Yet Another Visa Run
Author: Shirlz
Monday, 12 January 2015
I am still anchored in the bay at Caye Caulker. My first 30-day visa for Belize expired last week and I was preparing to leave but the weather was far from ideal. Getting through the pass at San Pedro needs settled weather and for days it had been blowing hard and steadily from the NE. Checking the literature it appeared that this is not the best time to be venturing north. Hmmm.. It seemed like a good idea to wait a while before dashing off, so with a day still in hand on the visa, I took the ferry up to San Pedro and got an extension for another 30 days.
This was remarkably easy to do and cost a mere US$25. I had been bracing myself for another US$200 shocker so was pleasantly surprised. It seems Placencia is not the best place to clear in. Speaking to other cruisers who have been here before, I was told that Dangriga is a better option as it is a port of entry, but there is no harbour master to charge the exorbitant ‘Marine Dues’. Well we live and learn. It seems the same is true for San Pedro.
San Pedro is quite a big town on Ambergris Caye and is the most northerly port for clearing out. I was glad to have an opportunity to have a quick look at the anchorage as we sped past in the ferry. Two or three big catamarans were anchored there and the only problem I could see was that the massive wake from the regular ferry boats would be a bit annoying. The water was crystal clear and dive boats were doing a brisk trade taking snorkelers and scuba divers out to the reef.
I spent a few hours exploring the town and picked up a few covetable grocery items at a very well stocked supermarket. (Marmite, Hershey’s Cocoa, tinned butter). The wine was stratospherically priced so I started thinking about brewing my own again.
Being stuck at Caye Caulker is hardly a problem. There is good holding in deep sand over a large flat area. It never gets crowded although about half a dozen charter cats regularly move back and forth between here and San Pedro. All the wild action with kite boards and jet skis takes place on the windward side of the island where there are rows of long wooden jetties extending out over the shallows to give access to the tour boats and ferries. The island is split by a narrow cut caused by a past hurricane and this is the favoured hangout for the sunbathing and swimming crowd.
Almost every rickety little boat dock on the island has its group of very tame pelicans. They don’t move on until you get really close and then unhurriedly flap off. Occasionally I have watched a roseate spoonbill heading pinkly for the mangroves in the evening. And of course, terns, seagulls, egrets, herons frigate birds, cormorants, gannets and probably many others unspotted by me.
January 14th, 2015 at 09:14
Sounds like a very pleasant spot to spend a few extra days… Glad the Visa was less painful on the wallet
Seeing your post on brewi ng your own reminds me of Brians story of a single-hander who came thru CT with a still on board – and a scorched part of the cabin from an “accident” , cant remember the name now – but I would certainly like to brew my own rum
found any wild life to befriend ???
looking forward to the next installment already …
My boat still at the dock – hoping she is sold soon , but market is tight ?
Would love to come on down to your area and purchase a lil 36 footer…
I have bought an old Winnibago campervan I am busy restoring – so I have a land yacht too.
Cheers kris