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Leaving Guatemala |
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11 November 2008
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A beautiful trip down the Rio Dulce on
Tuesday 11th November, in much sunnier conditions than when we arrived. A
stop at Livingston at the mouth of the river is required to clear out of
Guatemala.
All the cruisers use the services of an
agent called Raul in Livingston. He's a great guy and very efficient. If
copies of all documents are emailed to him before you arrive, most of the
work is done ahead of time. We reached Livingston around 1030 and called
Raul on channel 16 as we anchored. (Our documents were thought to be
complicated this time as we had arrived as Dulcinea, but were leaving as
Dreaming On). Raul had dealt with it all and just needed us and our
passports at his office for 30 minutes to complete the formalities.
Left Livingston around 1pm and navigated
across the shallow 5’ bar at the mouth of the river, out into the Gulf of
Honduras heading ENE to clear south of the Sapodilla Cays, marking the
southernmost tip of the Belize barrier reef and into deep ocean.
Once clear of the Sapodillas we turned
NNE heading up the coast of Belize and Mexico towards the Yucatan Channel.
Made slow time initially heading into NE
winds for the first 12 hours or so. We had no intention of pushing Dreaming
On or ourselves too hard as we are still new to the boat and there are many
unknowns. By Wednesday, we had light and variable winds, not enough to keep
the sails full, so motored on one engine at around 6 knots.
Not all the electronics we had installed
were correctly configured but we had enough for a safe passage. The AIS,
(Automatic Identification System) is magic. An AIS transceiver is mandatory
on all boats/ships over 300 tons. The unit transmits the ship's unique MMSI
ID number, position, name, speed, course, distance, rate of turn, size and
sometimes cargo details. They also receive the same from other similarly
equipped ships. Most private boat owners with AIS seem to have a receiver
only and cannot transmit their own information. We installed a transceiver
as we had no radar and wanted to see and be seen. It works and works well,
listing the ships details, but also showing them on the chartplotter.
Highlight a particular ship icon on the plotter and a pop-up gives all the
details.
A danger area can be established around
Dreaming On of say 2 miles. Anything that enters that ring or will enter
based on projected course rings an alarm. Wonderful gizmo.
The boat copes well with one engine and
though this is a favoured way of easy cruising for many cat owners, we are
not convinced. Although there is very little rudder correction required by
the autopilot it must still slow the boat. So by late Wednesday as we began
to pick up the Yucatan Current which sweeps in from south of the Cayman
Islands the turns north through the channel, we were on two engines running
at an easy 1900 RPM. We were very lucky with the seas. They are usually bad
and can be ferocious if wind and current conflict. We had a gradually
increasing roller coaster ride, as our speed increased from 6 knots to over
10 as we approached the Mexican island of Cozumel on Thursday.
The ride on the catamaran is so much
less rolly than on a monohull. Although we experienced increasing waves as
the current effect increased, we could still move around easily and were
still serving coffee in china mugs.
With no weather updates on board, so no
update on the cold front, plus not being familiar with the fuel consumption
yet, we made the decision to turn into the island of Isla Mujeres on the NE
corner of the Mexican Yucatan. No doubt a sensible decision but it will cost
us a week as two successive cold fronts close any weather breaks at least
until 24th November.
We arrived in Isla Mujeres just after
midnight Thursday night, so an arrival in the dark in an unknown harbour!
Looking for lights and markers was confused by the background lighting of
the hotels on the Cancun coast on the mainland, and some new shoal markers
had been added that were not on the charts.
The final turn into the sheltered
natural harbour in Isla Mujeres takes a boat very close to the beach, which
is somewhat un-nerving at night. However, there were only a handful of other
boats at anchor, (some of whom we knew from the Rio Dulce) so plenty of room
for us. |
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Isla Mujeres, Mexico |
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14 November
2008 Click on picture
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Shops and
restaurants in Isla Mujeres
The Catholic church overlooking the main plaza
Dreaming On at the fuel dock |
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The Island of Isla Mujeres is a great
place to wait for suitable weather to head for Florida. A sheltered natural
harbour, fuel, water, shops and a great choice of restaurants.
Isla Mujeres, (Island of women), was
discovered and named in 1517 by Hernandez Cordoba from Cuba who led a
slaving expedition to the new lands. The name is apparently due to the large number of
terra cotta female idols he found in the Maya temples and shrines. The
island later became a regular hang out for pirates.
The small island is a few miles of the
mainland Mexico coast and the mega tourist metropolis of Cancun and has a
population of around 15,000. Isla maintains a small town atmosphere and
survives on the large numbers of tourists from Cancun who make day visits on
the numerous and very frequent ferry services. Geoff’s son Simon visited
Cancun a few years ago, has good memories of his day trip to Isla Mujeres
along with some beach bar recommendations.
The ferry services make for rough water
in the harbour and a challenging crossing to the dock in our little dinghy.
Clearing in to Mexico has always been a
drama as rules change daily and there is no “one stop shop” as in the
Bahamas and the USA.
We had been told to allow at least half
a day. Some cruisers recently had to make the trip by ferry to the mainland
just to deposit the Harbour Master fee in a specific bank, then returning to
the Harbour Master office with the receipt for final sign off. We were
prepared for that, but this week, that was not required. We were through
within a couple of hours and a bit of walking. Everyone was very friendly
and helpful so no dramas.
Isla Mujeres is a small narrow island
with a mainly rocky eastern shoreline but a good sandy beach on the wider
north end. This is called Bahia Norte, or better known as “Naughty Beach”
due to the topless bathers. Guess that’s why the beach bar recommended by
Simon was on that beach? That’s my boy!
On Saturday 15th, late in the
day and exactly as predicted, the cold front arrived.
The harbour shelters us from a build up
of sea, which is normally the cause of anchors breaking loose, but we still
get the wind. A sleepless Saturday night taking it in turns on anchor watch
with winds up to 38 knots. We are not yet familiar with the holding ability
of the anchor on Dreaming On, so that confidence has to be gained through
experience. |
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Iguana sunning
himself
Norte Beach on the north side of Isla Mujeres
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More cold fronts |
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15 to 19 November
2008 |
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This is the time of year when the risk of tropical storms and hurricanes
diminishes but the cold fronts heading south from the USA begin. These
fronts can be pretty vicious when on the water with clocking winds gusting
up to 50 knots in a bad one. It then takes time for the seas to settle.
We went into Isla Mujeres due to one strong cold front rather
than risk meeting it on our way to Key West, but ended up sitting out four
cold fronts. |
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Cancun |
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19 to 21 November
2008
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Anchored off
Cancun hotel district
Almost anchored in
the Inter-Continental swimming pool |
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There are a number
of regular ferry services across to Cancun and most cruisers anchoring at
Isla Mujeres make a visit to Cancun by ferry. The appeal of Cancun to a
cruiser is not so much the bars, restaurants and overpriced tourist
hangouts, but the fact that there is a Walmart and a Home Depot.
As the bay between Isla Mujeres is relatively sheltered
and there appeared to be a reasonable anchorage off the north tourist beach,
we decided to sail across on Dreaming On. We enjoyed a good sail, heading
almost directly south straight into the small bay and anchored just off the
cordoned off swimming area amidst the parasail and jet-ski activities.
A short dinghy ride to a dock and walk across the white
sand beach and through the Intercontinental Presidente Hotel took us to the
main road and bus stop to catch the tourist "Walmart" bound bus.
Cancun reminded us of parts of Dubai. Coastal resort
hotels crowding the beach and and building continuing everywhere. Cancun has
the advantage of being on a spit of land behind which is an enormous
mangrove lined lagoon. So tourists have the choice of the exposed beach or
quieter sailing, jet-skiing and windsurfing in the lagoon.
We sailed across to Cancun twice while waiting at Isla
Mujeres.
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Isla Mujeres to Florida |
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26 - 30 November
2008
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Mahi mahi caught
on hand line
About to go
through the Big Carlos Pass through the bascule bridge
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Our time in Isla
Mujeres was not only waiting for a series of cold fronts to pass but also
for a break in prevailing weather as we were going against it.
Our planned weather window starting on 27th November was reduced by a new
system heading down the Gulf of Mexico towards the west coast of Florida on
Sunday, so we knew we had to be in by Saturday afternoon.
So we left Isla Mujeres earlier than planned on Wednesday evening. Headed
out around the shallows north of the island in the dark into a sea which had
not yet calmed down. Not too bad but we did not find the enjoyable 10 knot
ride we had in the Yucatan Current on our way to Isla Mujeres.
Seas calmed early Thursday with wind still on the nose so still motoring. By
the time we reached the Gulf Stream between Cuba and the Florida Keys, the
water was surprisingly calm, almost glassy and heading NNE we had some
easterly help from the current.
Max RPM of the engines is 3800. Max cruising is 2800. We were running on
both at 2000 most of the way. Very economical and an easy 7 knots.
About 60NM SW of the Dry Tortugas on Friday morning on glassy seas, Iza
caught a magnificent Mahi Mahi. We were eating freshly caught and cooked
Mahi Mahi steaks within 30 minutes.
Friday night, NW of Dry Tortugas, very rough. Seas from every angle, a real
maelstrom. Fortunately that settled early Saturday. Still motoring into head
winds!
No sailing until about 20 miles off the Florida coast. First real sail so
far on Dreaming On and we still have a lot to learn, but 7-8 knots in 15
knots of wind. Very stable, but the acceleration is the most notable
feeling. The boat slows down in a wave but with so little drag accelerates
back to speed very quickly.
One mile off our intended entry point into the inland waterway, we prepared
to start engines and drop sails. Starboard engine would not start. Fuel
starvation. Some gunk in the tanks had blocked everything. Tried to fix but
running out of daylight and our entry definitely daylight only.
We had chose Florida’s west coast as have not sailed there before and know
Florida’s east coast too well. Needed a change. Chose Ft. Myers Beach as
being the most southerly suitable point allowing anchoring and with some
good facilities. No space these days for anchoring on Florida’s East Coast.
Main entry to Ft. Myers Beach Matanzas Harbor is through a fixed 65’ bridge.
We have a 71’ mast! Alternate southern entrance, through shoaling, poorly
marked channel into Big Carlos Pass and through opening bridge.
However, on our way in through the shoals, we misjudged it and went aground.
Two engines would have pulled us off but with the two short keels aground,
one engine just spins the boat around going nowhere!
Fortunately, we are members of Tow Boat US. They arrived in 45 minutes but
already after dark. They had to find a safe route to get to us and get us
out so he spent some time charting depths. Took 10 minutes to pull us off
then he towed us through the shoals into the channel before the bridge to a
safe anchorage. Saturday night was a quiet night at anchor and sleep catch
up.
Sunday morning, up early to get through the bridge before the big winds, 30
knots plus were due to hit. Neither engine would start!
Found blocked breather in port engine fuel tank, cleared and started port,
but still no luck with starboard. So through bridge by 9am on one engine.
Although cruising guides imply there is a dredged channel north through the
islands and the Matanzas Pass to Ft. Myers Beach Harbor, it no longer
exists. After 1 mile through Estero Bay with depth gauge showing close to
zero clearance for some of that, we grounded in soft silt. Put anchor down.
Wind rose to 31 knots. That and rising tide eventually moving us one hour
later. Another half mile and the same again. Finally clear of Estero Bay and
with keel clearances between zero and 10’ we found our way into Fort Myers
Beach Harbor, only to find that there is now no anchoring, only paid mooring
buoys!
So that’s where we went. The mooring buoys are all new and seem in good
condition. They are inexpensive compared with the east coast so we’ll be
here while we sort our next move. Sat out the remainder of Sunday on the
mooring as the cold front passed with lots of rain and high winds.
The following day we had to go to Fort Myers Airport to clear into the US.
At some stage we will need to get our fuel tanks cleaned and fuel polished.
These little incidents are all a learning curve. Fixing things with just the
handful of tools we carried down to Belize is also a challenge, but not much
has beaten us yet. The Moorings mechanics had unknowingly left a few
spanners (wrenches) rusting in the bilge. So those have been cleaned up and
put to good use.
Our new AIS, (Automatic Identification System) was absolute magic. All ships
with AIS within up to 21 NM displayed on the chartplotter as arrows on their
respective bearing. Place cursor over the arrow and brief speed and heading
info displayed. Select full info and pop up shows size, name, call sign,
passenger or cargo, distance, speed, heading, destination, rate of turn,
distance and time to intercept our heading. Placed a 2NM safety zone around
Dreaming On. Any that would enter our safety zone within a period of 24
minutes rang an alarm. We have an AIS transceiver, so we were also
transmitting similar but briefer details of Dreaming On to all.
There were times in the north Yucatan Channel when there were up to four
large ships around at a time. Seeing them graphically and knowing exactly
where they are going is very comforting.
Brilliant system. However, you still have to watch for the little guys out
there without AIS! |
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Cool winds |
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back to top |
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Back in Florida |
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