Arva: two weeks’ cruising in Belize

August 2018. Here we were, aboard Arva, a Leopard 44. Two families aboard, with four adults, five children and teenagers. We left the Placencia peninsula, with its lovely colorful village. The first stop was at Wipari Caye, a peaceful anchorage, first dives, first lobster. Then North Long Cocoa, a heavenly little island, with its shacks on stilts, reefs, coconut trees, paths bordered with seashells, and the dog Shiba, who accompanied us in the water. A bit further on, we discovered Hatchet Caye, whose reef is directly accessible by swimming from the cat. The next stop was probably the most beautiful, Ranguana Caye. The anchorage was a bit ‘rolly’, as the island is small and not very protected; the exterior reef is only half a mile away, with a large pass close by. The island is occupied by a small lodge under the coconut trees, a beach bar, a small white sand beach, transparent, turquoise water, surrounded by reefs and with some nice lobsters to hunt. Then came Lagoon Caye, no beach but a peaceful lagoon where manatees live, which we didn’t succeed in seeing however during our trips on stand-up paddle boards. Other idyllic anchorages at South Water Caye, and finally Tobacco Caye, one of the only islands inhabited by fishing families. Belize is an out-of-the-ordinary destination. The anchorages are generally ...