Thursday 2/28 Calabash Bight, Roatan

We've got 3 new 'house' batteries for Infini--8D Rolls deep cell, which weigh close to 200lbs. each! Thanks to our friends at Turtlegrass here---Mark & Lori on Aeolus, (check them out at turtlegrass.net), we went with them to the shipping company. The road ends in Oak Ridge, so getting back to Calabash Bight is by water only. We hired a local to deliver and lift them aboard. Mr. Charles came back the next morning to remove the old ones and put the new ones in their place. He's Mr. Hercules to me....I was in awe watching him work. I just hope Michael didn't do any damage to his back helping him!!
We've been hanging out here a week now...and it's gone fast! We sold our kayak to a couple from WA. who live here now---more room on deck to store our other stuff!
A cold front came through last night; we felt pretty secure swinging on our anchor here, along with three other boats.

Earthquake...

We felt two 'trembles' Sat. evening about 7:15pm while aboard....the mast and rigging was shaking; no wave action or wind involved. We had heard of these occurances in this area. It was an earhtquake---confirmed it in the morning; 4.5 on the scale. It felt like the effects of low jets or a train passing by....but felt strange since we were at anchor, with only water under us.
We came back to Josh's Cay with three other boats. The wind is blowing 25knts. still---makes it hard to go out snorkeling---so laundry and chores it is...more sewing projects.
(The picture is from Soggy Paws while on our way motoring to Guanaja)

2-16 Saturday

We're anchored in Sandy Bay; El Bight they call it....it's a long dinghy ride to town, where we went for their once a week delivery of fresh produce from the mainland. The town is a very crowded island, with narrow 'alley's'--paths of wood, dirt or concrete; foot traffic only--no motorized vehicles. A boat is the only way to get there.
We went to the Manatee Bar/Resturant here in Sandy Bay for the weekly gathering of locals and cruisers. Thank goodness it's a nice place, since it's the ONLY one. It's run by a German family - Annette introduces herself and welcomes you and remembers everyones name! Klaus her husband is a great chef; the food is great!
We dug the sewing machine out for a few projects....it won't go back under the table since it's so hard to get back out! The wind generator and solar panels have been keeping our batteries up so we can run the refridgerator, radios/computer, and turn the inverter on as needed.
We'll go back to Josh's Cay to anchor tomorrow---very scenic and the breeze keeps the no seeums away.

Guanaja- 2/13/2008

The winds had calmed after gusting on and off 25-35knts. during the night. We motorsailed with Soggy Paws to Guanaja. They'll wait here for a weather window to go on 'around the corner', and we'll play and explore until we have to get back to Roatan to pick up our batteries. Michael's cousin Alan keeps threatening to come join us ....we hope so! Guanaja is the second largest of the Bay Islands, (and highest), but the mainland is only slightly developed. Bonaca Town is on a cay (island), that serves as the main hub. We'll explore that another day. We took a mooring at Josh's Cay, on the outer reef. What a cute resort here! Graham (from Cayman Is.) has been here 14 yrs. and has made a unique spot. (And that's after hurricane Mitch wiped him completely out!) Getting off the dinghy you see the fish/lobster/sharks/goliath grouper/turtles in natural pens along the protected reef. He has a big selection of our feather friends also...even homing pigeons and different dove species- from Cayman Is. also. We can get fresh water (jerry can it), free ice and wifi, bar/resturant (24/7)...it's a nice spot to wait for weather going east or west!

Valentine's Day Josh's Cay, Guanaja

We couldn't be in a nicer place to celebrate Valentine's Day. We were on the dock at 8am with our dive gear, but the boat we were going on canceled....so we went snorkeling with Dave & Sherry on Soggy Paws instead. We found some coral heads and a wall on one of the reef inlets. Sherry can hold her breath and go down quite awhile....being on the UF swim team I'm sure helped. I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing an aquarium up close and personal....so many strange and colorful fish.
We went in for out internet fix before we got ready for dinner.
We enjoyed a great meal of fresh conch soup (chowder) and wahoo and grouper. Of course meeting other cruisers is always wonderful. We met a family from Norway, and another from Sweden who are cruising with their kids.

Sunday 2-10-08

We had a fun day taking the dinghy with our friends on Soggy Paws inside the reef past Oak Ridge to Jonesville and Bodden Bight where we met Dave Waltz (founder of NW Caribean Net,who recently sold his house here in Calabash Bight, and is converting a CSY fishing trawler into a liveaboard); and Peter Schmitt (naval architect who designed the CSY 44 sailboats...now aboard 'Crazy Horse'. ) The famous 'Hole in the Wall' was packed with folks from all over Roatan enjoying the Sunday lobster and steak buffet---all you can eat for $22.00. There's no road access, so you get a water taxi if you don't have your own transportation. Many of the houses and markets are built on stilts over the water. Roatan is a very colorful and interesting place to experience.

Welcome to Our Blog

It helps to have friends who are computer nuts if you want to get started in this blog stuff. Thanks Sherry!! Hello from Infini, currently in Calabash Bight, Roatan, Honduras. We did our usual 'trawler imitation' getting here from French Harbor--7miles of going into the wind, mainsail up, motoring at 1800 rpms and going 3kts. We had made the trip a few days earlier with our friends on Soggy Paws, so we knew where the reefs and shallows were ahead of time! (Check their great web site--svsoggypaws.com) This long narrow bay is considered the best hurricane hole on Roatan, so it's no suprise we've met many gringo's investing in property and building here.