FRONTERAS, GUATEMALA 5/15 - 5/22/2018

I arrived in Guatemala two weeks ago yesterday. Below are some photos and observations regarding the Catamaran Hotel and Marina, which is where Starship is, as well as of Fronteras, Guatemala, the nearest town.

Other stuff:

1. Despite the cruisers that come here for hurricane season, this really isn't a tourist area at all. So it's a pretty cheap place to live and there are quite a few expats. I think a person could easily eat out and drink on $15/day. This area also provides good access to many of the places there are to see in Guatemala and Honduras.

2. It's really been interesting spending more time with hard core cruisers. They're mostly couples and I would say the average cruiser is in their mid to late 50's. Some have been cruising for 30 years and there are a few just getting started, but I would say on average they've been doing it around five years. They almost all know each other and many will cruise together for long periods of time, go there own ways and then meet up again. They have great stories and are very helpful.

3. Once cruisers get to this corner of the Caribbean, they've usually done the eastern side already, so are either going back to the States or through the Panama Canal. For the most part, it sounds like they like the costs and the people here in the western Caribbean better.

4. Because of the low cost of experienced labor, this is a great place to have boat work done and almost every boat is doing something. I've had/am having, the entire exterior of the boat cleaned and waxed; the teak toe rails refinished; the stainless steel cleaned; and tarps made that will protect it from the sun and keep it cooler when at a dock or anchor for longer periods of time 

5. For most of the past week, the temperatures have been pushing 100, with humidity in the 90's too. It's been brutal.

This is a view from the Rio Dulce of the Catamaran Hotel and Marina. There's room for maybe 30 boats. That is if most of them don't plan on moving for 5-6 months, which is pretty much the case. There isn't really a hotel, but they do have 34 little cabins. As you can see, some of them are over the water..

This is Steve, Shanique and Reg. They are also docked at Catamaran for the hurricane season. We met all three in Cay Caulker, Belize. Steve is from Council Bluffs, IA, Shanique from Jamaica and Reg is from Ontario. I've also met up with people who were at the same marina as we were in Isla Mujeras, as well as at the same anchorage in Roatan. It's really a pretty small world. Actually there's a guy from New Hampton, IA, here, so at least 10% of the boat owners at Catamaran Marina are from Iowa. Go figure.

This is Starship's home for hurricane season, which runs from June 1st to the end of November. In the entire Caribbean this is only place between 12 degrees north and a latitude around the Carolinas, where  insurance companies will cover boats if damaged by a named storm. 

View from Starship looking right. There are probably a dozen marinas here, ranging in size from 10 to 30 slips, plus boats at anchor, which means there's probably between 200 and 300 boats sitting out hurricane season on the river. Most of their crews go back to the States, Canada or Europe for a couple weeks to six months. 

Looking left. For $225/month at Catamaran Marina, you get a slip, potable water; wifi; access to electricity, though it costs extra; showers; toilets; swimming pool; two bars; three restaurants; and a lot of socializing.

This is the only currency used at the marina's bars and restaurants. You buy them at the front desk using Quetzales (Q), the Guatemalan currency. So seeing how each bill is worth 5 Q,and there is 7.5 Q per $1 US, my rum and cokes sell for $2 each. 

They have a nice pool with a palapa bar next to it. However, it doesn't get used much until later in the day, when there's a little shade. Most of the boaters get together there daily, from late afternoon through early evening.

Just one of the outdoor eating areas. Gives you an idea how nice the grounds are.

This is a typical cabin. They just have a bedroom and bathroom, along with a porch on the back. I'm going to stay in one the last night I'm here, so I can bug bomb the boat before leaving it for four months.

Other than the pool side bar, this is the main one. They have movie nights; card and domino tournaments; etc. All of which, are organized by the boaters. The cruisers also put together off-site activities, like zip-lining, movie nights at other marinas, going to various restaurants, trips to shop in Morales, to see water falls, Tikal, Antiqua, Copan, Lake Atitlan, Livingston, etc. There is always something to do.

This grocery boat comes by every Tuesday and Saturday morning. It goes to all the marinas, but switches up where they go first and last, so the same marina doesn't always get stuck with what's left. Seeing how Catamaran Marina is actually on an island and we can only get to town via dinghy or a launch, this is pretty convenient.

Brian with Xcel Energy sent this basket down with Nita. So to advance Xcel's outreach to Central America, I gave it to Marvin. He thought it was pretty cool.

Marvin is one of several locals who stopped by the boat within a day or two of me getting here. They were wondering what work I may want done (i.e., cleaning, waxing, sanding, varnishing, etc.). Seeing how there isn't much for roads parallel to the river, dug out canoes are a pretty common way of getting around. Note the Xcel bag in the bow.

From my dock I can see this boat house being built. Pretty interesting.

Another dugout.

Quite a contrast, nice ski boats and only a few hundred yards away, locals using dugout canoes as there only transportation..

Trish and Tom of Double Up (the boat I sailed with from Roatan) invited me to go to dinner with them, as well as two other cruising couples. This is a photo of Dream Catcher, the restaurant we went to, which can only be reached by boat. In this case, they sent a launch for us. It's a very cool place, and as it got dark you could hear and see holler monkeys. They were within 30 yards of the restaurant.

Edwin and Margo from the Netherlands, Tom and Trish from Seattle, and Sabine and Jan from Germany and Denmark, as we're leaving Dream Catcher's. I was warned lunch with Europeans might take several hours, but FIVE HOURS?  Thank goodness there was plenty to drink. Since then I have run into all six at a movie night, as well as Sabine and Jan zip-lining.

This is the only bridge that crosses the Rio Dulce. It is very heavily used by tractor trailers, who all seem to jake break. Very loud and hard on the bridge..

One of the many unique vessels here. And like everywhere we've been, there are a lot of boats that will never sail again.

When going to town, most all of the cruisers tie up at Bruno's dock. Bruno's is one of handful of good bars/restaurants that really cater to cruisers.

This is Bruno's the Sunday before last, when they hosted a swap meet for cruisers. I was warned not to post any photos, since I guess there are some people down here who don't want to be found.

Many of the cruisers are involved in several charities, including an orphanage, home for seniors, animal shelter and Pass It On. Pass It On had this display at the swap meet. They primarily focus on getting solar powered electricity to the indigenous communities that otherwise have no access to electricity. These villages are often located a couple hour walk from the nearest road.

Sayde obviously didn't want her photo taken when we first met, but since then I've become a fan of her chocolate covered donuts. It's funny to see her remove the basket, sit down on a bar stool and pull out her smart phone. It seems like almost everyone in these countries has a smart phone.

A few of the hundreds of tractor trailers that use this bridge every day.

This is the main and really only drag in Fronteras. There are some side streets, but it looks like they only go a block or two. A lot of the shops come all the way out to the road, which is relatively narrow. So when two semis meet, there isn't a lot of room for error.

It's mostly agricultural related goods being hauled through town, from cattle to ranch supplies to crops to timber.

Fronteras is a very busy place and what you can't buy here you can get at Morales, which is a 40 minute bus ride away. There are a lot of electronic stores here for some reason, and they have significantly lower prices than the States..

Unlike Belize and Honduras, where there are a lot of small poorly stocked grocery stores. Despensa Familiar is the only grocery store here, and it's really pretty good. I've been told it's owned by Walmart.

Narrow, well stocked aisles.

At the check out line. This is on the border of cattle country, so there are a lot of cowboy hats, but not so many boots..

I have not developed an appetite for any of this.

There's good access to locally grown fruits and vegetables.

This is the water taxi terminal. Cruisers don't use them much, because we have dinghies, unless we're going some where as part of a larger group. However, that's the only way many of the locals get in and out of town, often from miles away.