Cuero y Salada, Honduras
During our first night, we had sailed east from Puerto Cortez, Honduras to the mouth of the Cuero and Salada Rivers. Here we would kayak and cruise on the river looking for wildlife. The morning would turn into an adventure of an unexpected kind.
The kayaks were delivered to the sand spit that formed the mouth of the river. Offshore we could see sand bars that would later in the day become an exciting obstacle but in the calm waters of the lagoon behind the sand bar we were sheltered from the changing conditions. The Zodiac cruisers had passed the small settlement where there is a lumber mill and were starting up the river where it is lined with tall trees. It wasn’t long before we spotted three round objects in a tree reminiscent of termite nests; indeed, some of us, for a while, thought that was what they were. Suddenly one ‘nest’ got up and walked along the branch; we had found mantled howler monkeys. Calls went out to all the Zodiacs and soon all were clustered for a view. The howlers had chosen a bare branch to curl up on and sleep. They slept in clear view under a cloudy and threatening sky.
Meanwhile, at the ship the wind had begun to blow and waves were forming over the bar at the mouth of the spit. By this time, most of the kayakers had returned to the spit and the Zodiac cruisers were close behind. Our best Zodiac drivers arrived at the beach to take the guests to the ship, which was beginning to move in the building waves. The ride through the surf was exciting as our skillful drivers headed away from a breaking wave and toward a gap in the surf. The ride was bumpy but safe but the real test would come at the gangway. Pointing the Zodiac bow into the ladder each guest was helped from the bouncing boat. All reboarded without incident. Then it was the kayaks turn to come through the surf. Lashed tightly across the bow of a Zodiac, each pod of kayaks repeated a zigzag route just like the guests. Adept handling by the crane operator and the Zodiac driver completed our return to the ship as the kayaks were raised to the lido deck. Our adventure in Honduras and Belize had just begun.
The video chronicler documented the entire operation and within the half hour had the ‘complete’ story entitled, appropriately ‘swell times,’ running on the plasma screen in the lounge. The crew decided then that the guests should receive recognition for their adventure. A special wallet sized card was created by Jesse Nevin, and each guest received a personalized copy along with a Zodiac ‘soap dish.’ ‘All’s well that ends well,’ but this was just the beginning of our adventure as we headed west toward the entrance to the calm waters behind Belize’s magnificent coral reef for further explorations.
During our first night, we had sailed east from Puerto Cortez, Honduras to the mouth of the Cuero and Salada Rivers. Here we would kayak and cruise on the river looking for wildlife. The morning would turn into an adventure of an unexpected kind.
The kayaks were delivered to the sand spit that formed the mouth of the river. Offshore we could see sand bars that would later in the day become an exciting obstacle but in the calm waters of the lagoon behind the sand bar we were sheltered from the changing conditions. The Zodiac cruisers had passed the small settlement where there is a lumber mill and were starting up the river where it is lined with tall trees. It wasn’t long before we spotted three round objects in a tree reminiscent of termite nests; indeed, some of us, for a while, thought that was what they were. Suddenly one ‘nest’ got up and walked along the branch; we had found mantled howler monkeys. Calls went out to all the Zodiacs and soon all were clustered for a view. The howlers had chosen a bare branch to curl up on and sleep. They slept in clear view under a cloudy and threatening sky.
Meanwhile, at the ship the wind had begun to blow and waves were forming over the bar at the mouth of the spit. By this time, most of the kayakers had returned to the spit and the Zodiac cruisers were close behind. Our best Zodiac drivers arrived at the beach to take the guests to the ship, which was beginning to move in the building waves. The ride through the surf was exciting as our skillful drivers headed away from a breaking wave and toward a gap in the surf. The ride was bumpy but safe but the real test would come at the gangway. Pointing the Zodiac bow into the ladder each guest was helped from the bouncing boat. All reboarded without incident. Then it was the kayaks turn to come through the surf. Lashed tightly across the bow of a Zodiac, each pod of kayaks repeated a zigzag route just like the guests. Adept handling by the crane operator and the Zodiac driver completed our return to the ship as the kayaks were raised to the lido deck. Our adventure in Honduras and Belize had just begun.
The video chronicler documented the entire operation and within the half hour had the ‘complete’ story entitled, appropriately ‘swell times,’ running on the plasma screen in the lounge. The crew decided then that the guests should receive recognition for their adventure. A special wallet sized card was created by Jesse Nevin, and each guest received a personalized copy along with a Zodiac ‘soap dish.’ ‘All’s well that ends well,’ but this was just the beginning of our adventure as we headed west toward the entrance to the calm waters behind Belize’s magnificent coral reef for further explorations.
