AKA BLUE HOLE DAY and 4th of July for us Americans!
Today we went out on a Dive boat to the Blue Hole, among other dives, but the Blue Hole was the star. Even though I snorkeled...I'm gonna call it all a dive!
When we woke up the air was still, the palm trees were still...the weather was perfect. We showered and dressed and arrived at the Big Fish Dive shop just before 6am.
It seemed like a nice group of young folks...there was a proper queue for the toast this morning (unlike yesterday where it was a freakin' free for all!). I made Lincoln and I each a piece of toast with jam & butter, cheese on his. They didn't have the size flippers I needed (though I didn't realize this at the time) we tried a pair on my right foot and they seemed to fit so I grabbed the set and thought all was right with the world (I would soon find out this wasn't the case!).
Eventually we loaded the boat and left. We aren't wearing watches, nor carrying our cell phones (haven't done that since we landed) so we don't have watches to check the time (though our cameras do have the time and sometimes we think to check them). I'm guessing it was around 7am when we left the pier. It would be 1 hr 40 min ride to the Blue Hole. It was a beautiful smooth ride out. I didn't feel the slightest bit sea sick which was awesome. I did pop a pill when we were leaving the shore but I'm sure it hadn't kicked in...now I'm wishing I hadn't take it since it had made me so tired yesterday. Oh well. On the way out to the Blue Hole we slowed down and rode through some small islands (see
video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XauphfX8xSQ).
On the ride out, just in case, I sit outside on the back bench so I can watch the horizon. The engine is loud and fortunately I have brought my iPod. I put on Train's Save Me San Francisco Album and crank up Pat's voice and relax. I love it. Vacation ROCKS, literally!!
When we get to the Blue Hole, the divers which were the majority of the boat, started getting ready to dive. Video of some of his dive is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z65lZo-GnRI&feature=plcp
Philip, my guide and I jumped into the water to snorkel. It was warm and beautiful. I'm not a strong swimmer (I usually like to be able to touch the ground) nor am I in the greatest shape (a nice way to put it). This was going to take me WAY out of my comfort zone so I asked him to take it slow. Off we went, there was coral beds all along the side and I could see how the we were most definitely on the side of a large (HUGE) hole that descended into nothingness...very dark nothingness. I was very happy to stay around the edge. It is 984 feet across.
I think Philip thought we were going to swim the perimeter and in hindsight I probably should have, and I didn't. I think we did about 1/3 and then came back the same way. My fins turned out to be too tight. They belonged to the dive shop and I only tried on the right fin. The left was killing my foot so I was in pain the entire time which took the fun out of it. I'm happy that I can say I snorkeled the Blue Hole though. Its not quite as impressive from the surface as it is from the sky, but you can tell that its where you are.
Philip and I boarded the boat and he started cutting the fruit for our snack when the divers returned. He cut up oranges (which the skins are still green) and
watermelon. Then there were cookies and biscuits (still cookies). I got fist dibs since the divers weren't back yet.
After the divers returned and ate we left and drove awhile until we reached Half Moon Caye Natural Monument http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/parkhalfmooncaye.html .
The boat let me, Philip and Ben (a young man from Vancouver, BC who was also snorkeling) off at the pier for our excursion while they went to the end of the Caye to dive. We walked along the sandy beach to a place to snorkel. I commented that this alone was worth "the price of admission". WOW it was amazingly gorgeous.
Walking towards one end of the island (that's Philip)
I'm guessing the latter!
I decided to try to snorkel in just my water socks. Philip figured it would work because it was shallow and I could touch most places. I went out for a bit but wasn't 'feeling it' so I told them to go on without me and headed back for the shore. I sat in the water and just enjoyed the scenery. I was more than content to gaze off at the horizon and just relax in the warm water. The only thing missing was my honey next to me and a cold drink in my hand!
It started to rain, no big deal, I'm wet already! Then it started to POUR, and the rain was cold, then the wind picked up and I was getting cold so its becoming a tad of an issue. Before I was hot and sweaty when I wasn't in the water. I grabbed my mask/snorkel and headed for deeper water so that I could at least submerge the majority of my body in the warm water until the rain stopped (about 10 minutes). It peppered my butt pretty hard at times! Once it stopped Philip & Ben came out of the water and we headed towards the Museum and the Colony for the Red Footed Boobie Birds that live on the island.
We took a walking tour and also saw a huge Iguana and small hermit crabs trying to cross the path as we walked. At the end of the island you walk up a 2 story observation tower and see the birds living in the tops of the tree. The whole thing was really neat.
I know lots of you guys want to know where to apply!
When we returned it began to rain again. The plan was that the divers would come back and we would all eat lunch at the picnic tables on the beach. Because of the rain we ended up eating on the boat which had shelter. After lunch the Divers did the same tour of the bird colony so I went again with Lincoln.
The last place we dived was at Long Caye. This was my favorite dive of all and I almost didn't do it. I was tired and tired of being wet. My board shorts have now been soaked for hours, all of me has been soaked for hours. The good news is I haven't had a hint of sea sickness. I'm thinking maybe I'll just stay on the boat, relax and listen to my iPod.
They stop the boat and we tie up. The divers go in and then us snorkelers get ready. One of the girl divers decides she has had enough scuba and wants to snorkel with us. I decided to jump in and see what its like. They fed the fish for the divers so there are a ton of them. Huge "Tuna like" ones and small yellow and black striped ones. I get in and its really deep. I say to Ben that I may just stay near the boat since I'm not a big fan of the "open ocean" where I can't touch. He agrees and says he's not a fan of all the fish so close. There are hundreds it seems. "Rastaman" who is on the boat, tells me its fine to stay near the boat but Philip convinces me to go with him (I'm glad he does). He points to a buoy way off in the distance and says we'll swim to it but that the boat will come to us and we don't have to swim back. Heck, sounds like a plan to me.
Oh, BTW, now that Rastaman isn't diving, he lets me use his fins. They are a bit big on me, but better than no fins and I manage to figure out how to keep them on. Its EXTREMELY hard to swim in the open water (or is it because its salt water?) without fins --- basically impossible. We start floating/swimming. The fish are gorgeous and I like that the coral is far enough below me that I don't have to worry about scraping against it. Touching coral isn't good for the coral or me!
I have a life preserver around my waist, mainly to help me when I get tired (I think it may be all in my mind). I finally, after 2 days and on my 6th 'dive' start to relax and really enjoy snorkeling. Good thing we still have more dives to go over the next week!
Right before we get back to the boat Philip points out a Turtle swimming near by. She had these two things on her lower back, each side, that looked like "bones". He said she had been hurt and treated by the Belize Audubon Society and released. It was cool to swim near her.
We had a great day. On the 1hr 40min ride back to CC, I again listened to my iPod and even fell asleep a few times (that's how exhausted I was). After we rinsed our gear, we got back to our room by about 5pm. We had been gone almost 12 hours. We showered and dressed and headed off to a different Dive Shop, one owned by the Americans that own 88th St Bar/Restaurant where we had the awesome tacos the other day. Linc wants to try their service tomorrow.
We had his gear so we grabbed a Taxi and headed over there. While he talked to Brian, the dive master, I sat and had a drink a the bar. Renesha wasn't working but another nice gal was. A large group of Americans from Texas, our age, showed up. It reminded us that it was 4th of July. I sure hope Toshi is ok, he doesn't do well with the fireworks!
We had a couple of drinks and then headed back 'into town'. We were going to eat at the "Happy Lobster" but it was closed. Its funny that restaurants randomly close...or at least it seems random.
We ended up at the "Bambooze". A cool little place right on the beach (didn't have our camera). Instead of chairs they had swings. Happy hour was 2 for 1 drinks. I had a Panti Rippa, Coconut Rum & Pineapple...YUMMY! We had Coconut Lobster (think Coconut Shrimp). And then Lobster Kebobs with Mashed Potatoes and Garlic Toast. All very tasty! 3 sets of drinks and the food was BZE$70 / USD$35.
It was now dark but we walked back to our room. We usually carry a flashlight but didn't have it tonight and realized we really don't need one.
By the time we got back to our room I literally could barely keep my eyes open. I showered, again, and got into bed while Lincoln downloaded the photos/videos of the day. By 7:40pm I was SOUND asleep!
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