9th to 13th June 2022
We’d chosen Hunting Cay over the other Sapodillas partly because of the shelter- as a couple of forecasts had winds over 20kts in the late afternoon over the coming days. Being able to tuck into shore in a bay-shaped anchorage had its attractions.
The anchorage is accurately described in the cruising guide – there’s nothing to worry about for boats drawing under 6’, approach towards the middle of the island, moving South East. Once you are over the coral bar (9-10’ where we crossed) the initial seagrass patch still has coral stands in it, so please don’t anchor there. Just carry on drifting towards shore until its only seagrass (inside of the mooring buoy). We anchored in 8’ or so of water within swimming distance of shore, but could have been far closer in 12’ or so, had we wished. The anchor drove straight into the seagrass, excellent holding.
Charlotte and Hector met John from the marine park on the beach. We were asked to pop into the office to pay our fees sometime (tomorrow was fine). He charged 10 Belize per adult per day, or 25 for the week. Kids over 12 would also be charged, but no charge little ones.
Its rather beautiful here. Many hermit crabs ashore and a great crescent-shaped beach facing the ocean (fringed by reef, but with enough wave action inside for a little fun for the boys). A shame that the small puppy ashore, who posed no rational threat at all, scared Hector by being friendly. Hector is a little worried about dogs again, as he was soon after he was bitten; apparently the only dogs he likes are two small black dogs we met on “Michael’s island” a couple of weeks ago. Might have to revisit.
The water visibility and colors here are astounding, just lovely. We took the dinghy out a few times to snorkel around the coral- there are a number a different patches of reef to try, with differing depths, water visibility and character. There is a submerged wreck of a steamship somewhere around the pass between Hunting and Lime Cay, but we were unablke to find it the time we tried. The swell outside the reef was huge and wasn’t especially comfortable in the dinghy. If we revist, we will try to find the wreck- sounds like an accessible wreck snorkel/dive for the boys.
Some friends from the Rio came in on our final night, taking the mooring as their windlass was not working well. So, first their kids visited our boat and then our kids visited theirs. Shortly after night fell, the mooring buoy detached from the mooring and left them drifting off towards the coral in a fair breeze. Arthur noticed them drifting: “they’re getting smaller”. I called on the VHF to check they were OK –we have a fortress anchor (easy to deploy by hand but big enough to hold a boat our size) that I could have taken over in the dinghy if necessary. But the only answer came from their 6yo as the four adults were already out on deck dealing with the boat. They re-anchored fine, so all’s well. Apart from for the mooring buoy which was nowhere to be seen in the morning.
Other than Hunting, we dinghied to Nicholas Cay- beautiful beach, well-kept island and great snorkeling- which we have written a separate post about, and the boys did normal kid things, like reading, playing games and chalking the decks with many dino and fish pictures.
