Belize Vacations

Belize Kayak Sailing

It is a breezy day. The kayaks bounce and roll through the waves as we sail down to Long Caye on an all-day excursion. That’s right, I did say “sail”. These double kayaks have been specially modified to take a simple sailing rig and now we are driving along with the wind.

Sailing is a pretty simple matter with these rigs: you just hold onto a rope which controls the sail, lean into the wind, and don’t forget to steer. That is if you are in the back seat, where you are called “Skipper”. In the front seat, “Gilligan’s” job is to watch out for patch reefs, help with the leaning as necessary, and pull out the paddle once in a while if a little extra push is needed to get around the hazards. Mostly it’s a lazy ride across four miles of gorgeous water, in every shade of green and blue.

After a brief sailing lesson we head off the beach. The wind seems light and we get a feel for the sailing pretty quickly. We dodge easily around a maze of patch reefs, and, as we get farther from the shelter of the island, the breeze quickens, the sail fills and we are pulled along briskly. The kayak dances through a light chop, and this sailing excursion is easy and just swift enough to be exciting.

A little more than halfway across, however, the nature of the water changes a little. No longer sheltered from the big waves by the island and reefs, the sea gets a little choppier. Even these waves are nothing like the swells rolling in the open sea, but the bigger ones are getting to be over a foot high. They lift the boat and surge us forward. The trick is to stay facing straight downwind, so that if a wave lifts the rudder out of the water, it won’t have time to turn us sideways to the waves and dump us in the water. We do our best, and a few times a big wave catches the boat just right, and we surf the wave at breath-taking speed. This goes on for a while, but as the water gets shallower, the size of the waves diminishes, and we are no longer surfing, but still sailing merrily.

Most of the kayaks make it to the beach unscathed, but we hear the story of one boat that flipped over. As they retell the story, they both agree that they are glad we did our wet exit exercises the day we arrived. Having flipped intentionally on that exercise, they knew what it would be like to go over, and so were much less nervous while sailing. And they also told of how quickly the support boat was alongside, helping them out. In no time they were back in their boat, bailed out and sailing again. This time they made it all the way to the beach without another unscheduled swim.

Now for a snorkel and some lunch before our next challenge: paddling back to Half Moon Caye.

Oh, here is a short video showing kayak sailing, too….

The boat ride to Lighthouse Reef is an adventure in itself, but the day is not over yet. After our tour of the camp, a safety talk, and getting our luggage settled in our cabana tents, we hear the blowing of the conch-shell. This is our call to gather, and in this case we are gathering for our introduction to paddling, and to getting wet. As in Wet Exit.

 When your kayak tips over, you have two choices: either roll it back up, or get out. Since the Eskimo Roll is an advanced manoeuvre, and very difficult to execute in a double kayak even by skilled paddlers, the wet exit is the more likely choice. So we have to learn how to do it. And what better place to develop your wet exit skills than the tropical waters of Belize?

 The guides take us through it step by step, demonstrating the various re-entry techniques. They make it look easy and some of us have our doubts. Hanging upside-down in a kayak sounds about as sensible as jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. But when it’s our turn, we have a guide right there to calm our nerves, to guide us and assure us. So over we go…

Once your head emerges from the water, and you realize how quickly the actual exit took, you feel kind of silly for being nervous. But you are not back in the kayak yet. First you find your paddle, your boat, your partner. And then you scan around for floating objects that might have fallen out of your boat. Once all is gathered then you work together to right the boat. Then there is the bailing. Once the boat is sufficiently bailed, we get on opposite sides of the boat.

 All of this activity is tiring, especially if the sea is wavy. Fortunately the Caribbean Sea is warm and so we have no reason to rush through this. My partner, being much lighter than me, will stabilize the boat while I climb in. My technique is not as smooth as the guide’s was, but I manage to scramble in and get settled. So now I hold the boat steady with my weight, and my paddle in the water, while my partner climbs aboard. Somehow she makes it look easy. And there we are, back in our boats as if nothing happened, except of course we are soaking wet, and still have a little water to bail out. But the feeling of relief, and of renewed confidence stokes our desire to do some serious paddling. And in a couple of days, when we sail our kayaks to Long Caye, the idea of a capsize shrinks from a Titanic disaster, to that of an unscheduled swim. And that makes the sail a lot more fun.

Rob Stewart feeding a potato cod Photo Credit David Hannan

Toronto’s Downward Dog Yoga Centre is hosting a Fundraiser Event for United Conservationists to bring awareness to global environmental issues. Documentary filmmaker and author, Rob Stewart (Sharkwater) will be talking about his work as a filmmaker, author and inspired advocate of ocean conservation worldwide.

This Revolution in Motion Fundraiser Event takes place Saturday, January 21st, 8:00 – 11:00 pm at the Downward Dog Yoga Centre’s downtown studio and will support the work of Rob and United Conservationists. The studio is located at 735 Queen St. W – 2nd Floor, Toronto, ON M6J 1G1, 1-416-703-8805.

We invite – and encourage you – to join Downward Dog for an inspiring evening of yoga, film and live music. Support the cause through your purchase of raffle tickets where you can win 2 trips to Lighthouse Reef, a coral atoll 60 miles offshore off the coast Belize. Raffle Tickets are $20 each or 3 for $50 and you can purchase tickets by phone at 1-416-703-8805 or online.

HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE
You need to register with Downward Dog Yoga Studios to purchase tickets online. Once registered, click on Workshops, then scroll down to Raffle Trip for Trip for 2 to Belize – Join the Revolution!/Sign up now/Enroll/ and select 1 Raffle Ticket – Trip to Belize – $20 or, 3 Raffle Tickets – Trip to Belize – $50.  BUY TICKETS | VIEW TRIP DETAILS

The WINNER will be notified by phone and/or email if not in attendance at the live event.

If you live in the Toronto area and are able to attend the live event you will become eligible for a Bonus of 5 Free Yoga Lessons at Toronto’s Downward Dog Yoga Studio. Call Pat at 1-800-667-1630 for details.

PRE-EVENT YOGA SESSION  6:00 – 7:30 pm | $65 (Includes event)
Diane Bruni will be leading a Yoga in Motion Class – with unique movements and non-linear sequencing while moving about the studio.

REVOLUTION IN MOTION FUNDRAISER EVENT  8:00 -11:00 pm | $25

• Feature presentation and discussion led by Rob Stewart.
• Live entertainment with Justin Nozuka and local band ‘SLOTH’
• Beverages and healthy appetizers will be provided
• Silent Auction – Items from local Toronto restaurants, clothing items, health and wellness services, items from local Queen West merchants and much more…
• Live Raffle Draw – the draw to Win a Trip for 2 to BELIZE will be held after the Silent Auction

PRICE FOR YOGA + EVENT – $65 Yoga Class + Event Ticket
PRICE FOR EVENT ONLY – $25 Event ONLY Ticket

100% of proceeds from this event will be donated to United Conservationists unitedconservationists.org

Reduce stress and anxiety before you sail, paddle, and snorkel – with a seaside yoga session.

 Add the benefits of a daily yoga practice to your Belize vacation package!

A morning yoga sun salutation sequence is a great way to wake up, stretch out, and prepare for a day of exploring, snorkeling, and sea kayaking on Glover’s or Lighthouse Atolls – Belize’s most easterly coral reefs, far from the tourist crush. Imagine beginning each day with an energizing yoga session – on a white sand beach, by turquoise blue waters, under clear blue skies. Rustling palm fronds, bird songs, softly breaking surf – nature’s sound track. Sound heavenly? Practicing yoga on nature’s doorstep lends a whole new ambiance to the experience and will help take your practice to the next level. These ‘yoga added’ trips have become very popular since they were first introduced a few years ago, so be sure to book early to reserve your space.

“The warm outdoor island environment is incredible for both the beginner yogi and the experienced practitioner. For anyone who has ever wanted to try yoga but not found the right time or place, the atolls of Belize are the perfect choice.” – Andrea Boys, Yoga Instructor

Click here for background information on each of our certified Yoga instructors

Another highlight of your trip will be exchanging stories, about the day’s activities and sightings, with the guides and other guests back at your private island basecamp – sharing adventures, and anchoring memories. Our big walk-in tent are like canvas cabins. Each has its own private deck with a spectacular ocean view. Just the ticket for travelers in search of an off-the-beaten track experience, while still partial to certain creature comforts. A definite step up from traditional camping! We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention what a great jobs the chefs do while out on a reef some 35 – 60 miles offshore. The variety of seafood, tropical fruits like papaya and coconut, and fresh baked treats, is terrific!

“The cooks did an absolutely fabulous job. Great variety of food, plenty of it, snacks in the afternoon, and excellent presentation.” - Karen Hogan, Glover’s Reef & River of Caves, Dec 2011

Although swimming with sea turtles, or being swept up in a school of fish, may be the highlight of your Belize vacation, the energy and mental lift that comes from your daily yoga sessions will be sure to run a close second.

Feel free to call us at 1-800-667-1630 with any questions or to discuss your ‘yoga added’ tour options. Or visit islandexpeditions.com to book your trip online.

 The Great Blue Hole – A Natural Wonder

 On this Belize vacation we will be sea kayaking out to the Lighthouse Reef Atoll in Belize’s Barrier Reef just six nautical miles north of Island Expeditions’ Basecamp in the Half Moon Caye Marine Reserve.

The Great Blue Hole Belize

You know the song that goes: “There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea…”? It’s true. A few thousand years ago the sea level was much lower, and what is now Lighthouse Reef was an island back then. Over the years a huge cave formed in the limestone rock beneath this island. Eventually the roof of the cave got so thin it collapsed, forming a huge sinkhole. Sea levels rose after the ice age, drowning the whole thing. So now there is a hole in the bottom of the sea. There are a few of these submarine holes globally and it is because of the contrasting blue water (dark blue above the cave and clear aqua blue in the surrounding shallows) that they are called, you guessed it: Blue Holes.

Travel packages to Belize attract scuba divers from around the world. They come to see the gigantic formations of stalactites, stalagmites and yawning caverns in this famous Great Blue Hole. But it’s sea kayaking and snorkeling along the coral reef that surrounds the hole that is the great attraction for us today, and this morning there is a southeast wind to help us on our way.

The local guides give us a quick beach lesson on how to sail one of Island Expeditions’ unique sail-rigged sea kayaks, and we are soon underway. Sails flying, the kayaks quickly spread out as we follow the eastern reef crest, and we are soon cruising over the white sandy bottom. Stingrays, disturbed by our shadow, dart off at incredible speed, in a cloud of dust. The waves crest and break on the reef, casting a purple haze in the air, and a distant object, looking like a crashed UFO, turns out to be a section of a ship’s  hull, wrecked on the reef many years ago. At this landmark we begin to angle in towards the atoll. We’re heading for our support skiff, which is anchored by the Blue Hole.

Sailing Sea Kayaks to The Great Blue Hole, Belize

The kayaks all sail in a line and tie up behind the skiff. After a quick snack, we get our snorkel gear on and slip into the water. Our goal is to follow along the inside edge of the reef, snorkel around in a big circle, and end up back at the anchorage.

We can really see how the corals grow upward, reaching towards the light, until they reach just below the low tide mark. From under the surface, the top of the reef is a densely-packed garden of soft corals. Below these soft corals are all the hard corals, loosely stacked in a vertical wall about 15 – 20 ft. (5 or 6m) deep. The seabed slopes steeply from there to the rim of the hole, which appears like the edge of the world as it suddenly drops to a depth of 410 ft. (130 m).

The Lighthouse Atoll Reef harbours a great variety of inhabitants. We find open-water fishes here, such as creole wrasse and ballyhoo. Large parrot-fishes and various groupers lurk above the ocean floor. And hiding among the corals are too many varieties of fish to name.  Our sighting of the indigo hamlet, with its irregular bars of white, light blue, and dark blue is a rare treat. And the best sighting of all – a hawksbill turtle!

Soon we are back at the anchorage and climb aboard our skiff to share a delicious lunch and talk about what we’ve just seen. After lunch, we prepare to sail back to Half Moon Caye, now a barely visible smear on the horizon. The kayaks set out one after another and soon form a long line of white sails, following the reef to our island home, the Island Expeditions’ Basecamp in the Half Moon Caye Marine Reserve.

Sea Kayaking at Lighthouse Reef

A Nesting Colony

Life on Half Moon Caye isn’t all about sea kayaking and snorkeling in this tropical paradise. The island itself has some treasures to share with us. We are headed down to the western end of the island, to see a nesting colony of red-footed boobies and frigatebirds. The trail bends inland, through a thicket of Orange-Flowered Ziracote trees. The white fruits lay scattered on the ground. We pick one up. It is soft but firm. Putting it to my nose, I discover an exotic scent with a hint of vanilla. Hermit crabs line the trail and wander among the leaf litter. A big male Black Iguana is displaying his prowess on a fallen coconut trunk, but our presence is too much for him so he slithers off into the undergrowth.

We pass a copse of Gumbo-Limbo trees, with a sign informing us of their medicinal properties. The red, peeling bark gives it the the nick-name “tourist tree”, as it resembles sunburned skin. Now the trail winds deeper into the forest, and we hear, and smell, the birds. Looking up into the trees we see fuzzy white faces peering at us over pale, blue beaks. These are the booby chicks, sitting on their precarious nests made of a handful of clumsily-placed twigs. They are so close and yet not the least bit disturbed by our presence. Because boobies only nest on isolated islands with no predators, they have no fear on land, but they are clearly curious.

We round a bend in the trail and there stands before us an observation deck, about 3.5m or 12 ft high. We emerge one at a time through the low canopy and are surrounded by birds. All around us are birds; boobies and frigates, young and old. Male frigates inflate their bright red throat pouches, and clap their bills together, advertising their robust virility and perfect nesting site. Frigates and boobies croak and squawk, fluttering their necks to cool themselves. And overhead birds dip and soar, coming and going with food for dedicated spouses and hungry young beaks. And we are standing at eye level, surrounded by this magnificent spectacle. This small island, out in the blue Caribbean, does indeed have its treasures.

We have been alerted that flights from US desinations to Belize are having a seat sale.  Some recent research for a client, we found return flights from Baltimore, MD (BWI) to Belize City (BZE) for $360, including all taxes.  Now that is a great deal, considering that same flight just a few days ago was worth $600-$800.

In our office, we use this great tool, which powers all of the on-line booking engines, but this tool gives you unbiased search results.  Then, goto the airline website and match the itinerary for the best possible fare, withouth last minute charges.

http://matrix.itasoftware.com

Here are some examples of flights we just found using this tool, with the dates around our Ultimate Adventure  (www.ultimateadventure.travel) departing Jan. 25th.  So, we used the dates of Jan. 25, flying home on Feb. 5, 2012, and found these fares.  Here are just a few examples:

Boston, MA (BOS) - $725 -> Now $366

Chicago, IL – All airports (CHI) - $695 -> Now $366

Atlanta, GA (ATL)$750-> Now$ 370!

We are really excited to announce that for our 2012 Season, we have produced an iPhone app, which can now be downloaded from the Apple App Store!

Not only do we have all of our trip experiences, including detailed trip itineraries, we also have google maps on each of our trips at your fingertips.  What we are excited about for our booked guests is that we also have the complete Pre-Trip Information Package for each trip, including a mobile packing list.  You now have a mobile version of our packing list, so you can carry it with you in your pocket!

We really hope that you will download it into your phone, but clicking on these links.  Let us know how it works.  We’d love to hear from you.

If you have an iphone, you can also scan the QR-Code for a direct link to the App in the iPhone App Store.  If you don’t know how to “scan” this image, please visit www.scanlife.com to download your free qr-code scanning software.

Here is a great video we found talking about the tradition of Garifuna drumming and dancing.  There is some great footage of the Settlement Day Celebrations about half way through.  We hope you enjoy!

Desere during Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations

We are snorkeling along the edge of the reef, where the gently sloping sea floor suddenly drops away into darkness. It feels like floating in space. And just off the edge, gliding gracefully, wingtip to wingtip are three spotted eagle rays. Eagle rays are the most elegant of sea creatures. With a barely a flick of their long, pointed wings they cruise over the shallows, hunting for molluscs buried in the sand. Unlike stingrays, which spend much of their time lying on the sand, the restless eagle ray is ceaselessly in motion. It uses its pointed snout to dig into the soft bottom after young conchs and other tasty molluscs, and spends the rest of its time cruising alone, or with others of its kind. Eagle rays are easily distinguished from stingrays by their protruding snout (they are members of the family known as “cow-nosed rays”) and their wide, pointed wings. The underside is white, and the upper surface is dark blue with light-coloured spots. But it is the grace with which they drift through the sea which makes them so impressive and delightful to watch.