Report on the Belize Cruise on SV Fantome - June 22 - 28, 1997
Sun. nite - We flew into Belize City from Atlanta (via New Orleans) on TACA airlines - very good flights - a bit late, but the pilots "made up" for lost time! Our transportation to the port was smooth and efficient - Belize City is undergoing major road construction, and the drivers were experienced and informative. Stowaway Nite on the Fantome was wonderful - the rum swizzles were fresh, and helped to speed up the "check in" processes. The buffet dinner was welcome and we all stuffed ourselves - there were aprox. 90 passengers. There was a local band that played reggae and island tunes until a rain shower came up - but started right back after it quit - we partied till late…
Mon. - Stayed docked outside of Belize City - several choices of day activities - zoo, ruins of Altun Ha, 2 tank dive, or cave tubing. We opted for the tubing - we were bussed about 60 mil out of town into the rainforest to a "resort". There our guide handed out inner tubes and headlamps to everyone, and we got into the clear river that flowed into a massive cave - complete with huge formations of stalagtites and of course, bat colonies. Illuminated only by the headlamps, it was indeed a unique experience - one we would recommend to the mildly adventurous (the water was rarely over 3 ft. deep).
We sailed at 5:00 PM and saw a beautiful sunset. It was a quiet night on deck - we fell asleep under the sails - what a life!
Tues. - After sailing all night, we docked in Placencia - a tiny port with pretty views. We went on the "snorkel safari" to one of the national underwater parks off an island about an hour boat ride from the port. The underwater life was spectacular - clear water, lots of fish - everyone was impressed. The other choices for that day were the Monkey River expedition, a 2 tank dive, and the Cockscome Bird Sanctuary - the "birders" on the ship really liked this! That afternoon we explored Placencia - listed in the Guiness Book of Records as having the narrowest main street in the world - it’s basically a sidewalk. Definitely not a place for shopping - but we knew that - the scenery was wonderful. After the sails went up, we had a great time playing "Sea Hunt". Our Activities Director was a lively Scot named Andi, and she was great getting people involved, although this group didn’t need much prodding!
Wed. - Woke up to a beautiful tropical port - Omoa, Honduras. Mountains rise from the sea, and fishermen were already out at 6:00 AM with their nets. Today we decided to take it easy, catch the later launch, and tour the local historic fort. Many of our group went on the day-long trip to Copan to see the Mayan ruins - they were VERY impressed, and excited about their trip. There was also another tour that went to local factories that made furniture, leather goods, and craft items. Another group went on a trip/hike to some beautiful waterfalls and local nature areas. That evening, we were entertained by two dancing troups that came onboard ship to perform for us. One was a group of young girls who did some local dances, and the other was a larger group of native dancers, complete with tortoise shell drums!
Thurs. - Docked in Utila, Honduras. Another pretty fishing village (although there is plenty of clean-up needed - remember, these are third world living conditions). We went to a local park for more snorkeling - again, the reef was incredible - it just dropped off into blue nothingness! Lots of interesting fish and reef formations! The divers on the trip took off for another 2 tank dive, and 7 of the group rented a boat & crew and went deep sea fishing - they landed a 95 lb. Swordfish! (The chef made wonderful hors d’oeuvres from it the next night) "PPP" nite - wild costumes, and a surprise storm to boot!
Fri. - We were scheduled to dock at Glovers Reef , but that didn’t happen. There was a miscommunication between the owners of the dive resort and WJ, and even though Andi did her best to fix things, we weren’t allowed to stay. Sail on, sail on…. Joel, the first mate gave us a very detailed "lesson" in the ship, sails, rigging, … then time for lunch.
The weather was wonderful for sailing - large swells, and a strong wind - beautiful "Aqua Velva" blue waters - dolphins chasing alonside - who could ask for more? We got to Half Moon Cay about 3:30, and half the group went snorkeling - the others went to the national bird sanctuary to view Boobies and Iguanas - both were memorable - it’s just that we kept looking for Gilligan and the Skipper….
That night after the Captain’s dinner (got an clean t-shirt anyone?), we participated in a Windjammer "wedding" - what a treat - not to mention that our couple has been married for 37 yrs! It was a fitting festive end to a marvelous trip.
Since this is our first WJ trip, we have no "basis" for comparison. However, we were among a "minority" of passengers - most were on their 3rd, 6th, 12th or 19th cruise! The ship was beautiful - rooms were fine, brass was polished daily, meals were served beautifully, the crew was relaxed and friendly. Our captain was a relief "fill-in" - his name was Guyan (I think) - what a character! He was very accessible, told great jokes, and had a great time kidding the Scot Andi!
We’re definitely hooked, and are saving our pennies for the next WJ vacation! Please e-mail us at: kone@vivid.net if you have specific questions
Connie Kone