Isla Mujeres, Yucatan

May Isla Mujeres

We actually got this far, prices are high but the gringos are out for the good deals, they seem to leave us alone, deducing we are off a boat or poverty stricken. It is fun to shop around and drink in a Amercana type bar again. They even have stuff in the grocery store! Can’t imagine what it will be like back in the states again, kinda avoided that kind of thing in my stay in Maryland. Filled up with fuel, so not much else to do but wait, another Norther is headed down, a few of the boats are going to take advantage of it to head for Florida, I myself would rather wait for a smoother ride, and in fact one boat for Tampa ended up in Key West because they couldn’t get any Northing.

The wind is blowing like snot and Jan and I take a bicycle trip around the island. A little rough pedaling into the gusts with these rusty ole clunkers, but the south end of the island by the lighthouse very spetacular. We get lost a little bit and a little tired out (me) so we don’t make it all the way around. I don’t guess Jan will let me live that one down, I never get lost.

Russel Again!

Wake up this morning and go out on deck to notice a red sailboat approaching. Gee that guy sure looks like Russel. "Howdy Floyd!", and sure enough I have to say good-bye once again. He is crewing a boat out to Tampa and leaving right now so no time to party but a howdy do. They were anchored up in the lagoon so didn’t even know they were here.

George on Essence and Mo and Jo on "?" leaving this morning and it does look nice, but you know how it is, maybe one more day to make sure. Keep tabs on them with the radio.

Onward to Florida

5-10-92 - Passage to Florida
Gonna bite the bullet, nice wind from the East and pretty brisk, going thru the channel on the North side of Mujeres the waves are also very big, but should settle down once we get out to sea a ways. At first we go like a bat outa hell, but the the wind shifts more to the North again and we are sucked into the loop current that goes clockwise around the Gulf. I consider going on the Starboard tack and let the current take us windward until we are out of the slipstream and in hindsight that is exactly what we should have done, Themroc a few days later does exactly that and has no problems at all. I decide to keep pushing on hoping for a wind shift and a quick exit to the north of this current. Essence relays their progress every morning and evening so we know what to expect, we are following in thier footsteps.

Passage #3 - Gulf of Mexico

5-11-92 - 23 hrs
Still being swept NW by the current, in fact we are now NW of Mujeres , steering 15 to 20 degrees and making 350! Wind and seas moderate and this is our best tack so put off trying to tack across, thinking it won’t be long and we will zip East with this kind of wind and hop on a current going our way.
5-12-92 - 47 hrs
Wind drops and we are under power, but beautiful weather and finally getting some Easting.
5-13-92 - 71 hrs
Light wind and under power, I check the chart and consider a very long tack to get us back on course to the Tortugas as we are now almost due West of them. Dist to Tampa and Tortugas exactly the same. We have been asking people along the way about what coast of Florida is their favorite and almose unanamously they have said the West coast. I think of Miami and I think of the times I have been to St Petersburg. And Jane is there and it would be nice to see here and we have the whole summer to poke around and still make it to Miami if that is what we want to do. Decision made we make a beeline towards Tampa, the sea seems to majically part our way for us, the current is helping for once but of course the wind is light and on the nose. I am not complaining usually it would be blowing like snot and on the nose.
Little did we know that Hurracane Andrew was going to rip thru Miami in a couple of weeks, just the gods once again taking care of us.

Arrival at Edmont Cay, St Petersburg Fla

5-14-92 - 95 hrs
Past thru what was left of a cold front, and got a nice cool breeze for 4 or 5hrs and then petered out again. Starting to pick up some radio stations, there is actually life somewhere beyond this blue event horizon. Really enjoying this passage, no problems (knock on wood), getting enough sleep the sky is blue and every foot of water going by is leading to our destination.
Out of this blue, blue sky and omen, good or bad I don’t know, appears in the shape of a Barred Owl looking lost. For a brief time he perches on the mast head until the slapping of the limp sails scares him away. What is he doing so far out to sea, we are 100 miles out from any coast, there has been no bad weather, how far has he flown and will he make it home?
Make contact with Essence they are about 20 miles out of Tampa bay and will arrive this morning sometime. Having no detailed chart of this coast I get the exact cordinates of the channel marker bouy outside Edmont Cay and feed it into the Sat Nav. Make contact with another boat (can’t remember name) who has been singlehanding from LA in 6 months! He loses his shaft and being so close and tired he calls a tow. Sounds like a very interesting person on the radio.
5-15-92 -117 hrs
In the North setting counter current traveling up the coast all night making terrific progress and as the midnight black fades into early morning grey we arrive in the ship channel. I hold my course to see how close to the needle eye we come to the bouy we have been making for, and soon pass it astern within 300 yds! I am very proud of this accomplishment and of course thanks also to good ole Sat Nav. Not really exhausted like we usually are we still take advantage to anchor in the lee of Edmont Cay to get our bearings and a taste of Florida. And soon we are in about 8 ft of water and kicking back listening to silence and not the drone of Sir Perkins.

Back in the US of A

5-16-92 - Edmont Cay
Midnight last night the wind finally decided to fill in, and of course right into our little anchorage. Not to bad but about a 2 ft chop is still bad enough. I don’t know what kind of bottom they have around here but when picking up the hook I get it straight up and down and it doesn’t come out. I can feel the whole boat shudder as it dips up over a wave and stops, the bow sprint taking the load, one more like that and it is gone. I yell back to Jan to put the engine in gear and power it out, which she does and in a flash we are under way.
Looks like we will be tacking up to St Petersburg, can’t make out the skyway bridge yet thru the haze but this will be fun lots of wind and itty bitty waves! We raise the ole sails and boogie. Alittle while later I am puzzled by the slap and looseness of the backstays, I check above and all seems to be well. I move forward and look, the Bob Stay is swinging in the breeze. Brand new it has completly sheared at my norseman fitting. The bang it got pulling out the anchor must have snapped it when it rebounded, because the force applied by the anchor was in the other direction.
Motoring in this delightful breeze I hide my face from all the other sailboats out here enjoying the day. Here we are sails furled, but destination in sight. George says you can’t miss the upsidedown pyramid and he was right. Soon we putter our way into the seaplane basin and drop the hook. Looks like someone knew we were coming they are setting up a stage and beer and all kinds of stuff in the park.
As the rock and roll booms we meet Chuck and party all night, welcome back to the USA.

Back in the USA

5-16-92 - Edmont Cay
Midnight last night the wind finally decided to fill in, and of course right into our little anchorage. Not to bad but about a 2 ft chop is still bad enough. I don’t know what kind of bottom they have around here but when picking up the hook I get it straight up and down and it doesn’t come out. I can feel the whole boat shudder as it dips up over a wave and stops, the bow sprint taking the load, one more like that and it is gone. I yell back to Jan to put the engine in gear and power it out, which she does and in a flash we are under way.
Looks like we will be tacking up to St Petersburg, can’t make out the skyway bridge yet thru the haze but this will be fun lots of wind and itty bitty waves! We raise the ole sails and boogie. Alittle while later I am puzzled by the slap and looseness of the backstays, I check above and all seems to be well. I move forward and look, the Bob Stay is swinging in the breeze. Brand new it has completly sheared at my norseman fitting. The bang it got pulling out the anchor must have snapped it when it rebounded, because the force applied by the anchor was in the other direction.
Motoring in this delightful breeze I hide my face from all the other sailboats out here enjoying the day. Here we are sails furled, but destination in sight. George says you can’t miss the upsidedown pyramid and he was right. Soon we putter our way into the seaplane basin and drop the hook. Looks like someone knew we were coming they are setting up a stage and beer and all kinds of stuff in the park.
As the rock and roll booms we meet Chuck and party all night, welcome back to the USA.

Arrival at Edmont Cay, St Petersburg Fla

5-14-92 - 95 hrs
Past thru what was left of a cold front, and got a nice cool breeze for 4 or 5hrs and then petered out again. Starting to pick up some radio stations, there is actually life somewhere beyond this blue event horizon. Really enjoying this passage, no problems (knock on wood), getting enough sleep the sky is blue and every foot of water going by is leading to our destination.
Out of this blue, blue sky and omen, good or bad I don’t know, appears in the shape of a Barred Owl looking lost. For a brief time he perches on the mast head until the slapping of the limp sails scares him away. What is he doing so far out to sea, we are 100 miles out from any coast, there has been no bad weather, how far has he flown and will he make it home?
Make contact with Essence they are about 20 miles out of Tampa bay and will arrive this morning sometime. Having no detailed chart of this coast I get the exact cordinates of the channel marker bouy outside Edmont Cay and feed it into the Sat Nav. Make contact with another boat (can’t remember name) who has been singlehanding from LA in 6 months! He loses his shaft and being so close and tired he calls a tow. Sounds like a very interesting person on the radio.
5-15-92 -117 hrs
In the North setting counter current traveling up the coast all night making terrific progress and as the midnight black fades into early morning grey we arrive in the ship channel. I hold my course to see how close to the needle eye we come to the bouy we have been making for, and soon pass it astern within 300 yds! I am very proud of this accomplishment and of course thanks also to good ole Sat Nav. Not really exhausted like we usually are we still take advantage to anchor in the lee of Edmont Cay to get our bearings and a taste of Florida. And soon we are in about 8 ft of water and kicking back listening to silence and not the drone of Sir Perkins.

passage #3 to Florida

5-11-92 - 23 hrs
Still being swept NW by the current, in fact we are now NW of Mujeres , steering 15 to 20 degrees and making 350! Wind and seas moderate and this is our best tack so put off trying to tack across, thinking it won’t be long and we will zip East with this kind of wind and hop on a current going our way.
5-12-92 - 47 hrs
Wind drops and we are under power, but beautiful weather and finally getting some Easting.
5-13-92 - 71 hrs
Light wind and under power, I check the chart and consider a very long tack to get us back on course to the Tortugas as we are now almost due West of them. Dist to Tampa and Tortugas exactly the same. We have been asking people along the way about what coast of Florida is their favorite and almose unanamously they have said the West coast. I think of Miami and I think of the times I have been to St Petersburg. And Jane is there and it would be nice to see here and we have the whole summer to poke around and still make it to Miami if that is what we want to do. Decision made we make a beeline towards Tampa, the sea seems to majically part our way for us, the current is helping for once but of course the wind is light and on the nose. I am not complaining usually it would be blowing like snot and on the nose.
Little did we know that Hurracane Andrew was going to rip thru Miami in a couple of weeks, just the gods once again taking care of us.

Onward to Florida

5-10-92 - Passage to Florida
Gonna bite the bullet, nice wind from the East and pretty brisk, going thru the channel on the North side of Mujeres the waves are also very big, but should settle down once we get out to sea a ways. At first we go like a bat outa hell, but the the wind shifts more to the North again and we are sucked into the loop current that goes clockwise around the Gulf. I consider going on the Starboard tack and let the current take us windward until we are out of the slipstream and in hindsight that is exactly what we should have done, Themroc a few days later does exactly that and has no problems at all. I decide to keep pushing on hoping for a wind shift and a quick exit to the north of this current. Essence relays their progress every morning and evening so we know what to expect, we are following in thier footsteps.

Passage to Isla Mujeres

4-30-92 - Guanaja - Passage to Isla Mujeres
Welp, 0645, the sky is blue the wind light but moving to the East just like we like it, a beautiful start. Guanja fades into the distance and we settle in crossing our fingers for a nice sail, for once.
5-1-92 - Passage - 27 hrs out
Looks like the wind gods are with us, we are sailing, Bo Bo’s working and we are sitting back enjoying blue skies. We did 110 miles yesterday and we are right on our course line. Expect to pick up a little push from the current by the time we get a little north of Belize, which should be setting NW.
5-2-92 - Passage - 50 hrs out
Yo ho, moving right along. Off our rumb line because of current but we are pinching it as much as we can. Joe, Janice’s brother vacationing in Cozumel and we tack within 2 miles of the North Light before coming about, Hi Joe! The wind has picked up and finally moving more to the East, if we don’t slow down we will arrive Isla Mujeres in the dark. All night I moniter our progress, we are in the slip stream now, we are under shortened sail but doin sometimes 7 knots over the bottom.
5-3-92 - Passage
Early in the morning I can see the lights of Cancun over in the distance, I know they are at least 10 miles off but distances play tricks on you out here, sometimes it looks like we are coming into a harbor. Because of that I probably swing farther out then need be and by the time morning comes and Isla Mujeres is off the Starboard bow I almost have to turn around to make it against the current into the cut. Oh well it beats hitting a hard thing. I rustle up Themroc on the radio, they are here, and get piloting instructions on entering the harbor. The water here is alot different than Honduras, it is turquaise blue over brillant white sand, very pretty. We squeeze by the entrance can avoiding the spit of reef and enter the land of Tourisma once again. There are water taxis, fishing boats, bay cruise ships, ferries, jet skies, all over and the shore is lined with hotels, people, vendors you name it.

Third time the Charm?

4-27-92 - Floyd - Passage to Guanaja
Left this morning 0815, call up the ole man on chan 22 to say good-bye, and as the mountains overlooking Trujillo fade into the haze I try not to look back. Light winds from the west aren’t much help, but a sure sign of weather to be around here. We arrive at the light in Guanja at 1445 and make our way to the bight. Guess who is there? Anamia and Nirod from Voyager, really nice to see them again.
We stop over for a brew and see how the little munchkin is growing, what a cute little kid, like her mom.
Sure enough the wind switches to the north and blows hard, not a ferice one but it would have been a bummer in Truijillo. Kind a laze around, spend an evening with Voyager over at the bar and get invited to another party will will miss at one of the people caretaking some land here. Oh well but we are still hoping we will get to Miami in time to meet Fomalhaut before the head to Europe.

Back in Roatan - Hey ole Dad!

11-13-91
"Good morning ole dad, things are going good but I think there is something wrong with our compass. I am looking out and there is an island that looks awfully like Roatan!" A few moments of silence on the other end before what I am saying sinks in.
Try to find a place to anchor in Coxen Hole but lagoon seems to be filled in with garbage and outside around the wreck sunk in the middle of the bight I only find 40 ft depths. We go on into French Harbor. We dutifully go in to check in with customs, they have to come out to the boat so we pile into a taxi. One fat slob and uppity junior Port Captain inform me that they need 50 us dollars for coming out here, Fabian goes thru the roof and I say no. Find out interestingly that Fabian has my birthday apr 18 and even more astounding is that his dad’s birthday is apr 17th! Head back to finish papers and we sit and sit in the office. Finally a guy comes out "you going to pay me $20 or what?" I guess we could sit here forever or go see the governer but I pay the 20 and we leave, of course only good for 3 months. Welcome to Roatan.

Disaster! Once again we are turned back

11-12-91
Early morning, talk to Dad on Radio update him on our progress. I come up on deck and routinely check the boat out, something is wrong. The starboard spreader is swinging free, the tang sheared, quickly we dose the sails and try to think. I surmise to fix the fitting the mast will have to removed, we don’t have the fuel to motor to Mujeres and I am adversed to being stuck in Belize City even if they for sure had a crane somewhere. At least we got further this time, I just can’t believe this is happening again. Decision reached to head back to Roatan 120 miles under power which should put us there early tomarrow morning. Funny thing, the wind shifts nice and steady to the East, the sun is out, the Gulf of Mexico is a playground and will stay that way for about a month perfect conditions.

Leaving Belize - some foreshadowing

11-11-91
We spend 3 days at Bluefield, the Norther hit but not a very strong one. The wind is still out of the NW but expect it to finally switch around, a good window to Mujeres. So we are off, the northern entrance to Bluefield is narrow and tricky but I feel the light is right and decide to try it, not so sure when we get out there but it does look like a break in the reef over there, here it goes! Kinda blustry gloomy morning, the wind still on the nose up to English channel with a little drizzel. We cut across the Flats and at noon we are sailing out into the Carribean, Good-bye Belize. We make a tight tack I hope will clear us of Lighthouse reef, still waiting for the wind to shift and it isn’t cooperating. As night falls the lighthouse is abeam and we have clear water, the seas look pretty big after so long in the river and behind the reef. As night progresses, Heather is pretty freaked out about doing her watch alone, I stay up a little while to talk and she discovers that it will be okay, hah! On her second watch she wakes me, the wind has shifted and she can’t hold the course, should we tack? Against the wind and unabated current we haven’t done very well at all, so I agree but for some reason Palantir won’t come around into the wind. Finally after a bout 8 tries I give up and it does seem the wind has shifted back so we are making a course. Later I wonder our fate if we had been sucessful in tacking.

Stop and See Harry - Ameobas!

11-4-91
Get underway in the morning during a rain squall, drops bigger than nickles but not much wind. Soon we are anchored in front of Harry’s and thru the binoculars I can see him hanging out in a hammock. Get ole Pal out and inflated and wander into shore, "hey Harry!", I say. "Hey Floyd", Harry says just like it hasn’t been 8 years. Not much change around here except Harry has a phone, still don’t know what to make of that. We proceed to find some Belikin Beer and fish to cook at the Co-op. Harry shows Fabian how to cook the fish Creole style .
Meet Mike and Bonnie again, they are running a pretty sucessful charter buisness. MIke having problem with his eyes, to many years in the glaring sun. Also run into Linda on "Pleades", they ran into some heavy weather and took some damage to thier boat, I guess they are now on the way back to the river. Much discussion and meeting about the BDF and customs harassing boats, bad for buisness. I guess the group of 8 boats before us got jumped on badly and so left the next morning. I don’t want to check in so haven’t been back to the boat all day, supposedly they can’t board you unless someone is there. We are out of here in the morning, and I sure don’t want to have to go to Belize City to check out.

Passage #2 to Florida

11-1-91
Underway at last, spend the night in bay where October lives. Russel there in the Dixie Gig, how many times do I have to say goodbye to him? Heather and Fabian seem excited about trip. Little problem which worm gear, very tight wondering if sustained any damage. Fabian and I dive the rudder, in the ooee goooee water of the river but find nothing.
11-2-91
Livingston the gate way to the carribean, check out with no problems, grab last minute supplies and a cold beer. This open roadstead always makes me nervous with the weather around here but the weather holds for the night and we are underway early the next morning.
11-3-91
Winds are very light until late morning and then begin to pick up. Decide we won’t make Placentia til after dark, so pull out the new belize guide and find a little anchorage about 8 miles south called Palmento Cay. About 4:30 we pull in, very selcuded surrounded by mangroves, we drop the hook in about 8 ft of water. Quickly find out I won’t have to worry about modesty, a real problem with 3 people on this boat so makes things more easy. Swim and relax Heather has most perfect breasts I have ever seen (that’s only an observation Jan.) and later some good Fabian cooking, the best part of this trip so far. Discover however that I’m spending alot of time on the pot, cramps etc. Sure feels like ameboas.

Got a Crew

Hear about young couple on net looking to crew, Heather and Fabian from England and France repectively. We meet and hit it off right at the start. Preparations for departure are in full swing. Notice damage from the main mast crushing into the cabin top, great. Build a compression post out of pipe, hopefully it will hold it together.
Tina arrives like a bolt of lightning as usual, don’t get to talk to her much, I guess she is not part of the Floyd Stewart fan club anymore but... There is a party at Punta Bacadia for a Holloween thing and it turns out to be fun. Mostly locals, this place is pretty much thier only form of entertainment and Beth welcomes them all.

Back in the Womb

10-91
Bags are packed, about 200 lbs of stuff and I am on my way. Will decide how to deal with this stuff when I get there. Arrive Guatemala City, and no spool of wire, but customs no problem I just showed them the letter I had made before I left, Yachte en Transito. Spend the night in the Fenix, and pick up the wire the next day.
Get all my stuff on the bus somehow. I roll the spoll with my feet, have the duffel over my shoulder and pull the box on my little cart. Get let off at the crossroads, it is hot and a long haul across the road. Meet a gal (can’t remember her name now) going my way we share a water taxi to Mario’s. She maybe possible crew.
Palantir is stll afloat and in good shape, wonderful. Barry is even gotten tolerable, must not be drinking as much. Move Palantir to new dock, deserted and plenty of room to work on the rigging.
Back in the land of The Womb, but this time really stranded. No problem can ride mario’s express to Frontera anytime. The morning net is still Loony Toons for sure, you have to be here to appreciate these people. Russel seems to have Bozo pretty much under control, later I take Palantir over to his new land and help him on his radio, every kind of fruit tree you can imagine, and mangos out the ying yang.
Work on the rigging goes smoothly, have a chain plate made and bent to fit, decide to splurge and eat out at the resturant mostly, that’s where I got those ameboas!!

Back to the States for Rigging

7-3-91 - Floyd - Rio Dulce
Our air passage begins auspisiously when we catch the "Especial" at the Crossroads and it makes it 100 ft before the motor blows up. We soon get picked up by another, when we are stopped at a roadblock and whip out our papers Charles realizes it is his birthday. The night is spent listening to a Marimba Band at Los Zocolos, Charles gets to dance with a toothless drunken woman.
7-4-91 - Floyd - Guatemala City
July 4 and on the way to Estados Unidas and the end of this trip and end to this log for awhile. Things never happen as you plan but plan that things happen. I guess....

Back to the Rio Dulce

6-29-91 - Floyd - Passage back to Rio Dulce
Underway again for the river, the wind has died but on the nose, of course, out of the SE, just as well as we are motoring. Sir Perkins seems to be better on the oil. Arrive over the bar at dusk. All our plans are up in the air, can Charles make the turnaround if we fix the chain plate, or can Larry come down with parts, should I go to Roatan to fix the boat? More inspection reveals more cracked fittings.
6-30-91 - Floyd - Rio Dulce
Larry can’t go, Charles can’t stay everything needs to be replaced, even a passage to Roatan seems risky, better to leave the boat in the womb and fly back for parts. Miami will have to wait for Nov, because our "Guatemalan Experience" is not yet finished. We are out of Livingston by 11am and to Manana at 1530, we flew. Within ½ hour Charles has made me a list of materials that I’ll need, he is amazing.

Passage #1 to Florida - Disaster Strikes

0900 - Up from a nap, Charles and I sip a cup of coffee. He has been really great - baked a loaf of bread coming up the river - and has done most of the cooking except for my dogshit and maggots which was really good with a hard boiled egg. The wind a steady 15-18 now and we fell that the genney has been a good test for the rigging but maybe should shorten down to make the motion more comfortable... As we are saying this glancing up at the mast we notice the starboard lower shroud curled up around the spreader! Charles brings us up into the wind and I have the main and Jib down in record time.
As we lie ahull we discover the toggle has sheared where the turnbuckle attaches, we swap on from the mizzen and clamp it with clamps. I notice and tell Charles that the forward stays seem awful loose, we discover thenthat the forward lower has pulled up from the deck about ¼" Not much to say, we have to go back. We come about on a port tack, putting no strain on the bad side, and set course for Placencia, to recooperate and decide what we will do.
We pass thru the cut silently under sail at 6 knots, it is exhilarating even with our troubles, I have dreamed this a million times. Into the lee and flat water silently zoom, the water gurgling under our keel. I pick out the spot where "Aphrodite" once sat in another adventure, and drop the hook into Belizean water.
Not an hour after we arrive so does Edward D Rohan, but in the intense heat of the afternoon the harbor and Placencia seem erreily deserted.

Passage #1 to Florida

6-27-91 - Floyd - Passage to Florida
Arrive Livingston and take on fuel and oil, SIr Perkins eating ½ quart of oil every 4 hrs - rings resetting I hope. Talk to Jorge and get bread and french pastery, Yumm. At 1210 we haul up and head across the bar, a beautiful day 10 -15 knots on the nose (of course) we set our course to pass the Snake Cays before dark.
6-28-91 - Floyd - Passage
Wind has freshened a bit but backed more to the east, so we are flying. Can’t decide wheter to leave the genny up or go back to the working jib, decide to leave the Jenny on because it doesn’t feel like we are straining, got plenty of freeboard left. Pick up Bugle Cay light at about 0300 and slip past Placencia and alot of good memories.

We have experts here

March - Floyd
Havalah tows us up the river from Livingston, out plan is to get the fuel pump fixed 1st thing instead of waiting like Roatan. Meanwhile engineless we glide in silky silence thru the river gorge, looking up at limestone cliffs and waterbirds flying like rain. This river is timeless we could be anywhere, anywhen, the spell is only broken when a banzi cayuco zooms on by. When we hit Lago Golfete the breeze springs up, and we cast away from Havalah and sail downwind on a beautiful beam reach, silently and speedily, we sure needed that.
Russel meets us in front of Mario’s and takes us for dinner at Comedor Mary’s. Fuel pump, he says, no problema! we have experts here.

The Fuel Pump Fails again Livingston Guatemala

Disaster, oil pressure is zero and there is oil in the crankcase again, well that lasted 40 hrs. I change the oil and we motor on in over the bar. 20 minutes later we are snug at anchor but also another gallon of deseil in the oil - we are screwed big time.
3-19-90 - Floyd
Livingston pretty much Garafuna town, clean and bustling. Talk to Havalah, he is a day behind and will tow us up river, good deal.

Passage to the Rio Dulce

3-15-91 - Floyd
No wind so we motor to Cayos, meet up with Havalah - last supper with Maggie and Charles.
3-17-91 - Floyd
Day sail to Utila lost the wind by 0900 but it picks up again at 1400 just as we arrive at Water Cay. Make it in thru the reefs with no problems and anchor in about 7 ft of crystal clear water, looks like we are suspended in air. All night the wind Howls and growls out of the East and we think we’ll have it good tomarrow for our push to the river.
3-18-91 - Floyd
The wind has switched to the West and is piling the waves into our anchorage, no choice but to stick it out and head on. 10 hrs of tacking we make 20 miles. Havalah calls and says he is not feeling well and heads back to Utilia, he is singlehanding, we offer to stay but he assures us to go on. Then the wind dies completely and we motor on thru the night making good but noisy time of it. The wind gods just won’t give us a chance.
As dawn breaks we are rounding the point and a little wind springs up to help us along the last 10 miles. In sight of the Livingston bouy we spy C-Jay, Sea Lady and Shadow headed out for Belize, long enough to say Hello and Goodbye.

Riding out the Norther

Weather reports that a Norther is coming in, contrary to local knowledge that we don’t have any more northers this time of year, hah. Jim Mcdonald says get out the storm anchor your’e doomed, and Horton says he has never seen the barometer so loow... No place to be right here in Trujillo but nobody but me seems to be very excited about it. So on Sunday we do move over to the North side of the bay and hook on down in about 10 ft of water by the dry dock, should be okay if the wind doesn’t come out of the west. 0130 the weather hits right out of the West, Great! 3 to 4 ft swells with 20 to 25 knot winds for 18 hrs. We hang in there feeling like a washing machine. Continuely I am on deck checking and replacing the chaffing gear on the windlass, so my line snubber doesn’t part and put the whole shock of the waves on the bowsprit thru the chain.
Finally the weather breaks and we go ashore and spend the day on the oceanside beach until the swells subside and it is livable once again on Palantir. Are we having fun yet?

Passage to Trujillo Honduras

2-(24 to 28)-91 - Floyd
Back at Lime Cay - 30 deg course takes us all the way from Cayos and thru the pass, what a shot! Lots to do and hate to think about leaving. Time does go by to fast. Meet Barney and Susan on "Albotross" from Germany. The next morning we say goodby to Dad and along with Suzy we head for Trujillo.
3-(1 to 7)-91 - Floyd - Trujillo
Arrive at the Bahia Bar - takes 4 tries to anchor decide finally it is loose sand and go in for a brew and to meet everyone. Hit town the next day and at night we walk 8 miles round trip to the Hotel, I believe that Suzy is seeing a side of Maggie and Charles that she never suspected, but is enjoying the hell out of it. Hike up to the falls, fantastic pools and solitude. We laze in the sun and get covered with ticks. I lost count of the ones I pulled off of me at around 30.

Passage to Hog Islands

2 - (15 to 18)-91 - Floyd - French Harbor
Propane tanks filled Maggie recovering from Malaria and we’re hiding ut from Parham. Hate to thing what is growing on Sassafrass’s anchor chain. Charles has a good idea "lets go to Cayos Cochinos" The norther has blown thru but the trades are back. Drank the last of my Drambuie so lets get out of Dodge for awhile.

2-(19-24)-91 - Floyd - Cayos Cochinos
Wow! a fast passage 4 hr 10 min to Cayos - wind 20-25 knots, even kept up to Fomalhaut. Zoomed into the lee of the island and hooked the mooring. Blasts of wind over the mountain pick up the dingy and send it flyin over the life lines everyonce in awhile, glad we are not on the hook.

Life in Lime Cay

11-30-90 - Floyd -
Lime Cay Life here in Lime Cay is like fitting into a well worn good fitting boot. Palantir is snuggled up to the dock and is happy and we sleep good knowing the anchor won't drag. I might be needing some new clothes with all the good cookin, it is unbelievable, with Suzy Maggie and Jan brewing up the vittles. Haven't really been doin much except enjoying ourselves, Dad's Parrot managery sounds like an insane asylum, but even Guava is behaving herself in her cage at least. Most of the boats are heading into French Harbor never to be seen again, land of cable TV washing machines, much better out here. The weather comes and goes but normal I guess for this time of year. Maggie and Charles keep threating to leave for the states but finally decide to stay another season, we are glad we do seem to hit it off with them, they are both totally and unequivicably mad.

Arrival at Lime Cay, Port Royal Roatan

11-10-90 - Floyd
Fomalhaut decides to go with us, also Timshell. Little stormy last night but this morning sunny and about 15 nots from the NW, the front is supposed to arrive tonight so off we go. After sailing for a few hours lots of rain, black clouds and other nasty things begin arriving over Roatan. Another hour or so all hell breaks loose! The Norther has arrived and we have 15 miles to go. Palantir does well and we follow Fomalhaut thru the pass in the reef, we have arrived but not how I pictured it. Somehow I thought we would arrive on the most perfect day of the year, but it is blowing like stink and raining like pee but we along with TImshell and Francis, Maggie and Charles enjoy some Suzy cookin and a special bottle of champane. A voyage well done! When we call it a night Palantir is still where we left her, that's real good.

Arrival at Guanaja Honduras

11-9-90 - Floyd - Guanaja
Wasn't sure we could get in by dark but we slide into the harbor at 2040 but miss the Port Captain. Salva Vida at long last. Guanaja is alot nicer than I remember, lots of sprucing up the place has transpired. Walking by a local store I am startled, "Are you Floyd?" I turn and see a straggly looking character with wire framed glasses, bushy red beard and intense looking eyes, so begins our friendship with Maggie and Charles from Fomalhaut. We have a good evening and would like to stay for awhile but a Norther is coming and Dad is wearing a hole in the Widow's walk, we decide to leave for Roatan in the morning.

Vivario Cays

11-8-90 - Floyd - Vivario Cays
3 gallons of oil from C-Jay, stock of newspapers from Sea Lady and we head out at 0200 in fairly nice wind. By 1000 it is dead but we find Perkins at lo RPM has no problems.
Night falls and the rest of the fleet passes us strung out like a band of xmas lights in the distance, idle chatter fills the VHF waves and then we are alone. Later a large vessel of some kind passes almost over us, too close for comfort.

Passage to Roatan Honduras - Engine Trouble

11-5-90 - Floyd - Passage
2nd night out, yep found a lobster pot, C-Jay warns us of hammerheads and a close call freeing his prop just as I am about to jump over the side into the inky black bottomless depths. So I recheck our situation and find we are snagged over the bobstay and not the prop, good deal! What is not a good deal is Sir Perkins is now blowing out alot of black smoke from being overloaded. The oil pressure drops and I find about 3 qts of deisle in the oil. the final 80 miles to Vivario is a nightmare of pumping out scalding hot oil with the hand pump and replacing it with new. I worry that Sir Perkin's last thrum will come any minute.
Fatigue is getting to me and hallucenating alittle bit, the fleet looks like little candles in the distance but cannot tell how far or how close they are, also passing something in the night with a green light, I don't know what it is and whether it is 10 ft away or 10 miles? In case I run an avoidance course until I'm sure I am clear. do de do de

Passage to Roatan Honduras

11-2-90 - Floyd - Passage
Arrive Serrana Banks sailing 72% of the 300 miles, tropical depression forming near Nicaragua, we might be here awhile, but right now going to get some shuteye
11-3-90 - Floyd - Serrana Banks
Depression and my depression about the depression petering out on the mosquito coast. Now to decide whether to go with everyone else to Vivario Cays or go around on our own. Feels good today after a good nights sleep, probably another 200 miles I'd be ready for more so...??? what to do. Meanwhile we are anchored under a full moon in 20 ft of water 200 miles from any land, kinda strange feeling.
11-4-90 - Floyd - Passage
Underway for Vivario, who could leave such a nice bunch of boats? Sea flat calm, moonlight and under the stars, perfect except for the thrumming of Sir Perkins. Lots of lobster pots around here!

Passage to Roatan Honduras

10-30-90 - Floyd
Underway to Roatan via Serrana Banks or San Andres. Palantir, Shadow, C-Jay, Sea Lady, Sea Wing, Sweet Loretta, Antares, and Audrey round out our little flotilla. First day is pretty rough 20-25 knot winds gusting to 30 and confused seas but okay with Jib and Jigger. Fire up Sir Perkins to charge batteries around 1700, no prime, then no pump. Spend a hour or so figuring out how to put in the new one. Sure glad I brought a whole spare. Pumping water now but it doesn't seem like a whole lot.
10-31-90 - Floyd - Passage to Serrana Banks
Pouring out white smoke. Must be obstruction in water intake. Dive over the side holding a rope - nice experience gliding naked along in serene bottomless blue depths at about 2 knots behind Palantir, the water warm and clear. Later discover thru-hull not open all the way. Running cool now but lost everybody as they are now way

San Blas Islands Panama

10-18-90 - Floyd
Morning very gloomy but we are underway for San Blas at 0630, light or no wind on the nose the whole way. "Nua Nua" spots the reef for us coming in to Chichime, which is an extremely unreal place of beauty. The local families have Jan's head spinning about Mola's.
10-19-90 - Jan - Chichime
Floyd playing his guitar, new riffs seem to glide w/the sun rays on his back. Kuna indian, one babe in arm another clings to her skirt - she leans against the coco-tree volcanic black hair she stares at the boat... Molas on her breast vivid orange and ruby colors. Attract your eyes. Maybe I'll be the first red-haired white woman to live w/the Kunas and learn how to sew molas. People will come world wide to see...
10-20-90 - Floyd - Chichime
Last night under the silky underbelly black explosion of stars, gentle ripple slapping on the beach, and languid sway of Palantir was as peaceful and serene as it can get. Trying to snorkle yesterday in these embronic warm water reminded me of Perlandra, trying because we couldn't find a reef. I think we have found a very special place, as Hemingway might put it.
That's the way I think of the San Blas Islands, enchanted, unspoiled and incredibly beautiful
From the San Blas islands up to the Bay Islands of Honduras is a long haul. Alot of the passage is over shallow areas called the Rosarita Banks full of shoals and lobster pots. If the weather turns bad it could turn into bad news as the heavy currents and shallow water has but many a tanker on the reefs.

Isla Grande, Panama

We stop in at Isla Grande and meet up with some friends, walk up to the Lighthouse on the island and even play some tennis. Rowing back out to Palantir in the evening we come across another boat we know. They inform us that a wonderful person came out to thier boat and sold them a turtle which they planned to eat that evening. This was exactly the wrong thing to say in front of Jan. She politely but passionately describes the plight of the Pacific Green turtle and has the woman in tears. Turtle is hard to cook and as we feared she ended up throwing the whole lot away. But at least they will not encourage the local fisherman to slaughter turtles for cruising boats anymore.

Portebello, Panama

Leaving Colon we made are way to the little bay called Portebello, and anchored Palantir under the cannon of an old Spanish Fort. It was easy to fantasize ourselves 300 years earlier anchored in this same spot taking on Spanish Gold. We make friends with an interesting couple on the Interprise who treat us to evenings under the stars drinking wine from Portugal and watching videos on thier TV.

Colon, Panama

Colon Panama was a real dump, even scarier than Panama City. We went nowhere and did nothing. While Jan helped another boat throught the canal I spent a few days installing my new Ham Radio set on Palantir. Finally everything put back together we embark on our journey to visit the San Blas Islands of Panama.

Panama Canal

Panama City is a sharp contrast to the simple fishermen and simple farmers of the rest of the country. Waiting to transit, filling out forms, gathering line handlers and mostly shopping was like going into a war zone. Travel anywhere is done by Taxi and in numbers for safety. People are so desprerate and with nothing else to lose I guess but without knowing the rules we left nothing to chance.
3 young scientists from the Smithsonian Research Unit in Gatun Lake accompany us on our transit thru the Canal. Rafted up to two larger sailboats we enter our first lock. The monkey fists stream down from above and we attach our bow and stern lines to them. When the water starts bubbling up and we start rising like in an elevator the anxiety that we had been feeling quickly evaporates and skillfully we adjust the tension of the lines and soon we are thru to the otherside. Gallard's Cut which I had been looking forward to seeing, was tranversed in a downpour of rain that was so strong that we could not see much of the bow of the boat! The night was spent on Gatun Lake under the stars. Jumping of the side of the boat into this strange feeling Fresh Water under a full moon was nice indeed.
The next day we enter the Carribbean, and we have realized a major milestone of our lives. How many of us has been able to do what we have done.

Panama Islands Pacific Side

On the Pacific side of Panama there are many groups of unihabited islands, most within sight of eachother. Isla Parida was my favorite, a slight sliver of an island. On one side a mellow protected Gilligan's lagoon with beautiful white sand and on the other huge pacific swells breaking on the rocks. A cruisers paradise all the way into the Bay of Panama and then there is a whole other set of Islands to explore.

Playas Del Coco, Costa Rica

We spent 1 or 2 months in Playa Del Coco with our friends Kathy & Ed on Idris enjoying the warm tropical nights and relaxing into the steady rhythum of this wonderful place. But soon the weather window for going south was approaching and we said our farewells.

Arriving Playas del Coco without Engine

We lost our engine 25 miles out of Costa Rica and bucking the current and light winds it took us two days to come close to port. At 3 am in the morning the current carrying us in towards shore I called on the VHF for help. Friends from "Themroc" motored out 8 miles in the open ocean in pitch black in thier dingy and strapping alongside brought us into port. Under starlight, with the harbor water as still as a mirror I let go of the anchor, and watched it all the way to the bottom 30ft below and dig in. Incredible.

Correntos, Nicaragua Fuel Stop

Pulling into Correntos, Nicaragua for an emergency fuel stop was an adventure I will never forget. Arriving in the midst of govermental reconstruction and a trucker's strike, the evening air would echo with the murmer of huge crowds in rallies of sorts, with load voices on bullhorns that would last until the wee hours of the morning. On our final night there was machine gun fire which echoed over our anchorage. Fuel in our tanks we headed out the next day.

The Beginning

On Mar 3rd 1990 my girlfriend and I left Los Angeles on my 31 ft Mariner Ketch and headed off into the unknown. After 5 yrs of saving and planning we were actually underway and there was no turning back. At that moment contemplating the voyage before us, transiting the Panama Canal, which had sounded good when it was far in the future, hit me. I had no idea what was in store for us, thousands of miles of open ocean and unknown lands to traverse. Each moment Palantir's bow cut closer and closer into places I had never known, it was scary, what was going to happen to us.
We kept on. On down thru Mexico we traveled, meeting few at first that were headed our way, but finally in Aculpoco we fell in with a group that we were to travel with on and off down thru Nicaragua, Costa Rica and into Panama.
They call them wolf packs. Every season a new group of cruisers set on the path that we were travelling. Both for moral support but also for companionship and safety. The passage from Puerto Madero Mexico into Costa Rica is known to be treacherous, with the 70+ knot Tuanapeckers and the Papagayos. The coast of San Salvador is a breeding grounds for monsterous thunderstorms, that form in the warm waters off shore. Many a night after facing a black wall of nothingness which would engulf our tiny boat in fury, I would wonder why in the hell I was out here. After reaching port however, these feelings would quickly fade and we would be ready for more.