Adrift...

We made it! Three flights; Phoenix to Houston to Belize City to Placencia, went like clock work. Some even arriving early with baggage in tact no less. The landing field at Placencia was quite short with water on both ends. Not for the faint of heart, especially in a small prop plane holding about 10 people.


We've met up with friends aboard their 51' Beneteau sloop, with 4 staterooms,  4 heads, a huge galley and salon. The cockpit is large, comfortable and covered by a bimini.  Very nice accommodations, indeed!  We are at anchor so our lifestyle of minimizing water and power comes in handy.  We have allotted a month to sail with them, the endpoint destination being Roatan, Honduras.

At anchor in Placencia, Belize

The little town of Placencia is delightful. There is a large sailing community both private and chartered. All the comforts of home are offered:  fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, lobster and shrimp, bakeries, nice shops showcasing colorful Guatemalan wears and, of course, pubs and restaurants.  And the best gelato!  The owners of Tutti Fruiti had their original shop in Rome, near the Vatican, and moved here several years ago to "slow down"! The local Belizean beer is Belikin and quite good, especially ice cold on a hot, humid day. 

On shore

In town

We are finally "on the road" after several days of rain with a front passing through and get an early start for South Water Caye, approximately 20 nautical miles on a northeasterly course. We are now a fleet of 4 boats! As you might guess our plans are made in jello, much like our RVing lifestyle, always subject to last minute changes and frequently dictated by weather.

Following our leader to South Water Caye

Now imagine an island less than a half mile long, covered with white coral sand, tropical flowers, and coconut trees, surrounded by warm, crystal clear water, enveloped in coral reefs that wrap more than half way around the island. Imagine snorkeling in water waist deep, through the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world, teeming with fish and marine organisms. This is South Water Caye...but only for a night, we must move on!

Sunset at our anchorage

We motored about 12-15 miles or 3-4 hours to our destination on the southern entrance to Glover's Reef, the smallest of three coral atolls in Belize.   Declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations, Glover's Reef Atoll is located 35 miles southeast of Dangriga Town. It is made up of about five atoll islands, one of them being the family-owned Island of Southwest Caye, home to Isla Marisol Resort.  

Anchored at Glover's Reef

Local fishermen selling lobster and grouper

The waters around the Cayes provide plenty of opportunities to see turtles, dolphins, schools of flying fish and myriads of sea birds. Pelicans and frigate birds were often seen following the fishing boats into the pier. We snorkeled along the reef and took the dinghy to shore for some much needed exercise, walking along the white sand beaches with rows of conch shell paths leading to the resort, where we all gathered at the bar for Happy Hour, and enjoyed three nights of beautiful sunsets and lazy days.

The essence of Howard

Happy Hour sunset

Sundowners!

"Hello...wake-up over there"...I guess I drifted off!