Belize Cruising

[Intentional Drifter]

Hi, Nicole, and welcome to the forum!

We're looking at doing the same, along with our dog, which is a bit larger, an 80 lb labradoodle (often confused with Portgies). I've heard the same, but would also like to hear confirming (or refuting) experiences from others.

Where are you heading off from?

ID

[StoneAge]

Hi Folks. We are headed down to Belize next year and are wondering what the approaches are like for depth. Coming from the south (Panama Canal) and up to Sapodilla Lagoon. Wondering if it's better to leave our boat here and get a new one down there (9' draft) Yes, we are heading to stay. Starting a full service marina and boatyard with chandlery in a place called Sanctuary.

There will be NO charge for anchoring in the lagoon. Marina/chandlery will be open late 2011 and yard shortly following.

John & Lucy.
S/V Stone Age
Pacific North West... for now.

[Sparohok]

9 foot draft is a very serious impediment in Belize inshore waters. You'll often find yourself constrained to dredged channels and open water.

I don't know the approaches to Sapodilla Lagoon in particular, but once you are inside the barrier reef, there are large areas with less than 10 feet average depth. Even in a cruising catamaran with less than 4 feet of draft, I had to to navigate quite cautiously in order to visit many of the cayes. Surely you know better than I, but I'm quite surprised you can get into Sapodilla Lagoon with 9 feet of draft.

Example: Porto Stuck, the main navigable passage from Belize City to northern inshore waters (e.g. San Pedro, Ambergris Caye) has a controlling depth of about 6 feet. If you look up "Porto Stuck, Belize" in Google Maps you will see innumerable scars and prop marks from boats dragging as they traverse this passage.

Nearby Rio Dulce, Guatemala also has a controlling depth of less than 7 feet due to the bar at the river entrance.

Tides won't help you much, tidal range is just a foot or two.

Martin

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by StoneAge

... Starting a full service marina and boatyard with chandlery in a place called Sanctuary ...

Is this your development?

From Belize First ➥ News of Belize and the Caribbean Coast

SANCTUARY BAY DEVELOPMENT -- A BIG, FAT MESS

SANCTUARY BAY PROMOTERS JAILED
Two Americans involved in a major land development in Stann Creek District have been jailed in the U.S. Andris Pukke, founder of a credit counseling company accused of cheating 300,000 debtors out of millions of dollars and allegedly the original owner/developer of Sanctuary Bay Estates near Hopkins, and Peter Baker, a long-time Pukke friend and associate who was a principal in Sanctuary Bay, were jailed by U.S. District Court Judge Peter Messitte in Maryland. Pukke was held in contempt of court for failing to turn over assets to a fund set up, in a U.S. Federal Trade Commission agreement, to repay the debtors. He will be held until he produces assets worth millions of dollars. Pukke maintains he has no direct control over the assets. Baker, the son of Joan Medhurst, whose firm in the 1990s had the international public relations contract for the Belize Tourism Board, was jailed because the judge concluded Baker and Pukke colluded to shield assets both in Belize and in California. It is unclear what if any impact this may have on Sanctuary Bay or on the dozens of buyers of lots in the development. Sanctuary Bay, which borders the Sittee River and Sapodilla Lagoon, has been has been offering 135 one- to five-acre lots for US$50,000 to $200,000 each.

[annk]

Interesting....


There will be NO charge for anchoring in the lagoon. Marina/chandlery will be open late 2011 and yard shortly following. ... Since when did anyone have any right to charge there anyway.

And as to the 'Divine Energies' that REv. John talks about on his website how does that sit with desecrating by business a beautiful, unspoiled paradise of good old Mother Earth?

Just curious....

[StoneAge]

Thanks for the heads up on the "lay of the land" so to speak, Haven't cruised there at all.. Just that we are headed there in the spring and are not sure as to the status for our boat. She draws 9' and every time I think about it, I have a little voice saying we most likely will have to sell and re-group when we get there. Seems the voice might be right. Catamaran, huh? Always wanted to check out a cat...

To Gord.. Yup, that's the place.. That article was also 2007. The settlements have been made, everyone is happy (except maybe those two swindlers that ended up in jail) and the development is going ahead. Phase 1 is sold out and phase 2 is going quickly. The Marina basin is all dredged and the canals are underway. Floats for the marina will start being added in the spring. We are hoping to have about 25 slips in for Nov/December as well as the fuel dock, small chandlery and grocery store. Boatyard is scheduled for 2012. at least that is when I project we'll have it all in place by. Sooner I hope, but we all know how fast things move in the Carribbean.

Sanctuary Belize

Annk...Charging for anchorage... That was placed there because I was reading earlier in the thread that some were charging just to throw out an anchor in that area of the world.. Whether they are allowed to or not it seems to be happening. Here in Nanaimo, BC they have just set a Canadian Precident for charging $1 a foot for long term anchorage (2 weeks or longer) in Nanaimo Harbour. Now Brentwood Bay is charging $5 a night - just for throwing out your hook.
It's happening everywhere - And it's "legal" here in Canada now to do just that. Or so it seems.

Sapodilla lagoon happens to be one of the very few hideouts for hurricanes etc. and I will never charge for safe anchorage. In any weather condition.. I WANT you to come and anchor - dingy into the pub, have a beer or 5, do some shopping, get that spares you have been meaning to get.. Heck - I even want you to haul your boat at Sanctuary (yes, there will be a charge for that) when the yard opens. In the meantime, c'mon in and get some fuel. (late next year).

Thanks for the reply's - keep 'em coming.

[BelizeJon]

Stone Age- How did things work out for you down at Sanctuary? I passed through Sapodilla Lagoon last month and it appeared the marina, boat yard, ship's store, etc. are way, way behind the schedule you mentioned. Maybe another year or so to go? Was that you still anchored out in the lagoon? Wow, that has got to be tough going...
BJ

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, BelizeJon.

[wahoo40]

I was glad to see this thread revisited. We cruised Belize this past summer(2012). Had a lovely time and will be back in 2013. There are lots of answers to questions about customs fees, pets and anchoring in our blog. We found that fees are similar to the Bahamas. The marine parks do charge (as does Exuma Land and Sea Park) and while park rangers are often not in uniform you can tell they are legal as they wear life vests.

My husband (I'm writing on his dime here) is from Belize and in our 30 years we have spent many, many lovely months there. This was our first trip on our own boat and it didn't disappoint except to the extent that the coral is not what it once was.

Here's our blog there are 5 posts about Belize starting with our arrival in San Pedro ending with us leaving Placencia for Rio Dulce. the link is to the first of the five.
S/V WAHOO: Hasta La Vista Mexico; Hello Belize

[ebaugh]

Expecting to get to Belize late Spring...hope I can find the guidebook in Panama!

There is an interesting video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M7UB...e_gdata_player

Looks like they dug out and built the marina while dry, and just opened the channel in last month.

[wahoo40]

If not - Saw it summer 2012 at Ram's on the Rio Dulce and several places in Placencia. It's very good.

[LeoHek]

Any information for fresh water supply between Placencia and Belize City?

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by LeoHek

Any information for fresh water supply between Placencia and Belize City?

Don't count on it, but the University at South Water Cay sold us water a few years back.

[LeoHek]

Thanks. Will let you know if they still do so

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by LeoHek

Any information for fresh water supply between Placencia and Belize City?

Very few options for water or fuel along this route. Out in the cayes some of the "resorts" may sell you small quantities of water or fuel but only if they can spare it...and you will probably need to Jerry jug it back to the boat.

Possible cayes include:

Tobacco
Southwater
Cocoplum (AKA Thatch Caye)

There is a small marina up the Sittee River where you can purchase fuel and water but I dont recommend trying this without local knowledge aboard...the bar is tricky.

You could potentially anchor off Hopkins or Dangriga and jerry jug water over but only in calm conditions and before the afternoon seabreeze kicks up.