Day 29 Belize Reef

---

Our first snorkling trip was today! This is definately what the Belize Cayes are all about..

We set off with 2 other couples from the US, our captain Jermaine and his yummy boat boy Jacob. We first stopped at what looked like the middle of the ocean, to be told to "jump right in"...a bit of a stretch of a request as there was nothing around and you couldnt see the bottom! but oh well, we´d paid for this so in we jumped. Turns out this was a manetee area and our guide/captain swam us over to where 2 manetees were resting. It was amazing!! They definately lived up to their "sea cow" nicknames, and were so lazy just slumped on the ocean bed. One went up for some air after a bit and even though it was so slow, they looked so graceful as their enormous tails paddled them up to the surface. The guide then pointed out a coral garden and left us for an explore. The corals were amazing and there were hundreds of fish. Suddenly we noticed the rest of our group all bunched together watching something...

A TURTLE! FINALLY!!!!!!!! AFTER ALL THAT TREKKING THROUGH THE PENINSULA WE SEE ONE!! He was really cute, just like the one from finding Nemo and his face genuinely looked like a cartoon! Tash freaked out a bit after seeing what she thought was a barracuda in the distance so headed back to the boat (it was definately a shark!) Back on the boat we sailed out to SharkRay Alley. What a lovely, inviting name. As soon as we pulled up, the sound of the engine drew hundreds of massive fish, a few rays and about 10 nurse sharks. They were flapping about everywhere...the captain was serving them dead sardine and they were loving it. Then to Tashas horror, the captain once again suggests "everyone jump in now" ! hahaaa. Luckily the sharks had become distracted by another boat so Em jumped in to be surrounded by big beady eyes from huge fish. We were told to collect Conch shells which the captain filled with a sardine and put at the bottom of the sea (only about 2mtrs deep), which attracted the stingrays! Then he picked one up and we got to stroke it...It felt so slimey but velvety at the same time! Tasha plucked up the courage to come in with the help of the captain and he was really nice and helped her out, making her feel more comfortable about the sharks etc (they dont have teeth, they only suck on their food!) We went for a swim and he tried to hold a shark but it wrestled him away so we swam off!

Next stop was at the National Reserve where we saw more turtles, sharks, an eagle ray and loads of big fish like snapper, parrot fishes, tuna looking fish and a green evil looking Eel which was coaxed out of his home with a conch. There was an underwater cave which we were invited to swim through but it was really deep so we didnt do that one!! Our captain tempted a HUUUUGE black fish towards him with bits of sardine and it sat in the water next to us, looking up out of the water at his hand holding the fish so we could all stroke it. Like a massive, slimey, swimming dog! It felt so so weird.

On the way home, we had rum punch and fresh ceviche in the sun, sailing slowly down the west coast waiting for the sun to go down while talking to Jacob. Fab! A brilliant way to end the day.

---