S/V WAHOO: Placencia and the Southern Islands

Wahoo at Anchor

We sailed into Placencia with a squall haunting us and 24 knots of wind making 4 foot waves hitting at that awkward angle on the rear quarter of the boat. We were glad to drop the hook in Placencia Harbor. There were way more than the three boats that were here when we sailed out last August. Most are waiting for the full moon and high tides May 25 - May 27. They want no hint of a problem as they cross the bar into the Rio Dulce for hurricane season. We, on the other hand, are just starting our cruising season. I guess if your home port is New Orleans you just go where you want. We think our insurance company is happy we aren't home!

Placencia's great! John, the bartender at Yoli's, started our bar tab and Brenda, the creole lady who cooks near the town dock, gave us a hearty welcome and made some conch fritters for us. Got some Belize dollars at the Belize bank, a Digicell simm for the phone from BTL and some meat pies from Belly Full restaurant. Soursop ice cream is next on the list and we feel like we're home again.

Wahoo and a Mooring Charter Cat at Ranguana Caye

After a few days of making the rounds we were itching to get out to the cayes and the weather looked good. So on Sunday, the 19th, we raised the sails and headed East. A nice and easy 3 hour sail got us to Ranguana Caye, a tiny island of sand and palm trees, about 3/4 mile from the barrier reef. Leaving Placencia we followed a track of 135º, passing Colson Caye to the South and anchored in sand and grass in about 10 Ft of water. (waypoints below) Capt. Freya Rausher' Guidebook, the bible for sailing Belize, said there was good snorkeling and a small bar/restaurant on the island. We found the snorkeling and the bar but the restaurant was out of supplies. Luckily we had our own.

Sooty Turn

Ranguana Caye is beautiful. There are 3 tiny cabins that share showers and bathrooms looking out toward the reef. Southeast and Southwest of the island is a coral reef that makes the anchorage more protected than you'd expect from its 2 acre size. The island is home to a nesting colony of Sooty Turns plus we saw Magnificent Frigates, Brown Pelicans and even our old friend the Laughing gulls. Anyone wanting to get away from it all - here's the place!

Roy & I spent two days snorkeling the morning away and reading (snoozing) during the afternoon while watching a couple of charter boats come and go. After all this strenuous activity we welcomed cocktail hour. Wow, what a difference from a week ago!

The "largest" of the Silk Cayes

Tuesday morning we got up and decided to head a little north but stay out near the reef. Following a tract of 45º for about 9NM we mostly saw 18 feet of water but kept a watch out for any lurking coral heads. Last year we had wanted to visit the Silk Cays (also know as Queen Cays) but never made it. So we were on our way. We bypassed several cays that looked inviting but wanted to get anchored by noon. The Silk Cays are only a day anchorage as there is very little (read none) protection. They are even closer to the reef then Ranguana and consist of a group of three very, very small cays, two surface reefs and a drying reef with deep water in between. This is part of the Laughing Gull Marine Park and Preserve so you must pay to visit. $10 US per person per day(no cost for Belizeans). Plus you can only visit with a Belizean guide. Luckily I carry my guide with me at all times :-). Its also a "no-take zone". When we arrived a boat with 3 rangers came over and collected. One would have been a guide for $30 had we needed him. They were very friendly and after looking at Roy's passport allowed us to enter. We happily hooked the only mooring ball there and soon were in the dingy heading for the nearest reef. This was, by far, the most stunning reef we have visited! Check out the pictures - AMAZING! A worthwhile $10 for sure. There were two other boats around with groups and guides having an island BBQ and a generally great time. Both snorkelers and divers are happy here. We watched the guides separate the two and take them to different areas in the preserve.

Coral Gardens at the Silk Cays

Reef Fish at the Silk Cays

Our polarized sunglasses saved the day!

After lunch and our afternoon snorkel we headed 5 NM to Little Water Cay. This cay is surrounded by reef and coral and was the closest spot for a protected overnight anchorage. It's also the only time we found all of our charts and the guide to be wrong! Trying to follow the course indicated and with a look out on the bow we still floundered into the shallows and only a close lookout and Roy's skills kept us from having a serious encounter with some coral heads. We finally dropped anchor in a deep blue hole, not on any chart, with 30 - 40 ft depths. Looking around we weren't sure how to get out! The next morning we had light winds and a sunny sky so I donned mask and flippers and swam along with the dingy as we explored what proved to be a shallow coral bar with one area having 8 -10 ft depths. Roy used the hand held compass to carefully note the way. We headed back to Wahoo and weighed anchor. We were both sorry not to spend more time as there's a scientific research station which would have been interesting.

This area between Laughing Bird Cay to the West and the Silk Cays to the East are the only predictable area in the world where whale sharks are known to gather each Spring. In 2003 the Global Conservation Fund partnered with Friends of Nature to purchase Little Water Caye. So now the whole area from Laughing Bird Cay to the Silk Cays including Gladden Spit is a Marine Preserve and World Heritage Site. Roy thinks he spotted two smaller whale sharks (the largest fish on the earth) put I didn't see any. More time would have been better but we were very worried and felt it best to leave before the weather changed. We have our waypoints and track (see below) so we can return with confidence.

See how long the beach at Rendezvous Cay is?

Rendezvous Cay beach

We went Northeast into Victoria Channel, a deep water channel, to the West of the outer cays. We were still a little leery but in general saw 70 - 120 foot depths, only passed through one 18 ft area and it was clearly marked on the charts. About 8 NM took us to the area around Rendezvous Cay, the Funk Cays and North Long Cocoa Cay. We carefully threaded our way around the cays following the deeper blue waters with a sharp bow lookout to a wonderful anchorage in 8 foot depths over a sandy bottom. Another sand and palm tree studded island and this one has a long curving sandy beach that goes on forever. Obviously work was being done ashore so we dinghied over to get the story. Three caretakers live on the island. We were told that a resort with timeshares, a restaurant and breathtaking views was planned about 8 years ago. Five bungalows are in various states of construction and you can see the quality that was aimed for in the one that is almost complete. What a shame, though there must be hope as the 3 guys are kept on the payroll raking, planting and maintaining the island. Pablo said it has been three years since construction stopped.

Alex photo bombed by his pup

Just another snorkeling trip

This was another good stop for us as we could also dinghy to N Long Cocoa Cay to snorkel the reef there and meet its caretaker. This island is used for beach BBQ's for tours usually once a week or so. Alex, the caretaker, paddled over and visited with us over a cold beer. These guys have an odd life here in paradise. They stay out 28 days in very primitive condition with only a small generator for power, no refrigeration and only their cell phones for communication. Their visitors are cruisers like us, maybe a fishing boat working the area and each other. We traded cold beer, dvds, candy, and a few medical supplies for conch - seemed like a good trade to us.

At Rendezvous we had the most wonderful dolphin experience - while heading out to snorkel on a perfectly calm day two dolphins decided to fish right next to the dinghy. We were nearly eye-level as they swam and snacked around us. Cool!! Very Cool!!!

Before we knew it the weather was starting to change and water was getting as low as our supply of mangoes so we headed back to Placencia in time for the Optimist Kids Regatta. Boats came from Corozol, San Pedro, Belize City and Placencia. While watching we had the unexpected pleasure of meeting up with Roy's friend from Belize City, Francis Hueshner. Francis is an avid racer and raced with New Orleans and Southern Yacht Clubs in the 80s and 90s. He was here helping out with the regatta.