Tobacco Range

Friday, March 5, 2004

016-52.680 N
088-5.580 W

Ahoy from a bored boat that's more than ready to leave!

We're in an area known as the Tobacco Range in Belize. The winds have to be the major story in virtually all of the SW Caribbean (Mexico to Belize/Honduras). There's been a strong high pressure located over the central Atlantic that has been generating "strong" easterly trade winds all across the area. Last night the winds here averaged 21 Kts with gusts to 34 Kts. That's almost 40 MPH and we're somewhat sheltered from the winds by a mangrove cay. Believe me, when you're relying on a 45 lb anchor at the end of 100' of chain, you *notice* these winds! It certainly doesn't make for a good nights sleep.

The winds have made it impractical to get outside of the reef to the atolls. On top of that there's a new cold front that's headed our way this way this weekend. By then the winds will have relaxed, but I think that it makes Glover's impractical. I believe that we'll probably head for Lighthouse reef as that provides protection from all directions.

The anchorage at the north end of Tobacco Range is delightful. It's relatively easy to get in to, there's lots of space, provides good protection from anything other than S/SW winds, and has *great* holding in thick mud. Despite the strong winds it's flat as a pancake here.

About a mile to the NE of the anchorage is a cay called Man 'o War Cay and it's a huge rookerie to boobies and Frigate birds. We noticed it as we we pulling in as it had a huge cloud of birds hovering above it. We took the dinghy to it and were presented with thousands of Frigate birds nesting there. The males have a huge red pouch under neck that they inflate to attract females and to make a croaking sound. The chorus of sounds that they made was quite impressive. The only problem is all of the birds soaring above...luckily all of the strafing runs missed!

Today I think that we're going to head north to the Blue Ground Range. The winds are out of the E at 20+ kts and we're headed N, so it should be quite a sail inside the reef.

-- Geoff & Sue

Log ID: 459