Sunday-Monday 20-21 Mar, Honduras days 18-19, French Key Harbour: Dinghy tootle, more plumbing battles. and move to Roatan’s West End.
Sunday is our last day in French Harbour. Tomorrow we plan to sail 25nm south to a small group of national park islands collectively called Cayo Cochino which are just 8nm off the mainland coast. We had planned to leave today, but after the marathon in the engine room yesterday, replumbing the hot water tank, I’m not up for rushing off
Instead, we decide to relax and go for a dinghy tootle around the cays where we are anchored. So far we have only looked at them from the boat, without visiting. And along for the ride today are Paul and Babs from Lyra Magna (Moody 44) whom we are becoming very friendly with. We lead the way while they follow in their dinghy.
First, we tootle over the turquoise water of French Key Marine Park, passed Fantasy Island beach then around the back of Coco View resort, which has accommodation huts out in the water over the reef. Like many resorts this one has a diving theme with several dive boats moored behind the resort.
We take a walk around the neat gardens then head over to Fantasy Island. But here we are told the island is strictly for hotel guests only, and the marina bar, which we were hoping to see, is closed today. So last stop is French Key. This cay is split in half with 2 venues, one each side of a shallow sandy pool. Both sides clearly set up for cruise liner type guests. But today we seem to have the place to ourselves, and we sit in the shady restaurant having drinks and snacks.
And that was pretty much the extent of our day.
On Saturday morning we are up early because I want to fill and repressure the hot water tank before we set off. It has been almost 48 hours since I re-plumbed all the fittings, which should now be sealed ready for pressure testing. What follows is a sequence of yet more leaks in this apparently never-ending saga with the hot water plumbing. As soon as there is water in the tank, not yet full and no pressure, the flexible hose joining the cold-water to the hot water thermostat mixer is leaking at both ends! The washers inside seem to be fine but it just won’t seal on this second fitting it seems (this was a new hose the last time I re-plumbed the tank, just 6 months ago). I don’t have another hose, but I do have a spare shower-head hose that miraculously has the same ½” fittings with rubber seals at each end. And surprise-surprise is does the job!
Next attempt, I get a bit of water in the tank and decide to pressure up before it is totally full (so not to waste more water). This time one of the small drain valves springs a small leak. Good heavens above – what next? Again, I have a spare and luckily it’s in a place where I can replace it without removing the tank yet again. Finally, I get the tank full, pressured up and apparently no more leaks. Miracles do happen.
In the middle of all this, Paul pops over from Lyra Magna to discuss our trip to the Cayo Islands. They have decided not to go with us and instead head direct to the West End. Comparing notes, I see Paul’s reasoning. While it’s a great day to sail there, the weather once there likely won’t be conducive to exploring with the dinghy. So, in the end, we also change plans and decide to join them in West End of Roatan.
With the tank now fixed, we finally set off at midday, motoring very gently out of French Key harbour following our inward track on the iPad. Once in deeper water, the fishing line goes out, the sails go out, and the generator goes on to make water. A busy few moments.
We port-tack broad reach to level with the western end of Roatan, gybe then broard-reach on the other tack to the SW corner. All the time, I’m popping down below to see the water maker progress and taking a look under the water tank as we heat the water with the emersion.
As we arrive to the island’s corner the wind is up to 17kts and as we turn 90 degrees to starboard to head up the west coast we come hard on the wind. Stupidly, I had underestimated the wind and the dramatic change from gentle broad-reaching to hard on the wind. With full sails, in the first gust Cloudy Bay leans so far over that our monocular fell from the cockpit into the cabin and breaks ☹. Right, that’s it! The sails go away, and we motor the last 2 miles to the reef channel.
Like all these islands, each shore is fringed with a reef, and this sheltered western end is no exception. The channel through to the mooring field is not really a channel as such. More just an area of slightly deeper water over the reef, marked by a very small starboard marker post that would be impossible to spot if we had not been given exact entry coordinates. We have also been told the depth are very tight for us. One boat even said only 2.5m minimum, which is our exact draft. Hence we edge in extremely slowly and briefly see 2.7, 2.6, 2.7m. Pretty tight! Certainly not an entry to be made with any kind of sea running.
Once through we have 3.5-4m as we motor down the mooring field and pick our buoy. Anchoring is not allowed here. Oana does an excellent job of picking up the line, despite only just being able to reach it over the bow. Maybe it should be her driving and me doing the picking up, not the other way around.
With the lines securing us and having dived the mooring to check its security I go down to have one last look under the water tank. And what do you know, we have a drip! For frig-sake!! This time on the inlet pipe fitting where the engine’s hot water enters the tank. So, the 3 new leaks we have today are all associated with fittings and pipes that I didn’t touch during the re-plumbing 2 days ago. Typical. I’m really thinking maybe we should just buy a new tank with 100% new fittings and start from scratch on the complete system… while I still have my sanity!
This long bay on the western end of Roatan has 2 distinct ends. There is West End village to the north and West Bay resorts beach on the southern end, with the mooring field pretty much halfway between the two. In the evening we get together with Babs and Paul and have drinks and walk in West End. Our first impressions are VERY positive. Looks like we can certainly kill a few enjoyable days here.