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. 

Panama to Honduras

We left Linton Bay on Friday 14 October with full sails and light winds, hence we motor sailed north for about 10 hours until we reached the SE Trade winds.

About 5 hours out we noticed we had a few passengers. Two Swallows and four LBJ’S, one of which was a fluffy juvenile. 

We put out water, sesame seeds and fruit at various spots around the boat. 

The swallows flew around a lot and huddled together on the guard rails. 

LBJ’s on the Tramp

First night, the juvenile flew inside and perched on my laptop between Nicholas and I. Not a good sign. 

Next morning, he could barely stand and I took him to water and he drank, but within the hour he died. 

Realizing that the birds did not stand a good chance of making it to our destination- about a 4-5 day sail, we altered course so that we intersected with Old Providence Island, a Columbian island 130 miles off the coast of Nicaragua. 

We arrived at midnight and anchored as close as safety allowed. Next morning, the swallows flew off and two of the LBJ’s. We had another death. 

Once again setting sail, this time with one reef in the main as we had a boisterous SE wind. And again a few hours out, we had another two little passengers. This time we put out sugar water too. 

Heading north, the waters became dangerous with numerous Piracy attacks during the past two years. All seemed to have taken place on the Honduras Bank which stretches seaward a hundred miles and is littering shoals and cays. Apparently the attacks are from fast skiffs or fishing boats and seems very much on a chance interaction. No deaths, but assault and theft, usually with the attackers armed with guns or knives and machetes. 

We decided to not sail thru the Main channel on the Bank, and rather head off-shore around the entire bank. It was a stressful 2 days of vigilance day and night. Each time we had a boat on radar we switched our motors on and turned in a direction that took us nowhere near the other boat. And then watched to see if they altered course for us in any way. 

Midday Tuesday, I was relieved to arrive at Isla Guanaja, the most eastern island of the Honduran Bay of Islands. 

The little birds flew off, and we prepped to go ashore for Entry Clearance.