Depart Providencia, Colombia to Vivorillos, Honduras
Had a GREAT SAIL (1st 24 hours avg. 7kn with minimal seas) passage, 36 hours @ 210 nm mostly had to reduce sail last 70nm. I think we made our best 24 hour period of 150nm. Got here abit early in dark so anchored back from reef, slept and then anchor once get more light closer to reef in sand. We deserve it as the last passage from Panama to Providencia, Colombia the first and last 30nm were horrible with wind/seas/current in our face and our little Volvo 28hsp just can’t do it! Check out Vivorillos on google earth N 15.51 and W083.19.
Saw dolphins, helped a single bird take a respite, beautiful sunsets, sliver of a moon so lots of stars and caught 2 small and 1 LARGE 15lb Wahoo while sailing — so a wonderful trip. First time catching something that large with a donut rigged line and really don’t know yet what type of tuna it is. Good thing we could practice figuring out what to do before the large one came along and good thing I didn’t listen to Tom as he wanted to stop after the first 2 small ones. While cutting its gills and placing back in water to blood it out and again after cutting out its guts — we both were concerned that a larger fish/whale could come along and eat it with all the blood everywhere. Plus alot of clean up with blood and abit of scale on back of boat. Catching fish on a sailboat is alot of work! So the 2 other sailboats we traveled with Makai and Equinox will have supper tonight as it doesn’t all fight in our freezer.
We hunkered down behind one of the cays in Vivorillos as cold front went thru with lots of wind/seas. Fortunately before and after front we had lots of snorkeling and bird watching. After about 2 weeks we continued onto Bay Islands, Honduras — another 155nm where we will stay for 2-3 months diving. So this season we need to make a lot of miles with Sojourn. We think we will end up dealing with the gear box/input shaft by transmission on the hard in the Rio Dulce, Guatemala.
We are in an area with only option is hiding behind a reef or a few tiny islands. The islands are home to many birds, frigates with the males blowing up their red throat/chest with lots of clicking to attract females wanting to mate, the booby birds protecting their eggs with some already hatched. I was surprised to see that one booby chick (white fuzzy ball) as large as the mother but very clumsy, minimal wings and trying to figure out how to eat. I sat there a second time by myself just listening and watching…. Nature is an amazing thing and realize how much I don’t know.
We were puzzled with what island group we should stay at during the blow, so saw some large shrimp boats from Honduras come in where we were anchored so decided to go chat with them. They look like an ornate hat. Their must be a nursery rhyme. I got ready to ask my questions in Spanish but determined once we got their that the captain spoke English due to England owning the Bay Islands for a while. Captain Bari was very friendly and provided us alot of info about his shrimping life of 37 years. He suggested that we stay here and if wind goes north to hide behind one small island. He also asked us if we would like some huge shrimp that he caught, cleaned and froze last night. Of course we said wonderful so Bari handed us a small grocery bag full of beautiful camaron. So night before the 3 sailboats created a potluck with fresh Wahu we caught and now shrimp from captain on Tin Tin. These shrimp boats stay out here from now until February so they make hay during the evening hours while they can and then return in July. They do 2 sweeps with nets per night. The nets can hold 2 ton of mud/shrimp/etc. Which they get in July but currently average around 3-400 lbs per night. They empty the nets onto the deck and crew of 5-6 people start picking off the heads and dumping into a light preservative salt solution before freezing them. He told u Currently we have 12 shrimp boats hanging around. They have LARGE supply boats that come out to take their 60K lbs of frozen shrimp and bring them water/fuel to fill their 12K/6K gallon tank and provide food supplies. We joked and asked them if we could be on their tab for some fresh vegetables. I think I may bake some cookies and bring them some for good relations. But they probably have a chef on board. 🙂 We did go on 3 shrimp boats and each time got loads of shrimp so loving life and freezer full. Last shrimp boat called First One with Capt. Jim also gave us a huge frozen red snapper.
We also met Joe and Douglas from Utila on their 35′ fishing boat where he travels the 200nm every month to catch snapper via hand lines. Their fingers looked very raw and cut up. They already had 500 lbs. on ice but waiting for this blow to finish before heading back.
Peace & Love