Running from the Storm

Chris Parker, the marine weather guru, told us on Wednesday that we needed to be somewhere safe by Saturday. He was soooo right and we are are very glad we did just that. Sailed in to Cucumber Beach Marina which is 4 miles South Belize City yesterday around 4pm. A couple of squalls on the way here and today...

can't even see Belize!

Ahh, but the week prior was perfect. Wippari Cay (or Whipray) was our last night with Tom and Coleen as they planned on taking Unplugged to safe harbor in the Rio Dulce. I think we're the only boat still out except for chartered cats. Whipray Cay was exceptional, how could I have left the camera on the boat. Whipray Lodge is a small fishing lodge on Whipray Cay and if you want to fish Permit this is the place to be. Julian Cabral is a world renowned Permit guide and he and his wife Beverly run the 3 cabana lodge. But, it was his young son who showed us the "coral nursery" that made snorkeling this cay's reef so special. I've know since last year (see the link in the San Pedro blog from last year) that Belize was one of the places where marine biologist are trying to grow coral. We swam over what looked like bed springs raised over the seafloor with pieces of coral attached. Since I didn't have my camera check out this website "New Hope for Belize Coral Reefs".

Diner overlooks the sea at Hatchet 

Of course, this effort can't repair all the damage being done by warming oceans, boat and human traffic and other environmental damage but mitigation is the name of the game and growing coral is part of that. We saw anchor and rode damage all over. Even trying our hardest not to, we sadly added our own. Belize is putting out mooring balls and hopefully as this lovely destination is growing ever more popular they will put out more of them and maintain them better. And, hopefully, those of us boating here will learn to distinguish coral from grass when we must drop an anchor. I was surprised that of the other tourist (not sailers, thankfully) we met, many didn't know that flippers can damage coral! No wonder Belize is insisting on guides on all of its marine parks.

Vamping among the Cabanas at Hatchet Cay

After Wippari out next stop was Hatchet Cay and what a difference! Hatchet Cay is pure tropical sophistication. Beautifully landscaped, meticulously run, truly a superb tropical island resort. We grabbed a mooring ball and stayed for 3 nights. Cocktails at the bar each evening, dinner with guests we met (from Mobile!). Tanya, her two twin sons Nick and Ethan, plus Dan who was traveling alone from Sacramento became our new "best friends" We invited them to the boat and everyone went out snorkeling with Roy towing the boys until they got the hang of things.

Taking the boys for a swim - they're invited for Bachus Sunday next year.

Wahoo at Glover's Reef

The wind was blowing 20 - 25 knots all the while we hung out at Hatchet which isn't the most protected of anchorages so maybe that's what gave me the courage to say "lets go for it" when we decided to move on. The "It" was a sail outside the reef to Glover's Reef, one of Belize's 3 atolls. Knowing that with the weather disintegrating on Sunday if we were ever going to do it we needed to do it now. We left the shelter of the reef through the Queen Cay Cut and sailed the 18 miles to Glover's in 5 - 7 ft seas. (Gulp!) Oh but once there, Wow! 

Isla Marisol, a dive "resort" on Glover's

Coral Reef - Glover's

Scrawled filefish - Glover's Reef

Smooth Trunkfish - Glover's Reef

An atoll is basically a shallow limestone lagoon rising out of the ocean formed by a circling coral reef with numerous coral patches scattered throughout the "lagoon". Belize has three of the four atolls found in the  Western hemisphere. Turneffe, Glover's and the"blue hole, Lighthouse Reef, made famous by Jacques Cousteau. The diving at these reefs is spectacular as the vertical coral cliffs go down hundred's of feet. But the snorkeling is pretty good also with better visibility and many interesting species that aren't seen as often inside the reef. We were glad for our one day there. Glover's is one of Belize's Marine Parks. There is a research station and it is a protected fishing zone. Much of it is "no take" and other parts have strictly enforced seasons. The fishing boat below was there to take advantage of the Lobster season.

A lurking Barracuda

As we were headed for safe harbor we saw at least six of these small sail boats with their fishing dories. Each one has at least 9 men aboard who paddle the dorries out to fish. I caught this one while they where still asleep very early Friday morning at Glover's Reef. Lobster Season started the next day. I guess the bad weather is just part of their life!

Carrie Bow Cay with South Water Cut visible on the right

We knew that early Friday morning we had to sail back inside the reef. Luckily the wind was down to 10 - 15 kts and the seas laid down accordingly. We had a lovely sail coming back inside at South Water Cut, turned right and had a perfect anchorage in the lee of one of our favorite islands, South Water Cay. Enough snorkeling is an oxymoron so after a rest and lunch we took the dingy to a sweet spot we had enjoyed last year and happily spent time doing our thing.

Saturday morning we headed west for the Inner Channel and sailed the 42 miles to Belize City and safety. As it was a bright blue morning with the sun sparkling off the turquoise water it was hard to leave the reef but a nasty squall near Dangria confirmed that we had made the right decision.