After cruising up the Rio Dolce and two overnights on El Golfete, we sailed down the Rio and cleared out at Livingston, first immigration and then to the Capitania del Puerto. A long wait, he was busy that day. A short trip to SAT and then we are off and sailing. It’s a busy harbor, with fishing boats coming in a dawn, a few Mayan canoeists tending their nets for bait fish, a scattering of sailboats with the quarantine flag up (yellow flag – means the skipper is working at clearing in or out of Guatemala). Current is about one knot.
We motor out across the bar at the end of the river. Minimum depth about six feet. That’s not much! We follow the Navionics chart carefully, watching for the imaginary channel markers. Be careful and it’s not so bad.
Out into the ocean and we aim for Punta Gorda for our overnight anchorage. Around the corner to the south is Orange Point. Do not submit yourself to the rocking and rolling at the anchorage in front of the customs dock. We opt for skipping clear-in to Belize here – it’s weekend and costs more.
Early to rise we set off for Ranguana Caye, one of our favorite tropical paradises. Tiny island with a long sand bar to the south (don’t go there) that protects from the swell. It’s just a few hundred meters inside the Mesa-American Barrier Reef. Snorkeling is wonderful to the north-west of the island.
Dillon serves us drinks and dinner. They need limes and we give them our stash. The four-group from Seattle is serious about Jenga. Five sailboats anchored in the small anchorage.
On the Water 