Placencia

 After receiving our Astra Zeneca from the local clinic both John and I did not feel 100%. He woke the next day with a raging headache and feeling hung over. He actually wondered if he’d had too many beers the evening before. I felt jet lagged, like slow of mind and body like a real 65 year old. Neither of us did much that day, we just chilled. 

We were soon back into our morning walks, which are basically a big loop around Placencia. 

The weather had been incredibly hot, just soaring temperatures in the high 90s with hardly a breath of air, dust covered the cars and bushes, the sand on the lanes would burn through the soles of your flip flops to the underside of your feet, incredibly hot.

Then the burning started, yep once again this year they started burning the fields and roadsides. So the skies filled with smoke, the air was hot, still and smoky!

We were saved by the weather that moved in during one afternoon. The winds switched to the South blowing right into the harbour causing the seas to roll in too. John had been helping move our friend’s boat, but arrived back before it became too rolly. We moved d Aeeshah into the lagoon where it is always protected from all directions. The winds blew the horrible smoke inland while a thunderstorm started moving in from the north.

We could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance for ages, dark clouds rolled in and the whole weather situation switched up. Cool breeze became cool winds, the rumbling became much louder the lightening was flashing all around and the first rains for some weeks started to fall. The night fell and the weather continued, the winds rose to gusts of about 30 knots, by morning Aeeshah was nicely washed off, the temperature was cooler and a pleasant breeze blew. 

 

 

We enjoyed a few get-togethers with our friends off of Latitude and Rainbows end at Sunfish, the property Michael and Rere are sitting for. We did pot lucks for lunch which saved having to cook.

Local street foods are always great to eat. The Jacks and Stuffed Jacks are yummy. Plus the pies, small pies stuffed with meat are great.

After a week of stocking up, cleaning, and other chores finally the weather was looking good to head out to the outer cays. 

South Water Cay

Our destination for the week was SouthWater Cay and Tobacco Cay. 

We sailed the whole way to SouthWater and anchored in the deep sandy water off the reef. John had caught a large Cobia along the way, so the first task was cleaning the fish. Chico relishes these fish cleaning sessions, but he was a bit put out this time as he had to share.

The Frigate Birds arrived and swooped in for any scraps. These birds are amazing! Huge birds that fly and soar so gracefully, they cannot enter the water as their feathers are not water proofed with oils. Instead they have to secure the food from the surface or just under the surface with beak or claws.

Our days basically entailed snorkelling in the mornings and afternoons plus going in the dinghy along the inshore reefs. Basic, easy going fun times exploring together.

 

We enjoyed snorkelling through the deep cut between SouthWater and Carrie Bow Cay. There, in the depths of 15 – 20 feet, we could see a school of tarpon lazing below.

While on the outer reef there were forests of stag horn corals with the waves breaking over them. The fish were wonderful, many differing, colourful species gliding around the corals. 

Across the cut off of Carrie Bow Cay we snorkelled the shallower reef.

Again, it was a lovely snorkel. I saw schools of Sergeant Majors, Yellow Grunts, Snappers and more juvenile fish hiding amongst the corals and sea whips. 

When we motored in the dinghy along the inside, shallow reef there were always numerous rays gliding along. John likes to follow them in the dinghy. The rays always head to the very shallows where we can’t take the dinghy.

During one morning visit to South water Cay I spotted a pair of handsome Osprey in the casuarina trees. I was lucky enough to be able to walk right along the sand spit to just near the trees and watch them in the branches.

Tobacco Cay

After several days we moved along to Tobacco Cay. The snorkelling there is amazing! Through the deep cut between the cay and the reef of the other side, in the deep water, there were huge schools of tarpon.

Just too many to count, gliding along following each other in large circles along the sandy bottom. I followed a group of speckled rays gliding just above the reef area.

In this cut the reef is deeper but well flushed and healthy with all types of corals and reef fish. 

It was the full moon, the Pink Super Moon,at the time we were there so the tides were lower than normal.

One afternoon when the reef was exposed John and I ventured for a walk along the exposed reef. It is sort of like walking on the edge of the world….

The weather was and had been getting very windy which was making the evenings and nights a bit risky anchored out at the reef. So it was decided to head back to Placencia a day early. 

“The consequences of your life are sown in what you do and how you behave.”

—  Tom Shadyac