Kayaking the Mopan

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Kayaking the Mopan River with Andrew was the neatest thing I've ever done. The other two couples staying at the resort weren't interested in the kayak adventure, so it was just me and Andrew. One of the workers and tour guides, Victor, led us to our inflatable, two-person kayak. It wasn't the enclosed kind where you put your feet in; apparently, it's safer if you're sitting on top when it flips over. I took the front of the kayak, and Andrew the back, and we were each given oars. Victor pushed us off into the Mopan and said he'd meet us in about an hour and a half to two hours about three miles down the river. He explained there were no other boats in the water, so we'd see where he was with the Mopan River motor boat, and we should pull off there.

And so we were off! Andrew let me paddle first, and he took photos with our water-proof disposable camera as I guided us past some funky looking orange iguanas. We were told on our first day that people eat these iguanas, and they call the meal "bamboo chicken." Interesting, I suppose!

After the first half hour of our trip or so, we didn't really see anyone else, and there was nothing but trees on both sides of us. We felt secluded, and I couldn't help but think how incredible it was that I was kayaking a river in the middle of Belize! I felt like I was in a jungle... I was in a jungle! Of course, there was a road no more than a mile or so from us at all times, but it sure didn't feel that way.

Andrew and I hit a few rapids, and I guided us through some of them all by myself. One, called Christie Falls (I believe...) was a level three rapid, while the rest were more mild. We didn't spill once! I got very wet, though. Along the way, we saw many iguanas, lots of blue herons and birds of paradise, and a few little birds flying close to water level. I kept my eyes peeled for monkeys, but didn't see any. Too bad 😞

At one point on our trip, it began to rain gently. We paddled gently through the trees, and there were vines hanging all around us, and the water left rings on the surface of the river as birds called to each other from above. It felt out of this world. I told Andrew, "I can't believe we're really here..."

The hour and a half went by at light speed. Before we knew it, we came around a bend, and there was Victor with a cooler full of pop (Coca-Cola and Sprite... made with cane sugar, not corn syrup) waving to us. Andrew led us to the shore, and we drank sodas and packed up the kayak to head back to the resort.

Once we made it back, Andrew and I went for a quick swim. We figured the chlorinated pool would kill off any bacteria we might have picked up along the way. The pool is relaxing; it has its own stone water fall, and there are banana trees that hang above it. We swam for a bit and then dried off on the bird watching tower before heading back into the lodge for dinner.

I feel fantastic!

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Comments

[Jackie Liles/Cousin]

I teared up!
I did okay until I read about the rain drops on the water, the vines and the birds calling. Roy and I have had the GREAT fortune of being places that have simply blown us away. We celebrate the fact that we share those things together. The memory of those precious moments came back when I read your account, and it brought happy tears to my eyes and my heart. As the song of old says, "They can't take that away from me." Carry on! Love, Cousin Jackie