Belize has been a bucket list trip since college. I had classes that spoke of its conservation efforts, others that spoke of the reef, and others that used it as an example of successful ecotourism that balanced the needs of nature with the needs of the economy. On travel lists, I often see the Blue Hole listed. In reading about our endangered global rainforests, Belize is called out as a safer place to see them. And let's face it, my eco-loving heart wanted to get up close and personal to some amazing sites. Belize was a must see!
Enter Groupon teasers. After our ride through Groupon false advertising this spring, I was a bit more cautious ... but I this time I did not just jump at a good deal, I looked up offers on many sites, looked for commentary, and relied on 3rd party pictures. You can't trust the reviews on Groupon itself, but after seeing outside reviews, we were ready to try again... with that, I purchased a deal for a type of vacation I have never taken before... we were to stay on a small island off the coast. Wow, are we soooo glad we took advantage of this opportunity.
We stayed at the Yok Ha Resort, 25 miles of the coast of central Belize and Dangriga. This meant we needed 2 planes, a shuttle and a boat... and about 8 hours of travel. But once we got off that boat on Waterfoot Caye, all our worries washed away - the resort was adorable. Bright Caribbean colors, conch shells accents, hibiscus flowers growing in the garden, individual bungalows, sea birds, sea stars right off the dock... and the staff... wow, as soon as we pulled up - the drinks, the food, the service... it really was "Welcome to Paradise." And to prove the point, that first night's dinner was lobster freshly caught from the reef!
Our trip was 4 nights on the Caye and 1 night in Belize City. I really wanted to see what Belize had to offer so I booked tours! All different kinds of tours. For a small country, there was a lot to see!
On our first full day on the island, we hit the water. This was the day I was finally getting out on the Meso-American Reef. We were going to island hop a few cayes to see the Tobacco Range and then we were snorkeling. Our first stop was Bird Caye - and hundreds of birds. We saw Frigates, Bobbies, Cormorants, and Pelicans. It is Frigate mating season, so we actually got to see males all puffed out for display. In the bird world, I like to say that the males wear the make-up, and with these guys, that red throat is better than rouge. But getting the girl isn't enough, because once a egg is hatched, that male must guard the nest because the bobbies will steal the chick for food. Nature can be cruel and Frigates pick on Cormorants in the air and steal their food. It seemed that the only ones out of this cycle were the pelicans. Brown Pelicans to be more exact. They stayed on the outside of the island, overlooking the water, seemingly not concerned with the antics of the Frigates... honestly, what does a pelican want with a bird that can't get wet! Pelicans are the dive-bombers of the sea!
After some quality birding, we headed into the water. And I am still gobsmacked by the sights I saw. I have never seen that amount of coral alive and well - Purple Fan (and regular), Elk Horn, Staghorn, Brain, Boulder, Tubes, LeafPlates, sponges, and, yes, Fire Coral. That is not to say that the whole reef is healthy... I have read plenty that warns those that care about what is happening to our underwater gardens...
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| Nurse Shark |
but in the areas I was, I did not see evidence of coral bleaching. I also so a healthy diversity of sea life. As I swam around, I got to hear the crunch of the Parrotfish, and watched them scatter around the reef, we saw schools of wrasse, grunts and Sargent Majors. I followed a squirrelfish or 2 trying to get a picture. I was patient with the French Angelfish as they moved their thin bodies through the branch coral. I saw puffers, blue tangs and triggerfish. We spotted a ray.
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| Parrotfish munching |
And then, there was the lionfish... so many damn lionfish. These guys may be pretty but they don't belong here. They have no predators, and they are eating their way through the ecosystem... so while we were snorkeling, 2 others from the resort were spearfishing for lobsters (dinner), and they put the spears to good use taking a few out. Just not enough... (please don't release your aquarium fish in the water).
