Nikki and Mal in Central America

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On Sunday 10 we left Belize City and caught the 12pm water taxi to the Island of Caye Caulker. Mal and I went across in a boat very similar in size to a speed boat and we were a little worried about our 45 minute trip across the Caribbean sea. It was a little bouncy but actually turned out to be ok. We took a taxi (golf cart!) to our hotel, Sophie's Guest rooms, which are a row of beach huts on the waterfront near to the end of the island and close to the split - a popular swimming area. We had paid a little extra to get the only room with a sea view and it was definitely worth it as the view was gorgeous. We decided to enjoy the view first hand and we were paddling in the Caribbean sea within 15 minutes of arriving! We had both been itching to cool off from the heat for days and so it was a welcome refresher.



We spent the rest of the day chilling and sussing out snorkelling trips for the following day. The prices were very similar across all the different companies - around 140 Belize dollars for a full day and around 70 for a half. The half day included three stops - the reef, shark ray alley and coral gardens. The full day tour only included one extra stop plus lunch so didn't seem to be worth paying double for, hence we went for the half day at 10:15am on Monday 11.



After collecting our flippers, masks and snorkels, we headed 15 minutes out to sea to our first stop - the reef. Mal, not being too strong a swimmer, opted for a life jacket whilst I thought I would be ok (being a fairly strong swimmer). Once I got in the sea the pure strength of the current was a little overwhelming and with no place to put my feet on the floor (it was way too deep), I also opted for a life jacket just for security. We spent around 45 minutes at the reef, seeing a vast array of fish and coral atolls. The whole snorkelling thing took a little getting used to at first but we soon found ourselves relaxing and just enjoying it.



The second stop was shark ray alley, so named because it attracts nurse sharks and sting rays. I was a little anxious about being so close to sharks and rays but the type of sharks we were swimming with (nurse sharks) aren't harmful to humans so I just reminded myself that I had nothing to fear and soon my fear gave way to pure amazement at being so close to such magnificent creatures. After shark ray alley we went to our final stop, the coral gardens. The coral atolls were quite big and in some areas the water became very shallow because of it. The atolls can be quite sharp so we had to take care and try to stay away from the shallower parts (not so easy with a strong current!). There were a few fish here, but not as many as at the reef and Mal found a sea urchin. The main fish here were barracudas and they were huge.



Once back we headed to a little cafe that does all day breakfasts, as well as sandwiches. The portion sizes were huge and though this place wasn't the cheapest, it certainly did a great sandwich. We actually ended up going back for breakfast (and to order more sandwiches to eat later) the next day we were so impressed. After lunch we just spent our time in the sea and relaxing in hammocks! Overall we spent most of our time on Caye Caulker just relaxing on the beach or in the sea. The vibe on the island is very much influenced by the Caribbean vibe - chill out, take your time, enjoy life and drink some rum!

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Photos

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Mal in his snorkelling gear

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The reef

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A stingray at shark ray alley

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Me snorkelling

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A nurse shark