Sadly, we packed all of our stinky, dirty clothes into our bags and left Maya Center on Sunday morning. Happily, however, we have landed in paradise! (...also known as Tobacco Caye...)
Our goodbyes with our families were full of last minute photos, hugs, and handmade gifts from the children. We pulled out by 9:00am and headed for the coastal town of Dangriga. After a brief stop to rescue a small turtle crossing the road (thanks, Juan!), we arrived at the dock in Dangriga and loaded our belongings onto a boat for transport to the caye. Thirty refreshing, windblown minutes later, we docked at Tobacco Caye lodge - a small sandy island covered by palm trees, hammocks, and tropical colored bungalows. The best part? No bugs!
Our first afternoon was spent having an introductory snorkel lesson. We started with a leisurely exploration of the reef just off the island. Once everyone got the hang of using the flippers and snorkels, we had a blast seeing the beautifully colored fish, rays, and corals. It was a first snorkeling experience for some, so it was especially fun for them to discover the world under the surface. We enjoyed a quiet afternoon sunning and relaxing, then shared a Belizean meal of chicken, rice, and beans before heading out for a night snorkel. If the afternoon was eye-opening, the night snorkel was twice as intense! Using underwater flashlights, we snorkeled over graceful rays, gigantic hermit crabs carrying conch shells on their backs, and lobsters creeping along the ocean floor. At one point we turned off the lights and kicked our flippers to stir up the phosphorescent organisms in the water, surrounding us with tiny glowing particles. The highlight was seeing the enormous green moray eels that lurk underneath a concrete slab in the lagoon. They were huge, vivid green monster-like creatures that floated placidly, staring back at us as we shined our lights on them.
Monday was an entire day of snorkeling and exploring the area. We went out on the boat right after breakfast and didn't return until late afternoon. The first stop was a Smithsonian research station located on a tiny, one acre island nearby. We got a tour of the Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystems Program and a chance to learn about their current projects directly from the researchers. Several of us were ready to sign up as volunteer station managers on the spot! Next we spent an hour snorkeling on the reef along Carrie Bow Caye, which was even more fabulous than yesterday's experience. We saw tarpon, barracuda, and an incredibly vivid array of tropical fish. Lunch was a relaxing meal of lobster salad on another little island called Saltwater Caye. Afterwards, it was back onto the boat to circle Bird Island, the protected home of cormorants, yellow-footed boobies, magnificent frigate birds, and brown pelicans. We got a close up look at the birds hanging out in the treetops and soaring above the island on our way to a little area protected by mangrove growth on three sides, where we snorkeled among the mangroves. It was amazing to see the colorful growths on the submerged parts of the mangrove roots. We also swam over many, many upside down jellyfish on the mangrove snorkel. One of the highlights this time was spotting several lion fish up close. Our final snorkel of the day was on the reef near Tobacco Caye, further out in the channel than we were yesterday. Favorites here included eagle rays, tarpon, catfish, and best of all... a sea turtle! It felt like we were living in Finding Nemo! We snorkeled along the channel and the reef back to the island, where we collapsed happily into deck chairs to rehash the amazing sights of the day. These two days on Tobacco Caye have been a delightful respite as we approach the end of the trip. While our time in Maya Center was unforgettable, we are now seeing a very different side of Belize, rounding out our experience beautifully.
