[WHOOSH]

Oops, missed your first post when replying to your second one, Stacey.

Sorry if I misled you but in general folks spend much less in the W Caribbean than the Eastern, assuming we define ''Western'' to be between Isla Mujeres, Mexico at the NW corner and the Honduran Bay Islands at the S''n end. (No one goes to Swan Is. and to me Grand Cayman is far enough E and against the prevailing winds that it''s part of the Central Caribbean). No boat boys, few marinas or mooring fields, and just plain not much to spend money on.

There is just far less infrastructure of any kind there (with some exceptions, of course) and both Belize and the Bay Is. offer many anchorages. However, there are two exceptions re: spending money: Guatemala thinks fairly highly of their tiny coastline and, as I recall, we paid a bit over $100 USD for clearance before going up the Rio Dulce. Also, the Rio - and views differ on this - somewhat mandates a marina berth to maximize one''s physical security. Offsetting these two facts is the reality that the Rio (and the potential for cheap inland travel) is well worth the $100 ''excursion fare'' and marinas are very inexpensive there; some of them are also very nice. (We were very pleased with Tortugal, a dink ride away from town. We spent $130 or so USD in 2002 for 10 days of berthing with electricity, 3 nice meals at their restaurant overlooking the water, and 8 loads of laundry). The second exception, for which there are IMO less rewarding benefits, is Mexico''s port fees. Each Capitan de Puerto is responsible for his own area, checking in/out is mandatory as are the fees assessed, and the Mexican Navy was checking boats at anchor in Isla when we were there (4/2002) to verify compliance. Isla is a ''must stop'' for numerous reasons but I was unmotivated to clear in elsewhere along that coast; too much hassle and expense for too little benefit (tho'' that''s a personal view, I realize).

The main problem with the W Caribbean, as I see it, are the limits on what if offers beyond great water, diving and opportunities for inland travel...altho'' none of those are trifling. The Caribbean offers a huge, diverse collection of rewards (tho'' again IMO not a great many of them along the Eastern Island chain) and, when talking about 1 or 2 year chunks of time, it seems a shame to me to limit yourselves to just the W Caribbean when you can do a full circle in that same period. (E.g. I totally endorse you motoring up into the Tidal Pool anchorage, with the Jefferson Memorial off your bow, the Metro only a few blocks away and all of DC at your fingertips; now THAT''s cruising with a kid! But how can you then go to the Caribbean and not take your daughter to the first (and oldest) city in the entire New World, which today is a thriving, bustling and scenic (tho'' certainly not First World) city? And it''s only a $10 USD bus ride from Luperon''s protected anchorage if you take the local. (No chickens.<g>)

Jack