Belize Day 5

January 31, 2017

5:15am...Ugh! I wanted to sleep but I really wanted my reef day. Everyone was stirring about and preparing. I had some breakfast until it was my turn in the shower. We left on time and the first light of day was there to meet us as we walked along the beach to our dock.

We checked in and I confirmed that we were covered for park fees and that Naitro and I had some veggie food. We were covered, On the boat we had 11 and picked up 4 more 30 minutes South in Caye Caulker.

From there, it was 45 minutes outside the reef in the open ocean, 15 minutes in the Atoll, and then another 45 outside the reef to reach Blue Hole.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS), also popularly known as the Great Mayan Reef or Great Maya Reef, is a marine region that stretches over 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from Isla Contoy at the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula down to Belize, Guatemala and the Bay Islands of Honduras.

The reef system includes various protected areas and parks including the Belize Barrier Reef, Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, Hol Chan Marine Reserve (Belize), Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve, and the Cayos Cochinos Marine Park. Belize's coastline, comprising the Belize Barrier Reef, is home to approximately 80% of MBRS.

The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere and the second largest barrier reef in the world. The Belize Barrier Reef and Belize's three offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries—collectively termed, the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System—has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (1996).

The reef system is home to more than 65 species of stony coral, 350 species of mollusk and more than 500 species of fish. There are numerous species that live in or around the reef system that are endangered or under some degree of protection, including the following: sea turtles (green sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, leatherback turtle, and the hawksbill turtle), the queen conch, the West Indian manatee, the splendid toadfish, the American crocodile, the Morelet's Crocodile, the Nassau grouper, elkhorn coral, and black coral.

The reef system is currently in the early stages of its greatest challenge to date....the invasion by the red lionfish, which is native to the Indo-Pacific region.

Lion fish do great damage to the reef system by eating nearly every reef tending species, like cleaner shrimp and algae eating species that keep the corals clean, alive and disease free.

Lion fish eat up to 90% of the reef tending species in a given area within just a few months so reef death from lion fish can be quick.Also, valuable commercial species, such as lobster, are being negatively affected by the spread of the lion fish due to the enormous appetite of the invasive lion fish. The reef system is home to one of the world's largest populations of manatees, with an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 of them.

Some northern areas of the reef system near Isla Contoy are home to the largest fish on the planet, the whale shark.[2] The normally solitary whale sharks congregate there in social groups to eat and to mate.

The first leg, we were going quite fast and the boat was pitching quite a bit. First the Spanish girl went to the back of the boat and then within 5 minutes, Naitro did also. The Spanish girl threw up many times but Naitro took her sea sick meds and was feeling better pretty quickly. She offered some to the other girl to try and help.

You could see dark blue give way to bright blue, turquoise, and clear, as we approached the little pieces of land with their palms and mangroves. They were perfect little tropical islands and even though they were bits of paradise, they are surely overtaken by the sea with any little storm.

Heading out into open water again, I went up top to get expected upcoming views of the line of reed and the ring of reef around the Hole.

The open ocean was said to be 3000 ft in this area with on 20 feel at the reef. The reef was only inches from the ocean surface but the hole extends down almost 500ft,

You could see the long stripes of brilliant blue and turquoise as we approached the line of coral. Soon, we found our way around the ring looking for our inlet. The coral was in little colonies but there were many and in the shallows, the dots looked quite artistic. God showed his creativity here.

We found our inlet and made our stop. The snorkelers would swim on top and just inside the hole and the divers dived to 130+ feet where the went into caved where they saw stalagmites and stalactites which are quite unique of a formation within a reef

Peter and I snorkeled while Naitro stayed on the boat. She was better but decided not to get into the water. There were 6 of us, plus the guide. On top of and just inside the reef - hole, life is abundant. There is a great variety of coral types, shapes, and colors. Many parrot fish, grouper, and angel fish were out and wanted to be seen. Just before returning to the boat, a school of snappers surrounded us...looking for food, it was quite an experience,

The sky had become partly cloudy and the part that was clouded was over the Blue Hole and extended beyond. Pics that would have been possible were now not, I'm glad that I took some on the way in.

A 15 minute boat ride away was Half Moon Caye. We stopped for a quick snorkel, not much to see that compares with Blue Hole. There was a unique experience of a current of very warm water that we passed through and just after, a current of very, very cold water. They extremes were quite shocking, the boat took its time a we waited about 15 minutes beyond our ready time...getting a but tired,

Half Moon Caye was very close and they usually snorkel to the island but the currents were strong and so it wasn't safe, Divers and snorkelers on board, we made a stop at the island, had lunch, and took a look around. We had rice &a beans, salad, and some short bread cookies. Others has some meat also,

The island has a one room "museum" / visitors center ...did it - continued on. The island was a concentration of palms on a pile of crushed coral. On the windward side of the island there was a wall of coral and shell over 8' tall. I assume that high mark is high time or storm level. The island is several hundred feet wide and maybe a mile long, there are many birds but mostly pelicans as there is fish a plenty for them.

Next stop "The aquarium" also known as "the wall". The three of us stayed on board. Peter and I were tires and burned, if I had known about this stop I would have skipped the second one, Anyway, the boat was swinging side to side...quite rough at times. I tired to work on the blog a bit but it kept a rocking and I couldn't focus.

They seemed to take a long time to get back or maybe it was my sunburn and headache combined with a every increasing sick stomach.

Finally back we began the return, the long return, at least 2 1/2 hours. Very early on, the Spanish girl headed to the back, She looked and was so very sick. She stayed back at the stern, throwing up or with her head her lap for the remainder of the trip.

We had passed the 2 1/2 hour mark and I was very antsy. The ocean, outside the reef, was very choppy. The result was a much rougher ride than going out, I was feeling quite nauseous but keeping it in check...barely, by that 2 1/2 mark.

We were finally stopping and it should havre been Caulker but he said San Pedro...San Pedro! We were so excited as we really wanted off the boat. Whoohoo!

Arriving at the cottage, I immediately took some Advil and put aloe on my face. I really didn't feel good but some a/c, and some milk and everything calmed down. Peter went for a pizza and later Naitro walked to the Belizean Art Gallery but it the security out front told us that was closed for a musical event in the courtyard, ugh!

Well...what a day. What a long day. The weather had made the journey challenging all and even rough for Naitro. We did still enjoy the amazing views, the reef, Half Moon Caye, and meeting some new people.

This completed my exploration of Central America which began with Panama in Sept 2013 and my return to travel after a 2 year hiatus. I love travel and have thoroughly enjoyed C A!