Safe in the Rio Dulce

Thanks to all who've emailed us about Hurricane Dean coming our way. We think we are safe here in the Rio Dulce, 20 miles inland and about 250 mile south of the projected storm track. But everyone here is watching the system closely and preparing extra lines in case we get high winds. On the morning net, a 'weather guy' (who has good internet access) has been keeping us all up to day.

We expect to see some boats from the Honduras and Belize coastal waters in the Rio today, as the people holding out until a storm comes, finally run for cover.

We are continuing working on our 'projects'. Dave is still working on the watermaker, and our friends should arrive to day with a suitcase full of extra bits and pieces for us. Ron and Dorothy were even kind enough to make a special trip to Publix to pick up a couple of packages of Grits for Dave.

My canvas work is going slowly. Partly because rebuilding is harder than starting fresh, and partly because there are so many other distractions here... social events and other things. But I've put the pedal to the metal, because it would be really nice to have our cockpit enclosed if we get days of rain out of Hurricane Dean.

One of the 'distractions' is that things that would take a half an hour in the States take half a day here.

For example, Dave needed a couple of simple plumbing fittings. In the States we would jump in the car and run down to Lowes or Home Depot and be back in 30 minutes. Here, we have to dinghy to town, trudge around to the 3 small hardware stores in town, only to find that they don't have what we need. Then we hopped on a 'collectivo', a mini bus, to Morales (a hairy 30 minute drive east), and there trudge around on foot to several slightly bigger hardware stores. It's always an adventure trying
to explain what you are looking for (in Spanish), especially if you don't have one to show them.

Sherry