On Feb 1st Cheryl’s Cousin Bill and aunt Rhoda arrived. After picking them up in a golf cart and getting them organized on the boat we offered them a meal at the Captain and First Mate’s table on the luxury yacht Interlude. Okay they get to eat at the Captain and First Mate’s table every night!
We took them on a tour via golf cart to the north end of the island over a road which has now been named “The journey - a Belizean massage”. Bill and Karen climbed a coconut tree to harvest the fruit for a Thai dinner and a Panty Ripper.
We arranged a tour to the mainland to go to a Mayan ruin up a river (without a paddle) it was a great trip we got to climb up the tallest temple. The view was spectator. Once we were up we then realized we needed to go down, it didn’t look that hard when you are going up but man are those stairs step when you have to go down. Well we all made it safely; we had a great tour guide (Ronny) both at the ruins and on the river. He was very well read and knew his stuff, not only the ruins but the birds, animals and trees.
Karen flew home as her father passed away, just over a year after her mother died. Now Karen and Cheryl are both orphans.
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We walked the beach almost everyday. My cousin went to the Blue Hole for a day while the girls stayed around the boat. Rhoda and Bill went parasailing (not enough wind to send up three) and boy did Rhoda have a grin on her face, when ever we mention it she got the grin again it was so cool.
Cheryl and her cousin went diving for a day to the 2nd atoll in Belize called Truneffe, the topography was amazing and we even saw a lionfish. A lionfish is not native to the Caribbean as is a not a good thing to have here as it kills all the fish around the reef so the dive master were trying to capture it but were unsuccessful and one of them got stung which ended our dive.
Cheryl had two days on her own when Sandra came to visit. They tried a new version of the Belizean massage, riding bikes to the north end of the island. They then rented a golf card and went south and picnicked at the end of a dock, feet dangling near the water. They had to stop at the Rasta bar, for a swig and a swing. Cheryl and Sandra continued to explore the island by foot, now Cheryl knows the name of every stone and pot hole in the ‘road’. They snorkeled off the end of the dock, to see fishes and plan Interlude’s route to deeper water.
Cheryl and Sandra met new friends around the pool and got reacquainted with Steve and Monica on Fidelis, who had gone home to watch the super bowl in their home town of New Orleans. Monica brought back beautiful fleur de lies scarves for us to celebrate the Saints win of the super bowl!
Karen got back on Thursday and Cheryl arranged a night dive/snorkel for Friday at Hol Chan. Karen and Cheryl snorkeled while Sandra, Ronda and Bruce snorkeled. It was great; the boat ride back was all about fish identification. The number of Stingray’s was amazing.
We watched the Men’s Gold medal hockey game in the lounge of the airport. The Canadians were out numbered, but we prevailed! Ronda and Bruce (American friends staying at the yacht club) sat to our right and the Alaskan boat’s crew to our left.
We circumnavigated the island with Sandra, Jenny and Burrell (Canadians who own a condo at the yacht club). We went through the canal in the mangroves dug by the Mayans in 600AD, to the north is Mexico, and to the south is Belize. We did some bird watching, spotted a manatee (or at least its nose). And snorkeled at Barracuda Alley (boy were they ever big) and at Tranquility Bay. Just to remember we are Canadian and to feel more in tune with the winter Olympics, we hugged downhill skiies while standing on the deck over looking Tranquility Bay. We had snapper on the beach cooked by our driver/naturalist/chef/dishwasher, a beautiful day.
We walked to the Lazy Croc for an amazing lunch of pulled pork, making our way back long the beach. By the time we finished our walk we were still stuffed!
Now Karen and Cheryl are making up for lost diving time! Cheryl had her 100th dive, celebrated with different types of bubbles, in a glass, Champagne. The topography and fish life is amazing, while if you like sharks, lobster, turtles and green morays.
We are now planning on going to Roatan or the Bay Islands on the next weather window. Belize allows you to stay only 90 days (from a customs perspective) so we are off to explore another county. We will probably be back to Belize in 90 days as Honduras has a 90 day rule too!!
