04-01-2014: Placencia & Robert's Grove, Belize

 

We left South Water Cay 3-24

& sailed with the Dolphins to Placencia.

 

 

The town of Placencia is on a peninsula on the mainland.

Placencia Island lies just off the town,

 & provides  protection from East winds.

 

We anchored East of the town dock, West of Placencia Island

in 25 foot of water.

 

 

We dinghied in to a rickety dinghy dock

beside a BBQ chicken stand.

 

 

We found a decent beach near the town dock.

 

 

And walked up the famous, mile long sidewalk.

They say the sidewalk took 30 years to build.

It's a main thoroughfare

with neat houses & beachy restaurants along the way.

 

 

 

 

Lunch at Barefoot Bar was excellent.

The food was good, the service was good,

the view was great & the prices reasonable.

 

 

There's a dusty road through town,

with several restaurants & grocery stores.

 

 

Had an iced coffee at "Above Ground"

appropriately located on the second floor.

 

 

Bought some fruit & veggies.

 

 

Thought we might get some local info at the tourism office,

but never found it open for business.

 

 

Walked to the Post Office, next to Social Security.

Luckily they were open,

as we had to mail something back to the US.

Hope it makes it!

 

 

And here's the famous TuttiFruitti Gelatteria.

Rave reviews from most cruisers,

but we were not really enthralled.

 

 

SE winds brought quite a swell into the anchorage.

It was really rolling!

So we decided to try our luck going up the lagoon

to nearby Robert's Grove.

 

It's a somewhat shallow, tricky route,

but the marina emailed us some waypoints

& away we went.

Depths were mostly 6.7 to 7.1 feet

but we saw as low as 5.6

 

 

Robert's Grove Marina is really nice.

Right now they are offering sailboats a bargain price.

They are currently expanding, adding condos alongside the docks.

That's the only negative:

a bit noisy & dusty.

 

 

Our slip is side-tie & facing East

- perfect for ventilation.

Also, no boats hemming us in on either side.

Nice.

 

 

The marina is part & parcel of Robert's Grove Inn, across the road.

Marina guests have full resort privileges

- more on that later.

 

 

But first, we had some serious business to do:

extend our Belize visa for another month.

So it's Hokey Pokey time:

water taxi to Independence (Mango Creek).

 

 

Rode over with some cruisers that we'd met

(on similar mission)

as well as some local regulars.

 

 

The boat ride was interesting:

a bit bumpy & a bit of spray, but fast.

Then we cabbed it to nearby Big Creek to do our stuff.

That's  Margaret & Deb exiting the Immigration office.

 

 

We caught the 11 am Hokey Pokey back to Placencia.

Another cab ride back to the marina

& we're good for another month in Belize.

Wish they'd give you 3 months at a time.

 

 

Now let's go check out the resort.

The queen sure looks happy!

 

 

And I'm lovin' it too.

 

 

 

 

3 swimming pools.

 

 

Coconuts on the beach.

 

 

Palapa at end of dock

Happy hour bar 4-6 pm.

 

 

The dining room (seen from palapa) is excellent.

 

 

 

The scenery is fabulous.

And did I mention the unlimited beach towels?

 

 

While at the marina, we met a great Canadian couple, Ralph & Cheryl.

They sailed Fortuitous,

their immaculate 41 ft. Islander Freeport

all the way from Vancouver,

transiting the Panama Canal.

 

 

Well, I think the queen really likes it here.

 

 

And I could get used to it myself!