Red Sky at Night ... Sailor's Delight
Sailing through the Panama Canal Jetty, we had NO idea that this winter we would spend 16 days on passage, mostly out of sight of land, including two passages that lasted almost a week continuously and end up back in the good ole USA! But that’s what happened! Sailing from Colon, Panama to Providencia, Colombia ... just in time to have Hurricane Ida pass as a Force 4 hurricane within 120 miles west of us was a bit disconcerting. Then on to Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras for Doug on Serendipity’s birthday party. And on to Utila, four months in Belize ... hiding from dozens of northers, enjoying the reef and atolls, digging out never used fleece & long pants then surfing from Belize to Isla Mujeres, doing over 9 knots with the current. And finally sailing across the Gulf of Mexico directly to Charlotte Harbor, Florida to Burnt Store Marina in Punta Gorda where Winterlude now patiently awaits our return. It was a busy year! But the best was spending time with our friends on s/v Kristiana and enjoying the private dolphin shows staged just for us by the dolphins across Belize and the Gulf of Mexico! Highlights of the blog log with photos below. For the complete log, visit the blog "Where Are We?" and start back in October 2009 to May 2010.
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October 2009 ... Shelter Bay Marina, Colon Panama
Every year, the first full day back on the boat is always full of surprises - it's amazing what the heat, humidity, intense sun and salt air can do to screw up stuff that was working perfectly when we left! The snap crackle pop shrimp are happily munching away at the algae on the bottom of the boat, although it looks relatively clean - the now one year old bottom paint seems to be doing an amazing job. Our house batteries are dying, but Casa de Bateria is delivering new ones tomorrow at 2 PM ... let's just hope that they really MEANT "manana" -- often in Central America "manana" only means "not today"! :)
In the meantime, when it's not a monsoon (it's still rainy season here), the sunshine is brilliant with bright blue skies and puffy white clouds. A few thunderstorms build up and dollop us in the late afternoon, but that's when we do inside boat projects. The main sail is back on, the solar panels and wind generator are pumping in amps, the howler monkeys and spider monkeys are happy to see us on our daily walks and the huge container and cargo ships are still coming in the jetty preparing to go through the Panama Canal.
Next stop the little island of Providencia, Columbia .... but lots to accomplish before we're ready to leave!
In the meantime, when it's not a monsoon (it's still rainy season here), the sunshine is brilliant with bright blue skies and puffy white clouds. A few thunderstorms build up and dollop us in the late afternoon, but that's when we do inside boat projects. The main sail is back on, the solar panels and wind generator are pumping in amps, the howler monkeys and spider monkeys are happy to see us on our daily walks and the huge container and cargo ships are still coming in the jetty preparing to go through the Panama Canal.
Next stop the little island of Providencia, Columbia .... but lots to accomplish before we're ready to leave!
 Dolphin welcome as we sail in to Providencia |
 Safely Anchored in Providencia Harbor |
Providencia, Colombia ... Hello Hurricane Ida! YIKES!!! November 2009
Hurricane Ida ... 120 miles west ... Landfall Nicaragua
I love Providencia! Especially after the 53 hour passage from Colon to here. The weather forecast was for winds 5-10 and waves 3-5. Perfect. Last Tuesday morning a squall came through Shelter Bay and we opted to delay one day for better weather ... three different forecasts agreed that departing Wednesday would give us the best passage. I guess no one told the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone)... anyway, 2 days and nights of the tilta-whirl on steroids left both David & I were ready to sell the boat & forget about cruising, IF we lived through the passage. Needless to say, after some sleep, we've reconsidered.
Reaching the south end of Providencia - a tiny Colombian island off the Nicaraguan coast - gave us much needed relief from the huge swells. Immediately the sun shone brightly, the mountainous island blocked the waves and some wind ... and pods of dolphins came out to play alongside the boat. Frigatebirds soared overhead and soon we were anchored between two other US boats, the only boats in the anchorage. Squalls continued to come through, but now, in flat water safe with the anchor secure, we were happy to have a good boat wash. Winterlude was so covered with salt that you took your life in your hands ice skating on the decks above. A fresh water rinse is always good after an ocean passage.
Two hours after we had the anchor down, Mr Bush, the local self-designated yacht clearance official arrived at the boat with 4 "real" officials. A half hour later we were cleared in and welcome to visit Providencia!
Providencia is actually two islands connected by a colorful footbridge. Santa Catalina was a pirates haven and the cannons still overlook the channel entrance from sea. Today there are no more executions on Pirate Beach, but there's a nice hike and good scenery. One of the reasons I love this island is it's topography - very few Caribbean islands are mountainous and Providencia is one of the most scenic ... right up there with St John in the US Virgin Islands.
We'll wait here for a better weather window to head on north to the Vivorillos Cayes - "only" a 185 mile voyage, versus 265 from Colon to here.
Reaching the south end of Providencia - a tiny Colombian island off the Nicaraguan coast - gave us much needed relief from the huge swells. Immediately the sun shone brightly, the mountainous island blocked the waves and some wind ... and pods of dolphins came out to play alongside the boat. Frigatebirds soared overhead and soon we were anchored between two other US boats, the only boats in the anchorage. Squalls continued to come through, but now, in flat water safe with the anchor secure, we were happy to have a good boat wash. Winterlude was so covered with salt that you took your life in your hands ice skating on the decks above. A fresh water rinse is always good after an ocean passage.
Two hours after we had the anchor down, Mr Bush, the local self-designated yacht clearance official arrived at the boat with 4 "real" officials. A half hour later we were cleared in and welcome to visit Providencia!
Providencia is actually two islands connected by a colorful footbridge. Santa Catalina was a pirates haven and the cannons still overlook the channel entrance from sea. Today there are no more executions on Pirate Beach, but there's a nice hike and good scenery. One of the reasons I love this island is it's topography - very few Caribbean islands are mountainous and Providencia is one of the most scenic ... right up there with St John in the US Virgin Islands.
We'll wait here for a better weather window to head on north to the Vivorillos Cayes - "only" a 185 mile voyage, versus 265 from Colon to here.
 Jumping off the bridge to Santa Catalina is FUN! |
 Boys Fishing Under the Town Pier |
Port Royal, Roatan ... Just in time for Dipity Doug's Birthday! November 20
Doug & Rayene & our Thanksgiving Feast!
What A Difference Two Weeks Makes! … Port Royal Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras… Into every paradise a bit of rain must fall … and maintenance intrude and that's a good summary of our two weeks! I am amazed and quite proud of David with all the maintenance headaches ... I didn't realize he could change a salt water pump or do alot of the other serious projects he's just successfully completed. He wasn't happy about it, but it's done & it works! :)
Last update, Winterlude was still in Providencia, roughly 500 miles south and east of Roatan, thinking we had a weather window for a pleasant sail – hopefully in time to celebrate our friend Doug's birthday, November 20th. We left Providencia on Monday (Doug's birthday was Friday – no problem), but unfortunately the predicted wind never materialized and instead blew right on our nose – turning a simple overnight to the Vivorillos Cays into a 4 night challenge not ending until Friday morning, Doug's birthday – WE MADE IT! Our reward was feasting on charcoal grilled chicken, cabbage rolls, salad and birthday cake with several old and new friends.
Luckily sleep has a way of putting thing back in perspective, but a week later, we're still in progress fixing stuff that didn't care for our 5 day trip. It was bumpy, wind on the nose, 100 hours of which 93 were primarily motorsailing – with our 30 horsepower putt putt engine, only 7 hours of quiet real sailing. The diesel ran hotter than optimal and by the end of the week had an ominous cloud of white smoke from the exhaust haunting us. By the time Doug on Kristiana came out in his dinghy to greet us outside the reef pass at Port Royal, we had 8 gallons of diesel remaining – the center tank was dry and the starboard tank had less than a quarter tank… 8 gallons out of 70 when we started! Yikes! Glad I didn't realize how close we were!
From here our plans are up in the air. Latest news from the south coast of the island we're not allowed to visit says that we can only stay 60 days. And December, January and February high temperatures are in the mid-70's and lows are in the mid-60's – bbrrrr, could make for somewhat chilly snorkeling even with our wetsuits. So we're rethinking our winter cruising plans, but we're not sure what they are yet. We'll keep you updated. Now that everything will be fixed, we should have a problem free rest of the winter – David hates trying to fix broken stuff and I'm not much help. Not sure what we would have done without our friends Doug & "Other" Doug – friends helping friends is a big part of what cruising is about.
Last update, Winterlude was still in Providencia, roughly 500 miles south and east of Roatan, thinking we had a weather window for a pleasant sail – hopefully in time to celebrate our friend Doug's birthday, November 20th. We left Providencia on Monday (Doug's birthday was Friday – no problem), but unfortunately the predicted wind never materialized and instead blew right on our nose – turning a simple overnight to the Vivorillos Cays into a 4 night challenge not ending until Friday morning, Doug's birthday – WE MADE IT! Our reward was feasting on charcoal grilled chicken, cabbage rolls, salad and birthday cake with several old and new friends.
Luckily sleep has a way of putting thing back in perspective, but a week later, we're still in progress fixing stuff that didn't care for our 5 day trip. It was bumpy, wind on the nose, 100 hours of which 93 were primarily motorsailing – with our 30 horsepower putt putt engine, only 7 hours of quiet real sailing. The diesel ran hotter than optimal and by the end of the week had an ominous cloud of white smoke from the exhaust haunting us. By the time Doug on Kristiana came out in his dinghy to greet us outside the reef pass at Port Royal, we had 8 gallons of diesel remaining – the center tank was dry and the starboard tank had less than a quarter tank… 8 gallons out of 70 when we started! Yikes! Glad I didn't realize how close we were!
From here our plans are up in the air. Latest news from the south coast of the island we're not allowed to visit says that we can only stay 60 days. And December, January and February high temperatures are in the mid-70's and lows are in the mid-60's – bbrrrr, could make for somewhat chilly snorkeling even with our wetsuits. So we're rethinking our winter cruising plans, but we're not sure what they are yet. We'll keep you updated. Now that everything will be fixed, we should have a problem free rest of the winter – David hates trying to fix broken stuff and I'm not much help. Not sure what we would have done without our friends Doug & "Other" Doug – friends helping friends is a big part of what cruising is about.
 Winterlude Sapodilla Lagoon Belize |
 David & Jan, Dinghy Carolers for Christmas at Lighthouse Reef Atoll |
Winter in Belize was spent hiding from more northers than usual - not as much time snorkeling and exploring the outter atolls. We did get to spend Christmas at Lighthouse Reef Atoll, one of my very favorite places in Belize!
Hover your mouse over the large photo to see the play slideshow button in the upper left hand corner!
Hover your mouse over the large photo to see the play slideshow button in the upper left hand corner!
Passage to Isla Mujeres, MX ... April 1, 2010
Buenos all! (that's HI in Mexican) ... After 155 days out at anchor, living on the hook, hiding from norther after norther, Winterlude rode out the last vicious norther safely attached to a dock at Marina Paraiso in Isla Mujeres Mexico! As the winds howled, gusting to 30 and six boat dragged anchor out in the anchorage, we Winterluders luxuriated standing under pouring hot water in one of the only "real" showers (as opposed to sun showers) we've had in months.
After agonizing over the weather for weeks, trying to pick a weather window that would allow us to make the 48 hour passage to Isla Mujeres in relative comfort ... we are finally got underway in a light northwest wind (forecast to be southeast, but what else is new). At 0630 David drives and I am on
"stick watch" behind the reef while we motor 5 miles south to a safe cut in the reef. Belizean fishermen plant large sticks in random patterns marking a range for their fishing, but these sticks are almost as much a pain as crab pots are in the US ... speaking of crab pots, we haven't seen them in the six years since we left Florida, but I guess we'll be dodging them again soon!
We e-mailed our Float Plan to Kristiana and e-mailed Marina Paraiso to confirm our Sunday reservation. As a safety precaution, we'll check in with the NW Caribbean Net twice a day underway on SSB 6209 at 8 AM and 0545 PM Belize time (currently two hours behind the US East Coast). We will also e-mail Doug & Rayene on Kristiana every 6 hours with a position report and conditions. If we miss 2 consecutive position reports, our FLoat Plan instructs Doug & Rayene to call the US Coast Guard and alert them to the possibility we might have a problem. While that may seem melodramatic, there have been a few boats sink in the Western Caribbean this winter and the earlier someone realizes there might be a problem, the sooner help can be summoned.
Sailed over the clear aqua water strung with coral heads in only 10 feet of water, crossing the reef and almost instantly into off soundings thousands of feet deep water at 0800 ... now we're really on our way. 45 hours to go according to our Nobeltec Passport charts, electronic charting.
WOOHOO -- it's 1300 ( 1 PM) and Winterlude is crossing the latitude 18 NORTH. 18 NORTH is infamous in cruisers lives because the weather forecasts always specify "waves highest south of 18 NORTH! So now that we've crossed the barrier, why are our waves so much steeper and rocky
rollier than earlier? AhHa! We discover we have a knot and a half of current pushing us northward -- it's all good, although the boat motion makes it difficult to accomplish anything down below ... so we sit in the cockpit and watch the sparkling water rush by and just enjoy.
Dark ... and despite the reef we always put in before sunset, we're doing over 7 knots ... we added a 2nd reef and we're still doing over 7 knots. The wind has finally shifted enough to the southeast that we can actually SAIL, so we turn off the diesel and now we're sailing as opposed to motorsailing to hold our course as close to the rhumb line as possible. Lightning lights the northwest sky making us uneasy ... the forecast was NO squalls, NO convection, NO rain, NO clouds NO nothing for the next several days ... of course, we should have known better.
Up for my watch several hours later, the lightning show has subsided, leaving a 3/4 full moon and a starry starry night. Bo, the Monitor Windvane is steering. Bo is definitely partial to David and doesn't much care for me, so when I adjust our course to keep us far enough off the mainland reef at Bahia Espiritu Santu in southern Mexico, the steering line parts in my hand. Poor David, he's just laid down to rest & he's back up reconnecting the line. But after that fiasco, David actually got to lay in the bunk for a solid 3 hours -- notice I didn't say he got to SLEEP for 3 hours, just that he had the opportunity to lay in the bunk for 3 hours! I let David "sleep" until 4 AM, when he relieved me.
We can see Cozumel on the horizon and occasionally the GPS indicates we can be anchored in Isla Mujeres before dark -- we both are committed to the idea of pushing the boat as fast as possible so we don't have do sail another overnight. We shake out the reefs and the boat responds by jumping
to 8 knots and at one point on the northern end of Cozumel, our boatspeed was 9.4 knots!!!! NINE POINT FOUR KNOTS! It's a brilliant sunny day with the waves shimmering across clear blue waters - suddenly we have an entire pod of dolphins dancing in our bow wake and crossing and crisscrossing under the stern. They stayed with us until the wind piped up to over 20 knots ... on the nose again, of course ... and we had to turn into the wind to put in a reef. It's 36 miles to Isla Mujeres and we're doing 9.4 knots -- at this rate we'll be there before dark! WOOHOO!!!
Unfortunately, sailing across in front of the hotel zone in Cancun, the current left us ... and the time on our GPS was sinking with the sun, later and later. It is never recommended to come in to a harbor at night... even with the red markers lit, as in Isla Mujeres.
At 7:30 PM, only 36 hours after passing through the reef in Belize, our anchor was down and set and we were relaxing in the cockpit enjoying dinner!
Buenos all! (that's HI in Mexican) ... After 155 days out at anchor, living on the hook, hiding from norther after norther, Winterlude rode out the last vicious norther safely attached to a dock at Marina Paraiso in Isla Mujeres Mexico! As the winds howled, gusting to 30 and six boat dragged anchor out in the anchorage, we Winterluders luxuriated standing under pouring hot water in one of the only "real" showers (as opposed to sun showers) we've had in months.
After agonizing over the weather for weeks, trying to pick a weather window that would allow us to make the 48 hour passage to Isla Mujeres in relative comfort ... we are finally got underway in a light northwest wind (forecast to be southeast, but what else is new). At 0630 David drives and I am on
"stick watch" behind the reef while we motor 5 miles south to a safe cut in the reef. Belizean fishermen plant large sticks in random patterns marking a range for their fishing, but these sticks are almost as much a pain as crab pots are in the US ... speaking of crab pots, we haven't seen them in the six years since we left Florida, but I guess we'll be dodging them again soon!
We e-mailed our Float Plan to Kristiana and e-mailed Marina Paraiso to confirm our Sunday reservation. As a safety precaution, we'll check in with the NW Caribbean Net twice a day underway on SSB 6209 at 8 AM and 0545 PM Belize time (currently two hours behind the US East Coast). We will also e-mail Doug & Rayene on Kristiana every 6 hours with a position report and conditions. If we miss 2 consecutive position reports, our FLoat Plan instructs Doug & Rayene to call the US Coast Guard and alert them to the possibility we might have a problem. While that may seem melodramatic, there have been a few boats sink in the Western Caribbean this winter and the earlier someone realizes there might be a problem, the sooner help can be summoned.
Sailed over the clear aqua water strung with coral heads in only 10 feet of water, crossing the reef and almost instantly into off soundings thousands of feet deep water at 0800 ... now we're really on our way. 45 hours to go according to our Nobeltec Passport charts, electronic charting.
WOOHOO -- it's 1300 ( 1 PM) and Winterlude is crossing the latitude 18 NORTH. 18 NORTH is infamous in cruisers lives because the weather forecasts always specify "waves highest south of 18 NORTH! So now that we've crossed the barrier, why are our waves so much steeper and rocky
rollier than earlier? AhHa! We discover we have a knot and a half of current pushing us northward -- it's all good, although the boat motion makes it difficult to accomplish anything down below ... so we sit in the cockpit and watch the sparkling water rush by and just enjoy.
Dark ... and despite the reef we always put in before sunset, we're doing over 7 knots ... we added a 2nd reef and we're still doing over 7 knots. The wind has finally shifted enough to the southeast that we can actually SAIL, so we turn off the diesel and now we're sailing as opposed to motorsailing to hold our course as close to the rhumb line as possible. Lightning lights the northwest sky making us uneasy ... the forecast was NO squalls, NO convection, NO rain, NO clouds NO nothing for the next several days ... of course, we should have known better.
Up for my watch several hours later, the lightning show has subsided, leaving a 3/4 full moon and a starry starry night. Bo, the Monitor Windvane is steering. Bo is definitely partial to David and doesn't much care for me, so when I adjust our course to keep us far enough off the mainland reef at Bahia Espiritu Santu in southern Mexico, the steering line parts in my hand. Poor David, he's just laid down to rest & he's back up reconnecting the line. But after that fiasco, David actually got to lay in the bunk for a solid 3 hours -- notice I didn't say he got to SLEEP for 3 hours, just that he had the opportunity to lay in the bunk for 3 hours! I let David "sleep" until 4 AM, when he relieved me.
We can see Cozumel on the horizon and occasionally the GPS indicates we can be anchored in Isla Mujeres before dark -- we both are committed to the idea of pushing the boat as fast as possible so we don't have do sail another overnight. We shake out the reefs and the boat responds by jumping
to 8 knots and at one point on the northern end of Cozumel, our boatspeed was 9.4 knots!!!! NINE POINT FOUR KNOTS! It's a brilliant sunny day with the waves shimmering across clear blue waters - suddenly we have an entire pod of dolphins dancing in our bow wake and crossing and crisscrossing under the stern. They stayed with us until the wind piped up to over 20 knots ... on the nose again, of course ... and we had to turn into the wind to put in a reef. It's 36 miles to Isla Mujeres and we're doing 9.4 knots -- at this rate we'll be there before dark! WOOHOO!!!
Unfortunately, sailing across in front of the hotel zone in Cancun, the current left us ... and the time on our GPS was sinking with the sun, later and later. It is never recommended to come in to a harbor at night... even with the red markers lit, as in Isla Mujeres.
At 7:30 PM, only 36 hours after passing through the reef in Belize, our anchor was down and set and we were relaxing in the cockpit enjoying dinner!
 Belize Fishermen Sticks are not navigation markers! |
 WOOEEEE!!!! 9.0 knots! |
 Garrafon National Park, Isla Mujeres, MX |
 Winterlude in Marina Paraiso, Isla Mujeres, MX |
Passage Back to Florida ... twice across the gulf stream ... COMING SOON!!!
