Seek local guide for Belize

[amSteve]

My wife and I will spend a week bareboating a Moorings monohull beginning Feb 1. We are arriving a few days prior to departure and would like to arrange a tour of the the suggested cruising range for sake of general orientation. We don't feel a great need to sail outside the barrier reef and feel that we should be able to gain a good enough familiarity with anchorages/moorings within range of Placencia to stay out of trouble.

[belizesailor]

Things change in Belize, guides who were good to work with last month may not be this month. I suggest asking Moorings for a current recommendation.

I havent lived in Placencia for a while, but if Moorings doesnt come thru for you then I can ask friends there for a current guide recommendation.

Freya Raucher's cruising guide provides excellent coverage of the area. If you follow her routes (and mostly ignore the inaccurate info on your chart plotter) then you can stay out of trouble.

You can also find my supplental notes on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XV...uEL&ref=plSrch


Eyeball navigation, and a good pair of polarized sun glasses, is critical.

I used work as a charter captain in Belize and was based out of Placencia so am very familiar with the area and happy to answer any questions you have.

[amSteve]

Thanks -- I've reached out to Moorings. Hoping to followup with 2 questions:

Will we be able to rely on weather forecasts? Here in the midwest we know we can't and more than once have had to re-anchor in the middle of the night to change protection. Hoping to avoid that there.

I have Freye's 3rd edition - I think I see that current is up to 5th edition. Should i worry about finding the more current one?

thx

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by amSteve

Thanks -- I've reached out to Moorings. Hoping to followup with 2 questions:

Will we be able to rely on weather forecasts? Here in the midwest we know we can't and more than once have had to re-anchor in the middle of the night to change protection. Hoping to avoid that there.

I have Freye's 3rd edition - I think I see that current is up to 5th edition. Should i worry about finding the more current one?

thx

Weather. Keep in mind that forecast models like GFS are pretty good offshore away from land influence, but not so good near coastal or inland. But, if you know how to apply a little local coastal weather knowledge then you can rely on that adjusted forecast much more. I will paste more detail on this is my next message.

Re-anchoring. Certainly nothing that makes Belize immune to that issue, but you can mitigate it some: regardless of what the forecast says, if there is a cold front coming, especially a strong one, move to an all weather anchorage (hint: most in Belize are not). Fronts will likely spawn squalls, some of which can be quite strong and have winds from any direction.

Freya's routes havent changed over the editions, so you are fine relying on those, but the newer one has GPS waypoints to supplement the routes.

[belizesailor]

More detail on local weather:

"
Weather

Like most places, Belize has certain weather characteristics which are distinct to its location. This section assumes you have a good understanding of marine weather in general and focuses on the unique details of weather characteristics which are unique to Belize.

Land and Sea Breeze Effect

Along the Belizean coast a sea breeze of about 15 knots from the E-NE typically blows from about 2PM - 6PM. This is assuming there are not other large systemic weather pattern influences which disrupt this effect. Around 6PM the wind speed tends to increase slightly and then begin to gradually die off as the sun sets and the land begins to cool. By early evening the sea breeze effect is generally diminishing and prevailing systemic winds will dominate. Note however, that the closer you are to the mainland the more the Coriolis Effect and friction of the land will influence the wind direction. These influences will cause the wind to back. The closer to land, the more it will back. For example, if you are out at Ranguana Cay (about 20 miles from the mainland) then this effect will be minimal and you will get the prevailing systemic winds. However, if you are passing near Monkey River Town along the coast then the winds will be backed significantly. Systemic winds will prevail until the wee hours of the morning. At about 4AM a light land breeze will begin. This land breeze is typically very light from the NW (again -- other systemic influences excluded). Along the southern coast of Belize (Placencia area and south), this breeze will hold until about 9AM, then the land-effect winds will go calm. They will remain calm until about mid-day.

Further north, around Belize City, the land and sea breeze effects behave differently. Specifically, they tend to be more constant without the pronounced calm period which you get further south. The early AM land breeze tends to be a slightly stronger and more sustained, but still from the NW. The transition to the sea breeze in the afternoon is more of a gradual velocity and direction shift which is not interrupted by a calm period. The sea breeze direction is NE. So, you can sail out of Belize City on a light land breeze early in the morning and then sail back in on a stronger sea breeze in the afternoon.

Back when Belizean fishermen did most of their work under sail they would use these daily cycles to get to and from the fishing grounds. They would leave the coast in the early morning hours and slowly sail out toward the reef. They would then return using the sea breeze. There are still a few old guys around who remember this and they are great sources of local weather and navigation knowledge.

Weather Forecasts

A summary of weather forecast sources relevant to Belize are discussed below. There are many weather resources available on the Internet which might prove useful to you. Discussing them all is beyond the scope of these notes.

NOAA synoptic charts. Available online, www.noaa.com, or via RadioFAX broadcasts. These forecast products show synoptic (large scale overview) conditions. They are quite good for offshore conditions. However, they are not as good for near shore conditions, because they do not do as good of a job of taking into account local weather influences such as land effect. There are a new generation of models under development which do focus specifically on forecasting detailed localized weather (search for “mesomodel forecasting” for more information). However, these are still in development and currently focus on very small specific areas – none of which are near Belize.

Northwest Caribbean Net. A regularly scheduled SSB radio net run by and for cruisers. Weather information for the region is repeated and discussed.

Love FM. Usually broadcasts the weather during their regular news programming but not always.

Belize Meteorological Office. Sometimes reads the forecast on Love FM and VHF 16. Typically this is just a verbatim reading of the NOAA forecast.

Chris Parker covers the NW Caribbean in his broadcasts. See www.mwxc.com for more details.


Applying Local Land Effect

You will often hear complaints by cruisers in Belize that the NOAA weather forecasts are often wrong. However, this is really a case of misunderstanding the scope of the NOAA forecasts and how to integrate those with local Belize land effects.

It is actually pretty easy to apply knowledge of local Belizean land effect to the synoptic forecast. The closer your are to the Belizean mainland the more friction from the land, combined with the Coriolis Effect, will affect the wind. Specifically, this effect will cause the wind to “back” (shift to the left). Along Belizean Coast, this will result in westerly shift to the forecast winds. This shift will be more pronounced closer to shore and less pronounced further from shore. Once you are well away from the mainland (20+ miles) the land effect is for all practical purposes nil and the NOAA forecast wind speeds and direction will be much more accurate.

Closer to shore, the velocity forecast tends to be reasonably accurate, but the direction is not. Apply a westerly shift (counter clockwise if you will) of about 10-15 degrees and this corrected direction will be much closer to what you experience on the water. The closer to shore the greater the correction. In the evening, as the land breeze fills in, this correction factor will be greater. Potentially 30 degrees or more as the example below shows.

So, let's take a real world example of this land effect. I am sitting at anchor on the western side St. George's Caye as I write this. A weak cold front is approaching the area and the forecast winds are N. If I apply a 10 degree westerly correction then I would expect to see winds from about 350°. In fact, the winds I am seeing here in the harbor are from about 345°. The velocity forecast, of about 5-10 knots is, fortunately, correct because St. George's western anchorage, as many in the cayes, is open to the W-NW. By late evening the wind direction had shifted to about 330° due to the influence of the land breeze. This is a full 30 degrees more westerly than forecast and would have made for a very uncomfortable night had the wind speeds been higher.

This land induced westerly shift is most important when cold fronts are approaching. Many anchorages in the cayes do not have good protection from the NW-SW. So, if the synoptic forecasts call for winds from the N and you then apply a 10 degree westerly shift you are going to have winds from about 350 degrees. Also, stronger cold fronts will almost certainly bring with them intense squalls which can pack strong winds (I've seen gusts in these squalls up to about 60 knots) from potentially any direction. So, these factors combined mean that when a strong cold front is approaching Belize, the best strategy is to go find a hole to hide in. Most of the better protected anchorages are in lagoons along the coast, but a few cayes do have better protected anchorages. For better protected anchorages in the cayes, see Pelican Cayes, Lark Caye Range, Tobacco Range (not Tobacco Caye), and Twin Cayes.

Bayamas. A “Bayama” is a strong SW wind which develops ahead of significant change in the weather. This can make some otherwise well protected anchorages, like Placencia Harbor, untenable. If the wind goes SW, pay attention, something big is coming...in the summer months this is likely tropical weather (Tropical Storm or Hurricane).

Seasonal Weather

Belize's location on the Yucatan Peninsular and proximity to North America mean that its weather is significantly influenced by land masses and by strong cold fronts which push down from North America.

Peak tourist season is during the winter months (Dec-Feb), but these are not the best months for weather in Belize because cold fronts may pass through the area frequently.

Spring (March - June) has the best & most settled weather. Cold fonts usually subside by, or during, March and hurricane season has not yet begun. Although June can be a transitional month with increasing evening squalls and maybe early season tropical activity, otherwise the weather is fine.

July - November is hurricane season. The prevailing weather tends to be squally at night, but beautiful during the day. However, keep a close eye on the weather in case there is a threat of tropical weather (tropical storm or hurricane). Early season activity is not likely in Belize, but activity increases late in the season. Early season hurricanes tend to form in the Atlantic, move Westerly, and then curve NW. This Coriolis Effect induced turn means they rarely affect Belize. However, late in the season they can form just N of Honduras and very quickly become a very real threat to Belize. If a hurricane threatens don't take any chances with your life. Take definitive, conservative, action very early.

The prevailing trade winds also shift seasonally. During the winter months, November thru January the probability of N-NE winds is near 100%. By February the likelihood of SE winds increases slightly and this probability continues to increase into the summer months. This seasonal trend can make getting N from the region a challenge in the winter months. The usual strategy is to wait for a cold front and its associated wind shift.

"

[amSteve]

Boy, sure do appreciate the weather details but, to be honest, even more the picture someone at anchor in the tropics while i sit here in the land o' no degrees.

So how much lead time are we getting notice of these early Feb cold fronts?

I'm comfortable that I'll be able to stay on top of day-to-day stuff given that Moorings has a vested interest in me not scratching their boat but again, in the midwest the weather is downright sneaky.

[CaptsWife]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

You can also find my supplental notes on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XV...uEL&ref=plSrch

Page not found.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by amSteve

Boy, sure do appreciate the weather details but, to be honest, even more the picture someone at anchor in the tropics while i sit here in the land o' no degrees.

So how much lead time are we getting notice of these early Feb cold fronts?

I'm comfortable that I'll be able to stay on top of day-to-day stuff given that Moorings has a vested interest in me not scratching their boat but again, in the midwest the weather is downright sneaky.

Assuming good access to info (Moorings in VHF range or Internet service) you will get plenty of lead time. At least 48 hours...major systemic weather is not sneaky in Belize...because it all travels from somewhere else...you can see it coming for days ahead on NOAA surface analysis charts.

Re Internet. Dont know what Moorings provides (if anything) these days, but BTL (local telco) has coverage out to the main barrier reef all the way down to Placencia and a bit further. Farther S, even farther from shore, cell/Internet coverage is dicey to non-existent. Some boats I used to run had MiFi devices aboard and we had good coverage over most of the coast out to the reef.

Hint: at night look toward the mainland and you can see the red flash of the cell towers...orienting your antenna that way can help.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by CaptsWife

Page not found.

Hmmm, maybe the long URL got mangled, try this one:

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/au...sin=B072Y2S8JS

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by amSteve

Boy, sure do appreciate the weather details but, to be honest, even more the picture someone at anchor in the tropics while i sit here in the land o' no degrees.

...

Even better...underway in the Tropics...barreling back into the N entrance of Placenica Harbour.

Dont try that in a Moorings boat (its prohibited)...notice the very shallow water just off the beach...its common for boats without local knowledge running this deep, but narrow cut to sometimes end up parked there...thus Moorings' prohibition.

[belizesailor]

And since you will be there in cold front season, a list of good foul weather anchorages below. Its not an entirely comprehensive list, I need to add a few like No Name Point, Pelican Cayes, Sittee River, Ycacos Lagoon, Deep River...and expand the description, but those listed below give you plenty of options from N to S.


"
Foul Weather Anchorages

In the event that foul weather threatens, there are a number of good foul weather anchorages available. The prudent strategy is to head for one when a strong cold front is forecast, regardless of forecast wind direction.

Brief descriptions of some recommended anchorages below, arranged roughly N to S.

Drowned Cayes. Many bogues, running roughly E-W, divide these cayes and offer a multitude of well protected anchorages and interesting exploring.

Robinson Cayes. Not as well protected as some, but OK as long as wind doesn't go SW. Holding in N anchorage not very good in soupy mud.

Bluefields. Two slightly tricky entrances, but good protection.

Tobacco Caye Range (not Tobacco Caye). Just W of Tobacco Caye. There is a hole in the S end of Tobacco Caye Range that can shelter a few boats. You can also just anchor in the lee if winds are NW-W.

Twin Cayes. Just W of Southwater Caye. Inside Twin Cayes in a very protected lagoon. Entrance is a bit tricky.

Sapodilla Lagoon. Mainland lagoon with an entrance from the E. S of Sittee River. Complete 360 protection and good holding.

Blue Ground Range. W of Twin Cayes. Slow going picking your way across the shoals from Southwater. Entrance from the W is easier.

Lark Caye Range. Just across from Placencia. Very deep (60'), but good holding and protection.

Placencia Harbour. Popular anchorage with good holding. Open to the SE-S. Can get ugly here if winds pick up from this direction. Many move to the N side of the cut or to the back lagoon in that case.

Placencia Lagoon. A little tricky to get into, and best suited to vessels drawing no more than 6', but offers miles of well protected anchoring options. There are also several mangrove holes accessible from the back lagoon in case really ugly weather threatens.

Big Creek. The mangrove creek that exits Big Creek to the W and extends for miles, offers many very well protected anchoring options.

New Haven Bay. Way south by Ycacos lagoon and Snake Cayes. Excellent holding and full protection from almost every direction, except for partial protection from the S-SW.

Rio Dulce, Guatemala. If serious weather threatens then run for the Rio, the ultimate hurricane hole in the region.
"



Check this list w Moorings, they may not want you using some of these due to entrance issues (Sittee River above for example will NOT be on their list due to a tricky bar crossing...though its a great option because you can go ashore a do land excursions while you wait for weather to clear...used to use it with charter guests for that reason).

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by CaptsWife

Page not found.

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Hmmm, maybe the long URL got mangled, try this one:

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/au...sin=B072Y2S8JS

Did the new link work for you?

[amSteve]

<<I havent lived in Placencia for a while, but if Moorings doesnt come thru for you then I can ask friends there for a current guide recommendation.<<

While generally helpful, Moorings' response has been very generic - suggesting that we 'talk to one of the local tour operators or local fisherman'. So...

We are in Placencia this coming Mon-Wed before the charter starts Thurs and would like to arrange a day with a local guide who can take us out for a combo snorkel/recon to the cruising grounds.

Thanks again kindly for the prior feedback. Looking at current forecast it appears be the typical weather pattern for this time of year. The prevailing trades seem to be prevailing.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by amSteve

<<I havent lived in Placencia for a while, but if Moorings doesnt come thru for you then I can ask friends there for a current guide recommendation.<<

While generally helpful, Moorings' response has been very generic - suggesting that we 'talk to one of the local tour operators or local fisherman'. So...

We are in Placencia this coming Mon-Wed before the charter starts Thurs and would like to arrange a day with a local guide who can take us out for a combo snorkel/recon to the cruising grounds.

Thanks again kindly for the prior feedback. Looking at current forecast it appears be the typical weather pattern for this time of year. The prevailing trades seem to be prevailing.

Thats unfortunate, drop by Splash dive shop in the village, good operation, they can set you up or refer you to someone specific. Also chat with Allen (owner) or manager on duty at Paradise Hotel. Reagan & Yoli at Yoli's Bar can also hook you up or make a good recommendation. Yoli's is a popular hang out for cruisers right on the harbor...a place you should visit regardless.

Paradise Hotel and Yolis are right next to each other on the harbor, when facing the big new fancy docks in the village, turn to you right, head down the path past Jay Birds bar...keep walking down the harbor front beach for a few hundred meters and you will be there.

Paradise Hotel also rents kayaks if you want to paddle around the harbor and maybe back lagoon to get oriented. I do NOT recommend you try to explore the nearby cayes across the Inner Channel in these kayaks, they are just sit on tops and really not up to the afternoon sea breeze and seas, but are fine for paddling around the harbor and lagoon.

You will be in Placencia in peak season, normally anyone doing this would be heading out with a boat load of tourists, so just to prepare you...this would likely be an inexpensive outting. A good idea though I think.

[belizesailor]

That should read "...NOT an inexpensive outting..." above.