It is super windy again early this morning, with a forecast of even stronger winds overnight tonight through Wednesday if not Thursday. For several nights now, someone drags their anchor - charter Moorings / Sunsail -ers especially but experienced cruisers as well - sometimes more than one drifts as the squalls hit. We’ve moved to the front of the pack - into the north-flowing current to keep us from the east-flowing side swell - in a spot where anchoring in front of us is less desirable then off to our starboard where it is more protected however that doesn’t stop others from trying, Moorings / Sunsail -ers especially. This morning I watched one Sunsail charter catamaran attempt to anchor three times in the squall, one time nearly hitting a fellow Moorings catamaran, before finding a spot behind us. Stressful. Stressful, listening to the wind howl hoping our anchor remains secure; stressful worrying about other’s pre-squall anchoring jobs; stressful worrying about people who dragged in a squall who decide to anchor at the front of the pack in the hope of better holding, when the problem is more likely their anchoring technique.

Based on this morning’s weather outlook and passageweather.com forecasts, Jerry’s feeling pessimistic that we’ll see a reasonable weather window to Roatan this Fri / Sat / Sun; Ellie’s flight arrives Roatan mid-day Monday. He calls Expedia and changes her inbound flight to Belize City (keeping her outbound Roatan). A benefit of this change is that she’ll not have to overnight in Houston (saving the cost of a hotel room) and will arrive a day earlier, Sunday. That decision made, that bundle of worry goes away.

I’ve been working on getting Barber Creations LLC / Mintaka Innovations branded electronic barographs available for sale on the government procurement site, GSA Advantage. As you can imagine, lots of hoops to jump, lots of documentation to assemble. We’re doing this at the request of our NOAA NWS customers. I’ve completed all of the required training (online), assembled most documents, etc. To enter our application into eOffer, required as of this year, I need a ACES Biz Rep Certification. Come to find out this is not an online process; part is online but they require original “wet signature” (pen to paper) forms, including Notary affirmation of me being me, to be physically mailed to them to complete the application process. In the age of DigiSign and online Notary services and email…, this is, well…… Our customer is anxious for us to complete the process so that they can place additional orders so I check options for Notary services in Belize. The US Consulate in the capital city Belmopan offers this service. Surprisingly the appointment process is online only. I make the first appointment available, only 2 left, for 9am Tuesday Feb20.

Given weather and anchorage conditions we’re not comfortable leaving Vida Dulce in the anchorage while we do a day-run to Belmopan. Plus a good nights sleep from worry would be welcome, so after a quick produce buy in Placencia we move to Roberts Grove, where our friends Mike & Kim s/v Ka’imi have been for a couple of weeks. We’ll rent a car Monday for the Tuesday morning 2-1/2 hr trip to Belmopan so will also take the opportunity to fill up our diesel jerry jugs, exchange our jug of Belize drinking water, go shopping in the capital where we may (finger’s crossed) find a wider variety of grocery offerings, and take advantage of wheels to complete other errands for ourselves and Mike & Kim.

Roberts Grove is a combo villa / condo / vacation resort / marina well north of Placencia. We arrive via Placencia lagoon and up a mangrove channel. Mike & Kim are there to welcome us and assist with docking. A security guard arrives on a bicycle just as we’re secure and doing a chin-wag as our Aussie friends would say. B10 (US $5) / foot / week. Not terrible given we do not need shore power (the new solar panels are great!) and only enough water to wash down Vida Dulce. Roberts Grove is quiet weather-wise yet a socially active, somewhat noisy community of retirees / expats and vacationers. a No Worries, Be Happy! kind of place.