We've been getting a lot of questions about our plans and how things are going so that means that it's high time for an update. If you're following our YouTube videos and Facebook or Instagram posts, you know that our longer videos typically run about six months behind. Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Shorts are real-time.
We've made several trips to Guatemala over the last two years during our boat hunting and buying process. Right now, if you're watching our 20-minute videos you're seeing our last trip to Guatemala in July 2022.
In real-time we are in Guatemala again and this time it's more than just a short stay. We arrived on New Year's Eve and have already been here for just over a month. We've moved aboard our floating home, Maverick and have been busy getting her ready to sail up the Rio Dulce and into the Carribean Sea!
As anyone who has owned a boat, big or small, knows there is no end to the boat projects and new and unexpected challenges pop up almost daily. We've already made some important upgrades to Maverick (don't miss my upcoming video on boat projects) but one thing is keeping us in Rio Dulce a little longer than expected. Maverick is a 50-year-old sailboat and while she's a brickhouse that we feel very confident in, we realized quickly that it was time to upgrade those all-important electronics and navigation equipment. We were going to stick with the older electronics that we have for the time being, however, a few months ago Maverick received what we think was an EMP (not a direct lightning strike). It was enough of a jolt to damage the chart plotter and some other important components, so we made the decision to order a new electronics suite to be installed here on the Rio.
One of the challenges that comes with life in Guatemala is shipping, both in and out of the country. There is no government postal service like the USPS and no real infrastructure for handling shipping needs in a reasonably timely manner. Just to give you an idea, we sent a 200-pound Husky box full of boat supplies from Louisiana to Rio Dulce (going thru Miami) via ocean freight. We shipped the crate on November 13th, 2022, and it didn't arrive at its final destination until January 24th, 2023! It took longer than normal due to the holidays, but you get the idea. There is no way to send or receive packages quickly here. That means, the crucial electronics that we are waiting for will take some time to get here (likely 3 or 4 weeks).
In the meantime, we will be taking Maverick out to sail on Lake Izabal and up the river to another beautiful spot, Cayo Quemado. We will also be adding more solar to Maverick in our quest to gain our energy independence. Once the new electronics and solar are installed, we will haul Maverick out in Rio Dulce for a bottom job and the installation of the new transducer. Then, it's go time!
At that point, the plans will adjust according to the time that we have as we need to sail Maverick back to Louisiana, where we'll stay for the rest of the year. We would like to stop in Belize if we have time before heading over the Honduran Bay Islands of Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja. After spending some time exploring there, we will likely make our way to Isla Mujeres, Mexico for a short visit before setting out across the Gulf of Mexico for Louisiana.
Thank you to each and every one of you who has followed our journey thus far. Stick with us...things are about to get interesting!
Comments