At this point, we had known Angela for one week, and she was threatening to continue traveling into the interior of Belize without us! Tyler, Ant and I would hear none of it, and immediately began throwing out ideas of how we could all do some adventuring together. Ant had recently acquired the privilege of driving his boss’s vehicle so his keys were thrown on the table first. We decided to leave that weekend, and Ant picked us up in the nearly scrapped SUV early Saturday morning. We needed to stop for money at ScotiaBank in the center of town and we parked at the ReMax office across the street. When Ant tried to start the car three minutes later, it was dead, dead, dead! To which Tyler pointed out from the backseat - “See those ... read more

I have always been curious about our friendly neighbor to the north, and after visiting 31 other countries, it was finally time for me to make the trip … to … CANaDA! I am educated about their ways and customs through a litany of Canadian friends accumulated over the years. My mom’s friend Jennifer is a hockey pusher, Jodie and Erin tease my stomach with tales of poutine (French fries with gravy and cheese curds on top!?!? Yeah baby, I said cheese CURDS!), and Angela from Newfoundland schooled me on the duties of a Canada National Park Warden! Plus, later this year I am to meet two Quebecans, Jeff and David, and learn that Frenchies can be Awesome! But that's in the future and for you to read about later - Oh Geez! Anytime I tell ... read more

Ever since arriving in Belize, I have been bombarded with the propaganda of the Whale Shark. It’s such an elusive giant, it’s found in only a handful of places on our planet, and it’s migratory and reproduction habits are only guessed. But some things are known for sure, like each spring during the weeks of the full moon they visit the Belize Barrier Reef at Gladden Spit to feed on the spawning snapper’s roe. These majestic fish can grow up to 40 feet long and weigh over 20 tons, although they are usually only the size of a school bus.  This wonder of the world is right here in our backyard, and we were not going to miss it! Anne, Steve, their visiting daughter Katy, Aly, Zach, and Tyler and I all picked the 3rd ... read more

The regular boat leaves for the Glovers Atoll Resort every Sunday at 9am from Sittee River, a village about 2 hours north of here. So Chris Jackson and I loaded our grocercies, his dive gear, and backpacks onto the 6am bus out of Placencia. It was a beautiful ride up the peninsula at dawn until we went over a huge pothole and heard a large cRRaCK from the back wheel area! The driver kept driving to the tempo of the punta reggae beat for about another 20 minutes, and then, about one mile from the junction of the Southern Highway, he pulled over, inspected the wheel, and pretty much just gave up! He didn't tell anyone on the bus that we were officially broke down or that we were abandoning the bus, but two by two, ... read more

I have been lucky to spend a great deal of time observing and thinking about the seas this summer through snorkeling and diving with educated guides and reading some amazing scientific and science-fiction books. The ocean is a living, breathing, and adapting organism with a geologic evolution we can barely appreciate! Because Belize’s entire coastline is protected by a 170 mile barrier reef, there is an abundance of small islands and shallow waters teaming with marine life in close proximity to Placencia. I am finding equal joy in snorkeling or diving, as there are different kinds of animals, plants, and behaviors to observe depending on the depth of the water and location. Within a 12 mile radius from our village, there are two isles in particular that I love to snorkel - Colson and Crawl Cayes. ... read more