# Ahoy thoughts on Belize



## [email protected] (Jul 24, 2018)

I am a new member to SailNet and new to Sailing. I have powerboated for over 20 years. I have certified ASA 101 thru 106 earlier this year. I am looking to bareboat in Belize. Hearing contradictory thoughts on the level required to Sail in Belize. Does anyone have any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Captain Johnny


----------



## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

I had just watched a documentary on the violence rate in Belize. 
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/...es-highest-murder-rates-homicides-in-pictures

Besides taking all the ASA classes, have you done much sailing or chartering at home?


----------



## [email protected] (Jul 24, 2018)

My certification was a week in Abacos, with a great instructor. I have since done a couple of day charters with a captain one was San Diego Bay on a Catamaran, a second was a day charter again with a captain in the Hudson River around the Statue of Liberty and the east river. I also am a member of Go Sailing and sailed with another member in The Chesapeake Bay a couple of times. I have yet to venture out on my own. 


I appreciate the warning of the political status


----------



## flyingriki (Sep 27, 2012)

Belize violence is mostly in the capitol. That place sux big time. The rest of the country is pretty nice. The islands and Placentia are wonderful. Is all inside a reef so lots of shallows. But plenty of sailing going on. Love the country. Talked to a guy that had a monohull near Placentia and he showed me the ways to get inside on a chart. Not hard. Fabulous diving!!


----------



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

"Channels" are a moving target in Belize. They can be marked by a buoy... or not. Currents can move the sand around, along with the sticks that are sometimes used. Beware of unlit pangas ferrying tourists (we rode in one) at night, at top speeds. We did a day charter with a captain & diver for a snorkeling trip and had a great time. Watch the weather. If it gets nasty there isn't much sea room.


----------



## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

I've chartered there. Piece of cake. Gotta get used to pretty shallow water, and you'll most likely be sailing a cat. Mostly reaching most of the time. Always flat, inside the reef. Navigate carefully in the shallow water. Know how to anchor a cat (not hard). 

I don't see why not.


----------



## [email protected] (Jul 24, 2018)

Thanks for the input. I have chartered a power cat in the WhitSundays and convinced a charterer to charter me a Sail Cat in French Polynesia promising not to hoist a sail. So I have anchored using a bridle if this is what you meant?


----------



## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Thanks for the input. I have chartered a power cat in the WhitSundays and convinced a charterer to charter me a Sail Cat in French Polynesia promising not to hoist a sail. So I have anchored using a bridle if this is what you meant?


You're overqualified. Have fun!


----------



## Triumphant (Aug 13, 2014)

have a look at some of these guides to give you an idea of the cruising grounds, we love Belize!!

*Cruising guides for the NW Caribbean*
*
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT THE CHARTS AND CHART PLOTTERS IN THIS AREA ARE NOT ACCURATE, THE LAST SURVEYS OF THE AREA WERE IN THE 18TH CENTURY, *

If you do not believe me, check your Navionics chart plotter for navigation warnings from Mexico southwards just south of the coast at Cozumel (look for the "Zoom in Caption")

If you hit the reef in Belize it is very bad news and potentially very big fines

a)	*Nigel Caulder - The Cruising Guide to the Northwest Caribbean: The Yucatan Coast of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Bay Islands of Honduras *see https://www.amazon.com/Cruising-Guide-Northwest-Caribbean-Guatemala/dp/0877423032

Quite an old guide but reasonably accurate chartlets

b)	*Captain Freya Rauscher - Cruising Guide to Belize and Mexico's Caribbean Coast, Including Guatemala's Rio Dulce* see https://www.amazon.com/Cruising-Mexicos-Caribbean-Including-Guatemalas/dp/0975575317. This is the guide most people use, not perfect but the best there is, it is mandatory for the Mooring Charter guests to have one, mostly accurate, the 3rd addition has more waypoints

*d) Curtis Collins - Belize & Guatemala Cruising Notes Kindle Edition *
Belize is an awesome cruising ground, I spent 6 years there running charters, teaching sailing, cruising and still have more to explore. You can cruise the area for weeks and maybe see just a few other cruising boats. Hundreds of miles of reef, dozens of cayes, and three offshore coral atolls combine to create almost infinite cruising options.

And, just south, is Guatemala's Rio Dulce, the ultimate hurricane hole in the region, and so different in every possible way from Belize that it's like entering a different world. The Rio has been my home base since 2006.

These notes have been collected from my experience and responses to questions about sailing and chartering in Belize. The original context may have been responses to questions from cruisers, charterers, or other charter captains. As such, some of the text is still in its original context.

These notes are supplemental to, and intended to be used in conjunction with, Freya Rauscher's excellent cruising guide. These notes provide additional information on local weather knowledge, foul weather anchorages, routes, and more.

Designed to be used in conjunction with the Freya guide. Curtis is "BelizeSailor" on the cruiser forum and was a charter skipper for 6 years in Belize waters

see https://www.amazon.com/Belize-Guatemala-Cruising-Curtis-Collins-ebook/dp/B06XVWQD1Y

e)	*Curtis Collins - Western Caribbean Cruising Notes*
I've lived and cruised in the Western Caribbean since 2005. This text is an attempt to document some of what I've learned about this diverse region. Hopefully it will benefit other cruisers.
These notes are intended to be supplemental to existing cruising guides to the region and should be used in conjunction with them. My intent is to provide an overview and supplemental information useful to cruising sailors, not to write a cruising or travel guide. Excellent versions of both are already readily available. I have made a deliberate effort to minimize coverage of information already available in these guides. As such I do not provide detailed information on facilities such as marinas. Please be aware of that and use these notes as a supplement to existing cruising guides.
It is best to use this guide as a framework for getting your head around the big picture of the Western Caribbean and then delve into more narrowly focused cruising guides for the details.

See www.amazon.com/dp/B073BDLYQF

f)	*Stephen J. Pavlidis - A Cruising Guide to The Northwest Caribbean Spiral-bound* - November 1, 2007 see https://www.amazon.com/Cruising-Guide-Northwest-Caribbean/dp/1892399245

\in my view, this guide was lazily and poorly researched and contains many (dangerous) errors including very in-accurate dangerous waypoints (see his entrance to Utila). In my view worth a read but not to buy, not to be relied upon and a waste of money

+++++++++++++++

*Other views on Cruising guides in the area*

See Recommendations on Western Caribbean Cruising Guides ? - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

This extract from the above thread is from a very knowledgeable friend of ours BelizeSailor

Re: Recommendations on Western Caribbean Cruising Guides?
________________________________________
The posts on this forum are a bit dated, but I just received the latest edition of the Rains guide so thought I would post my 2-cents on NW Carib Cruising guides.

I live and cruise in the region so know first-hand the areas covered by these guides.

Below is my perspective on each of the three publications (that I know of) which cover this region (note there are a few out of print guides and other Internet based sources of info as well).

*Cruising Ports: the Central American Route (AKA "Rains Guide").* 
Excellent guide to passage planning between cruising ports. Very good publication. It is not intended to be a "cruising guide" per se, but does also include a fair amount of information supplemental to its purpose. It's primary value is for planning routes between cruising ports.

*Cruising Guide to Belize and Mexico's Caribbean Coast, including Guatemala's Rio Dulce (Freya Rauscher).* 
Another excellent work and the only comprehensive reference for Belize. Her charts are the most comprehensive and accurate available for Belize (Excluding the small area around Belize City which has current surveys -- all other government issued charts are based on very old surveys). There are a few, very few, errors and omissions in this guide so, as with any other source of information, use it prudently, but overall it is accurate and very well done -- especially true given the extensive and complex waters of Belize.

*A Cruising Guide to the Northwest Caribbean (Stephen J. Pavlidis). *
This is an odd publication. It only covers a relatively small area of the NW Carib. For example, effectively no information on Belize or Mexico -- even the section describing potential routes from the Gulf Of Mexico to Rio Dulce omits Belize like it does not exist -- tough to do from a practical perspective (Not even a reference to Freya's guide for more information).

It's primary value is the navigation information it provides for the Bay Islands and Northern coast of Honduras(many more ports are covered than in the Rains guide...which appropriately only covers those commonly used for transiting the area).

*TRIUMPHANT NOTE
THE NORTHERN COAST OF HONDURAS IS CURRENTLY VERY DANGEROUS, STAY OUT OF SIGHT OF LAND, AT LEAST 30 MILES OFFSHORE IF YOU CAN AND SHOW NO LIGHTS AT NIGHT, check out NOONSITE and the Caribbean Safety & security Net online*

This navigation information is sparse, but sufficient and accurate. However, there are voluminous sections on local culture and history(reasonably well done, but all this information and more is available from other sources). The sparse navigation information for each port is supplemented by much more extensive information regarding Internet access and dining options for that port. Those anchorages which lack much in the way of these services are typically dismissed as having nothing of interest for the cruising sailor (other than a good anchorage!).

And, just in case you missed something, there is even more information in the appendices regarding Internet access and dining in the NW Carib. (An update that makes much of this voluminous documentation of Internet Cafe's obsolete -- good, inexpensive cellular Internet access is available through-out Honduras and the Bay Islands from TIGO -- buy yourself a TIGO stick including one month of service for less than $30US total and surf even when underway!).


----------

