Next Stop....

Last minute things...we were still at the dock in Mario´s...waiting. So I ran Hugo into town for some last minute fruits and vegetables (I forgot garlic...boy am I in trouble). When I got back there was still a little time so I continued to clean up and get the boat ready. Finally we untied! After fueling up at RAM we anchored off of town so Paul could run to the ATM to get some cash to pay for the last minute things (Ronnie and checking out of the country). Up anchor and went back to RAM and hung around for 1-2 hour waiting on Ronnies´s workers to come pick up the money Paul owed them (waiting on Ronnie...well...Paul can get into that!) So finally, we were headed down the river, 12:30pm...yes, of course I took pictures! These little guys wanted rides! Some beautiful homes of the rich Guatemalans...and those that use the river for sustenance.....subsistence! We actually made good time going down river...arriving at Livingston around 330pm or so. Bill and Trudy (Lenora of the Sark...another Amel) had left earlier and were anchored waiting for the high tide, and three other boats too! Anchor down, we called Raul (our check in-check out guy) and he asked that we dingy into town to meet him. I had so much to still do on the boat that I didn´t want to go...but, yes, I went anyway! We got some fresh pan (opps...bread) while we waited...and we didn´t have to wait very long...thank heaven! Livingston is not a favorite town of the cruisers...if any boats have to anchor there overnight they are almost always robbed. It is necessary to pass through Livingston th check into Guatemala and go up the Rio, unfortunately. My aside...it is a¨hustler¨town...I don´t really like it either. Cruise ships that dock at Puerto Barrios have their passengers take boats (the only way to get to Livingston) tour the town...of course for extra $$. If I were on a Cruise Ship...I´d say skip the town...Anyway...we were back to the boat with an hour to finish stowing (the compressor, Hugo, and down below) for the passage! The shelf Frank built for the dive compressor is wonderful in the¨garage¨...and the compressor fit right on it...once I got the area cleaned out and re arranged. Then Hugo up on deck. I got down below to get a frsh weather grib for Paul on the computer while he prepared the lines for us to be tipped. 5 15pm came and everyone (Paul) was so anxious that he raised anchor and began a small circle (there is not a lot of depth here...so it was best not too big of a circle). Two other boats went out at 5pm ish...one grounded right away, the line was tossed and he was tipped. At first the boat driver didn´t know how to steer while being tipped and we thought there was really going to be some delays...not sure if one of the Livingston guys got on the sailboat to help or not...but it was figured out. The other grounded...was able to use patience, a little wave action...and power through, then followed without any assistance. The Amel boats (Bill and Trudy´s and Paul´s) are 7 foot drafts with a wing keel. Bill and Trudy were to go next and they hit the mud first thing too...line was tossed...and a helper came onto their boat. These are all pictures of their boat...Paul took the navigation way points from the Chisme website and began to motor along while Bill and Trudy were being tipped. We would touch the muddy bottom and motor through...with the wing keel plowing a nice little path I´m sure. We were abreast of Lenora and at one time a little ahead....just using patience, consistent power and the slight wave action that there was. Paul stated that we may be the first Amel to ever make it over the bar without being tipped...and we almost got to that buoy too!! We had to be only a football field and a half away! Translation, yes, we too got stuck in the mud and were making no headway. Paul put the engine in neutral and waited for the fishing boat to finish getting Lenora over the muddy bar. They came back for us, tipped us the remainder of the way, we paid them the going rate, $50 USD...$400 Q, and continued our motor. BOTH of the handheld radios were not working well...so our goodbyes to Bill and Trudy were short! We had ham sandwiches for dinner, Paul with a beer and I had a juice that I had bought at the store earlier. For the first three hours with the full moon and calm seas it was a great motor! Then I went down to try to sleep a little...tossed and turned for the first hour and then maybe got an hour sleep...woke up...wide awake...the boat was bouncing around pretty good but I was ready to roll over anyway and try to sleep more when....the engine quit. I got dressed and went up to see what was going on. No fuel...Paul switched to the other racor filter...primed...and...the engine started...But I as really wide awake by then...so we both stayed up for about an hour and then Paul went down to sleep...in the salon. Sleeping in the salon is usually the most comfortable ride. By that time the wind (from the east) and the waves (from the northeast) had picked up so much that it was a pretty bouncy ride. Waves would slow us to 2 knots from 6 knots heading into the wind. Within hours it became a washing machine with themain wind waves up to six feet and the smaller ones one to two feet. I will spare you the intimate details...but I became sick...using the head in bouncy seas when you are not feeling well...well, I´ll spare you those details too. Now we are not sure if it was because I was so tired from preparing the boat all day and not drinking enough water...the juice drink...or if after being a Marina rat for 6 months and being on land, plus our leaving at night, gave me seasickness for the FIRST time! But I was miserable! Paul woke up around 1 30am...I told him I wasn´t feeling well....and I went and laid down in the salon too. Early evening while we were having dinner, I had mentioned a noise that I had not remembered to Paul. He shrugged it off at the time. But, it was at this time that he went into the engine room and check the Amel u drive...there ere no fluids! He came out of the engine room...turned the engine off...opened the locker looking for oil of ANY kind...and then came the THUD...and a lot of swearing...the locker lid had fallen on top of his head. I stayed below...then ANOTHER THUD...more swearing...I got up. Yes, his head was bloody...but not gushing...so I left it alone (the note to this...he stood about an inch taller for a day...and hit his head at least three more times...not ducking quite enough down below from cabin to tunnel). The search started for a flashlight...and thn while Paul was in the engine room holding one end of th hose...I poured oil into the funnel...GREAT...another boat problem!!! This u drive was just replaced when Paul was hauled at RAM and when the worker put it on...he must have broken a seal...and oil is slowly leaking! (A note to this...this will impact where we go...perhaps to La Ceiba to get hauled and have it repaired BEFORE we go to Panama). I maybe got another hour of sleep between using the head and feeling just plain miserable...before Paul tapped my leg at 4 30am...down he went and up I went...still not feeling well. I made some tea and continued with my watch. The sun rose. We were still in rough seas but not as much as during the night (the waves would only slow us to 3.9 knots...but the wind on the nose was keeping us only in the high 5 knot range. The main sail was flapping so much (Paul had put it out to try to pinch...and also for some added stability) that I decided to get the preventer out and put it on...while doing that...I will admit that for THE FIRST TIME EVER...I spilled over the side!!! Didn´t have much there ...so ENOUGH of that! To make a much longer (it is always longer when you don´t feel well) sotry shorter...the winds and waves finally did calm down forthree hours or so...I continued to not feel well...then 15 miles out of Utila the wind picked up from the east...the direction we were going...to 15 knots...so on the nose again...the waves were 4 to 5 feet...again slowing our progress. There was no way to make it to Roatan before nightfall!!
So here we are in Utila...New Years Day...January 1st 2010...music has been going non stop since our arrival...I am feeling a little better...but we are resting for a few days...waiting for a weather window to motor on to Roatan...