Sailing SV Cordeliavideo
Our Island Paradise had a NASTY SURPRISE!
12 June 2026 · 24 min · 8K views · Belize District, Belize
Man and dog jump from sailboat into turquoise water
What this video covers
Steve and Annette aboard the Venus 46 Cordelia motor three hours from Placentia, Belize, to Long Coco Cay and then to Carrie Cay, navigating the second-largest reef system in the world with a crew member on the bow watching for coral in shallow, partially uncharted water.1:23 The depth sounder drops suddenly from 18 meters to 1.3 meters in places, and the anchor sits on top of coralline sand rather than burying — a known problem that forces an early departure when a blow approaches, since holding is unreliable.4:16 Snorkeling, swimming, and spotting one of Belize's roughly 50 breeding pairs of ospreys are highlights.6:30 A shore excursion turns bad when a swarm of large mosquitoes drives Annette back to the dinghy.16:05 A more serious problem: Steve develops acute paronychia — a bacterial nail-bed infection he likely contracted while cleaning the boat's bottom — which swells and requires lancing at a Placentia polyclinic.18:04 The doctor injects Mordecain, cuts away dead tissue, and prescribes antibiotics and ibuprofen; the clinic charges nothing.20:51 The crew also notes significant beach rubbish on islands covered by the cruising permit, with no apparent maintenance.11:40 A 1991 printed guidebook with hand-drawn charts remains the standard reference for the area.12:41
More from Sailing SV Cordelia
From Sailing SV Cordelia — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.