The trip is scheduled to be 3 weeks from start to finish, The motley crew arrives Sunday, 8^th March, 2009. There is Anne, a voluptuous Italian from Pennsylvania (eat UR heart out guys), Bill the old guy from Colorado, Luke and Delia the ‘alternative’ organic famers from Northern California along with, of course, his lordship and…he who must be obeyed or it is walk the plank time …yes!!… our intrepid leader Captain Louis Joseph Honeycutt Jr (what were those Texans thinking) and a banana bender from Down Under, Julie known as One Smart Cookie.

We are anchored near Fantasy Island in Roatan, Honduras.  We look for “ Sa plane! Sa plane! “ and yeh there is actually a blue plane parked outside.. too funny but no short guy.

Sooo many boats with.. ‘attitude’ locally known as the parking lot. As it reads anchoring is at a premium here and lord help you if U decide to put out 2 anchors when the rest of the fleet only has one.. U get labeled as the non swinger.

Shopping for food, booze (a must on a passage for any sailor), mixing it up at the local resort Coco View.. a hideaway where divers and sailors get together.

Early Monday we set sail to Isla Guanaja, the eastern most island of the Honduras Bay Islands. It is a motor sail using only the main. Captain Louis is giving instructions on what to do.. ‘push this, pull that, watch UR fingers, Anne-where’s my ice tea?  The crew are all intent on listening or at least pretending. Bill had the look of “What the heck have I done!”  The island itself has few inhabitants, other than the few Americans who have chosen to exploit it.  The locals have moved to a  nearby key and abandoned the island due to the large numbers of no-see-ems, or sand flies.  There are no cars on the key, because there isn’t enough space. Luke is given his first job to throw the trash bag into the trash building as we sail by… Julie says If U miss UR toast. We fill up with local water as the watermaker is yet again on the blink.

Shopping again in the Bonaca Cay .. these guys eat so much …especially our vegetarian onboard Delia .. bring on the cabbages!!

The weekly cargo ship has arrived overflowing with fruits and veggies .. thank goodness. Fueled up and loaded with lots of goodies including our 4 flats of local farm eggs and coconut bread we check out of customs and immigration ready to head out for a dive at Southwest Cay before departing Honduras enroute to Columbia. Louis, Anne, Luke and Delia go for two dives that day.  Louis scores his first big 30lb grouper.. yummy cerviche!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sunset is extraordinary sailing on a beam reach with Bill at the helm.  Everyone is hands on, learning all the steps to anchor the boat, work the windless, controlling the boat with both engines. It’s all new to three of the crew. They have never sailed before and have bravely taken the challenge to sail blue water from Honduras to Panama, more than 700 mile trip.

Anchored off Graham’s Cay the night before we depart for Vivirillo Cays we see a kite surfer headed across the bay …he was incredible. He stopped by the stern of the boat as his kite surfed up to us then sat on the back end of the dingy – kite flying high above. “Come on over to where I’m staying and you can learn to fly the kite” he says to Captain Louis.

 

 

 

Well Captain Louis takes up his offer and after only 15 minutes he is flying the kite. He is hooked.

 

 

 

 

That evening we set sail for the first leg of the trip, headed to Vivirillo Cays. A twenty four hour sail with initial rough seas provided the novices with their first and only bout of seasickness. With the wind on our bow we zig zagged, tacking to make headway. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captain Louis sees a Garafuna Village along the coast of Honduras, a perfect stop for the crew to see the local culture. The Garafuna Indians see us as well; they pile into their canoes, all armed with oars and excitedly paddle out to welcome their mysterious vistitors. Waves are breaking on the stern and bow of Simpatica as we try to secure the anchor, meanwhile the Indians have invited themselves aboard by jumping onto the deck. A welcome party from the village has gathered on the beach. Some excited some inquisitive. The dinghy ride into the beach was a challenge making sure we were ahead of the breakers .. a wet ride!!!

The Captain Louis agrees to stay with the dingy at the beach whilst the crew visits the village. The crew walks the village, stopping at the schools, playing jump rope with the kids, visiting the soccer field, and visiting the kindergarten kids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A village grandmother offers us fresh coconut juice… very refreshing, as it is hot and dry sun beating down.

We are underway later that afternoon and through the night.  Sailing under a full moon the radar alarm rings loud. The crew is asleep except the lonely ol’ watchman. Anne is at the helm on her two hour watch and sighted a large ship off the starboard bow. After waking the captain, the two watch the giant ship pass 1 mile off Simpatica’s bow.  Again a bright light appears on the horizon, “scary” says Anne, who initially thinks that light she sees is a massive boat. “It is the moon”, says Louis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We arrive in the Vivirillos Cays at dusk. We are welcomed by silence and an infinite pink sky on the horizon, as the sun is sets. What a beautiful sight.  The next day we sail to Cayos Cajones part of the Hobbies near Honduras. They are remote islands surrounded by reef with great snorkeling.  The island has millions of lobster pots on it almost like a fortress. The local fishermen are anchored resting and trade us a red snapper for a bottle of Cuban Rum. This is Bill’s first lesson on how to fillet a fish.

Delia and Luke snorkel to the island and are met by the Honduran men who live on the Cay.  Four months on three months off the entire year, they are paid US $340.00 per month to watch the Cays.  Both men are armed with AK 47’s, because a few weeks before we arrive they are visited and robbed by PIRATES!!! They take all their propane tanks, generator, guns, and anything of value. The men have no lights on the island at night. Their food source is the ocean along with the supply of beans and rice they had been given. Their fresh water is collected rainwater stored in tanks. The men comment that life here on the island is “tranquilo” compared to the mainland and for them the pay is good. 

 

TO BE CONTINUED>>>>> now in Isla San Andreas Columbia