I’m going mad with charts & cruising guides.
Sam and I have been waiting for Guin to finish her school year and she graduates tomorrow. Guin is excited about sailing and talks about it often. Sam will also be starting her in Kindergarten soon (home schooling with the Calvert school). My friends Chuck & Leslie will be taking off with their 2 boys (4&7) and will be home schooling as well. It’s all quite exciting.
I’ve been studying and contemplating hurricane season. It’s important not to be in it! I found some cool info on Wikipedia, and wanted to share it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_hurricane#June
I hate the sailing route from Key West to Panama. Not to mention crossing the Gulf Stream, there will be contrary currants (1-2 kts) to well past the Caymans through the Yucatan channel. From Here to Panama I’m looking at a few solid weeks at sea during hurricane season. I’d much rather sail the windward passage (Eastern tip of Cuba) but there is just not enough time in the season. I’ve been thinking of sailing North, up the East coast as well and doing the Chesapeake, and possibly Maine for the summer. There is another option however.
I’ve been thinking of sailing to the Rio Dulce (Guatemala) for hurricane season. The Rio is the major place where Northern Caribbean sailors wait out the hurricane season. It is well inland and protected by high cliffs and mountains and is up a river and in a lake. There is lots of cool Mayan stuff for us all to explore, and probably some good history lessons for Guin. I have a friend there and he tells me there are a bunch of Cruising families and plenty of friends for Guin. I could also be there in 4-5 days out of Key West. The only issue with getting into the Rio Dulce is getting over the sand bar and into the river. Luckily “Splendid” only draws 4.5 feet, and could probably make it over the bar at mean low tide.
Oh yeah. Click on the Manson anchor to the left and check out the video from L&A TV.
Anyway, I just wanted to share my thoughts.
Cheers.
– Alex
Published in Alex Dorsey
Hello All,
You have probably already read about some current events that ended very badly for some cruisers in the Rio Dulce. I know your Philosophy of cruising where others don’t and I agree. They did have a bit of advice and it was if you were going up, ALWAYS stay in a protected marina / anchoring place. Take it for whats it’s worth and have a wonderful trip.
Peace
Oklahoma Jeff
Nice to see your readyto go some where, Heading for Rio Dulce would be a nice place to start your next cruising adventure.
Safe sailing.
Jeff,
yes I have read about it and there have been two incidences in 7 years in the Rio. When something happens to a cruiser it’s all over the magazines, blogs, and so on. I had a gun put in my face 3 times in a 14 month period, all in LA. I’m talking to cruisers who are in the Rio, on the nets, and so on. If i were to start talking of the violence in Fort Myers, LA, or wherever, it all sounds bad.
The most important thing we can do as cruisers is research destinations, and most importantly, not get involved in local disputes.
Cheers.
Alex, I see that you are using Google Earth. Since your SPOT isn’t on all the time you might think about using GE to make a .kmz file and sharing that with us so that we can follow your track from here to doomsday, not just the last 50 SPOT messages. Just a thought.
-Peace
Djdiatribe,
I dont know how to do all that :)
Oh yeah guys, click on the Manson Anchor logo on the left and watch the segment from L&A TV.
Ever thought about the Great Lakes this summer. Would be great to have you in our neck of the woods.
Type in your GPS coordinates into GE.
ENTER
Use the ‘push pin’ icon on the toolbar to mark the location, and label it (with or without a comment).
FILE–>SAVE–>SAVE PLACE AS (enter a file name, it will be your .kmz file)
Then as you enter all subsequent coordinates save them under the .kmz file in ‘My Places’.
Then upload the .kmz file to your webserver. You will need to add a link on the web pages to said file.
I am emailing you a .zip file with a .kmz file I made so that you can look at it. alex@projectbluesphere.com
Hope this helps.
Whats the difference in the Manson and the Rocna? Are they basically the same?
Great idea. Guatemala and Belize are in our cruising plans a few years down the road, so I’d certainly be interested. Not to mention, you didn’t hit that area your first time south so it would be new to you as well. You could get some amazing footage too. I don’t see any negatives here.
-Eric
Alex I have sailed the Bahamas, the Virgin Island, some of the San Blas, some islands in Greece and 4 of the Great Lakes. As far as I am concerned I very much enjoyed the people in the San Blas islands but as far as landscape goes nothing beets the North Channel in Georgian Bay of Lake Huron, particularly the Benjamin Islands, or if you look for solitude and clean fresh water it is Lake Superior. In September you could go back south with many other Canadian boats.
Safe sailing Henry
Hi alex
i was wondering if you are going to make a dvd of your travels beyond the marquesas? i know you went thru some pretty bad storms it would be great to see a dvd on that part of the journey.
Curtis
Have heard of increased violent acts and crimes towards cruisers in area,of RIO DULCE, something to think about, having two females in your life now!
hbigtautog,
Thank you sincerely for the concern, but in my experience there is a lot more violence here my friend. I’m talking to families in the Rio and other friends who are there. I take extreme responsibility as a captain, boyfriend, and parent.
Samantha’s house was broken into here in Fort Myers just a few months ago( no one was home thankfully). I can’t believe they took an armoir!!!, not to mention her grandmothers silver, then even came back a few days later and stole more. And her house is in a “safe, family neighborhood”. Had this happened on a boat it would be “Piracy” and totally blown out of proportion.
I’m very aware of where I travel and would never put my girls in harms way. People get hurt everywhere! Yes, a cruiser was stabbed in the Rio. A policeman was also shot in the face, and killed just a few blocks from here a few months ago. This is why the rest of the world points the finger at “Americans” and calls us “fearful”. The bottom line is we watch to much CNN and television.
I have sailed and traveled extensively, and covered half of the world. I’ll say it again. ‘The USA is still the most dangerous country I’ve ever visited’.
Did you ever see the film “Bowling for Columbine”, or heard of the incident? Horrific things happen everywhere, and right here in our back yard, every day.
I went to the gun store yesterday to buy a few boxes of ammo and they didn’t have any. I asked the guy where he thought I might buy some and he said “everyone is out”. I asked why and he told me that people were stockpiling .762 after Obama was elected. He said “something really bad is going to happen”. Come on…, really? This is fear my friend, and ‘fear guards the gates of freedom’! Neither I or my family will be governed by fear! We will live free and take responsibility for ourselves. How many people, regardless of age or gender, die from drunk drivers every day? My life style and travel plans are a hell of a lot safer then the average American family’s. Trust me. I do think of my family’s safety, truly I do, and all the time!
– Alex
You are so right Alex. There is crime every where in this world. i live in Canada in a small town of less then 15000 people. even here we have had gang violence, murders and rapes. But people still move here and raise their families.
When i turn on CNN or Fox i hear about an american getting killed in Thailand or Mexcico and then they announce a travel ban on that area. I was recently in Mexico looking at a Union sail boat to purchase. It was before the swine flu but during the drug war down there. I was advised not to go . But of course i went any ways. i had a great time and felt totally safe. I think if i was the type of person to do drugs and hang out in that type of an envirment then perhaps i could have had troubles. But it was safer where i was then i my small town back home. Even the swin flue was exagerated. There is 36000 people a year dieing from the common flu in america every year. But that is never mentioned. but a few cases in the states of swin flue they stop all flights to Mexcico … crazy
Live the adventure
Curtis
Alex,
I’ve made two trips to Rio Dulce. We went up the river in Summer 2005, kept my Father in Laws boat there (Tortugal Marina) for two cruising seasons in Belize and Honduras and then brought the boat back to Texas last July. No doubt Guatemala is violent country but with a little common sense and advice from fellow cruisers (Caribbean Net etc.) you willl be fine. The chance to see the Mayan Ruins, Antigua and Lake Atitlan should not be missed.
-Scott
mayan stuffs.
Darrin is in.
oh…
Anyone have an idea about how much it costs to live there?
i.e. mooring balls if they don’t allow anchoring, slips if they don’t have moorings, etc..
Darrin,
I’ll forward you emails to you from friends who know the Rio and from some who are there now. Most people get a slip for inland travel, and the slips are about $150 a month. Chris also reminded me that we can stay in Southern Belize and head for the Rio if a storm is approaching. The islands in Souther Belize are only 35 miles away from the Rio with good reefs and spear fishing.
– Alex
Common sense is always the key; I’d like to think I have some.
Before I sailed to Colombia for the first time I was getting the same thing from PBS.com. “Oh my God no, not Colombia, it’s sooooo dangerous”. It was funny; when I got to Club Nautico there were 5 or 6 international cruising families and some of the warmest hospitality I’ve ever received. I joked at the time and asked a buddy of mine at the bar, ‘what is this Romper room?’ Not to mention Colombia is a beautiful country. Granted, there are places in Colombia I would not go and travel. I’d also like to say that I would not be caught anchoring off of downtown Detroit or LA either. There are bad areas everywhere. One bad geographic area doesn’t mean an entire country is dangerous. It’s like comparing Colone, Panama (A real pit) to the San Blas, or downtown LA to Malibu. I wonder if they have the “Swine Flu” & “Killer Bees” as well. One thing is for sure, I won’t have to worry about terrorist’s attacks, or car jacking.
You know guys, it’s like the sea. So many of us are afraid to go cruising because of movies, books and stories. The reality of it is, yes, I’ve been in storms and heavy seas but that’s it, uncomfortable conditions. And if you balance the boat properly, heave to, or use a sea anchor, you can still go take a nap or cook dinner. I have no desire to sail the North Sea or even 50 degrees off of the equator for that matter. The world is not a dangerous horrible place filled with inherently bad people. If you ever lived in an indigenous culture like the San Blas where people are not policed one might understand this. They do just fine with no police, politicians, or courts.
Remember Napoleon’s theory of control, “Keep the people separated and fearful”. I don’t think he knew about debt at the time, it works really well too.
I don’t know about you guys but I’m going sailing. If you want to be afraid of the sea, Guatemala, Colombia, Pirates or the swine flu, be my guest, It’s just not my bag.
Life is too beautiful and short to sit in the slip huddled in front of a television fearing the world around us.
– Alex
Yeah, any day, any one of us can get the 6 month cancer diagnosis (my sister 10-12-60 – 2-3-09) then what would there be, to be afraid of? It seems that I’m afraid of nothing anymore.
Peace, love and bulletts.
blowinganddrifting,
Sorry to hear about your sister. I lost my Mom to cancer when I was 20, she was 42.
I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of nothing, there is plenty to fear, The Rio just isin’t one of them :)
I’d concider being afraid of “not living “a fear?
– alex
You are reading my mind!!!!!
Hurricanes are just a part of life in the Gulf of mexico. A plan is essential. I had two friends that went through Katrina on their boat on Mississippi coast…I would never recommend that, but they had a plan and made it through that catastrophic storm. You are knowledgeable; so go where your gut says to go . Up north may not be a bad idea. -Mojo
Right on man. Freedom comes when we can make our own choices, our own destiny. You are a true inspiration to me and so many others. I’d chose Rio Dulce, but I may be influenced by the thought of warm tropical breezes.
Peace, Love and warm weather!
Wally
Ross Island, Antarctica.
Alex, I think the Rio is an excellent idea. My plan is to cruise the entire west caribbean (eventually). one thing I have heard, is that heading south from the RD after hurricane season is not an easy sail. Of course, I have no idea if thats true or not, but it did make sense when I read about it. Just something to look into if you haven’t already.
Then again… You’ll have plenty of time to figure out your next move while you’re down there :p
I say go for it, judging by (hundreds) of pictures I’ve seen of the Rio Dulce its not something you want to miss out on.