It’s the weekend and that means no Spanish classes in the morning so I went to Yoga. It’s a nice studio that overlooks the water and the price is by donation, as much as you can afford. The suggested price starts at 80limps which is 4 bucks.

As I was walking to the class I was thinking about how I will describe this island when I write the Utila page blog. It is definitely not a place for everyone. If you want 4 star and up you can check this place off your list of islands to see.  While I work on describing it I am off to check out another place, it’s a restaurant called Neptunes. You have to take a very short boat ride to get there. The  dive shop Bay Islands College of Diving (great name for marketing the kids come here to “college” and leave as Dive Masters and Instructors)  has arranged transportation there for lunch. I am told it’s on a beach and has chairs available. So off I will go with my snorkel gear and school books and spend the afternoon there.

At some point I need to start thinking about how I am getting to my next place. I really want to go to Cayos Cochinos, islands off the mainland, that I hear are incredible but not that easy to get to and finding a place to stay is challenging.  If that doesn’t work out I will head down to Copan Ruinas for a few days and make my way to El Salvador or Nicaragua

I was on my way to the beach when I saw a sign to Water Cay, a uninhabited island I wanted to go to. My timing was perfect the boat was leaving and it had room for one more, so I joined the trip and spent the day snorkeling and sitting on the beach there. I have been trying to go to a different place every night to catch sunset. The views are magnificent and the bars are all so different. These places on the water are all build on a dock and one even has an “aquarium” in it. It’s a hole in the middle of the bar where they put lights directed on the water so you can see the fish as they swim by, last night we saw a few squids. On any given night you will find groups of students, ignoring the sunset because they are busy studying for their scuba exam. It’s so inexpensive to get dive certifications here that the town is filled with backpackers. Thanks to the cliental prices are cheap.

As soon as I noticed the golf cart at the airstrip waiting to pick me up I knew the odds were high that I would like this island.  My feelings were confirmed when just hours later I found myself at a potluck dinner at a local’s beautiful home. Tony and Jo, the owners of The Gardens at Jerico, invited me to attend the gathering at their friend’s house. The kindness and hospitality has been off the charts. Now I understand why people come to Utila on vacation and don’t leave. 

Utila, Honduras is usually described as a small island full of backpackers partying all night and diving all day. Yes that element can be found here but there’s a lot more to this place for those who are interested. My time here has just started and my days are already packed, Spanish in the morning and either Yoga and/or diving in the afternoon. I already have plans for Wednesday afternoon,  Jo and Tony have included me in their croquet game. I’ve never played before but it’s worth trying because I know the company will be good.

I am starting my trip report which I will post in a couple of weeks. As usual the page will include prices and practical tips like how to get here (it’s weather dependent), where to eat ($5  meal specials are easy to fine) and what to do.

Felices viajes!

PS  The 3 lies are :

1.  I ‘m leaving tomorrow.
2.  I’m not drinking tonight.
3.  I love you.

Since the only flight into the Bay Islands that I could get dropped me in Roatan, I’ve stayed here for a couple days.  (Sorry I didn’t post sooner) I did one dive yesterday and it was okay.  I’ve been to Roatan several times before but the last time was at least 10 years ago. I even went to a wedding while I was on the island but because it was during the pre-Facebook days I lost touch with the couple and they are no longer residing on the island.  The West End has been so built up I didn’t recognize it, plus the they have since paved the main road.

The reason I had my heart set on the Honduras’ Bay Islands: Cheap diving ($25 a tank vs. $60 in Belize) a yoga studio (I miss my down dogs) and Spanish school (I need to do something productive while traveling). Three of my favorite things in one place where I won’t need a car.

Today I head for Utila and can’t wait. I am ready to settle into a place for a few weeks instead of all this bouncing around, especially because I have to be online several times a day to go to school. (remember I am in a online master’s program)   So far Utila sounds promising especially after my contact with Jo & Tony from  The Gardens at Jerico.  I have yet to find their level of customer service in my travels thus far.  I need to go and email the spanish school because I plan to start my studies tomorrow.  Wishing everyone a wonderful day!!

Since the boat was going to stay docked in Placencia, Belize for a few days I decided it was time to come ashore, at least to sleep and shower. There’s an art festival here this weekend and every place but Lydia’s Guesthouse was booked.  It’s clean and at $22.50 a night it serves its purpose. Below is a picture from the other night when I  had dinner, at the just opened Dim Sum restaurant,  with my new pal Luis.  Between the two Captains I have learned a lot about boats and yes now I really want one!!

I can’t decide whether to head up north in Belize since I am here or just take off for Honduras.  I am waiting to see what Captain Ana Bianca decides to do but her travel plans are at the mercy of the weather.

Time will tell and luckily for me I have plenty of it. Mañana I will decide then because there’s always mañana.

Getting out of the river and into the ocean we passed through a beautiful narrow gorge on the Rio Dulce. The limestone cliffs are 300’ high and covered with green foliage.  As I stood on the bow of the boat, in the bright sun, taking in the incredible scenery while listening to the water lap against the boat I instantly understood the love of sailing. I could do this and I understand why my friends are taking advantage of this opportunity.

Our first night we docked just across from the town of Livingston, Guatemala. It was a rough night, with waves as high as 4 feet, but in the sailboat it felt like a gentle roller coaster. There was no protection from the wind so we dealt with the sea head on. The most nerve racking for me was getting back to our boat after dining on a pot of spaghetti aboard Hydro-Max. The waves were a couple feet high and the dinghy on Kajaya is a small zodiac boat.  Ana Bianca spent the night dealing with the boat, making sure the anchor was safe and keeping an eye to make sure the wind didn’t drag us into another vessel or onto land. It was a windy night.

Thankfully that didn’t last long and the following night we found a much calmer place to drop the anchor. It had the perfect amount of wind . A gentle rocking of the boat which easily puts us passengers to sleep early. We were among a handful of sailboats anchored off Placencia, Belize. This small coastal town is very quaint. It is clean and has a few restaurants and stores, there’s nothing fancy and not an American chain in site. We stopped by John the Bakerman and bought some fresh hot bread and cinnamon rolls.  Our next stop the Tobacco Reef Cays, I can’t wait to see some marine life.

Wahooooo! We are headed toward the open ocean where we will follow the sun, since the forecast for the next couple days on the river is overcast. The weather is suppose to be sunny in Belize.  Getting up river will take a few hours. Depending on how fast we decided to move, we will either over night in Livingston, Guatemala or  Placencia, Belize.

I learned how to tie a few knots yesterday and I am sure I will learn a lot more about sailing once we are on the water. It’s going to be an interesting ride but I am so ready to get out of my tree house!

Off I go with  Ana Bianca, Alfredo and Luis we make up the crew of the Kajaya and the Hydro-Max.  We’ll be at sea  for a week, or two, or well…..whenever it’s time to call it a trip.

So much for sailing off today, a leak had to be dealt with so the trip got pushed back. That’s okay I am savoring my time being a part of this marine community. I even attended this week’s movie night where they showed “Lost” which brought out a decent size crowd. Good thing I don’t have to be anywhere until the end of March, when I meet my friend in San Jose. I have lots of mañana therefore it makes no difference to me spending another day in port at Rio Dulce, Guatemala! In the picture of the Hydro-Max if you look at the top corner facing the water that’s where my bed is upstairs in the hut.

Captain Ana Bianca was finishing some projects on her boat while we went into Rio Dulce to buy food and drinks for the trip.  It was a great way to spend some money buying local goods. We bought cheese, meats, fresh fruits and fresh bread.

I have been here before but experiencing the town from the river, where one gets around in a dinghy instead of a car, has made it feel like a totally different place. When we set sail tomorrow Luis the Captain of Hydro-Max will be joining us. Luis’s boat is docked next to Kajaya and they have become close. The Hydro-Max is a trawler with a cabin bigger than some of my New York friends’ apartments.  It should be a great trip, Luis is not only good company but he knows food, in a former life he owned restaurants.  I am really excited to get out on the water. 

The first day greeted me with this beautiful sunrise at the marina in Rio Dulce, Guatemala.  There are still a few things to do before we set sail on the Kajaya. (I am told Kajaya is the Seminole tribe’s word for female shark) As seen below Captain Ana Bianca is making a few last minute repairs.  In the meantime I am staying in an open-air room on the dock that has a few beds available for those who have a boats here.  As we prepare to set sail, in two days, my job is to research our trip to Belize.  It’s whale shark season so we are hoping to find them.