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Published: December 13th 2008
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After a long day, I am as snug as a bug in my hammock...PJ's on, & wrapped in 2 blankets. Emily left this morning for Dangriga...the only good thing about her leaving is I now get her blanket as well! She is a great woman, and I really enjoyed our time together. Ebony & Ivory is what we were called by some rastaman! Her and I shared a few chuckles about that one!
Being so close to the ocean, the breeze is a little chilly this evening, but I am enjoying the full moon peaking thru the palm leaves as I write.
Caye Caulker is a great little isle. So small you can walk it in about 2 hours. The streets are lined with small hotels, restaurants, bars, tour shops, etc. Many rest. and bars have sand floors, and E and I were like 2 little girls on our swing chairs!
E & I never made it to I & I (Reggae Bar) the first night as she was in dreamland when I got back. The next day brought us unfavourable snorkelling weather. Hardly any sun, windy and the ocean looked choppy. After delicious banana pancakes & scrambled
eggs, we headed down to meet Steve who confirmed we weren't going this morning. That suited me fine as I was somewhat losing my nerve. Emily stayed hopeful all day that the weather would change to enable her a 1/2 day snorkel, as it was her last chance.
The sun came out sporadically, and there were enough crazy tourists that still wanted to go (despite the weather), so she was off with Steve's sidekick Harry who runs the 1/2 tours in the afternoon.
I opted for a lazier afternoon, but never got anything accomplished (ie. laundry or nail painting). During a stroll around town, I stopped to chat with a realtor whilst he repaired his fence. Barry & Cindy Beer (yup that is their last name..lol) are Canadian and former Remax agents who now live and work on C.C. The wheels in my head started turning when I spotted a 35K lot on their board!! haha Their site is: www.cayecaulkerforsale.com
Once back at my cabana, a funk started settling in that chicken fingers didn't even rid me of. My eyesight has been somewhat scrambled lately, and I am feeling out of sorts. When a wet & cold
Emily returned, I was in bed and on the verge of a mini-meltdown. Her & I discussed my symptoms (it's great having a doctor in the house..lol) & possible causes of my unease. By the time she got out of the shower 20 minutes later, I had had a cry (for no reason) and felt better. After a shower, body butter, throwing a clean dress on, having a cocktail with E on our deck, and her Beyonce tunes, I was completely turned around. I am happy that I bought myself those little speakers..which anybody can plug their Ipod into.
We set off for I & I (dead) so took some chix pix on a swing! Off to Seaside we went, an earlier suggestion from Steve as it was karaoke night. We found Harry there with a backgammon board, and I was in heaven once again! The fact that he kicked my butt 4 games to 2 didn't matter. With a promise of revenge another day, we called it a night.
After I saw E off this morning, I decided to suck it up & grab my snorkel gear by the horns! The morn was shaping up beautifully, I
felt strong, happy & confident that neither shark nor stingray would get the best of me. (amazing what a good cry does...haha).
As we sped off to the 2nd largest reef in the world, I couldn't help but think how it was all turning out perfectly (dah!!!...normally does in my world). Only myself and a Finnish couple on the tour, and her first time snorkelling as well. She is a swimmer and I am not, she is was one up on me!
By the time we arrived at our 1st destination (of 3) my heart was starting to race. Once actually in the water, with hands tightly gripping the side of the boat for dear life, I thought I was gonna have a coronary!!!! (my doctor buddy was long gone, so that didn't help..lol)
Harry was a real jewel & calmed me down & said he would tow me out to the nearby reef. It wasn't long and I was confident enough not to be pulled around like a barge, and I was now at Harry's side (still not too, too brave as I was holding his hand). What an INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE!!! Words fall short of how
amazingly gorgeous the underwater world is. I can see why divers are such fanatics! The fish that I saw ranged in size from tiny, to about 1 1/2 feet long, and from the whole spectrum of the rainbow. Harry coaxed a meter long eel up to us, then flippered him away at 4 foot range (at that point Harry was probably losing circulation in his arm from my grip..lol).
Our 2nd stop was at Stingray Alley & after watching from the safety of the boat, I got my nerve up to get in. The water was very shallow (3-4 feet), but I wasn't taking any chances & kept my life vest on. I probably looked ridiculous to the members of another tour boat who joined us, but I didn't care!! Stingrays are very soft and it was very wild having them swim so close that they brushed up against you. They were at least 2 feet in diameter, and about 30 of them all around us. AMAZING!
Our 3rd stop was shark alley....I stayed in the boat eating freshly cut pineapple, oranges & bananas (compliments of Harry). No sharks came around and I was fine with that!! The
Finnish couple snorkelled while Harry and I hung out.
I had worked up quite an appetite & devoured a red snapper submarine on my return to shore, followed by a 3 hour nap!
Afterwards, feeling well rested, I went searching for Harry....it was my night at backgammon, with a 2-1 win.....revenge is sweet!!..(chuckle chuckle).
After an incredible day, I feel very proud of myself.
I now understand something Harry told me earlier in the day: "Life is a Beach, then you dive!".
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lanegra
La Negra
caye caulker
I was there right around the same time.. great fun! I miss it already.. good to hear you had a great time!