One of the final highlights of Guatemala was Finca Paraiso. With our friend, Jesse, from Xela, himself a wandering tourist, we got to experience the cool pools and hot waterfalls (heated by the hotspring above). Not fully mixed, the water ranged in temperature from approximately 70 to 160 degrees F. Below were underwater caves stretching 20 to 80 feet back which we explored, as well as some aboce water caves still heated by the thermals and inhabited by a slightly unnerving number of bats (100s maybe 1000s). Jesse joined us for an overnight stay and motor/sail out the Rio Dulce, as we began our departure from Guatemala.
Check out went smooth and we were soon out to sea once more. Our destination was Roatan in the Bay Islands of Honduras, which lay some 120 nautical miles eastward. The trade winds in this region blow straight out of the east and are customarily 20-30 knots (23-35 mph). We were not looking forward to tacking our way back and forth with our bow crashing into oncoming swell, but had the morale to do so. Luckily this morale never needed to be tested as the forcasted light easterly winds turned out to be light westerlies. Initially the winds were far too light (so light they were practically nonexistent) as we slowly bobbed around with the current carrying us towards Roatan. Worthy of mention, during our patience-testing drift eastward (moving at a speed of 1 knot) were two 4-5 foot long fish (no fisherman's exageration) that swam behind our boat seeking shade under her hull. We tried every lure and bait we had available but to no avail. In desperation, Graham leaned over Chandrika's stern (with Sue holding on to his leg) trying a speargun / gaff hook combination. The plan failed when the spear (shot point blank) ricocheted off the fish's skull, leaving no time for a quick gaff.
after a brief squall
The westerlies soon increased to a beautiful 5-10 knots abaft (from behind) and we were on our way. Overall we had excellent weather with the exception of one light squall. Towards the end of our voyage, the wind eventually shifted to the east, but they stayed light allowing for slow but comfortable sailing. We arrived in Coxen Hole, Roatan on March 24th (3 days and 2 night after leaving Guatemala).
March 2008
