Wednesday afternoon we went to the bar and awaited the other cruisers – as we’d put out an open invitation to play boules on the morning net.   They are always advertising Mexican Train Dominoes / Yoga etc so we thought we’d add something new to the mix.   Well, of course, the allotted time of 3pm came and went and nobody showed….apart from Charlie and Saundra.   So I played with Charlie and Saundra played with Richard and we had a knockout competition……and amazingly I was on the winning team.   Woo hoo!   It was very competitive and great fun – although we had to constantly shoo away the large iguana who had a nest in the middle of our court and quite fancied running off with the orange coloured jack LOL.

Afterwards we retired to the pool for a bobbing session – and were joined by loads of other  guests in the hotel / marina – and had a great time before retiring to bed for an early night.  

Thursday morning and we were up early but sadly the diving was cancelled.   The wind had increased which had created large waves in the channel again….   So we caught up with the Richmond family – we’d been diving with Alden a few days earlier – and offered to take them out snorkelling in the dink.    So we had a lazy morning and later on we dropped dink, picked them up, and went out to the reef.   I’d forgotten to pick up my prescription mask from the dive shop so I was the dinghy monitor and sat around bobbing in the sun on anchor while the others went off.     The currents were strong and they had fun although slightly marred by the huge numbers of people around….

Back to the marina and we cleaned up and headed to the pool for a while before retiring on board for an early night.

Friday morning still no diving so we went food shopping again….   Then we had a lazy time on board before heading over to Oscars for cruisers night….which is organised by the guy who runs the cruisers net in the morning.   We got a beer – tried out the huge wooden carved chairs – and wandered down the dock.  

Well it was busy and we loved Precious the boat dog….but we got caught with a couple of not so golden oldies who decided to forcefully impart their superior knowledge on us…..   

We agreed to stay with the group for pizza night but chose a table away from these two curmudgeons and spent a nice evening with the family from Sunny Ray and enjoyed a surprisingly good pizza too!

Saturday morning we were up early and went to the dive shop – and decided to defer diving until Monday now….  Fingers crossed the wind will reduce….    We cleaned Morphie up and then went for a couple of hours by the pool – and I’m being very careful walking towards the bar as the wooden planks on the docks seem to be deteriorating day by day – certainly do not want to fall through!!!

At the pool we were entertained by the usual iguanas who live here – and we had some fun splashing him as he seemed to like the cool(ish) water on his back…..   

We returned to Morphie having used the shore showers to clean up and I started preparing the food – Hank and Mike were coming over for bangers and mash with onion gravy – and then they arrived, laden with cold beer….   So we had a very social evening – they enjoyed their taste of UK food (although the sausages were Argentinian and the potatoes Mexican) – and we were having a bit of a giggle.  Not realising we were being loud until Saundra and Charlie knocked on the hull – so we invited them on board – and ended up having a bit of a dark and stormy party which lasted until the early hours!!!  And of course no photos……   Must try harder LOL.

This morning – Sunday – and we have woken to a very cloudy and stormy day – with rain falling intermittently and the odd crack of thunder in the distance.  

So we’ve spent our time productively by organising our haul out in the Rio Dulce, Guatemala – and had paid a deposit so we have a secured place.   Phew….pleased to have that sorted.  We also sent a reservation request to El Cid Marina in Puerto Morelos which is on the mainland below Cancun and above Puerto Adventuras.   This marina gives us access to the hotel facilities there as well as complimentary shuttle buses up and down the coat so we can do a bit more exploring.  

We are not planning on visiting the famous Mayan ruins in this area as we’ve done that before while on holiday – but we haven’t been here for a very long time so it will be interesting to see how the coastline has developed, especially as the last time we visited was just after Hurricane Wilma which devastated the area.   Fingers crossed they can fit us in – this coast line is a national park area so no anchoring allowed – definitely looks like this is going to be the season for marina dwelling!   If they can accommodate us we hope to be leaving here on Wednesday for the 30 mile run.

Later on today we are heading off to Oscars – the pizza venue – as they can fill our gas (propane) tanks apparently.    After that I was hoping for a beach afternoon but this weather  looks set for the day so probably not…..   In the meantime we are being entertained by the pelican who has been fed by the local fisherman with some fish innards and is being bombed by the large numbers of frigate birds that are around at the minute.  

Interestingly enough the seagulls appeared to have moved on with very few sightings at the minute.  Fingers crossed for decent weather for our final dives here tomorrow in Isla Mujeres – not looking too good right now.

Bye for now

Jan