Seek local guide for Belize

[amSteve]

Seems we also strike out with other local options so far. Spoke with Allen - he chuckled and said no one's ever asked for a pre-guide before.

Moorings says they really are not set up to talk to us until the day we depart - very disappointing. Here's my thinking so far. Going north means i get to stay in the Inner Channel with easy access to the Cayes to the east side where as Hatchet and/or Thatch look much trickier to get to.

The weather looks to be committed to more north than east. Is it backing to the point where NW is possible?

Given that, it looks like Garbutt Cay or Cross might be a good target. South side of Tobacco range also looks good but slightly more complicated to get to.

Surely the overcast conditions complicate visual id of underwater features. Anytime i'm in the vicinity of corel head or banks (as per Freya's charts) I'll be under motor. Relying on Ferya to highlight the general area of risk and then the maneuverability of the engine should be sufficient to make up for lack of bright sun, yes?

appreciated as always.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by amSteve

Seems we also strike out with other local options so far. Spoke with Allen - he chuckled and said no one's ever asked for a pre-guide before.

Moorings says they really are not set up to talk to us until the day we depart - very disappointing. Here's my thinking so far. Going north means i get to stay in the Inner Channel with easy access to the Cayes to the east side where as Hatchet and/or Thatch look much trickier to get to.

The weather looks to be committed to more north than east. Is it backing to the point where NW is possible?

Given that, it looks like Garbutt Cay or Cross might be a good target. South side of Tobacco range also looks good but slightly more complicated to get to.

Surely the overcast conditions complicate visual id of underwater features. Anytime i'm in the vicinity of corel head or banks (as per Freya's charts) I'll be under motor. Relying on Ferya to highlight the general area of risk and then the maneuverability of the engine should be sufficient to make up for lack of bright sun, yes?

appreciated as always.

Ahhh...Allen can set you up...he's just being lazy...tell him Curtis said that! [emoji41]

Will look at the weather.

[belizesailor]

Per both GFS and ECMWF models you are going to have mostly light and variable winds over the coming week from the NE thru NW. Except for tonight thru early Weds AM which gets a bit breezy out of the N. You might get a bit more NW than forecast very close to the coast on those days with N-NW winds.

Not bad conditions for working your way N. When I work charters out of Plancencia, I rarely go further N than Tobacco Caye...otherwise it can become a bit of a trek to windward, but winds are forecast to be relatively light so probably not so bad to go a bit further N.

When does your charter start?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by amSteve

...

Moorings says they really are not set up to talk to us until the day we depart - very disappointing. Here's my thinking so far. Going north means i get to stay in the Inner Channel with easy access to the Cayes to the east side where as Hatchet and/or Thatch look much trickier to get to.

...

Given that, it looks like Garbutt Cay or Cross might be a good target. South side of Tobacco range also looks good but slightly more complicated to get to.

Surely the overcast conditions complicate visual id of underwater features. Anytime i'm in the vicinity of corel head or banks (as per Freya's charts) I'll be under motor. Relying on Ferya to highlight the general area of risk and then the maneuverability of the engine should be sufficient to make up for lack of bright sun, yes?

appreciated as always.

Thatch is super easy to get to because you appraoch on the same side as the Inner Channel (W side). Thatch is cruiser/charter friendly. They even used to have mooring balls on the W side of the caye. Moorings can confirm current state of those moorings for you. The E side of Thatch is more complicated, but you shouldnt be doing that anyway.

From Thatch Caye getting to Tabacco is very easy, but bear in mind that the shoal that extendeds to the N of Thatch extends further than charted. I usually run up until I can turn a put my stern on the Dangriga cell tower and my bow off the N end of Tobacco Range, that line gets you well above the Thatch Caye shoal...in fact almost anywhere N of that line is good for an approach to Tobacco, just dont cut close to N end of Tabacco Range. Tobacco Caye will become visible as you move E and you can then adjust your course. There is relatively shallow, but clear of obstructions, water over most of that area to near Garbutt Cayes.

Yes, the S end of Tobacco Range is a little complicated to get into and really no reason to except as a foul weather anchorage.

Visibility, yep overcast is problematic. Ideally you want to time your eyeball approaches so that the sun is high and behind you (if its too low in front of you, you cant see jack because of glare). Even with overcast that will help...just not as much as when clear. When in doubt, go slow, very slow, and post a bow watch. A bow watch is a good idea anyway on an approach...just in case.

[Flyingriki]

Haven't read the whole thread. Is a draft of 6'-8" too much for any of Belize?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Flyingriki

Haven't read the whole thread. Is a draft of 6'-8" too much for any of Belize?

No, there is another thread around here on deep draft in Belize. It will eliminate some areas for you, but there are lots of places you can still go. Give that a search too.

People think of Belize as shallow, and there is plenty of shallow water, but also lots of deep...often within a boat length of each other....you just need to know where the deep stuff is.

I would scratch anything N of Belize City off your list...some of it can be done, but even in the deeper parts you would be very close to the bottom. To the South is a better cruising ground anyway.

Enter the country via Eastern Channel near Belize City, its way deep, cruise ships come in here.

From Eastern Channel you come right out into the Inner Channel. The Inner Channel is very deep (like 80' in some parts) and it runs all the way from Belize City to Guatemalan waters. So, thats your deep draft N-S highway for the entire country. Along the way there are a number of cayes and anchorages you can access w deep draft.

I used to run a few monos in Belize that drew about 6'...took charters all over the country.

[belizesailor]

Case in point. The pic below is of me sailing back into the N cut of Placencia Harbour. You could wade off the beach in no more than knee deep water until you could alomst touch my boat as we sailed by...at least until you took that last step off the near vertical wall of the 25' deep channel ! [emoji41]

Notice too that we are reefed...and ripping along in nearly flat calm water but 20+ knots of breeze. You can find that in lots of places in Belize too.

[Flyingriki]

Just got done with a Florida Keys trip, getting excited when the water was 12' deep....!

What's the typical bottom and holding? Anchor advice?
I really like Placencia. Still got your place there?

Best electronic system/charts for the area?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Flyingriki

Just got done with a Florida Keys trip, getting excited when the water was 12' deep....!

What's the typical bottom and holding? Anchor advice?
I really like Placencia. Still got your place there?

Best electronic system/charts for the area?

There is some similarity between Keys/Bahamas and Belize....deep water in all of them...you just have to know where it is.

No typical bottom, it varies a lot depending upon where in Belize. Given the variety of bottom type a new gen anchor (Ronca, etc...) is a good option. Im still using my good old Bruce, which serves me well almost everywhere...sometimes a Fortress if in clear sand or using a stern anchor (not often needed in Belize).

I still have a lot and docks on Placencia Caye.

[amSteve]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Not bad conditions for working your way N.
When does your charter start?

Charter runs Thurs - Thurs and yeah - northward seems to be the focus if only for any number of easy exits off the Inner Channel.

So in the context of choosing a night's protection ... Sailing Lake Superior we'd plan our anchorages as much by protection from rollers produced by the wind that was as by what's on the way because 3 days of heavy northerlies means at least a couple more days of rollers from the north. Same principal here?

And in the context of finding spots for snorkeling - probably some noted areas are just not worth trying given last week's winds. Any suggestions on places that would have been protected from churn?

[model 10]

Follow the fishermen out of Placencia in the morning and go east towards the reef. The water is plenty clear enough to see the coral etc. You would need to be careless to hit anything in a cat.
It looks like quite a few charter boats sometimes spend several days in the Placencia anchorage. Especially if the wx sucks. Many others just motor around all day among the cays. It's all good.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by amSteve

Charter runs Thurs - Thurs and yeah - northward seems to be the focus if only for any number of easy exits off the Inner Channel.

So in the context of choosing a night's protection ... Sailing Lake Superior we'd plan our anchorages as much by protection from rollers produced by the wind that was as by what's on the way because 3 days of heavy northerlies means at least a couple more days of rollers from the north. Same principal here?

And in the context of finding spots for snorkeling - probably some noted areas are just not worth trying given last week's winds. Any suggestions on places that would have been protected from churn?

Easy exits off the Inner Channel all the way N & S. From Placencia you can sail not far inside the reef all the to/from the Sapodilla Cayes at the southern end of the reef.

Not the same principal in Belize. Swells really only apply outside the reef, none inside. Visibility out on the cayes and inside the reef likely to still be pretty good, maybe stirred up just a little, but forecast winds were not very high...so likely just fine in most places.

So, no worry about swell in almost all anchorages inside the reef...a few spots near cuts where some might sneak around to the inside, but thats not typical.

Assuming a usual noon start, I would not try to push too far the first day. Lark Caye is a common first night stop. Its very close to Placencia, just across the Inner Channel, well protected with good holding, but deep...like 65' deep...good news is that if your windlass fails, you can just call Moorings to come fix it. There are a number of good snorkel spots and good areas for kayak/dinghy exploration. Several of the nearby cayes, like Buggle, Scipio, Colson, have good snorkelling too, but are not good overnight anchorages.

[belizesailor]

So, where did you end up for the first night?

[CaptsWife]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Enter the country via Eastern Channel near Belize City, its way deep, cruise ships come in here.

From Eastern Channel you come right out into the Inner Channel. The Inner Channel is very deep (like 80' in some parts) and it runs all the way from Belize City to Guatemalan waters. So, thats your deep draft N-S highway for the entire country. Along the way there are a number of cayes and anchorages you can access w deep draft.

Good to know, thanks.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by CaptsWife

Good to know, thanks.

De nada.