Glover’s Atoll, Southwater Cay, Tobacco Cay, and more – Ethan visits Pt.2

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SouthWater Cay

Leaving Sapordilla we headed out to SouthWater cay for the night and had another lovely snorkel. Ethan and John headed out the cut again to the deep water. I enjoyed all the shallower corals and fish. This time the water was a bit warmer, but still 45 minutes was our limit.

Glover’s Atoll – Ethan’s Birthday

Through the cut to the open ocean at SouthWater we then headed towards Glover’s atoll. It was Ethan’s Birthday and our gift was a return visit to Glover’s. (When he was 10 we had visited on a diving holiday, he had always wanted to return.)

The passage over to Glovers was average, some sailing and some motor sailing the wind was just not quite strong enough. The rods were out, but with all the seaweed we never got a bite. We did see more dolphins playing off of our bow, quite a large pod with small young ones. Ethan enjoyed watching them from the bow. We have seen dolphin in nearly every anchorage and on every passage in the last few weeks, but Ethan reported this was by far the largest family pod.

Entering Glover’s through the break in the reefs on the south east we anchored off of the 1st cay. There is a luxury resort there that looks to be finally finished on this cay. They do not welcome cruising boats and they do not look in our price range.

That afternoon John and Ethan went for a dinghy about, reminiscing old memories from our previous visit.

For Ethan’s birthday evening he opened a bottle of bubbly on the bow during the sunset which he then shared with Papa. We had barbecued steak for dinner – (Excellent Guatemalan steak which we had saved)

The following morning we dinghied to the second cay where the Marisol resort is located. Unfortunately it was closed so all the staff were away.

We were allowed to walk around and enjoyed visiting the cay where we had 1st taken Ethan when he was 10 and learnt to dive.

Just about everything was still the same, the gaily painted chalets, the coconut lined walkways, the shallow reef on the outside, and the shady coconut groves, our chalet overlooking the reef, all was just as we had last seen and remembered.

However at the far end of the cay the tiny resort there has changed ownership. It is now an eco resort specialising in students and young adults that seek adventure without luxury. (The small cabanas are tented not air conditioned)

Off to snorkel the reef. We started with one large reef in the morning where again the fellows concentrated on the deep water.

They looked for rays and tarpon. I was more interest in the lovely corals and fish, though I did see tarpon in the distant depths.

Again in the afternoon we snorkelled at yet another large reef. This time I was amazed by a large shark that swam up over the reef, nearly right up to me. It then looked at me, and turned to glide by, I would estimate it was approximately 6-8 ft, a large nurse shark.

Further along I met up with Ethan who was following a large ray, I told him where the shark was located and he actually did manage to find it, now snoozing below a ledge in the reef.

Next morning was time to leave Glover’s and head back as again a front was due to visit in a few days.

Crossing to SouthWater Cay we once again trawled for fish, hoping to get a nice Jack or Mahi Mahi for dinner. However the sargassum seaweed is rampant, just masses of it again this year. Then just as we were about to sail through the SouthWater Cut we had a strike.

Ethan, was coached by Papa as to how to bring the fish in. It turned out to be a small Barracuda. We don’t eat Barracuda due to the chance of cigiterra so the guys released it……..Ethan was most relieved it wasn’t hurt.

We stopped at Blue Ground Range for the night and enjoyed another beautiful sunset. Crossing to the Sapodilla Lagoon the next morning.

Sapordilla Lagoon – The Range/Reserve

In the lagoon was where we anchored to be protected for the newest front that was approaching. I took advantage of the marina laundry, Ethan and I took advantage of the marina wifi, and we all enjoyed walks around the Reserve looking for wildlife like coatimundis and birds like the swallow tailed fly catchers.

John took out his drone and along with Don and Ethan tried to fly it.

However they had a few technical problems. After 2 days the weather was fine for us to head out to the reef and cays again.

We again enjoyed a fairly good sail across, but only caught seaweed.

SouthWater Cay and Tobacco Cay

SouthWater was our 1st stop. The weather was quite amazing, dead calm with glassy seas. We had a magical snorkel along the cut and out to the outside of the reef and cay.

The water was amazingly clear and warmer than usual. Ethan and John snorkelled nearly the whole of the outside reef. I snorkelled the deep and the shallows, the elk horn coral beds were huge, normally you cannot get close due to the swell but that day I could snorkel right up to and over them. It was a wonderful afternoon snorkel.

In the later afternoon John and Ethan flew the drone off of the boat. This was a 1st, normally it is flown from land. The flying went really well mainly as there was no wind and the scenery there is gorgeous.

The next morning it was off to Tobacco Cay. Ethan was very happy to reel in a Spanish macheral, his 1st good eating fish.

We found our old sandy patch to anchor in. The sand holes are few and far between at Tobacco cay. The rest of the holding is not very good being grass beds.

We dinghied to the far side of the cut where we snorkelled. The whole of Tobacco cut and the reefs around are amazing for the corals and fish you see.

We had an excellent hour in the water. Again I spent my time between the deeper reef and the shallow reef. Here the reef nearly sticks out of the water and the swell rolls right over the reef.

Therefore one has to be very careful. In the deeper water of the cut there was a large school of big tarpon. John and Ethan followed them plus the numerous rays.

That evening it was fresh fish for dinner. Ethan was amazed by the size of the barracuda that stalked the side of the boat after the fish was cleaned and the blood and guts put in the water. The following day we were going to snorkel the other side of the cut, but the weather was iffy, the wind was up so we decided to head back to Placencia. The passage back was a mix of sail and engine, but quite interesting as we chose a different route through the cays and not down the main channel.

Placencia

At Placencia I was very happy not to have to cook dinner. Instead we could get a take out dinner of the local fish and chips one night, the Belizean pizza the second night and Ethan’s final night Fry Jacks…..no not the fish, a Belize speciality dish…..pic below.

We also were able to walk about and get a few gifts for Ethan to take back to his brother and sisters. Have a few last ice creams at Tooty Fruity and enjoys the sights and sounds.

Ethan leaves

Ethan had a long journey home via Miami over 2 days of travel. We managed to get his covid testing done in time plus get all the necessary travel documents submitted. Travel these days is a right pain! Unless of course you sail. We went with Ethan to the airstrip and saw him off. It was sad seeing him leave. When people leave there is always a void left behind.