Saturday, May 30th, 2009. Going east to west, Guanaja (pronounced wah – nah – ha) is the first island of The Bay Islands, Honduras. We have heard that many people pass this island by because of the notoriety of Roatan. We had spoken to a couple (Frank and Pat on Forewinds) who had spent a year and a half in this area and they loved it! Of course this was before Mitch in 1998…Mitch was especially hard on these islands. There is also the opportunity for Paul to pee on a pig (longer story and if it happens there WILL be pictures)…so we thought it was worth a day or two stop-over!
In through the narrow…
but deep channel…
by Half-Moon Cay, making our way through the reefs…we headed back up the island inside the reefs to Savanah Bight. 
Very cute waterside community! We anchored…the spare anchor still…just on the other side of a reef outside of town. I was at the helm and Paul literally “dropped the hook”! We were the only sailboat here! Paul wanted to finish clean up on the forward head…so we decided to go into town after that was done. We rested for a few minutes in the cockpit after clean-up. We watched from the boat as they off-loaded a small truck (looked used) from an island transport boat…most people seem to walk, ride bikes, or boat around…the number of motorized vehicles of any kind could be tallied on one hand. It was a BIG day for someone in this town…a new truck!! We watched as the products were taken off the transport by hand and then by wheelbarrow to the local store by young men. Then we went ashore. And VERY cute community indeed AND friendly! They are the ancestors of the native Payan and Mayan Indians (almost made extinct by the Spanish taking them for slaves), English, Dutch and French pirates, and some South African slaves from St Vincent in the 1800’s and some from Jamaica. That is what the books say…what I saw was a very large Spanish influence. Spanish is spoken mainly here…but it seems -again according to the books - English is the main language…perhaps they are generalizing all of The Bay Islands…and this little one is “different”…I will know more as time goes on. Some of the boats here are very different…
long and narrow – 
canoe like…some are like the Colombian boats (I only know what a Colombian boat looks like because when the Bonaire Customs guys came out to give us the shotgun back and I told them I really liked their boat…they said it was a Colombian boat and they had confiscated it from drug runners). We had heard from another couple via SSB (SV Charlotte) that there had been an earthquake in this area a few days ago… they were sailing by Utila on their way to Livingston when they felt their boat shaking!!! Anyway, the store owner was telling us about what happened at his little store when the earthquake hit! 
He also told us of how great this island is…there is wonderful fresh water in the hills…
and he mentioned he could find someone to take us on a tour if we wanted. Unfortunately, our goal here is to check in, talk with other cruisers/divers in the area, perhaps find dive sites and get to Roatan…BUT…if we are able to come back here with Matt…or next fall…I’m hoping we will take the time for a tour!! We only had u.s.d. but they happily exchanged their Honduras Lempiras (going exchange rate around $18 Lemps to $1 u.s.d.). We bought some bread – I gave her $2.00 u.s.d. and she gave me $9.00 Lempiras change – so my math says the bread cost $1.50 u.s.d….not sure what bread goes for in the states right now…but I thought in an island off of Honduras that was a pretty good price!!! We were not able to get ice for drinking in this small little town…but I had saved enough ice on the 7 day passage for Paul to have TWO tall G&T’s when we got back to the boat to relax! I do believe we are finally “cruising”. Now don’t get me wrong…I have enjoyed all the islands we have visited for the last almost 2 years…but it seems…starting slowly at Isla Blanquilla…as we have progressed west…and now here in Guanaja…we have gotten truly to be “cruisers” (almost “newbie’s” by these cruisers standards). Sunday morning we lifted anchor (Armstrong and Ingenuity) and left the cute settlement of Savanah Bight. We didn’t have to motor very far…maybe ten minutes. On the chart plotter the Cay is called Josh’s…
everyone around here calls it Graham’s Cay…Graham owns the small restaurant and resort. We dropped anchor between a sloop and catamaran…the only other two boats here. We made water and washed a load of clothes. 
Lunch was to be at Graham’s…but on the way in we stopped to glean some information from a Swiss boat we had anchored next to. Next thing we knew we were aboard and chatting away. Very nice couple…Elaine and Lawrence (they pronounce their names correctly of course…I could not repeat it so the above are the closest in English that comes to them)…on their 38 foot sloop, Linus…they have been cruising 12 years…across the pond from The Canaries…and for the last five years they have stayed here…well…here being…up the Rio Dulce for Hurricane season and The Bay Islands and Honduras Bay Islands for the rest of the season. They are now buying a piece of property near The Bight, Guanaja and will perhaps be selling their boat. She may also want to be my scuba “student”…but our schedules for the next two weeks won’t give us the time! They were so wonderfully helpful in their information and we promised to exchange emails. We were greeted as we entered the open air restaurant by Graham…sat down and started talking with him about the area…
well, Paul did…
I excused myself and took some pictures of his birds…
and of the Cay… By the time I had gotten back two other couples had arrived (one from the catamaran and one that had brought their dingy over from the anchorage near Bonacca Cay). The couple on the cat are waiting for a weather window to go to Panama…they were up the Rio last year…the other couple (on a CSY walkover) are heading for the Rio again this year as well! Another WEALTH of information about The Bay Islands and about the Rio as well! After lunch I excused myself again, walked around the Cay and took some additional pictures. Found the dove pen… Apparently the cost of this paradise is the no-see-um’s…and we all were getting our share…so not too long after I got back we requested a bag of ice…to be on our way back to the boat. Oh, and here I guess I need to mention…our lunch for two…I had chicken fingers, fries and a diet coke, Paul had a cheeseburger, fries, and five beers…with a bag of ice thrown in…cost $23.00 u.s.d…granted this is a “resort” so it probably was more expensive than most other places…but we thought it was a great value! Our day was truly enjoyable. Once back to the boat, as I was taking the laundry down this blew right next to the boat and scared the living daylights out of me!!
So I watched him/her…and it just kept circling around slowly and letting me take pictures. All of the other cruisers were headed back to The Bight for the night (including Linus) as they mentioned it was to blow 25 plus knots…AND IT DID!!! Here we are with the smaller anchor down, only 50 feet of chain, the rest line…and Graham’s Cay is all that is between us and the weather! I remember Joanna from Delphinus stating that she had stood “anchor watch” one night…well, that is how I felt…so J…I stood my anchor watch!! Thankfully, we didn’t move! We hoisted anchor Monday morning and moved through the reefs over to The Bight…a little more protected anchorage…more importantly closer to Bonaaca Cay where we wanted to check in. To our amazement, as we were anchoring…our friend stopped by again…
we are convinced that he/she has retired here behind the reefs of Guanaja. Anyway, it was still a long dingy ride to Bonaaca Cay…two miles or so?? 
This Cay is as densely populated as Hong Kong (according to some stuff we read)…check in was a breeze…all in one building…nice young men…wonderful…we were accompanied by Charlie, a local hustler, who was very nice and informative, but whom, when we are here again…we will say “no thanks”… he thought he should have a bigger “tip”! 
We finally got some internet…slow but sure (amazing to think it is even here)…went to the bank…the local grocery store…
and of course I took off for a few minutes to get some pictures of the town.
We are in a hurry this time…
off to Roatan Thursday morning. We both are hoping, taking about, perhaps starting to plan… to return here. Oh, and do notice there are no pictures of pigs…it is not for want of trying…Paul has asked numerous times about the place that we were told of…we are thinking they left with Mitch…
And my note…thank you to all who have expressed their appreciation of my photography! I really do so enjoy taking the pictures and sharing them with you. These last few blogs I feel I must apologize…let me explain. Because I downsize the pictures for easier uploading, I also sharpen them so you are able to see more of what I can see in the original picture. With my computer down…I have been using Paul’s computer and software…well now his software is “glitching” on the sharpen effect! So with these last few blogs my choices were either no blog at all until the software glitch was fixed…no pictures with blog…or pictures that I feel are not as good as I would like to post…and, of course it is the later.
In through the narrow…but deep channel…by Half-Moon Cay, making our way through the reefs…we headed back up the island inside the reefs to Savanah Bight. Very cute waterside community! We anchored…the spare anchor still…just on the other side of a reef outside of town. I was at the helm and Paul literally “dropped the hook”! We were the only sailboat here! Paul wanted to finish clean up on the forward head…so we decided to go into town after that was done. We rested for a few minutes in the cockpit after clean-up. We watched from the boat as they off-loaded a small truck (looked used) from an island transport boat…most people seem to walk, ride bikes, or boat around…the number of motorized vehicles of any kind could be tallied on one hand. It was a BIG day for someone in this town…a new truck!! We watched as the products were taken off the transport by hand and then by wheelbarrow to the local store by young men. Then we went ashore. And VERY cute community indeed AND friendly! They are the ancestors of the native Payan and Mayan Indians (almost made extinct by the Spanish taking them for slaves), English, Dutch and French pirates, and some South African slaves from St Vincent in the 1800’s and some from Jamaica. That is what the books say…what I saw was a very large Spanish influence. Spanish is spoken mainly here…but it seems -again according to the books - English is the main language…perhaps they are generalizing all of The Bay Islands…and this little one is “different”…I will know more as time goes on. Some of the boats here are very different…long and narrow – canoe like…some are like the Colombian boats (I only know what a Colombian boat looks like because when the Bonaire Customs guys came out to give us the shotgun back and I told them I really liked their boat…they said it was a Colombian boat and they had confiscated it from drug runners). We had heard from another couple via SSB (SV Charlotte) that there had been an earthquake in this area a few days ago… they were sailing by Utila on their way to Livingston when they felt their boat shaking!!! Anyway, the store owner was telling us about what happened at his little store when the earthquake hit! He also told us of how great this island is…there is wonderful fresh water in the hills…and he mentioned he could find someone to take us on a tour if we wanted. Unfortunately, our goal here is to check in, talk with other cruisers/divers in the area, perhaps find dive sites and get to Roatan…BUT…if we are able to come back here with Matt…or next fall…I’m hoping we will take the time for a tour!! We only had u.s.d. but they happily exchanged their Honduras Lempiras (going exchange rate around $18 Lemps to $1 u.s.d.). We bought some bread – I gave her $2.00 u.s.d. and she gave me $9.00 Lempiras change – so my math says the bread cost $1.50 u.s.d….not sure what bread goes for in the states right now…but I thought in an island off of Honduras that was a pretty good price!!! We were not able to get ice for drinking in this small little town…but I had saved enough ice on the 7 day passage for Paul to have TWO tall G&T’s when we got back to the boat to relax! I do believe we are finally “cruising”. Now don’t get me wrong…I have enjoyed all the islands we have visited for the last almost 2 years…but it seems…starting slowly at Isla Blanquilla…as we have progressed west…and now here in Guanaja…we have gotten truly to be “cruisers” (almost “newbie’s” by these cruisers standards). Sunday morning we lifted anchor (Armstrong and Ingenuity) and left the cute settlement of Savanah Bight. We didn’t have to motor very far…maybe ten minutes. On the chart plotter the Cay is called Josh’s…everyone around here calls it Graham’s Cay…Graham owns the small restaurant and resort. We dropped anchor between a sloop and catamaran…the only other two boats here. We made water and washed a load of clothes. Lunch was to be at Graham’s…but on the way in we stopped to glean some information from a Swiss boat we had anchored next to. Next thing we knew we were aboard and chatting away. Very nice couple…Elaine and Lawrence (they pronounce their names correctly of course…I could not repeat it so the above are the closest in English that comes to them)…on their 38 foot sloop, Linus…they have been cruising 12 years…across the pond from The Canaries…and for the last five years they have stayed here…well…here being…up the Rio Dulce for Hurricane season and The Bay Islands and Honduras Bay Islands for the rest of the season. They are now buying a piece of property near The Bight, Guanaja and will perhaps be selling their boat. She may also want to be my scuba “student”…but our schedules for the next two weeks won’t give us the time! They were so wonderfully helpful in their information and we promised to exchange emails. We were greeted as we entered the open air restaurant by Graham…sat down and started talking with him about the area…well, Paul did…I excused myself and took some pictures of his birds…and of the Cay… By the time I had gotten back two other couples had arrived (one from the catamaran and one that had brought their dingy over from the anchorage near Bonacca Cay). The couple on the cat are waiting for a weather window to go to Panama…they were up the Rio last year…the other couple (on a CSY walkover) are heading for the Rio again this year as well! Another WEALTH of information about The Bay Islands and about the Rio as well! After lunch I excused myself again, walked around the Cay and took some additional pictures. Found the dove pen… Apparently the cost of this paradise is the no-see-um’s…and we all were getting our share…so not too long after I got back we requested a bag of ice…to be on our way back to the boat. Oh, and here I guess I need to mention…our lunch for two…I had chicken fingers, fries and a diet coke, Paul had a cheeseburger, fries, and five beers…with a bag of ice thrown in…cost $23.00 u.s.d…granted this is a “resort” so it probably was more expensive than most other places…but we thought it was a great value! Our day was truly enjoyable. Once back to the boat, as I was taking the laundry down this blew right next to the boat and scared the living daylights out of me!! So I watched him/her…and it just kept circling around slowly and letting me take pictures. All of the other cruisers were headed back to The Bight for the night (including Linus) as they mentioned it was to blow 25 plus knots…AND IT DID!!! Here we are with the smaller anchor down, only 50 feet of chain, the rest line…and Graham’s Cay is all that is between us and the weather! I remember Joanna from Delphinus stating that she had stood “anchor watch” one night…well, that is how I felt…so J…I stood my anchor watch!! Thankfully, we didn’t move! We hoisted anchor Monday morning and moved through the reefs over to The Bight…a little more protected anchorage…more importantly closer to Bonaaca Cay where we wanted to check in. To our amazement, as we were anchoring…our friend stopped by again…we are convinced that he/she has retired here behind the reefs of Guanaja. Anyway, it was still a long dingy ride to Bonaaca Cay…two miles or so?? This Cay is as densely populated as Hong Kong (according to some stuff we read)…check in was a breeze…all in one building…nice young men…wonderful…we were accompanied by Charlie, a local hustler, who was very nice and informative, but whom, when we are here again…we will say “no thanks”… he thought he should have a bigger “tip”! We finally got some internet…slow but sure (amazing to think it is even here)…went to the bank…the local grocery store…and of course I took off for a few minutes to get some pictures of the town. We are in a hurry this time…off to Roatan Thursday morning. We both are hoping, taking about, perhaps starting to plan… to return here. Oh, and do notice there are no pictures of pigs…it is not for want of trying…Paul has asked numerous times about the place that we were told of…we are thinking they left with Mitch…And my note…thank you to all who have expressed their appreciation of my photography! I really do so enjoy taking the pictures and sharing them with you. These last few blogs I feel I must apologize…let me explain. Because I downsize the pictures for easier uploading, I also sharpen them so you are able to see more of what I can see in the original picture. With my computer down…I have been using Paul’s computer and software…well now his software is “glitching” on the sharpen effect! So with these last few blogs my choices were either no blog at all until the software glitch was fixed…no pictures with blog…or pictures that I feel are not as good as I would like to post…and, of course it is the later.
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