Get
a Good Paddling: See Belize by Kayak
by Michael Petrie - Victoria Times Columnist - December 4,
2004 & The Calgary Herald - November 27, 2004
It’s
just past dawn when we peel open the tent to take in our first
morning in paradise. We ’re a group of castaways happily
stranded on an uninhabited coral island off the coast of Belize.
For the next week,we ’ll paddle from desert island to
desert island amid the world ’s second-largest barrier
reef (behind Australia ’s Great Barrier Reef). Along
the way,we ’ll snorkel to our hearts ’ content,,fish,camp,eat,drink,
lounge in hammocks and do a whole lot of wonderful nothing.
A
kayak tour is a perfect way to enjoy the pristine,azure waters
of Belize.
The
trip is an adventure-leisure package offered by Island Expeditions,
a Vancouver-based company that specializes in Belize.We ’ve
chosen the Coral Islands adventure — a surf--and- turf
that features two nights and one remarkable day on land before
heading to the sea for six days and six nights. We ’d
arrived at Tobacco Range a day earlier when a motor boat dumped
us off 30 kilometres from the mainland. Our group of eight
— me,,my wife,four travellers from Quebec and two guides
— set up camp and quickly hit the water to get acquainted
with our kayaks.
Though
our paddling experience ranges from neophyte to expert,it
doesn ’t matter.We start by navigating a maze of mangroves
before reaching a quiet bay,where we learn how to tip the
kayak,get out,account for all the equipment,put the unit back
on its feet and climb back in.
From
there,we cruise for a few kilo-metres before returning home
for a fresh-fish feast prepared by Omar,our guide.In the coming
days,dinner will become a terrific social event,where we sit
around the fire,discuss the day ’s events and share
laughs until long after dark.
Now,rising
for our first morning,the scene is surreal — idyllic
palm trees,, pristine azure water,30 C heat and wonderful
humidity.If we were anywhere near electricity or a telephone,
surely,someone in the group would call home to quit work.
The
real fun begins with a three kilometre paddle to a spot on
the reef where we snorkel with countless rays, a massive school
of tarpon,parrotfish, angelfish,barracudas and countless other
species.There ’s also an abundance of corals,sponges,sea
fans and unusual invertebrates.
With
the reef providing shelter from Caribbean waves,the water
is calm andvisibility is remarkable.At one point, I’m
swimming above six eagle rays as they snap out of their sand-covered
camouflage on the ocean floor and race away.
The
next morning,we break down camp,load the kayaks and move on.
With the stove in our middle hatch and a kettle as our hood
ornament,we paddle eight kilometres to Billy Hawk Caye.Along
the way,we take a two hour snorkel break and stop for lunch
at a tiny island.
By
this time it ’s obvious Omar is a combination of MacGyver
and Martha Stewart. Having grown up in the coastal town of
Dangriga,he ’s intimately familiar with the reef. Whether
he ’s spearfishing,snorkeling or setting up camp,Omar
is in his element. When it comes to cooking, he ’s downright
amazing.
On
this day,Omar bags red snapper, trunkfish and conch for dinner.
After demonstrating how to clean the unusual trunk fish and
coax a conch from its shell,Omar prepares a meal that defies
description.Seriously, if Tom Hanks had Omar in Castaway,he
never would have left the island.
Our
other guide,Dean,is a Canadian who lives in Mexico and is
embarking on a three-month canoe voyage once this trip ends.A
former teacher,he ’s a boundless source of information.
At
Billy Hawk,watching the sun set over the mainland is a perfect
way to end the day.There is also incredible off-shore snorkeling.Whether
we ’re in mangroves,coral cayes,or the reef itself,the
underwater scenery is so diverse,every snorkeling outing is
uniquely fascinating.
From
here,we slowly make a 10-kilometre trip to Coco Plum Island
our last stop. Like the previous two islands,Coco Plum is
no bigger than a football field.It has the finest sand of
the trip and the coolest open-air toilet we ’ve ever
seen.After two days of exploring from this caye,it ’s
time to head back to civilization.
Fortunately,we
have a crosswind. We hoist the sails and cruise 20 kilometres
home with little effort.Upon arrival, Island Expeditions arranges
a terrific dinner before a night of traditional Garifuna drumming
and dancing.
The
music ’s great and the beer is splendid,but the highlight
is our first freshwater shower in six days.It ’s well
deserved,but rinsing away the sea salt gives a sad finality
to our unbelievable journey.
The
entire eight-night trip began with a rendezvous in Belize
City and two nights at the Tropical Education Centre an hour
outside the city. From the TEC,we visited Actun Tu-nichil
Muknal — one of the largest, most impressive Maya caves
in Central America.To get there,we travelled 45 minutes on
blacktop, 45 minutes on bone-jarring dirt roads and took a
45-minute jungle hike.
Here,we
put on hardhats and headlamps.We swam into the cave and did
about 80 per cent of our spelunking in water.There are giant,shimmering
flowstone rock formations.Stalagtites drip from the ceiling,while
stalagmites grow up from the cave floor. The Maya used this
cave for sacrifices and one highlight is a calcite-encrusted
human skeleton.
Visitors
to this place must come with a guide and only two tour companies
in Belize are allowed access.
Booking
a trip: For information about booking a trip or to request
brochures, call (toll-free)1-800-667-1630 or visit www.islandexpeditions.com.
Island Expeditions offers several other adventure / eco-travel
tours led by experienced guides.
|
