Central America Cruise 2003

Our ship, the Nantucket Clipper

• The Nantucket Clipper at the dock in Puerto Cortes, Honduras.
• Joanne in our cabin.
• Hanging out in the observation lounge.

Fortress and beach at Omoa, Honduras

• Outside the fort. This fortress lost every fight it was in.
• Piles of cannon balls. The first loss came about because all the cannon balls were the wrong size for the cannon.
• Window on the chapel. The fort is built of coral to withstand cannon shot - the coral crumbles instead of shattering.
• Naturalist Marcel describes a tree in the courtyard of the fort.
• Standing on the walls of the fort.
• Looking at an iguana on top of the fort.
• Playing at the beach at Omoa.

Roatan Island, Honduras

• In port at Coxen's Hole.
• Linda, Greg and Paul tour Carambola, a private botanical garden.
• The garden guide shows us Cacao.
• Our tour guide by different kinds of ginger.
• A "mountain stream" winds through the garden.
• Linda and Greg in the glass bottom boat.
• Fish and coral through the windows.
• Many kinds of coral.
• Another undersea view.
• Relaxing after a strenuous morning of vacationing.
• View of the west end village from the bar.

Rio Dulce river tour, Guatemala

• Fish drying on the dock in the little town at the mouth of the river.
• Pelicans and other birds cover every boat and pier.
• Heading up the river.
• Sheer limestone cliffs drop to the river, covered in jungle.
• The other boat passes a point.
• Trees and foliage of every kind.
• Boat hut and dugout canoes.
• An egret stands watch in a lily-covered backwater.
• Mangroves form a point.
• Marimba players entertain us at our destination, a school supported in part by visitors.
• Listen to the marimba.
• Get something to drink upstairs.
• Guatemalan handicrafts for sale.
• Returning to the ship.

Tikal Mayan ruins, Guatemala

• Linda waves from the "Chicken Bus" that took us to the military airport in Puerto Barrios.
• On the plane.
• The plane on the ground in Flores. The park is almost an hour away by nice tourist bus.
• Map of the park. Our tour starts with complexes Q and R, sticking out to the right from the yellow path furthest northeast. Temple IV, the largest, is on the far west end. The astronomical temple is in the southwest. Temples I and II are in the Grand Plaza in the center, with the apartments to the south, the end of the tour.
• A model of the site, looking from the north.
• Our guide tells us about the east temple in complex Q.
• Unexcavated temple, as found. The mound on the left is an edge of the temple, with scattered altar stones lying among trees in front.
• Heading to Temple IV.
• Steep stairs up Temple IV. Only the top has been excavated.
• From the top of Temple IV you can see the tops of other temples rising above the jungle. Look for this view at the end of the original Star Wars, in exterior shots on the rebel base. 
• Linda makes it back down.
• A coatamundi looking for handouts.
• The astronomical temple, with its flat top. This temple is much older than the others.
• Climbing the temple.
• Temple IV rises above the jungle in the background.
• Joanne on top, looking towards the Grand Plaza.
• Toucan in a tree.
• Top of Temple IV from a clearing.
• In the Grand Plaza.
• Carved altar stones.
• Temple II from the Grand Plaza.
• Standing in front of Temple II.
• Temples on the north side of the Grand Plaza, from the top of Temple II.
• Temple I and the apartments to the south. Temple I is in use by the modern Maya.
• Linda and Joanne go to explore the apartments.
• Some of the apartment complex.
• More apartment complex.
• Lily pond at the park center.
• Shopping at the park center.
• Linda buys handwoven items.
• Joanne buys an embroidered top on the dock by the ship.

Two days of Cay hopping, Belize

• Lime Cay
• Hanging out on the sun deck.
• A visit to Hunting Cay. Belize maintains a military base and customs house here.
• Pelicans on the dock.
• Pelican in flight.
• Starfish under the dock.
• Naturalist Dennis explains about coconuts.
• Idyllic beach on the other side of the cay. It took only a minute or two to walk across.
• Orchid in bloom on a palm tree.
• Cay with defunct resort.
• Cay with no development. Conch fishermen camp here.
• Conch corral built by fishermen.
• Cay with a bar.
• Checking out the bar.
• A customer, but no service.
• Tip of the Cay, with other cays in the distance.
• Pelicans, egret and blue heron on posts.
• Tip of Coco Plum Cay with Man of War Cay in the distance. Man of War Cay is a nature preserve and a nesting spot for Frigate birds. You can't see it in the picture, but there is a huge cloud of birds over the cay all the time.
• Putting the Zodiak in the water.
• Joanne boards a tender to South Water Cay.
• Headed out.
• Going snorkeling.
• Coming back out of the water.
• A resort building.
• Scenic foliage.
• Pretty beach flower.

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