We Were Captivated Cruising the Rio Dulce
After sailing between Caribbean islands over swaths of open sea, entering the continental landmass of Central America was a bit of a shock. Where water once dominated the horizon, here the land breaks apart the sky with rugged peaks, jungles, and cliffs. We craned our necks to look up at canyon walls that rose on either side as we took our time cruising the Rio Dulce. The gorge opened up and the rock walls continued to climb all around us.
As we meandered upriver, Guatemala began to show us her colors. The jungle was rich and green and the air was thick and humid. Our boat sailed through the breathtaking canyon. Anglers skillfully threw enormous cast nets from hand-built dugout canoes. Little thatched huts flanked the riverbank. Clothes of vibrant color hung to dry outside each Mayan establishment.
Living up to its reputation, the Rio Dulce was unapologetically authentic.
People often sail to get away from it all, but if you want to sail into a world of genuine culture, consider cruising the Rio Dulce. The adventure will take you deep into the heart of Latin America. In contrast to the secluded anchorages and isolated beaches of the Exumas, this is a headfirst dive into a bustling community of Mayan heritage.
Two Sides of the Coin
The Caribbean islands are like the last bits of Cheerios left in the bowl. Little floating specks of paradise, surrounded by the big blue Caribbean Sea. Most of them are just an overnight sail—some are less—away from the other.
It’s a picture perfect canvas with blue water, beautiful people, coral reefs all around, and lobster dinner waiting under your boat. Who could ask for more?
Well, I can.
I wanted language, color, culture, jungle, and more. After cruising the near and far Bahamas for a few months, it all started to meld and our family began to crave a shock of culture. I wanted to arrive in the kind of place where people look at me funny, their eyes asking the obvious question: What are you doing here?
Not wasting any time, we set sights on the far side of the Caribbean Sea.
Next stop: cruising the Rio Dulce, in the hot and steamy jungles of Guatemala.
The Journey Is the Destination
The sail from Livingston, Guatemala, to the Rio Dulce offers the most breathtaking views I have seen from a boat. Sailing the Caribbean brings to mind endless blue water, and white sandy beaches. But this is a stark contrast to all of that.
It is mountainous, green, rugged, and wild. The emerald-colored river is wide and deep and inhabited by crocodiles, manatees, and dolphins. The trees and skies are home to more than 700 species of birds, including majestic toucans. Howler monkeys command the forest canopy with their deep guttural screams.
Guatemalans cherish this place as a site of cultural significance and heritage. It’s a three- to four-hour sail from Livingston, Guatemala, to the mouth of Lago de Izabal. (You need to check in at the entrance of the river.) Here, you can park your boat and kick your feet up for a while.
A Sailing Destination
At the mouth of the lake, it became clear to us what an immense sailing destination this is. Dozens of marinas—some of them listed, some of them not—await. Some of them want your business, others of them are so desirable that you have to go through a vetting process with referrals and informal interviews just to be ‘accepted.’ (This was our experience.)
Finding Your People Cruising the Rio Dulce
Finding the marina that’s right for you is half the battle. Most people sailing to the Rio Dulce are there for one of two reasons. One, they plan to put their boat up on the hard and run like hell for the nearest AC unit. Two, they plan to stick around a while. Either way, you need to find a marina that fits your needs.
Some are ideal for children, and some are ideal for working on your boat, in or out of the water. Others are nestled in the jungle and surrounded by trails and wildlife.
The best way to find your people is to get on the Rio Dulce Cruisers group on Facebook and ask around. Don’t be shy. If you want to see monkeys, Monkey Bay Marina has you covered. Pool? No problem. Children? Nanajuana Marina has your back. Crocodiles? There’s a marina for that too. There is something for everyone.
Logistical Problems Cruising the Rio Dulce
I can’t cover all of the logistical considerations you need to account for in this article, but I can enlighten you about three of the most important and common.
Insurance
Insurance is going to be a big deterrent for some boat owners cruising the Rio Dulce. Finding an insurance company that will insure your boat in the bowels of a Guatemalan jungle is not going to be easy. And the policy won’t be cheap. Many people have to relinquish their coverage. But on the upside, the Rio Dulce is a solid hurricane hole.
The Heat
Depending on what time of year you arrive, the heat is intense. It can be unbearable, and even unsafe. The humidity can be over 90 percent with temperatures soaring over 100 degrees. You are basically walking around in a sauna.
I am pretty good with the heat. I like it and I can withstand a lot of it. But in the Rio Dulce, we could not be in our boat without the air conditioning running. Walking down into the berths of our boat was like walking into a volcano. The best solution for this? A simple AC window unit, which you cannot find locally. If you are planning on cruising the Rio Dulce, consider bringing one with you.
The Burns
This can also coincide with the heat. We arrived in the Rio Dulce in May, when summer burns like a smoldering fire. Speaking of fires, many areas in Guatemala clear their land for crops with ‘slash-and-burn farming.’ The burn season coincided with our arrival, leaving the skies gray and scorched with smoke. It created an almost insulated bubble for the heat and decreased the air quality substantially.
Anyone with environmentally triggered asthma or sensitive lungs should consider the timing and effects of these burns. It’s my understanding that the slash-and-burn farming is only seasonal.
Setting Sail for Cruising the Rio Dulce
So you’ve cruised up and down the near and far Bahamas. You survived the inlets and the outlets, the weather and the wind, the sharks, and the outdated shelf food. You can’t stomach another lobster dinner or a conch salad. You’re ready for a different kind of adventure.
Sit back on that couch and let the following seas and the trade winds take you all the way to a different destination: cruising the Rio Dulce.
Olivia de Soria
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