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We have successfully navigated the sand bar that marks in the entrance to the town of Livingston and the mouth of the Rio Dulce so we are officially in Guatemala. The Rio Dulce (which translates into “sweet river”) is located in northern Guatemala, between Belize and Honduras, and is the only part of the country on the Caribbean Sea.
The river winds through a jungle covered gorge, similar to the Niagara gorge but with hairpin turns, big tropical birds, Mayan villagers paddling by in dugout canoes, and, of course, a jungle. The river ends at the mouth of El Golfete, which is a large fresh water lake filled with bays, tributary rivers, and even a manatee reserve. After crossing the length of the lake the Rio Dulce narrows again and winds around the town of Fonteras before it opens up again into Lake Izabal.
We are currently anchored at the mouth of El Golfete in a small lagoon surrounded by rainforest and the Biotopo mountains in the background. We initially stopped here to check out the marina where we will keep the boat when we return home, but we’ve stayed on a few extra days to hide out from the rain. It never stops raining! The decks haven’t been this clean and salt free in ages, but the downside is that the inside has never been so damp and prone to mould. I guess you have to take the bad with the good.
From what we’ve been told this area of the Rio Dulce is a bit like the wild west. It even seems to have gun toting Americans - one of the marinas in the lagoon has a rule that you are asked to leave if you shoot off your gun while at the dock. Apparently there is a navy patrol that runs up and down the river but we were told that there is no police presence in this section so people “take care of things” themselves. In general there seems to be conflict between the rural indigenous villagers, many of whom are living in poverty and isolation, and the boating and eco-tourism industry because of issues like disparate levels of wealth and land grabbing. We are talking to people and finding out the safe and not so safe areas to visit.
In other exciting news Adam has decided that he cannot take the heat and has opted to cut off his immense facial hair in a bid for some relief.
The river winds through a jungle covered gorge, similar to the Niagara gorge but with hairpin turns, big tropical birds, Mayan villagers paddling by in dugout canoes, and, of course, a jungle. The river ends at the mouth of El Golfete, which is a large fresh water lake filled with bays, tributary rivers, and even a manatee reserve. After crossing the length of the lake the Rio Dulce narrows again and winds around the town of Fonteras before it opens up again into Lake Izabal.
We are currently anchored at the mouth of El Golfete in a small lagoon surrounded by rainforest and the Biotopo mountains in the background. We initially stopped here to check out the marina where we will keep the boat when we return home, but we’ve stayed on a few extra days to hide out from the rain. It never stops raining! The decks haven’t been this clean and salt free in ages, but the downside is that the inside has never been so damp and prone to mould. I guess you have to take the bad with the good.
From what we’ve been told this area of the Rio Dulce is a bit like the wild west. It even seems to have gun toting Americans - one of the marinas in the lagoon has a rule that you are asked to leave if you shoot off your gun while at the dock. Apparently there is a navy patrol that runs up and down the river but we were told that there is no police presence in this section so people “take care of things” themselves. In general there seems to be conflict between the rural indigenous villagers, many of whom are living in poverty and isolation, and the boating and eco-tourism industry because of issues like disparate levels of wealth and land grabbing. We are talking to people and finding out the safe and not so safe areas to visit.
In other exciting news Adam has decided that he cannot take the heat and has opted to cut off his immense facial hair in a bid for some relief.