Honduras - Isla Utila

After our afternoon at the German restaurant we lifted anchor early the next morning at first light, to sail the 60 miles to Utila. 

A relaxing sailing day, made better by Nicholas catching a beautiful male Mahi-Mahi

I quickly processed, vacuum packed and froze into 7 generous meals for us and kept one large fillet out for our arrival dinner.  Yum. 

We anchored in East Bay amid many beautiful looking dive resorts mainly catering to back packers looking to do scuba dive certification and a few dives thereafter.

Already cleared into Honduras we did not have any formalities to attend to, so we explored the village. 

Meshugga at anchor 

Dive resorts

In the village, map of Utila

Tuk tuk taxis

After walking a few miles exploring the village it was time for a few libations and we headed into Mario’s

Pina Colades for Nicholas, and Margaritas for me. 

Friday, 28 Oct 

We’re waiting to see what’s happening with the Low pressure just south and east of us. It looks like it’ll become a Tropical Storm and probably a Hurricane. 

We’ll check-out, (Customs & Immigration) of Honduras today, so we can leave over the weekend depending on the development of the Low; if it forms into a strong Tropical Storm or Hurricane we will head into Rio Dulce in Guatemala.  If all good, then we’ll head to Belize. 

We went ashore with our bikes and toured east and west until the tarred roads became gravel. 

This at at the western end, where the tarred road ran out. A lovely beach and bay. 

After we had to stop for a cocktails hydration 

On the east side we passed many dive resorts and this cute bridge to the east end of East Bay of the island, where we spotted Meshugga. 

Photo using my Telephoto Lens

Looking inland to the Lagoon

As the Port Captain and Immigration officer were apparently at South Side, we kept popping back to their offices all day. No luck until 4.30pm, and then we’re told to return at 7am on Saturday, as they had no internet. 

This is the main jetty that we hung around waiting for the authorities. Blue building on the RHS is the Authority’s Building. 

Cargo boats unloading 

Love this Burglar Guard on the Authority’s building

Back at Meshugga the sun is setting and the Ferry is coming in on its last run for the day

Dinner is Lobster, pan fried in Garlic, Chillie and butter on Brown rice. 

Saturday we went ashore to the Port Captain and 2 1/2 hours later we had our ZARPE (clearance papers for Meshugga), and passports stamped. 

And then a final dinner out at Utila’s best restaurant Mango Tango for excellent Garlic Shrimp. 

Sunday morning NOAA forecast is as we had feared and so we are definitely leaving this morning for the Rio Dulce in Guatemala. The system has an 80% chance of intensifying, and coming direct for the Honduras Bay of Islands our home for the past 2 weeks. 

Honduras - Isla Guanaja

We spent a week at Isla Guanaja. We found the island to be undeveloped and quaintly quiet and remote. Water was clear for swimming but we did not do any snorkeling so close to habitation. 

The capital of Isla Guanaja is the small island 300m off shore called Sheen Cay, and inhabited by 3000 people. It is heavily built up mostly with 3 and 4 stores buildings and narrow alleys between. There are no cars or roads. This is where we needed to go to Clear-in.

Cruising Guides said to look for the dinghy dock - easily located after watching skiffs go in and out.  The Port Captain and Customs are located a few doors down this dock and we met the lovely Capt Sol, who was trying to improve his English and taught us a few more Spanish words. We were directed to first go to Immigration, (and then return to him), who also doubles up as Health and we had to show our COVID certificates and Yellow Fever (as we’d come from Panama). The whole process to a couple of hours, professional and friendly. 

After clearance we took a walk around and treated ours to an arrival beer at a Rooftop bar.

 

Back at Meshugga we saw that there was a canal that dissected the island do we loaded up some drinks and headed off to explore.

A northerly wind was forecast so we moved a few miles to a better more sheltered anchorage and spent a few days there  

The local iconic Villa on Dunbar Rock is huge and built on rocks at the opening to the bay. 

In the bay we heard about an excellent German restaurant run by Hans, a German who had lived locally for 45 years. 

It was the obvious place to go

Ordering German Cerveza

 

Hans was away for a few days, so we had to settle for Pizza

We were told that Hans would be back the next day, so we delayed our leaving Guanaja to get some German food. 

Next day we went back to the restaurant and had wonderful German pork, Bratwurst, rice with lentils.

Sights around his compound.

The Restaurant and dinghy dock.

Herb and Vegetable garden for the restaurant 

Office and Gift shop

Outdoor areas

 

Local art in the restaurant made of beer can tops

Forgot to take a photo of our meal. But it was good.