5/31/2006 - We are in Guatemala
Well, it's not too often that I make two entries in the same day, but today is pretty special. We were in Punta Gorda, Belize just 3 hours ago. In Punta Gorda we went to the Immigration Office and got our exit stamps in our passports. We also had to get our exit zarpe for our boat. We got this from a sweet little lady we will call the justice-of-the-peace-with-typewriter. Normally, the port captain gives us our exit zarpe for our boat, but Belize does things a little bit differently.
And now... we are in Livingston, Guatemala after a sweet 3 hour sail! There is a sand bar entrance to the Rio... but nothing scarey this time. For those of you who don't remember... a year ago we crossed the sand bar entrance into Bahia del Sol, El Salvador and that wss a huge adventure riding the crest of a huge wave that crushed our outboard and nearly capsized the Woodduck. This morning... our only comment upon entering the Rio Dulce was... "Mellow like Jello!". Upon arrival, Customs and Immigration radioed and said they would make a personal trip to our boat to take care of the paperwork. Unheard of! We didn't have to worry about traipsing into town, locating each office, paying the appropriate fees and getting our passport stamps. They came to us! And we were all checked in within an hour of our arrival. Now, we are happy as clams and sitting at the local restaurant which has internet access and cold beers!
We are happy to be in Guatemala now, but bummed that we only had 3 weeks in Belize... we are anxious to return there for the next sailing season but even more anxious for what awaits us in the next 24 hours.... We are at the mouth of the Rio Dulce River. We will be exploring the canyon that leads into the Rio Dulce tomorrow morning... and will find our home in a small marina call Nutria Marina where the Wooodduck will live for the next four months while we travel back to the states. Okay, more later!
And now... we are in Livingston, Guatemala after a sweet 3 hour sail! There is a sand bar entrance to the Rio... but nothing scarey this time. For those of you who don't remember... a year ago we crossed the sand bar entrance into Bahia del Sol, El Salvador and that wss a huge adventure riding the crest of a huge wave that crushed our outboard and nearly capsized the Woodduck. This morning... our only comment upon entering the Rio Dulce was... "Mellow like Jello!". Upon arrival, Customs and Immigration radioed and said they would make a personal trip to our boat to take care of the paperwork. Unheard of! We didn't have to worry about traipsing into town, locating each office, paying the appropriate fees and getting our passport stamps. They came to us! And we were all checked in within an hour of our arrival. Now, we are happy as clams and sitting at the local restaurant which has internet access and cold beers!
We are happy to be in Guatemala now, but bummed that we only had 3 weeks in Belize... we are anxious to return there for the next sailing season but even more anxious for what awaits us in the next 24 hours.... We are at the mouth of the Rio Dulce River. We will be exploring the canyon that leads into the Rio Dulce tomorrow morning... and will find our home in a small marina call Nutria Marina where the Wooodduck will live for the next four months while we travel back to the states. Okay, more later!
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