Shipwrecks & Stingrays

5 Dec

With Argonaut’s diesel injectors serviced, the mechanics who had recommended the Spanish lookout workshop returned to reinstall them.

Spanish Lookout was a slightly surreal town, founded by a population of Canadian Mennonites, who immigrated from Mexico in the 1950’s. The Mennonites originated from parts of Eastern Europe that are now largely encompassed by Germany, with deep rooted protestant religious traditions. The extent to which the community followed these varied significantly, with the extremists adopting a lifestyle close to that of the Amish, with very little technology.

Driving into Spanish Lookout, Charles and I were surprised by the stark contrast to surrounding Belize. Rough dirt roads we'd become accustomed to turned into perfectly smooth straight tarmac ribbons, laid out in large blocks with industrial and agricultural buildings you'd more likely expect to see in the United States. A large proportion of the Mennonites, despite primitive Amish tendencies were exceptionally industrious, with huge farms now responsible for a disproportionately large amount of Belize's agricultural output having developed the infrastructure and servicing capacity to support it.

With their extensive diesel tractor engine servicing experienced, we were told it was worth the long drive inland. Leaving Spanish Lookout with the serviced injectors after 2 hours wait little did we know it wasn't the last time we'd visit this curious inland settlement. With the main engine running again, and meeting full RPMs when commanded, we slipped the mooring at Plasencia. Our destination, Crawl Caye an island north of us, with an unusual landmark. Motor sailing with insufficient breeze, I soon noticed the exhaust wasn't quite as clear as should be…

Crawl Caye

Arriving at Crawl Caye after an uneventful motor, I went forward to reef spot and drop anchor. Throttling back, the engine goes on strike again and the call to drop the anchor comes prematurely.

After using the dinghy to set the anchor, we gathered and questioned whether we would ever successfully arrive anywhere under main engine. Parking that thought, chucking fins and and masks in the dinghy, we crossed the bay to a vessel in a far worse predicament than us.

Tara Mas, a 93ft ketch was hard aground and partially sunk healing at over 45 degrees with remnants of sails still attached. We approached through the shallows cautiously and tied the dinghy to the partially submerged bow.Damaged by a hurricane in 2021, she had been sold by the previous owner at a cut price to two Americans who abandoned her shortly after purchase due to mechanical issues. Being left to drift she ran hard aground on the reef surrounding Crawl Caye near the end of 2021. With the owners fleeing the country, no one has taken on the responsibility of removing the wreck. Since then opportunists have salvaged parts of the wreck including running rigging, winches and electronics.
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After exploring and briefly snorkeling around the wreck, we took the dinghy to the east end of Crawl Key for snorkeling on the clear and vibrant reef. Between the many coral outcrops, various stingrays scooted along the bottom and a nurse shark lay peacefully under a prominent coral head. A pair of stingray lay in a dug out hollow and appeared to watch back, gentle raising its head. Here Ben also got his eye in with the speargun, shooting two jack for dinner. We braai the fresh fish that night and slept at anchor, hopeful that the engine would be more cooperative the following day.

Hideaway Caye

Our next destination was Hideaway Caye. From the chart alone this looked like a intriguing spot to moor up. With our draft of 2.4m (8ft) there was only one potential passage in from the south with several turns required to negotiate the narrow passage. We approached under sail with, still with little faith in the reliability of the engine which was in gear helping us make progress upwind. I'm posted on the bow with polarized sunglasses, suddenly seeing shallow reef not featuring on the charts I shout back to the cockpit requesting a hard turn to port. The response is near immediate and we slip by the edge of the reef, in doing so however, when throttling back, the engine cuts out and refuses to hot restart.

Coiled spring we all leapt into action, Ben took to the dinghy got her started and brought her alongside. Securely tied on, he gunned the engine. Whilst we knew the engine would give us the drive required, we had learnt is it simply impossible to achieve steerage until forward motion is achieved of 2-3 knots. So as previously we did a 360 pirouette to starboard to gain momentum, narrowing avoiding the reef to leeward we had been slowly drifting towards. Continuing the passage into the lagoon we grab a mooring buoy, and collectively sigh in relief. Hardly visible from the mooring, two roofs poke through the mangrove canopy and a dog barks excitedly. Landing on the small dock we are greeted by Dustin, the owner of the island, and as it turns out one of the best bars and rum punches in the Caribbean. We soon meet his wife Kim, and daughter Ama, named after the powerful ’Bayama’ south westerly winds that can tear through Belize.

We share tales of engine woes on liveaboard boats and we learn of how they came to own this idyllic island. It's no short story, so much so Kim published a book 2 years ago called "So you want to buy and island?" The family live largely off grid harvesting rain water and using wind generators and solar panels to meet their minimal electrical needs. Returning to the mainland for food supplies and petrol for the small skiff.

Their restaurant menu is wholly seafood caught in the vicinity whilst freediving, and whilst they didn't have availability for us the first night we vow to return the following evening. Calling up on VHF Channel 74 the following afternoon to confirm our reservation, we are spoilt with the choice or Grouper, Lobster or Conch. Whilst Charles and Alex relax onboard Argonaut, Ben and I go exploring on Argonauty, finding more healthy reefs and staggering drop offs to test our freediving abilities. Pleased having set new PB's, we return to Argonaut suitably exhausted for some rest bite before returning to Hideaway Caye's restaurant some of the best seafood we'd ever experienced.

The following morning, with a strong breeze forecast and having scouted the only marina deep enough to accommodate or draft we sailed off the mooring and set a heading for 'The Marina at the Reserve'.

Sanctuary Bay

It was refreshing to actually sail a whole passage, after fickle winds had left us motoring many times previously. Arriving at the narrow channel to marina we approached with extreme caution, just as a large squall approached overhead. The heavens opened and we were soaked through by the time we had negotiated the poorly marked channel and approached the dock. Somewhat predictably the engine again cut out just as we needed thrust to slow us down, but fortunately we were close enough to leap on to the pontoon and throw a spring line around cleat and arrest the momentum of the boat which weighs north of 22 tons.

I let the line slip a little as I watched the cleat strain and threaten to pull out the timber it was fastened to. With nerves shot after yet another near calamity with Charles full time home, we all went to stretch our legs and explore this alien marina development. The Marina at the Reserve in Sanctuary Bay has an unusual history. A multi million pound development site which included 18,900 acres commenced over 15 years ago now sat more like a ghost town, with an extensive network of dredged and constructed canals and just half a dozen homes in what should have been a site that featured thousands.

A serial scammer from California had deceived American investors of more than $100 million dollars and failed to deliver on promises to construct a world leading resort which would have included a golf course, American staffed hospital, air strip, and luxury facilities along with the deep draft marina suitable for medium sized super yachts.

The American Federal Trade commission shut the investment scam down and was able to return approximately 7million to investors in what was the largest overseas investment scan ever tackled by the FTC. The site has been tied up legal proceedings and the FTC ruling subsequently took down the Atlantic International Bank of Belize which was charged with assisting and facilitating the scam. The site is now again for sale by court order, awaiting significant investment. So here we were with just 2 other visiting boats in a deserted 60 slip marina. The boatwork to do list including "fix f*cking engine" was rather extensive and with LV set to join us from South Africa later that day were keen to get as many items resolved before our next big passag

Having pulled apart every part of the fuel system aside from the high pressure pump, and consulting with the marina's resident mechanic, we came to the conclusion the pump along with injectors should take a trip to see the Mennonites in Spanish Lookout. Easier said than done.

South Caye Scuba Diving

Keen to make the most of our remaining week in Belize, we had also booked two days of scuba diving out of Hopkins, the nearest coastal town a 40min drive north of us. With comical quotes of $130 US for a taxi ride to Hopkins and another road trip to Spanish Lookout on the Horizon, it was time for our next hire car. A beat up Kia soul, soon proved to be the most gutless yet, and with the suspension travel of a roadbike, the long dirt tracks to the Sanctuary soon started to punish our spines.

Finally on tarmac we found humour in trying to overtake locals, the engine screaming in agony sounding more like a washing machine on a fast spin cycle. Charles sacrificed one day of diving to take the engine parts to a different injector company in Spanish Lookout, whilst Ben joined a different dive group to LV, Alex and I. Ben had carried out his dive training under BSAC and whilst he had taken this to equivalent level of PADI Rescue Diver, unfortunately the final certificate paperwork was not completed.

Thus, in the eyes of many dive centres, Ben wasn't qualified at all, so he bit the bullet and had signed up to a PADI Open Water Course to get the all important Certification paperwork to avoid any issues going forwards. We piled into an open skiff or 'ponga' with a 200 horse outboard, 2 other divers, our divemaster and boatman Tony. The sea state was sharp and choppy, and with the reef 40 minutes away at 25knots we clung on and enjoyed the sea breeze. Arriving at the dive spot, breaking waves on the nearby reef gave away little of what was to come. With the boat chaotically lurching about, we kitted up carried out final checks and back rolled into the blue. The chaos and noise of the surface instantly faded away and a blissful level of calm encompassed me in a way no other activity does. The clarity was astonishing. 50 metres or more a vibrant reef wall descending into darkness. We descended to approx. 24m and traversed the wall pausing to observe wildlife and the vast array of corals.

We were soon spoilt with the attention of nurse sharks, turtles and rays also cruising the edge of the reef wall. Gradually ascending the reef as the dive progressed we surfaced after 55mins all ecstatic with the experience we'd just expressed and excited to go again. The dive boat slid onto the sand at South Water Caye and we took an hour surface interval to rehydrate and eat fresh papaya before the next dive. The next dives did not disappoint with many more inquisitive shark encounters and interactions with hawkbill turtles.

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