Welcome aboard Pat and Ron!
We love having visitors aboard and we have been waiting for a long time for these two to show up!
We waste no time in putting them to work. Our new anchor chain has just arrived. Pat loaded 230 feet of 3/8 chain ,weighing 1.5 pounds per foot, into the water. Ron made sure the chain lined up straight on the bow roller while Anne pushed the button for the windlass. Steve? Where was Steve? Supervising the crew.
A bit later we take a stroll on Fantasy Island looking for some local inhabitants.
This peacock refuses to show off his tail.
Pat had a good laugh as this little monkey jumped me and tried to strangle me. Help Pat, help....never mind!
Ron has no problem fitting right into the sailing lifestyle.
Nothing like a nice cold beer on a warm afternoon.
Pat looking good.
Ron looking good.
Thanks for the dress Pat. Love it!
The next day we leave French Cay Harbor. Our destination is 20 miles south to Cayos Cochinos. Pat best describes these offshore islands as, "deserted, undeserted islands". There is a very small village on one side of the big island and a small dive resort. Otherwise the big island is wild and beautiful.
Ron jumps right into sailor mode: raising the mainsail, unfurling the jib
Looking for pirates while Pat naps....just like home
An arrival dip.
View of moored boats Cayos Cochinos. Fine Line is on the right.
Onshore going for a hike to the lighthouse.
We hire a 12 year old tour guide, Oscar. Lucky for us Ron speaks almost fluent Spanish. We have to hike over to Oscar's village to meet him cause his mom will not let him come over to our side of the island. Seems Oscar has gotten himself into some trouble recently??
It is hard to explain how beautiful it is and also how hot it is.
View from the top. Fine Line is the close boat.
We climb up to the top of the lighthouse. The small platform sways in the wind....not for those who are afraid of heights.
To get to the top you enter the lighthouse at ground level
And then you climb up this ladder, about 70 feet (feels like 1000).
A few days later we head for the West End of Roatan.We have a crazy sail with over 20 knots of wind on our beam. Takes us a short two hours but we have one very wet salty boat and wet, salty guests. Oops, sorry guys.
The West End of Roatan is where tourist come to dive, enjoy the nightlife and hangout. It is also a place where boaters are not so welcome anymore. Seems the local mayor has taken a dislike to having 20 plus boats moored offshore from his palatial home and his commercial ventures.We want to spend some time here so we join up with the rest of the fleet and wait to see what happens. Talk is cheap here.
Local flavor, reminds us of a mutual friend..lives in Carlsbad....drives a black car.....birthday in July....give up?
Local cement work. The bucket goes up....
And the bucket goes down...
Beautiful water with great places to hang out makes West End a real destination.
A walk down the beach and around the corner brings us to West Bay (not to be confused with West End). This is a place where cruise ship passengers come in droves to soak up the sun, sand and water. Pat and Ron strike the cruise ship pose.
Moored boats at West End. Photo taken from the front of the mayor's house. Can you blame the guy? What a sight!
Beach at West End.
Before we realize it, time is up. Pat and Ron had brought us this lovely suitcase full of boat stuff, food stuff, DVDs, clothes and stuff for other boaters. They thought they had seen the last of this big ol' Samsonite. Boy were they wrong. Steve loaded that suitcase up with some big pumps that need to go home for major surgery. Ron would soon learn that a big pump in a Samsonite suitcase can throw a TSA agent into a tizzy. So sorry Ron.
A great time was had by all. Miss you lots.
Back to two onboard until Meghan joins us in early April and then Dana and Kaily later in the month. Just think how many more trips that Samsonite will make!
From Roatan
Anne and Steve
S/V Fine Line