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We arrived in the Rio Dulce on the 1st June after our month in Belize.
We had checked out from Placencia the day after Alan left having caught a water taxi up river. Our last night outside the Rio was spent at Cabo Tres Puntas which is just near Honduras enough that you are relieved when you see other cruising boats there too. This is the popular launching point to make the early morning run across the Bay of Honduras to catch the high tide of the full or new moon to gain just a few inches of extra depth…..why….because there is a mud bar that is about a mile wide and runs across the river mouth.
That night we had one of those thunderstorms from hell, lightning, thunder, wind gusting up to 42 knots accompanied by heavy rains. We weren’t hit by lightning nor did we drag and the weather eased by 9:00ish thank goodness!
Crossing the bar….
So off we set, in the early morning, to the bar and river mouth. Me, being worried, as per usual, John being confident, “stop worrying!” He says. We were the forth boat approaching, we could see the first boat had slowed and stopped, the second came to a full stop beside the third, three down. John was completely confident as we started over the bar, waving as going passed the third boat stuck in the mud, when we too slowed and we stop moving. “Humm, John we are not moving, we are stuck!” So he revs the boat fully we ease over one, two, three humps and then get stuck fast, even leaning over slightly.
Well along come the locals with their pirogue, (a long pointy 15 ft boat with a 75 hp engine), this is business as usual, saving visitors stuck in the mud. The method of extraction used is the main halyard, (rope), that’s attached to the top of the mast is tied to another line, which they then attach to their boat and they pull us over sideways so we were heeled over (leaning sideways), while John revved the engine while heading/stearing forward.
Quite an experience, Chico was howling with anxiety, I was hanging onto the up side just being as relaxed as was possible, under the circumstances. We made it over, checked in and headed up Rio.
The trip up the river is always wonderful!
The sides are tall, steep, thickly forested in lush tropical foliage and tall trees of all types. The bird life is prolific, herons, egrets, cormorants, swallows, birds of all types on the sides roosting in the trees, swooping, calling, singing. And the sounds of the insects, the cicadas screeching, crickets squeeling makes for a wonderful up Rio Dulce journey.
Of course you also have your locals fishing and casting nets from their canoes and the water taxis occasionally whizzing by too.
Once we reached the end of the gorge we headed to Texas Bay for the night where we anchored and had a very quiet evening.
The next morning we headed across the lake and into the area where all the marinas are located.
We checked into Catamaran, were welcomed back as family, welcomed by the locals we knew, even Chico had visitors at the dock to see him.
The marina is busy this year with a very nice bunch, Canadians, Americans, Austrailians, South Africans, Braizilian, Bermudian mix. We’ve met up with many of our old friends too, we’ve done lots of reconnecting with Guatamalan friends and craftsmen.
Catamaran Marina
Is the most wonderful place to have Aeeshah during the hurricane season. It is situated on an entire island, just across the water, far from the center of activity, that it is both convenient but quiet. It is also a resort with attractive, little cabanas that hang over the water.
The gardens are wonderful, orchids, bromeliads, air plants, climbing vines, palms and shrubs that are meticulously cared for by the grounds men. There are several restaurants/eating areas, an excellent reception, bar and recreation area plus the pool and bar area make for real luxury for us wanderers.
Chico is very happy to be back. He goes into the gardens and relaxes in the shade or can be seen chasing butterflies. And I do think he is shedding some of the weight he gained while in the USA. But he sure finds it hot here, he comes back panting, with his tongue hanging out and jumps up to lay under the AC vent.
I just love to wander the gardens looking at the many flowers, seeing Jesus Lizards, and spotting birds.
As said, there are many more folks here this season, so there are many more activities. Here at catamaran we have had movie nights, where we have watched several excellent films played on the big screens plus had our dinner served to us at the same time – real luxury!
There has also been a pool party at Catamaran, it was a huge success, with many folks attending and there is Mexican Train Dominoes on Sundays. John plays and I hope to play next Sunday.
John’s eyes have been seen too.
He’s had two visits to Dr. Morales, in which he had eye exams and was hooked up to all types of eye equipment. Then we travelled on a collectivo to the town of Morales to stay a night before and after his operation.
The “operation” was carried out at Dr. Morales’s surgery.
We arrived at 7:30 and along with 9 others he had his old lens removed and the new inserted. Apparently the eye lens he received works like a camera lens, an excellent lens at that. John had been assessed as blind in the right eye, could not even read the top letters of the eye chart. Anyway his new eye has a 1,000 year guarantee and is rated worldwide as the best available, the cost…..14,000Q which is $1,900 for the whole lot, examination, surgery and bionic eye, just amazing! When he had the eye patch removed the day after the surgery he said it was miraculous! Just unreal, the colours were so bright, everything so crisp with details he had not known were missing.
What do we do?
We are and have been kept busy with boat maintenance, and cleaning that was way over due. However we had also been walking the bridge for exercise. This bridge spans the river at Fronteras is quite high and so is fairly good exercise especially in the heat.
Fronteras, (meaning Frontier)
Is the little town on one side of the bridge where we go every other day or so to get our fresh supplies of veg, fruitas, eggs, milk and such.
To us it is a colourful, busy, busy, town that is full of character and surprise. The main road leaves the bridge and goes right through the center street…….
So you get semis towing trailers, sometime full of cattle, sometimes laden with lumber or tankers of oil or container trucks coming off the bridge or heading towards the bridge leaving very little room either side where there are venders selling practically anything one can think of, while pedestrians try to squeeze by or cross to the other side of the road……
With folks pushing trolleys or have small stalls where they are cooking foods, making tortillas, fellows squatting to have their shoes polished while the polishers sit roadside with their little polish boxes, and folks waiting for the collectivoes – mini buses/taxis. And meanwhile we go shopping…
We also went to Tortugal Marina one evening for the trivia evening…and believe it or not but our team won!
Plus we have met friends for lunch and others, Don and Pam, for mid-morning coffee or the famous local hot-chocolate.
A new walk for us…
We were chatting to some folks at the marina they mentioned a public dock across the way.
Off we went to explore and low and behold, a public dock giving us access to a whole new world – a village, lanes to walk passed rubber and palm oil plantations, up and down hills and with wild open space too.
This is our new walk of choice, but in the heat it is only sensible and possible to hike in the very early morning. A regular day has temperatures in the 90s – that’s in the shade.
