Amazingly Beautiful Stormy Day Sailing on the Rum Punch 2

Yesterday was my friend John’s birthday and well, this year he’s going to have a hard time beating the last one.   During the past 12 months, he met the love of his life, Dawn, here in San Pedro, Belize, proposed on the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico AND married her on Valentine’s Day at a Mayan temple on the Belize mainland.  (Check out the GORGEOUS wedding here.)

I have a good feeling though about the year coming up – they are kicking it off in July by swimming with the WHALE sharks up by Isla Mujeres, Mexico.  AND…to celebrate his birthday, we were headed out on the Rum Punch 2, one of my favorite sailing vessels.  (Only in Belize am I able to say stuff like “my favorite sailing vessels”…)

And though stormy on and off through the day, it was ABSOLUTELY gorgeous.

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We met George Eiley our captain at the dock.  10am and though beautiful north and south, there was a squall coming in directly over the reef.

Out at the end of the dock.  Our gas station here in San Pedro.  At least the one for the boats…

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The sea is so gorgeous around this dock but with the dark purply clouds?  It really lights up.  I took about 1000 pictures.

George bringing the Rum Punch over…

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We all retreated to Lily’s for breakfast and to wait out this rain storm.  And a little less than an hour later?

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We sailed up north for a bit of snorkeling and swimming.

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And lounging.  SO pretty.

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And then another dark cloud – DARK CLOUD – rolled over the horizon.  The crew started to put the tarp up but COME ON!  It’s SOOOO GORGEOUS.  Another 1000 pictures.

IMG_6987And after about 15 minutes of pelting rain, it passed.  The crew made some ceviche from fish and just caught conch.   And we fed the fish and the birds (EEEEK!) the leftovers.

Frigate birds are cool/super scary.  That hook beak, their huge size and their unabashed greediness is…startling.

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Sorry…it’s like a montage from THE BIRDS.  Scary to me too.IMG_7008

 

Looking for eyeballs to pluck out surely.IMG_7015

Canary Cove, a LUXE and GORGEOUS house up in the area, was hauling out a dock for their guests.  A DOCK!

IMG_7003It anchored at Mexico Rock site.

IMG_7026Not a bad spot to snorkel from…

I was hoping for Tom Cruise but a family unloaded from 2 of CC’s gorgeous meringue yellow boats.

IMG_7028We headed home.  We stopped by Palapa Bar on the way back to weather another storm cloud and then made it down to town JUST in time to see the USA winning vs. Portugal.  HOLY CRAP.  We rushed to the nearest sports bar…

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and unfortunately watched the last few minutes.

What a gorgeous day on the Rum Punch.  Happy Birthday John…many many more to come.

And for many many other trips on this gorgeous old sail boat, check out my posts below.

 

 

 

 

 

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