Sections of the two Puente de Rico bridges were swept away in the May 30 flood. Residents of Rico and surrounding villages now have to cross the river via lanchas.

Over a month has passed, but Los Amates victims in the May 30 flooding of the Rio Motagua are still in need of assistance in terms of clothing, food and construction materials.

While at least 10 Los Amates homes were completely swept away as the Rio Motagua swelled beyond its banks, many others were filled with water and mud, destroying the contents. Approximately 284 area homes were reported damaged.

A woman rescues materials from the river bank.

See related story of the May 30 flooding of Rio Motagua Here .  

Jane and I visited Los Amates this past Monday with Lupe, wife of Dennis Gulck of Denny’s Beach. Lupe and Dennis have a home in Los Amates which is located a short distance uphill from the river bank. Situated on higher ground, their home was spared from the flood waters, but many of their neighbors lost everything.

One neighbor, living in a makeshift house of wooden poles and corrugated sheeting, asked us for a camping tent – or even a tarp or plastic sheeting to help keep her children dry.

Story and photos by encor
Living in Guatemala is awesome.  There is always something happening that captures the imagination and encourages one to enjoy the sights and sounds, no matter which part of the country you are visiting. 

With the coming of 2012 and the calendar discussions, there is currently much more focus on the Mayans, which brings me to this latest adventure story, where I connected with the guardians of the rain forest. 

I was fortunate to be included in a small group of women  who recently went into the northernmost Guatemalan state of Peten, where the ancient Mayan site of Tikal is still being explored.  This was the message I received, the one that sucked me in:

Garden Club teachers

OUR MISSION 
In and around the beautiful lakeside village of El Remate, we will be working with local women to build and maintain raised bed vegetable gardens for the care and feeding of their families. Our mission is to empower ourselves while empowering others, all of us discovering more about our own gifts and greatness in the process.

BACKGROUND 
Much of rural Guatemala still suffers from the holocaust and 35-year civil war  about which many of us knew little. This is one of those dark, desperate corners of the world where the only light shines from the sun and in the hearts of the people.

s/v Good Time Charlie

Any errors etc are mine as I have reconstructed the sequence of events from my notes whilst listening to the NW Caribbean net

Bob Curren and Good Time Charlie

For those of you who met Robert (Bob) Curren last year in the river, the following are extracts from my notes from the NW Caribbean Single Side Band Net.

On Saturday morning 26th June Bob reported to the NW Caribbean Net that he was in heavy seas @ 22.32.857N 88.41.852W about 50 miles from Isla Mujeres.

Both his Jib and mainsail were badly damaged and not useable, his engine had stalled and he had a problem with his propeller shaft. We asked if he wanted the coast Guard notified at this point but he said not at this time

Bob Curren

We reported the situation to the Ham MMM net on 14,300 to make them aware of the situation

That evening he reported the engine was running again and he was about 66 miles from Isla Mujeres.  Queen Mary, who is in Isla Mujeres arranged to keep a watch on VHF Channel 16.

On Sunday morning 27th June Bob reported he was @ 22.05N 86.32.5W about 50 miles from Isla Mujeres. He was having problems with dirty fuel probably caused by the high seas and his 12 Volt auxiliary fuel pump he needed to bleed the engine had packed up and he was going to see if he had a spare on board.

On Monday morning 28th June, Queen Mary reported that he had heard from the port captain that Bob had been found in the water swimming off Isla Contoy. s/v Good Time Charlie is presumed lost.

Bob was alive and OK and was being held for Medical examination. (A normal procedure in these cases)

On Tuesday Morning 29th June. Queen Mary reported that they had no further news and were going to see the Port Captain. Queen Mary were not sure where Bob was (Isla Contoy, Isla Mujeres or Cancun?) Since then Queen Mary has not been able to find out any more information but will keep trying.

John and Sheila
s/v Triumphant

(Editor's Note: The information below was received by email from s/v Lorelei)

Dear Patty and Gary:

This morning I woke up in a hotel room in Isla Mujeres in Mexico surprised as I was expecting to wake in my cabin aboard Good Time Charlie. It was then that I realized that Good Time Charlie was no more..

After the worst passage in eight years, gale force winds, torn sails, engine power only, great fatigue, with auto pilot failure and hand steering for twenty hours, I expected to land in Isla Mujeres only thirteen miles away.

South bound three miles off Isla Contoy the engine stopped. The water was sixty feet and I would not be able to anchor to avoid drifting North in the 3 knot current. I thought I can fix the fuel clog in less than an hour and began to do so. In forty five minutes I was finishing up with only fifteen minutes more to flush the fuel system and start the engine,

I felt a bump and went up to see what it was. I was shocked to see the reef off Isla Contoy at the starboard side. The current taking me North and the twenty five knot wind from the East put my boat on the reef! 

In a minute we dragged across the reef on our side and crashed into a very rocky shore. another minute of violent tossing and twisting we took on water over the cabin sole.

Marie Sharp's products now at RAM Marina

Made in Belize, all of Marie Sharp’s hot sauces use the hot and flavorful habanero pepper.

Her jams and jellies are made with fresh all natural ingredients. Nothing artificial. No preservatives or other additives are used.

Hot sauces

Due to weather & growing conditions crops vary in color and texture and even slightly in flavor so you will see a variation in different batches of sauce.

Marie does not resort to pastes or artificial colors to make all batches look the same. All natural means just that, all natural.

Marie Sharp

She was overwhelmed with positive feedback and encouragement when neighbors and friends tasted them. That was when she decided to turn it into a family business.

Initially, Marie Sharp started their production in a small kitchen with help from relatives and an employee. With a determined business frame of mind, it has grown to over 20 employees in their factory in Dangriga, Belize, manufacturing for the local and international markets.  

Coconut Spread

Hot sauces include Exotic Sauce, Sweet Habanero Pepper Sauce, Mild Sauce, Hot Sauce, Green Habanero, Orange Pulp Habanero, Grapefruit Habanero, Fiery Hot, Belizean Heat, No Wimps Allowed, and Beware.

Jams and jellies include Pineapple Jam, Guava Jam, Coconut Spread, Green Mango Chutney, Mango Jam, Papaya Jam, Banana Jam, Orange Marmalade, Red Habenero Pepper Jelly, Green Habanero Pepper Jelly, Tropical Mixed Fruit Jelly.

Convenience Store Hours
Monday – Sunday = Seven Days
8:00Am – 8:00Pm = Seven Days

E-mail = This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone = 7930-5408

Marie Sharp ahora en Marina de RAM

Marie Sharp ahora en Marina de RAM

Caliente las salsas

Marie Sharp

Estaba abrumada con la respuesta positiva y el aliento cuando los vecinos y amigos de las probó. Fue entonces cuando decidió convertirlo en un negocio familiar.

En un principio, Marie Sharp comenzó su producción en una pequeña cocina con la ayuda de familiares y un empleado. Con un marco de negocios de la mente determinada, ha crecido a más de 20 empleados en su fábrica en Dangriga, Belice, la industria manufacturera para los mercados locales e internacionales.

Propagación de coco

Salsas calientes incluyen exóticos Sauce, Sweet Habanero salsa de pimienta, salsa suave, Enchilada, Habanero Verde, Naranja Pulpa Habanero, Habanero pomelo, picantes, Calor de Belice, No se permiten los débiles, y ten cuidado.

Mermeladas y jaleas incluyen Piña Jam, mermelada de guayaba, coco Esparza, Green Mango Chutney, mermelada de mango, papaya Jam, Jam Banana, Mermelada de Naranja, Rojo Habenero Pepper Jelly, Green Pepper Jelly Habanero, Mezcla de frutas tropicales Jelly.

E-mail = This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone = 7930-5408

Blowing out the candles

Olga was treated to birthday cake, a pinata, many toasts and at least two dunkings in the river -- a Guatemalan custom.

She is the very popular, always smiling, waitress at Las Mexicanas.

Feliz cumpleano, Olgita!

Got it!

Pinata lessons

PICKUP STUFFING -- The land trip from Tocoa to Batalla. How many people can you get in a Toyota pickup? Well, 20 in this case 17 in the back and 3 in the front. Still room for one more!

 By DANNIE MILLER m/v X Isle

  The region east of Trujillo, and towards the Nicaraguan border is generally referred to as La Moskitia, or the Mosquito Coast. It is very sparsely populated, inaccessible by land, and home to the largest tract of virgin tropical rain forest in the North American hemisphere.
  A good part of this area is protected by law under one of five distinct zones: The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, the Tawahka Anthropological Reserve, the Patuca National Park, the Cruta Caratasca Wildlife Refuge and the Rus Rus Biological Reserve.
   The area is populated by several indigenous groups, of which the Pech, Tawahka, Garifuna, Miskitos, and native Mestizos are the most predominant.