WE'VE GOT COMPANY!!!

Our friend Jim has arrived from Victoria for about 10 days.   

He gets to see first hand how cruisers enjoy themselves by attending a Derelict Dock Pot Luck.

Ash has arrived too. The weather had not been exactly great for Jim's first few days so we decide to head to Old French Harbour.

 

Old French Harbour can be a little tricky to navigate until you have done it once. Here the

boys are on their way to help a boat that is stuck on the reef. In fact they have helped boats successfully twice.

We found Frenchy's a great place for HAPPY HOURS and/or lunch and dinner...

Frenchy's just opened at the end of October and there is lots of space for dinghies.

Appleseeds are here so we decide to rent a car and go out for lunch.

The plan is to meet up with Interlude and Enchantment and go to the restaurant up at the Lookout. 





On our last visit here we asked about coming back for lunch and they said no problem so you can imagine our disappointment when 9 potential paying customers were told the resort was not open to the public for lunch. The view is spectacular. We did find a fun place called Herby’s, a sports bar that served very good food.

Before we know it, it’s time to say goodbye to Jim….The time has flown by….Thanks Jim for being such an easy guest.

We decide to purchase 300 feet of new anchor chain as ours is starting to show wear. A mooring ball is a perfect place to do the changeover. And it’s a bonus having Ash here to help with the installation.

Then it is time to head back to West End so Ash can do more diving.

Interlude have graciously leant Ash their spare dive vest and regulator….so it’s off to more diving. THANK YOU KAREN and CHERYL.

 

Of course we enjoyed the Champagne Breakfast at the Lighthouse so we had to go back again.

High States at anchor.

We again meet up with Appleseeds. Their two children Meghan and Matt have also arrived to spend Christmas….Of course this means going out for dinner to the Chicken Shack.  Karen’s brother also arrived so its party time….Oh, there is nothing like Christmas!!!!

 

Time to head down to Coco Cochinos for Christmas.  Karen and Cheryl have invited us to their friends’ Greg and Judy's home for a Pot Luck Christmas Party. What a great sail.

We had no luck fishing so we purchased a Snapper from this local.

The entrance to Coco Cochinos is very straight forward and deep.  Cochinos being a Marine park the mooring balls are mandatory. The Navy was quick to arrive for the park fee. The reefs we snorkeled were quite good.

 

And we had fun exploring.

Enchantment, Interlude and Jumbie arrive.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.....Ash managed to get in two dives Christmas day while Randy and I try to communicate with everyone back home which was near impossible as

the resort on the Island has intermittent wifi. Also, I did not realize before we left Roatan that our phone ran out of minutes. 

Everyone pitches in bringing a scrumptious assortment of dishes.

Time for presents.   To back track a bit, when we were in Fronteras, Guatemala I went to the bank with Karen. She could not believe it when she saw me put my money in my bra for safe keeping….So, while shopping in Roatan I came across underwear that had a front zipper compartment. Of course I had to get Karen and Cheryl a pair each…Everyone had a good laugh.

After an incredible meal many decided to hike to the lighthouse.  With no appropriate shoes I decided to stay behind on High States.

Rand and Ash  85 feet up at the top. Rand where are your sunglasses?

  What an incredible view looking down at High States, Interlude, Enchantment and Jumbie.

Of course they had to hike back and saw this amazing slug.

Is this the correct way back??  OOPS, NO!! Oh well, a good time was had by all and an excellent way to spend the afternoon after a fabulous meal.

Ash's last few days called for vegging so we returned to Old French harbour and dinghied into Fantasy Island Resort

where for five dollars each a day we could use their facilities. The beer was really reasonable at five beers for nine dollars. Pretty hard to beat….beautiful white sand, comfortable lounge chairs….and of course hamming it up with the monkey's.

 

There's also a gorgeous bay for swimming.

 

What a great month...The weather was great, well, most of the time

And THANKS ASH for taking a month out of your busy life to come and visit your mom and dad.  We sure appreciate it and loved having your company.


We would like to wish everyone a HEALTHY, HAPPY 2012.

TIME TO SAY GOOD BYE TO GUATEMALA

But first my sincerest appologies for being so far behind.. It's amazing almost three months have gone by since our last post..I will try and get everyone up to date as soon as possible.

Hurricane season is now behind us but before we can say good bye to Guatemala we do have a few necessary tasks, one being greasing our electric winch.  We always find it prudent to take a number of pictures when we take a piece of equipment apart "just in case"..

We are so excited when our new prop arrives.. "Watch out Interlude".

Using "Louis", our Hooka underwater dive system Randy proceeds to install the new prop. We are sooooo disappointed---The prop does not fit. This of course means shipping back to Beneteau....

We are all fuelled up and ready to go. We're buddy boating with Enchantment and decide to spend a couple of nights in Texan Bay.The entrance is very straight forward  The anchorage encircled with mangroves gives us good protection.

Randy and Vern dinghy down the seven miles to Livingston to see Raul who has our Zarpes ready.

 

Next day we slowly head down the Rio enjoying the incredible scenery

as we do not think we will be heading back this way.

At the mouth of the Rio we’ll also meet up with  Interlude making up our buddy boat threesome for our overnight crossing to Roatan.

1610 hours and we’re crossing the bar.

ADIOS GUATEMALA------A Beautiful country, a Fabulous Experience….

We all decide to stop for the night off Cabo Tres Puntas.  It’s dark as we drop anchor with no lights on shore.
The next morning we’re up at 0700 and its raining.  We all are quite antsy to get going but  decide to wait until 0900hrs as we do not want to arrive at West End too early tomorrow morning.

1025hours and we’ve got a six mile long squall which brings us more rain but not much wind.

 

By 0500hours next morning we’re off West End, Roatan waiting for a bit more light. We’ve two cruise ships hovering off our port. By 715hrs we are on a mandatory mooring ball in the West End Marine Park.

We all decide to treat ourselves at one of our favorite eateries The Chicken Shack for dinner. And then its back to our boats for an early quiet night with time to enjoy another tranquil magnificient sunset.

Champagne Breakfast anyone???  Each Sunday from 10 am til 2pm "The Lighthouse" has a special breakfast menu which includes ever flowing Champagne and Orange Juice. The food is delicious and the price reasonable. Of course cruisers being cruisers cannot pass up a fun time to socialize. We had a fabulous time reconnecting with friends Pavo Real, along with our buddy boats Enchantment, and Interlude. 

Winds have changed direction making for three miserable days at the West End…..It was so rough no one left their boats.

Last year we only spent a week at West End, so renting a car with Interlude and Enchantment we get to explore the many “nooks and crannies” on Roatan….If one needs grommets or thread, this is the place.

We did have a bit of trouble with the rental. The company graciously came and replaced the vehicle.

Up at the lookout looking North towards Crawfish Rock Point. What an incredible view….We've asked down at the resort if it is possible to come another day and have lunch...They say, absolutely so we will do this on our next adventure.  But for now I must sign off as the wifi is acting up again; so until next blog---"COMPANY IS HERE"  Adios  friends.....