Excerpts from Captain Jim’s log of June 2005 Texas to Guatemala cruise.
5/29/2005
Packed and ready to go. Island Time is riding low.
6/09/2005
We are here in Isla Mujeres at Isla Mujeres Yacht Club waiting for Tropical Storm Arlene to leave us alone and let us head south. This a great place to wait. We made landfall in Progress Mexico after 5 days and left two crew members. Mike Kohler was almost in tears because he didn’t want to leave and Miguel was almost in tears at being able to get off the boat. But Miguel helped re provision. We experienced every kind of weather from 50 knot squall to a dead calm where we took a mid Gulf swim in 12,000 feet of water. Needless to say we looked for sharks.
Mega yachts here. Something familiar about the boat on the left?
6/11/2005
Leaving Isla Mujeres for points south… finally. Tropical Storm Irene is gone. Note for anyone coming South… cleanliest fuel ever in Progresso and Isla Mujeres.
Winds were 5-6 knots with 3-5 foot swells but with much longer intervals than the Gulf of Mexico so the ride was nice. Later in the afternoon we picked up a wind shift and had great sailing for the next 24 hours. Life is good in the Mayan Rivera!
6/13/2005
Well we made it to Belize, went past Ambergris Cay as it was too rough to run the cut in the reef and sailed to St. Georges Caye. What a sight and what a feeling. I was thinking we were masters of the sea when I checked the anchor as the sun was peeking over the eastern horizon the next morning check out the photo and you will see. We as good sailors went back for another thirty winks when mother nature decided to teach a lesson about this master thing. The wind blew, rain fell, sight of land was lost, wave tops blew off and the anchor was dragging. We handled it all and were cool about it, I think the master thing may have been caused by the Red Rum
6/14/2005
After the last adventure,by the way Island Time has a favorite quote “The difference between adventure and adversity is attitude”we went to Belize City for a check in and out as well as a shot of $3.00 a gallon fuel. We were told we had to leave within twenty four hours. No problem mon. A short run to RobinsonPoint Cay for a quiet night. It was a quiet night all right until about 3am
when I managed to mess up three fingers with the anchor chain. Scott would make a good medic. Too bad he can`t prescribe dumb ass pills.
6/15/2005
Next stop Middle Long Cay in the Blue field Range we launched the dink and went about three miles to Rendezvous Cay for a bit of snorkeling. From a distance it looked like the perfect spot. It is so perfect that Royal Caribbean Cruse Line likes to sell tours to do what we did for free. Well almost free, boats aren`t free yet.
We loaded up and headed south, had a great sail all the rest of the day and all most all night until a wind shift with a drop forced us to motor up. It is now a.m. and about to check in to Guatemala.
6/17/2005
Livingston, Guatemala what a place, colorful and good food but go back several years. There are no roads at all to this town but the people seem happy and waaay laid back.
6/20/2005
Just a few pictures of the Rio Dulce and the marina.
