San Pedro, Belize

        We left Xcalak and headed 25 miles south to Belize the day before St. Paddy‘s Day. It was a beautiful sail, wind beam to and a little aft, sun sparkling on the ocean as Gualby speed along at 7-8 knots. One of the best days of sailing we have had in awhile! We spotted the entrance through the reef off of the town of San Pedro around noon. It is a pretty narrow pass but is marked with a big yellow buoy so that was nice! The water is ridiculously clear and beautiful here. We dropped anchor off the town of San Pedro into deep, white sand and took in our surroundings. The town looked awesome, the water was gorgeous, the sail had been great, the reef pass no stress; we were already loving Belize.
        The check in process was no big deal. The offices were a little hard to find but immigration, customs, and the port captain were all very friendly and excited that we were visiting their country. We paid $140USD to the port captain and had to bring the custom guy out to our boat to be fully cleared into the country. He was a nice guy but was strangely concerned with not getting splashed in the dingy ride out. So much that he stood up in the dingy so the seat of his pants would not get wet. Ted was nice enough to dingy the officer to our boat. I don’t know how it would have gone over handing him a paddle and pointed to our canoe as our means to get him to Gualby. All the officers we encountered barely acknowledged Penny, even though she had her scowl face on, accompanied by a low growl. Belize required no extra fees or hassle for the Pen Dog. We soon found out San Pedro is the most dog friendly place we have been to yet.
        After checking in to the country, we checked out the town. The town is small and friendly, full of little shops, deli’s, restaurants, and beach bars. Most of the bars have at least one side on the beach, overlooking the crystal clear water. There are street vendors here selling tapestries, jewelry, and wood carvings but they seem more interested in saying hello and welcoming you to Belize than selling you any of their items. We have found some good, not too expensive little places to grab a taco/burrito/wrap type food. Penny usually comes with us into town which she loves. Bringing her is the easiest it has been so far.  She is allowed in almost all the bars/restaurants and if she gets hot walking around town with us, no matter where we are on the island is less than a five minute walk to the beach where she swims, cools offs, and gets her picture taken by tourists that miss their dogs at home.
        We are starting to acquire a small fan club in San Pedro. We beach our canoes at the same spot in town, which is usually at least a daily occurrence, and a crew of local kids have taken a liking to us. The braver ones like to throw the coconuts for Penny and the shyer ones love on Gimpy. They all scream and run when Penny shakes off near them. One of the boys calls it “the sprinkler.” The kids tell us they keep an eye on our boats for us when we‘re gone. Usually when we get back from our errands in town, our paddles are in different places in the canoes and there seems to be an extra amount of sand on the seats but with mischievous smiles on their faces they claim they don’t know how that happened.
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Penny being a good girl while we shop inside

Penny cooling off as we enjoyed some juicy watermelon



Pen Dog keeping an eye on Mike paddling back to the boat

Two of the braver members of the fan club



Xcalak, Mexico

        We saw the small town of Xcalak right about noon and in true Mexican fashion, we spotted the reef with breakers and dry parts sticking above the water. This reef pass was harder to see than the previous ones we had gone through. Conor hailed “local knowledge of Xcalak reef pass” on the GPS and almost immediately a friendly English speaking voice answered us and gave us precise, accurate info on how to navigate through the pass. After we confirmed the information, a small Panga boat with two young Mexicans drove up and waved at us to follow them through the reef pass. What a friendly place we thought! The Panga boat sped out the reef pass after we made it through with big smiles and waves but our buddy on the VHF introduced himself as Don and chatted a bit with Conor about the town. Don, as helpful as he was, did continue to monitor our VHF channel long after we and the Salty Dog were anchored safely. Later that night he even offered the internet at his house for us to use after hearing Ted say he couldn‘t pick any up on his boat.
        The next day Con and Ted, after doing some captain things, did go by his house to say hello and thank him for the VHF assistance. He’s an older guy who use to sail competitively and had some good, salty stories to tell the boys. Xcalak is an even sleepier town than Punta Allen but full of friendly people and a few stores to buy some, uh, essentials. (beer).   We made an attempt to check out of Mexico and visited the port capitan, although we already knew that this was unlikely.  We still wanted to make an effort, in case things had changed.  But just as we suspected, no one could check us out.  We were told the appropriate thing to do was to check in and check out of Isla Mujeres, although the port captain there didn't offer that option when we asked.  Whatever,....we tried.   The second day we were there the wind really picked up so Conor decided to dive in and check the anchor before it was dark out. I said thanks and thought nothing of it until he was banging around on the scoops getting back on the boat. Penny and I went out to check on our boy and we were greeted by four large delicious looking conch! What a lovely windy afternoon surprise! We had delicious cracked conch for dinner that night. Perfect meal to get us ready for the next passage to San Pedro, Belize.

Hasta la Vista, Mexico

9.5, enough said (would have been a 10 if the toes were pointed)

Espirtu Santo

          From Punta Allen we sailed to Espirtu Santo, about 25 miles south. Dry reef and breaking waves surround this bay as well but we were starting to get the hang of it by now and we entered with no problems. We anchored behind a small island right before a nasty storm was rolling in. The storm ended up being more of a visual show with dark clouds and lightening and not so much rain and wind; but we were glad we were anchored in a good spot anyway. The next day we paddled the canoes with Ted and Shannon around the island to check it out. We saw remnants of Hurricane Ike, kept an eye out for square groupers, and gathered fire wood for later that evening. We had a nice sized bonfire on the beach that night, a spectacular sunset, some boxed wine and lots of laughs.  We hung out in the calm waters of the bay for a few days and then started to think about the next place we wanted to explore.
        We left Espirtu Santo with an unknown destination in mind. Our plan was to get ourselves out of the reef passage and see how the wind and waves were behaving and then decide whether we wanted to head to Chinchorro Banks or Xcalak. Chinchorro Banks is a coral atoll located 30miles southeast of us; one of only three in this hemisphere. The Gualby crew was definitely leaning towards this destination. The snorkeling was predicted to be awesome, tons of reef and ship wrecks to explore and fish for us to spear. Xcalak is the southern most town in Mexico and would be our destination after Chinchorro Banks if that was to be our decision first. Our starboard engine has been acting, well to be honest, shitty. It doesn’t shift into gear smoothly, if it shifts into it at all. It sounds way louder than the port engine and the trim/tilt only occasionally works. It’s our problem engine. We pulled anchor at 4:30pm, thinking we were giving ourselves enough time to make our way to the reef with enough daylight to see the breaking waves. We no longer trust our GPS to tell us where the reef lines are.  At times I want to turn it off because it gives me a false sense of security. The wind was about 7-10 knots stronger than projected and our one good engine just couldn’t push us as fast as we would have liked. So going through the reef pass we had less than ideal light and more wind and seas than expected blowing right at us. We got ourselves safely past the reef but the seas were all confused and we had 20-24knots of wind blowing out of the E-SE . Headed South, against the current, we could barely make 2-3 knots without the engine. We couldn’t believe we were going that slow with all that wind. The Salty Dog couldn’t stay over 3 knots either and they were getting tossed around by the disorganized seas as well. Considering these conditions could last all night or worsen, we made the decision to head to Xcalak, which was a slightly nicer ride straight south and a more secure anchoring situation once we arrived. The seas and winds stayed strong and confused for about half the night and then the weather started to progressively get better.  As the sun was rising the next morning we looked out over settled 2-3 foot seas and we were sailing along beautifully with just the code zero out averaging 5 knots.  We definitely thought, “Damn, wish we were in Chinchorro Banks right now!” But if we could see the future, it would certainly dim our spirit of adventure! So, Xcalak here we come!
M.

The sky just as we were dropping the anchor

Ted, Giimpy, and Shannon (in that order) exploring with us in the red canoe--They have their "Team Traynor" matching outfits on--Gimp Dog's mini shirt should be arriving soon

The other, much windier side of the island

Meg thought these trees looked like they were posing for a picture

Gualby at sunset on the less windy side of the island

Conor tending to the bonfire

Mike and Meg finishing up Mike's first overnight passage--He did awesome at the helm!

Punta Allen

        After our morning at Tulum we set sail for Punta Allen and the Bay of Ascension. It was a pretty nice sail and the strong northerly current seems to becoming a little bit weaker. The Bay of Ascension is surrounded by a reef, with a small break about half way down the reef. We were keeping an eye on the GPS and where it told us the reef lay as well as a sharp eye on the water for breaking waves. The GPS was scarily inaccurate but thankfully with the whole flotilla communicating and keeping good look outs we safely made it through the reef pass into the calm waters of the bay. The holding was excellent and a nice breeze blew through the open hatches in the boat and the phosphorescence were incredible. Con, Mike and I were on the sugar scoop running our hands through the water and talking excitedly, so much that Penny got all rallied up and jumped in. We could see her whole body outlined by the green glow of the bioluminescence as she gracefully swam around the boat.
        The bay is surrounded by mangroves and has a large turtle and dolphin population. Coffee and dolphin spotting in the morning is not a bad way to start the day. The trade off I guess of the pretty surroundings and animal spottings is there really isn’t much to snorkel here and Conor’s blood thirst is starting to grow. We will have to find a good snorkel spot soon!
        We took the canoe and did some exploring in the mangroves. There were some very cool pathways deeper into the mangroves with lots of birds and fish. I couldn’t help but think that this looked a lot like a nice place to live if you were a crocodile but I kept pushing that thought out of my mine and besides I wasn’t swimming, I was sitting safely in a canoe. The town of Punta Allen was on the other side of where we anchored and we were able to get to it through the mangroves. We ran into a friendly Mexican in his Panga boat while exploring and he showed us where to leave our boats and nicely assured us that there were no crocodiles in this area. Well, that was good news. We walked around the sleepy town of Punta Allen and saw its beautiful beaches and interesting yet simple architecture. The houses are built on stilts and made from local wood and palm fronds as the roofs. I took a bunch of pictures because I hope to have a “Swiss Family Robinson” style house someday in the future.  
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Mini Voltran Formation

Penny makes a lovely canoe hood ornament also

Local Architecture

The beaches on the other side of the peninsula

Mangrove Dead End

        A few days later we discovered a public dock closer to where our boats were located and paddled our canoe there when we wanted to go into town. The local Mexicans keep their Panga boats there. The Panga boats are awesome. They are similar to a large canoe and a 25 foot Panga planes out with a boat full of people with only a 40 horse on the back. Conor loves them. I foresee one in the backyard of our tree house! We were surprised by one of the passengers in one of the Pangas. 



The pictures don't do the size of this croc justice-he was at least 10 feet long!






This beast leaped over 24 inches of gunnel to sun himself in the boat, so I guess our 8 inches of canoe gunnel aren't much protection

Gimpy buffers herself against possible croc attacks

Tulum

        After a few relaxing days in Cozumel we set sail for Tulum, the town and the Mayan Ruin. Tulum is surrounded by a reef, ranging from dry reef sticking out of the water to a few feet beneath the surface with breaking waves.  There is a safe break in the reef but it is not marked with bouys or anything helpful like that.  Entering into the pass in the reef with breakers crashing all around us was a bit on the intense side. Mike and I (and Penny) stood on the bow and shouted to Conor where coral heads were and areas that looked shallow and dangerous. We made it safely through with no problems or close calls; all of us were surprisingly calm and collected.  We were very proud of ourselves to have weaved around the reef and into an area we could anchor safely. We turned around to give the celebratory fist wave in the air to the other flotilla boats following us and saw a huge charter sailboat following them through the reef break. Where was he twenty minutes ago? It would have been a little less stressful following a boat that probably does that route several times a week. Oh well, we were still proud of ourselves and the captain of the charter sailboat filled with tourists gave us an enthusiastic wave and what we perceived as an impressed look on his smiling face.
        The next morning we got up early and walked to Tulum. We had the advantage of being anchored practically in the shadows of its towers so we wanted to get to the park as soon as it opened to avoid heavy crowds. Tulum is located on a state park so there were no street vendors and because of the early hour, not a lot of noise in general. We walked around the ruins and whispered to each other because the silence of the morning, with the dark rain clouds overhead, was too beautiful to break. Tulum is a smaller Mayan Ruin compared to Chichin Itza but no less amazing. We walked around and read the informative templates and learned about the Caste War and the sadness and exploitation of the Mayan People. How the structures were still standing despite the invasions from Europe and the diseases, superior attitudes, and guns that came with them, seemed to echo the very strength of the Mayan People.
       Ted and Shannon and Mike and me explored for several hours and then made our way back to the boats.  Con had actually visited Tulum several years before this trip and since the anchoring was poor and the wind was starting to pick up, he stayed and kept Gualby company.  We left for Punta Allen and the Bay of Ascension later that afternoon.
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The sky the morning we left the boats for Tulum

Our boats are anchored in the distance

   

Cozumel

        We set sail for Cozumel February 26 around eight in the morning. The winds were about 18-20 knots E-SE, seas a bit disorganized but only about 2-4 feet. We were very excited to get going again having been in Isla Mujeres for several weeks. Isla Mujeres was a nice luxury though. It had an OK anchorage, a dog beach for Penny, delicious street tacos (which I believe I’ve mentioned before), good grocery stores, and very nice people.
        The morning was just beautiful. Gualby was handling the confused seas well, we were moving along at 7 knots with the main and genoa up and Mike was experiencing his first passage to a different destination. We had about two hours of blissful sailing then the boat just seemed to slow down, way down. We went from sailing along at 6-7knots to barely 3 knots. We hadn’t changed course or lost the wind. The sails were still full and if you looked at the water at how fast it seemed to be going versus what the GPS said we were going you would think our instruments were off. Mexico has a very strong 3-5 knot current that runs south to north; which we knew about when passing the Yucatan Channel but didn’t realize it was still so strong this far south. So, what we thought was going to be a easy day sail to Cozumel turned into a much slower sail that got us anchored right after the sun had set. The anchorage was sand bottom and our Manson anchor dug right in ensuring us a peaceful night sleep.
        The next morning we woke up to a beautiful day, sunny and warm with a little breeze to keep us comfortable. The water which we couldn’t see last night was crystal clear and very inviting. We chose to swim around and hang out on and off the boat and then explore the town the next day. It’s like the water was calling us to play in it. There wasn’t much to snorkel around the boat but it felt good to be swimming around in such beautiful, clear water again. Bryan and Angie and Shannon joined us on the Gualby for a day of swimming, tamale eating, and beer drinking.
        The next few days we explored the town.  I would describe Cozumel as a fancier, less crowded version of Isla Mujeres. The streets in the touristy area are similar to cobblestone but I guess the Mexican style of it. There are lots of little shops selling souvenirs but the people at the entrances just smile and say hello instead of haggling you to come in and look around because everything is $1. We found an awesome bakery and bought some delicious pastries and walked around town. The middle of the town has a square with well taken care of landscaping and lots of shade. Penny rolled around in the grass and Con, Mike and I enjoyed some ham and cheese pastries and some great people watching.  
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Shannon and Gimp Dog paddling over to join the fun
Salty Dog in the background

Girl Bonding

Penny and Meg jumping in
No, this picture did not take multiple tries or anything

Huge Black Grouper caught after leaving Cozumel
I didn't mean to cut Conor's head off, he was looking cute that day--i was just trying to showcase the fish!

Spiritual Enlightenment Day

        Or visiting the Mayan Ruin, Chichen Itza, Day. One of the things I was most excited for in Mexico besides street tacos was the large amount of Mayan ruins scattered through out the Yucatan Peninsula. We are hoping to travel to the ruin Tulum by boat, which is farther south. Tulum is the ruin built right on the coast, towering over crystal clear, green Caribbean waters. The ruin close to Isla Mujeres, Chichen Itza, is one of the biggest ruins in Mexico and we were excited; ready to explore and seek some spiritual guidance from the Mayan ancestors.         When we first arrived, I honestly was a little disappointed. It wasn’t even 10:00am yet but the dirt road leading to the beginning of the Mayan ruins was lined with street vendors selling anything from dresses and dishes to miniature versions of the Mayan temples. I understand the Mexican people are just trying to earn a living off a tourist destination in their area but it didn’t exactly match with what I had imagined Mayan Ruins to be like.
        My reservations were quickly put to rest as we started to explore the expansive grounds that held all the different structures that were built thousands of years ago. Although we couldn’t climb the steps to the top of the highest pyramid structure or explore the “perfectly preserved jaguar throne with jade pieces as the eyes” (that was the description on the template outside the roped off area of the ruin) I still thoroughly enjoyed myself. I guess millions of people touching the jaguar throne would decrease it from its perfectly preserved status. 
        I was most impressed with how large the area of Chichen Itza was and how much of it is still standing. As we walked around we saw temples where the elite of the Mayans lived, common, communal living areas, a large stadium surrounding a grassy area where sporting events were held, sauna areas, large meeting halls and gathering areas, burial grounds, sacrifice areas, and a circular, astronomy observatory with secular ties. The carvings on most of the buildings are still intact and amazing. The repetition of the jaguar, the eagle, and the serpent were included in most of the carvings. As the morning went on and I continued to explore I barely saw the street vendors with their trinkets. I was in awe at the detail in the ancient carvings, the communal spirit the village held, and the strength and belief of the Mayan people to build these enormous structures by just the power of their hands. I became increasingly grateful that these ruins are being preserved so more people can see them and feel the energy they embody. Well, at least until 2012 anyway.
M.





Main temple
Jaguar throne with jade eye pieces allegedly inside this temple




The temple continued underground



During this sporting event, players had to throw a ball through this small circle

The playing field.
 This is the view of where the elite of the Mayan people would watch the sporting events

Carvings on the structures that are the burial grounds

I would imagine this was a long and intense game of tic-tac-toe

Peaceful road to the Ruins

The Observatory

Eagle eating a heart carving


After walking around the ruins for a few hours we were pretty hot (and of course enlightened) so a jump in a freshwater Cenote was just what we were in the mood for.  A quick ride down the road and we were there!

 

View from the top of the Cenote

Meg jumping in

This little guy we saw while driving and we frantically told the driver to pull over so we could take his picture.