More trouble on the Rio...

Well things aren't getting a whole lot better here.

This morning a large number of police are searching the village of Esmeralda, just behind the marina, in an effort to catch the men who attacked Sunday's Child.

There are reports of a double murder last night, a woman and her 14 year old son, being shot dead just behind the Backpacker's hotel near the bridge in Fronteras. They are reported to be local people.


That's quite a lot of incidents in a short space of time.

Last night, as we were sat in the cockpit of the boat, I saw a couple of camouflaged lancha's drifting off the marina. One had 6 people on board. Three in camouflage gear with black berets carrying rifles and three wearing civilian gear. They were there for some 20 minutes before joining the naval vessel that was patrolling and towing the second lancha.

Mario's has increased it's armed guards and we are keeping our eyes open as we go about our daily business.

Whilst I remain content to stay here I am concerned that the incidents are still happening despite a greatly increased security presence on the river.

More trouble on the Rio.

The river is crawling, and I mean that literally looking at the extremely slow speeds they do, with Naval vessels.Patrolling up and down outside the marinas. A show of support I guess.

Sadly they were not in the right place last night when a group of three boats were attacked downriver near to the Hot Springs. The report that was given over the Cruiser's VHF net this morning was a little confused.

One boat clearly described the fact that he was boarded by four machete wielding intruders who tried to gain access to below decks. Fortunately he was well secured and they left after stealing his on deck generator. It sounded as though one of the other boats was also robbed by the same group but that was not clear.

One of the boats in the group was MIMA, a boat bought from friends of ours in Panama last year. Apparently this boat was not boarded but the owners, Mark and Sue Wheeler and their children are badly shaken.

We were very quiet as we listened to the report over breakfast. A few of us were in the restaurant together and we exchanged concerned glances.

As I am typing this a report has just come over the radio of three outboard engines having been stolen last night just across the river. Not from cruisers this time but from locals. Mmn that's got my antennae up I can tell you! All this going on right under the noses of the authorities makes you ask yourself some fundamental questions.

Nancy, from Sundays Child is being flown from the hospital in Morales sometime today to Guatemala City. Her children are now with her and she will be evacuated to the USA for further treatment.

My feelings are somewhat mixed right now. As I keep saying this is a country that is only 10 years past a civil war. A land that is still divided, socially, culturally and economically.TBH and I have been talking about the situation and our sense is that this is not over yet. I will keep you in touch as the story unfolds.

Nancy Dryden talks to the press.

By JUAN CARLOS LLORCA,Associated Press Writer AP - Monday, August 11

GUATEMALA CITY - Robbers armed with machetes hacked a U.S. tourist to death and seriously wounded his wife in an attack aboard the couples sailboat in northeastern Guatemala, the woman told The Associated Press on Sunday.
In a telephone interview from her hospital bed, Nancy Dryden,67, said her husband, Daniel Perry Dryden, 66, was killed by four men who boarded their boat late Saturday while it was anchored in Lake Izabal.

"They poked us and stabbed us with the machetes, and they were asking for money, specifically dollars," said Dryden, who was listed in stable condition at a hospital in the lakeside town of Morales.

The thieves were apparently unhappy with the take. "We had a few quetzales (Guatemala's currency), but we had no dollars with us on the boat," Dryden recounted.

The Drydens, who are retired and live near Anchorage, Alaska, had bought the boat in February. They were equipping the vessel in preparation for a voyage into the Caribbean and eventually to the eastern coast of the United States.

Dryden said the four assailants may have reached the boat by swimming from shore and brandished long machetes that "seemed liked curved swords."

After assaulting the couple, the men demanded she hand over the keys to the vessel, which has an auxiliary motor. When she didn't _ she was unable to tell whether they wanted the keys to the boat, or a small dinghy the couple used to get to shore _ the men left, also apparently by swimming.

Dryden struggled over to the boat's radio and sent out a distress call. "I said we need help ... I said my husband was not moving," Dryden recalled.

She said she expects her children to arrive in Guatemala Monday and plans to be transferred to the United States for medical care.

Assistant Police Commissioner Luis Say said the attack is being investigated.

As you can imagine Saturday's atrocity continues to dominate life on the Rio. It is interesting reading different accounts of the event, and the comments from cruiser's vary considerably in their response to the tragedy.

From,'We should have been warned it's dangerous here' to 'I'm amazed it doesn't happen more often'.

IMHO those who visit these places have an obligation to themselves to make sure they are well informed about any area in which they chose to cruise. Cruising is about self-sufficiency and that encompasses all areas of life on board. Especially understanding the cultural and political situation of the area that you visit.

Update.

Apparently the gunshots that I heard last night were fired by one of the locals alerted to the situation aboard Sunday's Child. Fired in frustration as he was searching the riverbank for the attackers.

The Guatemalan Government has indicated that it will be sending a representative from the Ministry of the Interior to the area in order to conduct a full investigation in to the events of last night.

The boat is believed to be under police guard in a nearby Marina, pending further investigations.

Death on the Rio Dulce.

I woke from a deep sleep to the sound of gunfire. It was sometime after 8pm but before 10. In my sleepy state I thought it sounded like between 6-8 shots from a handgun. Not too close but not that far away either. Not an uncommon sound on the river. Convincing myself that it was probably a fire cracker, after all it is Saturday night, I went back to sleep.

Just after 10pm we were awakened by a firm knocking on the hull. TBH opened the hatch to find an obviously shaken Cindy on the dock.

“There's been an incident at Monkey Bay ( across the river from us) Sunday's Child was anchored just off the marina . Dan is dead and Nancy has been taken to hospital in Morales. Hugo, the guard, has permission to fire his gun, you may want to lock your hatch tonight.”

What to say? What to think? Dan and Nancy came to Spanish lessons here at Mario's twice a week.

Guatemala is a young democracy. We locked the hatch. Went back to bed. Dan is dead.


It's 10am now. The mood on the Rio is muted. The facts are becoming public. Last night as Dan and Nancy sat down to dinner on their boat, which was anchored in a quiet spot close to Monkey Bay Marina, they heard a bump and Dan went up to see what it was. He was attacked by 3-4 people with machetes. Dan was killed, Nancy was stabbed. The men were demanding money.

We remember when they bought the boat, it was here at Mario's Marina, just a few months ago.

I understand that Dan and Nancy came from Alaska. They were down here getting to know their new purchase, a Southern Cross 39. The boat is now being held by the police as they, hopefully, begin the task of solving this case.

One of the guys from here at Mario's took Nancy to hospital last night in his truck. He told us that she had a large machete wound across her upper torso. She was in deep shock but able to tell some of what had happened. She has a punctured lung.

As you can imagine there have been many conversations already of what, if any, effect this will have on the Rio.You can't stop people talking after all. What I feel is important is to remember that this is a RARE event, sure there are thefts and robberies on the Rio. This is Central America. But a murder is not common amongst the 'gringo' population and certainly one with such a seemingly obvious lack of any motive.

My gut feel is that there is more to this than meets the eye. It's such a rare happening. For now we wait and hope that Nancy recovers from her wounds.

Now this is pretty!

Coming to a Dock near you...

...soon!

They are here.

They are green.

They are growing.

Be afraid, be very afraid!