06 May 2012; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala.

As we are staying longer during this call, compared to our regular Trans canal schedule on the southbound cruises, I did not have to arrive that early. The fly tours to the Mayan ruins had ample time to return so a take off at sunrise was not necessary. That made it all a lot more decent for everybody and meant that I did not have to get up at 02.45 in the morning for a 04.00 pilot but at 05.45 for a 07.00 pilot. Much more civilized. Port Control was awake, the pilot was on time and the swell was running onto the breakwater and not into the fairway. Things were perfect and by 08.00 we were happily docked at the cruise terminal. Life in port was busy with at least 5 bulk carriers waiting at the anchorage and a large tanker at the gas oil fuel berth. The first time ever that I have seen a large ship docked there. I saw no loading/unloading activity going on and the pilot could not exactly explain what the ship was doing there. “They were doing things there” was the helpful information received. So I made sure I kept my Statendam well clear of the tanker, so I would not disturb whatever “things” they were doing.

As promised here is an update about our plans for the school in Corinto. The school is located about two blocks outside the main gate of the port. As a result the people living there are either employed by the port (when there are ships in) or survive on the income that the port generates in other ways. Crew going ashore, supplies for the ships etc. etc. When I was there in 1979 the ship docked while the Somoza-Sandinista revolution was in full swing and the whole economy had come to a grinding halt. Things were bad then; but now coming back there was some improvement but it was not very good yet. The streets were cleaner, the number of “hotels” were less and more people seem to be employed by the port compared to 30 years ago. Still there is a lot of room for improvement. So it is good that the cruise ships are coming as we pump with each call at least $100,000 into the local economy in one way or the other.

Thumb nail photos to click on, all photos courtesy of Hotelmanager Bert van Mackelenbergh

The school we are looking at is an elementary school with attached Kindergarten. Just over 400 pupils, which are split up in 200 in the morning and 200 in the afternoon. The school rooms are completely open plan, e.g. walls on three sides in the main building on two levels, and three regular enclosed class rooms in a separated building in the back. The school has to be self sufficient by means of help from the parents and something from the local government. Only school books are provided by the State to ensure that the standards and the curriculum is the same in the whole country. With the parents mainly poor and a lot of families surviving on one parent, (many husbands are missing or drink too much) there are a quite a few things that we can do. So the challenge is on: What is needed:

1. Note books and yellow pads. For 400 kids, so we need about 2000
2. Coloring paper small and large sheets for 80 toddlers.
3. Writing materials, pens pencils, markers etc. etc.
4. 100 sheets of corrugated iron for repairing the roof (*)
5. Paint & materials. I cannot provide ships paint left over’s as it does not hold on concrete (*)
6. Sports materials. Including two 2 basketball boards with pedestal.
7. Geography maps from Nicaragua and surrounding area.
8. Flip charts and pedestals.
9. Boxes full of dry eraser pens. (Somebody donated boards but they are now out of erasers)
10. Ceiling Fans. The classes were rewired for light, so there is power as long as the roof does not leak.
11. Curtain rails. We donated curtains this time but next time we have to bring the curtain rails.
12. All the regular stuff we have been collecting this time clothing, games, any other items we do not need and they can sell to generate funds for the school.

(*) I will use money donations from the guests for that. I know that I will run into problems with customs if I try to import building materials, so I will go ashore and buy that cash. Another way of directly supporting the economy.

We hope to go ashore on arrival during our next call with as many crew as possible to start the painting. With a good head start the parents can then finsih it after the ship sails.

We will be back on 5 October, so we will have the whole Alaska season to prepare and collect; keep the crew motivated and hopefully the guests will help out was well.

Also for Puerto Quetzal it was the last call of the season and we will be back again in autumn. So we sailed away in good weather with the thunderstorms gathering above land. Tomorrow we will be in Puerto Chiapas and in order to get in I need the swell to be under an angle to the breakwater. If not I will have to cancel again, same as last time.