“To Drip or Not To Drip That is the Question”

Well we found the reason that Karen was emptying the bilge every two days or so, our dripless stuffing box was dripping. Like everything, but especially on a boat, things get old and tired so it was time to replace the stuffing box. So we made the passage to La Ceiba, all of 19 miles, which should have been down wind. The forecast was for a Maximum 4 knots but we could sail it if we had too….but what did we get 10-15 on the nose, so we motored!
As we approach the entrance to the river to Karen spotted a nose sticking up, she says it was a manatee but Cheryl who didn’t see it said she was dreaming. Our cruising friends had told us that marina entrance looks like you are going up a narrow creek with lots of trees and fishing boats and boy they were not kidding it sure was narrow. We arrived safely and started the process of ordered the part. It took 2 weeks to get here from the States mostly because it was lost. Opps, thanks Fedex!

But it is not a bad place to be stuck waiting for a part the marina has a lovely pool and the view of the mountains are spectacular!

BUT boy is it Hot Hot Hot and we are not describing the bathing beauties at the pool (we are the only ones at the pool by the way). How hot is it? Lets see the average temperature during the day is over 35C (100F) and at night 28C (85F) in our boat. So we had to break down and buy an air conditioner. We are no longer hot chicks just cool babes. Yeah!!!!. So what do you do on hot days waiting for a part, for excitement we went to the dentist, $30 for a check up and cleaning, done by a US trained dentist with all the latest equipment. But we didn’t get new toothbrushes or a lolli pop! Then we went for a little tour up the river and saw some of the sights of Le Ceiba.
And of course we took the opportunity to do a little boat work too!!

Yeah the part is in and we are heading back to Cochinos.

Utila and Cochinos

One of the reasons we went to Utila was to see the Whalesharks that are suppose to migrate there usually from mid March to mid April. But apparently this year, with the weather being cold the migration is late. So we didn’t see any Whalesharks. We also heard from local fisherman there have not be many for a number of years. Since we left there apparently been 1 sighting.
We did dive with 3 different dive shops! Paradise Dive, with the most reasonable prices, however this was the dive shop that we said we would not use, as their dive boat had black smoke coming out the exhaust but we did, and this was the dive group that got the line caught on it prop when we went diving with them. Capt Morgan’s dive shop, we dove with because they state that they go to the Cayes to the west. And Utila Dive Center, as they promised that they would go to the north end, supposedly the best diving and too far for our dinghy. We did one dive with our dinghy and another with our yachtie friends on Cool Breeze. Two weeks and only 8 dives! Again the fish life seems to be limited, the topography varied. We need to learn about corals and sponges!
Then back in the saddle again, we rented bikes for a day to ride around the 8 mile long island of which half of it you can only get there by water. We biked over the hill, passed the airport to the north shore, then the roads and trails stopped okay the jungle took over the path and we did not have a machete with us. The north shore was very rugged. Then we road back along the path on the east side, past new housing being built and to you guess it we ran out road and hit water. There really are only 2 roads in Utila one going north/west and one going east. We ended up stopping for lunch, over looking the water of course and finished our tour de Utila in 5 hours.

Then the big sail (okay 18 miles) to “HOG Islands” called Cayos Cochinos, a series of little Cayes, now part of a marine park. No anchoring, moorings are free, although there is a fee to be in the marine park. We stayed in Cochinos for just over a week, and we snorkeled and dove with some passing cruisers. There is a little Caye called “Little Monitor” which has a local fishing village on it, probably a mile and a half from where we anchored, part of the passage was open to the sea, so we went over with 2 other boats who had larger dingy engines then us, we left 30 minutes before them and they still beat us to the Caye. We enjoyed a fish fry lunch with “Angelina” and “Sothern Mist” then once again we left before them and they passed us with a wave and smile. The good news is we would have used a lot less gas then them. But they certain get back and forth a lot faster.

We meet another 2 boats “Antic” and “For Today” and did a dive around the corner from our anchorage at “Lion’s Den”. We also went on a hike up to the derelict lighthouse with Judy (who lives on Cochinos part time) and Antic and For Today. We past one pink Boa on the path, Karen moved that out of the way BEFORE Cheryl saw it and Cheryl was very happy about that. After our 45 minute hike, of course at the heat of day, and straight up a huge hill okay it was meandering trail up to about 300 ft high to lighthouse. Up we went we climbed to the top of lighthouse were it swayed in the breeze. The view from the top of the lighthouse was phenomenal! The next day we had lunch at Plantation Beach Resort with Antic and For Today, Judy and her husband Greg joined us for good food and great company!As always with the cruiser life everyone moved on and we were on our own in the anchorage. Greg and Judy invited us ashore for lunch and Greg cooked two types of fish that he had caught the night before! Wow, was the fish ever good. They have a special orange tree on their property which is both sour and sweet and you can eat the whole thing or makes it into a great juice and a little Vodka. Yummy and good for you too!!