Hi Jan,

Really enjoyed the Bay Islands of Honduras – especially Guanaja – but I must say I never felt entirely comfortable there, especially as I moved further west…

It was becoming apparent even a few years ago that mainland Honduras was considerably riskier than the Bay Islands… A significant number of people were beginning to “flee” the mainland for Roatan, and the residents out there were not entirely happy about that…

I wanted to stop at the Cayos Cuchinos on the way to the Rio Dulce, but the weather compelled me to keep on going straight towards Livingston… Arrived in the middle of the night at an anchorage across the Gulf from the entrance, dropped the hook in the midst of a severe thunderstorm in a very remote spot. I was glad to get out of there the next morning to catch the tide at the bar outside Livingston, something about that spot spooked me…

I’m afraid many of us cruisers are a bit naïve as to regards the impact of the worldwide recession in less developed parts of the world at the moment, it’s got to be pretty profound. And I continue to be surprised at the lack of awareness on the part of many I see out there, at the vast wealth even the most modest cruising boat can represent in a place like Honduras or Guatemala…

IMHO, there is a direct correlation between latitude/proximity to the equator, and the frequency/likelihood of these sorts of incidents occurring. Let’s face it, this sort of stuff simply doesn’t happen in places like Nova Scotia, or Scotland…

Few among us don’t love cruising in tropical waters and warm breezes, but the regions that we can continue to do that safely will continue to shrink, and I think many cruisers would do well to re-assess their priorities…

The pic is of Main Street, Water Cays, Utila…

Best regards,

Jon