigua, fast-paced Guatemala City, and picturesque Lago de Atitilan. However it was the Rio Dulce (suitably translated to Sweet River) in the east of the country, with its countless affordable marinas, where we spent the bulk of our time in Guatemala. One finds a juicy slice of quirkiness there these days with the influx of a new subculture of Gringos who have chosen to make the Rio Dulce their home. Living along side the local Maya, this is a society of the unconventional- of backpackers, cowboys, cruisers, drinkers, and, of course, hippies. Mostly people who prefer living on the edge, they likely fit better here than in the normal world. They certainly add extra spiciness to a place already teeming with flavor.

When we finally crossed the shallow river bar and set sail into the Caribbean in mid January we were in for some head scratching changes since plying the same waters 2 years prior.

Placencia, Belize, in the past high on our list of preferred places to hang at anchor, this year presented us with an empty platter. Those of you who have visited this tropical haven would have been as surprised as we were, when we came into a nearly empty anchorage. True, the Moorings had moved it's charter fleet into the lagoon. But it came as a complete suprise to find only 2 cruising boats to welcome our sunset arrival. Two years earlier upwards of 15 cruising boats bobbed at anchor in the same month.

A quick run through some of our other favorite spots in Southern Belize echoed that loneliness. We had heard many complaints from cruisers in the Rio about Belize's stricter check-in procedures. And since then of numerous other accounts of cruisers being charged illegal fees, of dinghy thefts and boat break-ins. All these are possible reasons for the absence of as many cruising boats in Belize this year.

After a brief visit to beautiful Glover's Reef, one of the three Pacific-like atolls outside the barrier reef, we rode a light cold front to Honduras. It was a seventeen-hour sleigh-ride under jib and mizzen...our favorite jib and jigger combination. In the wee hours of the morning, realizing we were going to arrive to our reef strewn destination way before dawn we rolled up as much of the jib as possible. It was a perfect beam reach with the consistent 5-6 foot seas hitting us sideways our only aggravation.

Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras was the meatiest entrée of our season. It had been exactly 2 years since Polaris floated in Honduran waters. We arrived tired, but happy after our brisk overnight passage from Belize. By noon we were moored in Calabash Bight where we'd heard our friends onboard Nilaya check in that morning on the Northwest Caribbean Cruiser's Net. Meet our new friends Jim and Laura.

*Laura: A mild mannered woman with a healthy western states glow. Long, light brown hair, tall with a trim Amazon-type physique and a sly smile, most always seen wearing shorts and a top she just whipped together. Often sitting up in the Ranchita behind her sewing machine, bug coil at her feet- a Mad Seamstress. She specializes in niceness and doing things for other people. Don't be fooled by her innocent looks and demeanor. She is witty and quick with a clever retort.

*Jim: A handsome fellow recognized by his shaved head and the tattoos covering his arms. His reserved nature belies his former profession as a cop as do his casual wrist bracelets, Hawaiian shirts, baggy shorts and a quirky fondness for skull and cross-bone designs. Likes his beer, rum, and bourbon. He is also quick with a smile, oozes niceness and is willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.

Having only spent a month together in the Rio last fall we never imagined we'd actually catch up to them 2 months later. We practically become bedfellows for 6 delightful weeks in Roatan! Most of our time together centered in Calabash Bight, where you would often find the four of us the only cruisers in the anchorage. Far from the island's tourist area and no where near as crowded as where most of our fellow cruisers stayed ( triple the amount found here 2 years ago....guess we discovered the missing Belizean cruisers) we weathered countless fronts, nightly happy hours and numerous dinghy jaunts to the nearby settlement at Oak Ridge.

Jimmy Buffet's self-professed "crazy lady on Caroline Street", BJ, has a restaurant/bar bearing her name in Oak Ridge. It caters to locals and cruisers alike with a small dock for dinghy landing. We spent many an hour saddled up to the bar with a beer or cocktail in hand being entertained by stories of her colorful life. What she won't tell you, but others will-she has shot a couple of people in her day-one woman just recently. The local authorities must have thought the surviving victims had it coming. BJ's never spent a night in jail.

Almost daily a local paddled up to the side of Polaris selling fresh fish and lobster. A short dinghy ride to the shrimp plant often found Ken buying an inexpensive bag of shrimp that would feed us for days. We ate well and partied heartily with Jim and Laura and our new friends in the house on the hill in Calabash. Meet Mark and Lori.

*Mark: A jack-of-all-trades and a man for all seasons you'll get to know Mark the minute you enter his bight. Selfless, helpful and intensely energetic you can most often see him either in a wetsuit headed to snorkel, or in island attire on his way to take care of business, or taking his 3 Spanish Water Dogs for a boat ride. In the afternoon you might spy him relaxing in his hammock overlooking the bight right before he blows his conch horn at sunset. When last seen he was covered with chigger bites from a daring dinghy-engine's rescue from a homeless thief's camp nearby.

*Lori: A jovial hostess, this Florida transplant has made a lovely home, which she graciously opens to cruisers who find their way to her doorstep. She is endlessly charitable and always looking for a reason to start a party.

This industrious couple found their way to Calabash on a sailboat several years ago and found property on the hill in the bight. They have built a gorgeous house with wide open views and a sweet little four-slip marina, Turtle Grass. It is the best cared for and least expensive place to tie up in the Bay Islands. We were lucky to be able to spend several festive events in their house, Super Bowl being the grandest - Go Saints. We highly recommend other cruisers take advantage of their gracious hospitality.

Eventually in need of a change of view, Nilaya and Polaris moved a short distance to Second Bight. Instead of happy hours on our boats we could dinghy in and spread out in style at the open-air bar of the swanky Parrot Tree Resort. It was in this breezy setting that we played countless games of Dominoes and Farkle while sipping on beers or Monkey-ladas.

But all good things must come to an end. Jim and Laura had their sights set on Panama and ours were set on returning to the states. So, one sad day they left us behind, heading first to Guanaja and then onto Provedencia. Their parting was a particularly difficult one. None of us knows when our paths will cross again. We had bonded strongly and we mourned their departure for days. We were alone once again yet still not ready to join the hordes in anchorages like French Harbor and West End. We found our way back to Calabash where we enjoyed Mark and Lori's company once again while making the acquaintance of several other cruisers who ventured into the bight in March.

It was at this time we received our 3rd shipment of boat parts this season from the states...this time one that contained a new insurance policy for our passages in the form of an AIS VHF radio. This latest piece of great marine technology is part radar, part radio, and part telephone. To make it brief we are not only able to see ship traffic in the area and identify the direction they're moving. This nifty unit also identifies the ships by name. With the press of a button we can call them and they are required by international maritime law to answer. In its first trial, all the captains we spoke with were over the top nice and none of them had us in their sights until we alerted them to our presence. This new addition to Polaris is worth its weight in pure gold!

The day we left Calabash, and the security of a 3-day stint in a slip at Turtle Grass, we had a glorious sail to the end of the island. Rounding the western corner of Roatan and heading towards our Mexican destination we were met full on by fierce headwinds and giant rollers. It didn't take us long to change plans and duck into the safety of West End for the night.

The next morning found us on another feisty beam reach towards Mexico. What Doug (the Net's weather guru on Kristiana) called 'sporty conditions', and a much larger motor-sailor out with us called 'hard to manage breezes' we called a good sail. We were on our ear but on our way north at last, picking up a boost from the infamous Yucatan current midway through our second day. During our 48hour passage we only needed to use our engine for 4-5 hours. Even in the light breezes the second night out we had a 2 knot push from the current, keeping our speed average at 6 .5 knots! Early the third morning we were tucked behind the island of Cozumel sailing swiftly along with barely a ripple of breeze and barely 2 inch waves. Heaven on water!

Puerto Morelos, Mexico was our destination and where we pulled into a slip at the El Cid Marina...our home for the next month and the sumptuous dessert of this year's cruising season.

Within an hour of our arrival we welcomed in friends Art and Dar on the Wayward Wind. Reunited for the second time this season the stage was set for a wild reunion-Mexican style. Thank goodness we'd had a break from drinking for a while as we went head first into party mode with our buddies. It was a fast and furious week before we watched them sail out of the harbor only to welcome in our long lost, and much missed, cruising buddies Jim and Carol (WindQuest) the same morning. Also on their way back to the states they were on the fast track from the Rio to Florida. Exhausted from their 3 day passage our celebrations with them and friend Guy were much more subdued....lucky for our livers. When they departed 5 days later we put a Do Not Disturb sign on the boat and tried to recover.

We did muster enough energy to attend a rousing gathering onboard Saphira with 6 other cruisers at the docks. We met Saphira's owners, Jennifer and Peter along with their kids Holly and Tucker, on their brief stay in Calabash Bight. Jenn and P took 5 years to circumnavigate in a monohull in the early eighties. Slightly older now, and lots wiser, they decided to treat their teens to a taste of the cruising lifestyle for a year.

This time their transport was a Chris White designed dream of a Catamaran equipped with all the bells and whistles you can imagine, in glaring contrast to their first cruising boat. They are having the time of their lives before reality brings them back to a new home, school and jobs in Massachusetts later this summer. A very cool connection.

In mid-April we were excited to welcome Oregon friends Barb and Rick back onboard for a weeklong visit. Together for five years their path is finally leading them down the aisle in July. This was sort of a pre-honeymoon. Our happy time with them was spent catching up on wedding plans, politics and the many topics friends touch upon. During their stay with us five years ago in Isla Mujeres we all traveled inland to Vallodolid, Coba and Tulum. This time we rented a car for two days and traveled north to Isla Holbox (hole-bosh) and fell in love with the old Mexican fishing village feel we found there. Barb and Rick even made arrangements to take their real honeymoon there in August when their plans include snorkeling with whale sharks.

The next day we decided we should drive back to Vallodolid for a quick overnight visit. Many margaritas, a mad shopping spree, a great dinner, and a good night's sleep later we were on the fast track back to Puerto Morelos. Seeking to avoid paying a late charge we got up early intending to get the car back as scheduled. We had a harried time meeting that goal as we nearly ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere and then got stopped by a bribe-seeking motorcycle cop a mere kilometer from home! We waved at the rental company as they drove to the marina to pick up our car. But we held firm...paid no mordida, and squeaked by without a ticket, arriving 2 minutes after our delivery time!

With Barb and Rick's departure we had high hopes of catching a great weather window north to Mobile, Alabama, where Polaris will sit out the coming hurricane season. Hoping to capitalize on the same great currents that pushed the Wayward Wind to New Orleans in only 3 days a month ago, we've readied Polaris for our final spring passage. Strange weather continues to thwart our season, however, and instead of crossing the Gulf we are experiencing more wild weather that has curtailed any movement at all. Gratefully tied to the dock here at El Cid Marina we rode out some fierce Southeasterly breezes that brought rollers into the harbor and gave the boats on the dock the rides of their lives!

Besides waiting for the winds to subside and for a late season front to pass by we are also sitting back and watching in horror as the oil slick in the Gulf spreads unabated. We're examining our options daily and scrambling to put together Plans B, C and D. What sort of passage awaits us is anyone's guess now. Stay tuned for what promises to be an interesting 'rest of the story'...