Garbutt Cay, Fly Range
Belize
After just about an hour’s cruise from Bluefield, we arrived on the west side of Garbutt Cay, and anchored in about 20 feet of water. It was so still, and the water so calm, that we opted for an early afternoon swim and a few cold Lighthouse beers.
About the time we were out of the water and suitably dressed, a catamaran bearing a family of 7 and a Texas flag where the US flag should be came right up beside us to anchor for the evening, launching the kids in a kayak and the parents in the dinghy to go fishing.
We saw a few people on the cay, and as you can see by the pilings in the photo below, determined that they had been sent to clear the island and protect its shoreline. The cruising guide spoke of a few fish camps on the cays, and apparently, this was one of them. We dinghied over on the off chance we might be able to buy any spare gasoline they might have, but their spokesman told us that gas was available on Tobacco Cay, some 7 miles away. When Ole noticed the size of their knives, we introduced ourselves, asked for their names, smiled, and used the fumes in the dinghy’s gas tank to zip smartly back to the boat.
This was perhaps the quietest anchorage we’ve had so far – with little to no wind and therefore no current, and both of us slept like rocks.
This morning, we got up at a fairly civilized 7:30 a.m., read and wrote for a bit, then took the best shower available on the planet – on the swim step, after the Texans had left. I think the “glee” factor is warming up.
We’re leaving this morning, skipping Tobacco Cay, and heading straight for Southwater Cay, which is a sand island that lies directly on the barrier reef. In terms of the mangrove cays, we’ve now been there, done that, and are looking forward to some good snorkeling.
Workers on Garbutt Cay
Fly Range Chart
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