The passage south from Isla Mujeres took us towards the island of Cozumel, however, we stopped short in Porto Morelos and picked up a mooring inside the protecting reef. We had a lovely sail through crystal clear waters and saw rays and a 3 foot turtle swimming by our mooring. Also very excitingly within 3 days we had beaten our 2006 fishing score and had even managed to catch our first Tuna, at last that Washbi paste has been put to good use!
A bad cold front and associated strong northerly winds was forecast for the 2nd January, as we couldnt find a sheltered anchorage with sufficient depth and good holding where we where, we turned around and headed back to Isla Mujeres. We arrived in the dark at 8pm in 47 knots of wind with driving rain Mark wearing his snorkelling mask to be able to see where we were going the rain was so bad that the radar was almost useless. Just as we rounded the entrance to the harbour the increasing storm knocked out the power on the island making the navigation fairly testing.
So we spent the first few days of 2008 sitting on the boat at anchor in howling winds and driving rain, we could have been back in England! It was even too rough to attempt to go ashore in the dinghy!
As the weather calmed down, we set off again for Cozumel; picked up our friend Mike Barbis; did a big stock up and then set off towards the largest coral atoll in northern hemisphere. Stopping on the way at a wonderful bay, that had been made a nature reserve by the Mexican Government, the bay was so huge and the light soft that the Mayans had very beautifully called it Where the Sky Begins. We then spent a couple of days anchored inside the Chinchorro atoll, having bread baking contests, eating and drinking, Mike soon fell into the quiet boat life and infact fell asleep on 2 separate evenings during our scintillating conversation. The Island Cayo Norte that we were anchored off had been hit this year by Hurricane Dean and the mangroves looked as if they had been torn apart quite sobering. The ranger on the island told us that we were the first yacht they had seen in 3 months there are not many people about!
We eventually picked up anchor setting off for Xcalak in order to check out from Mexico before entering Belize. Xcalak was a rather charming sleepy place which after much confusion we discovered is actually pronounced Ishlack. We tracked down a very nice little restaurant on the beach and had a delicious supper which was quite a treat.
The following day 10 January we entered Belize, almost literally, through a tiny gap in the reef at San Pedro. Pleased with the fine navigation we promptly ran aground in the bay! Ah the joy of being back in an English speaking country unarmed officials in uniform, Her Majesty on the bank notes, Guinness brewed locally and hob knobs in the shops! | 