We left early in the morning on Friday, taking all of our stuff that would need to be stowed on the boat and only taking a day pack for the next few days. After breakfast we boarded the Raga Queen run by
Ragamuffin Tours and headed out sailing with a crew of three (Patrick, Ramsey and Dice) and a group of twelve others passengers not including Pa’ and myself. We took our first snorkeling break along the way to our overnight stop; Amy and Turgay were impressed with the beauty of the reef and the number of fish present. Next we sailed and motored our way to
Rendezvous Key our home for the night. This small Caye (read tiny) is home to 9 palm trees and three small clumps of mangrove trees. Our gear and our group were ferried to the Caye in a small dingy and then we set up our tents for the night. Rum punch flowed and much conch ceviche was eaten before dinner was served. A small bonfire was built and maintained or rather increased to a large bonfire by one of the fellow passengers, James. Ally and James also provided a good deal of the entertainment that night, mostly with James’ stories. The next morning we all got up close to dawn and many of us went snorkeling along the beautiful reefs that surround Rendezvous Caye. There were many types of coral and different species of fish, to be seen in the crystalline waters. After snorkeling we packed up and had breakfast on board the Raga Queen before heading off for our second day of sailing.
The Underwater World | Turgay Catches A Barricuda |
{The Underwater World} | {Turgay Catches A Barricuda} |
The winds were not much in our favor today so we spent most of the day motoring rather than sailing. Amy and a fellow passenger Chris went fishing off the back of the boat. Chris handed the rod over to Turgay while he went to change into something with more sun protection, while he was gone Turgay managed to catch and reel in a good sized Barracuda. We had one snorkeling stop at a part of the reef not connected with any island and a swimming stop before reaching our destination for the night. Tobacco Caye is located closer to Belize near the town of Dangriga. It is home to a few small pensions and hotels with small cabins a restaurant and a bar. We ate our dinner on the dock next to the boat after setting up our camp in the center of the Caye,
trying to avoid putting our tents under the coconut palms (for fear of falling coconuts). Amy woke up at dawn and went to watch the sunrise and take some photographs. She was able to take a few good photos before she returned to the tent at a full out run, having been swarmed by mosquitoes. After packing up and heading out for our last morning we had a snorkeling stop not near South Water Caye, a private island that we would have had to pay to just walk on the beach. The reefs here were full of larger fish, but with less variation in the coral than previous stops. Our final snorkeling stop of the trip was at Pelican Caye. Here the fresh water from the Sittee River mixed with the salt water forming a murkier mix. Amy and Turgay decided to forgo swimming or snorkeling here. Chris, another passenger, decided to snorkel the mangroves surrounding the Caye. He returned with reports of how spooky they were and the amazing swarms of mosquitoes and unsettling schools of fish he encountered.
| After everyone boarded the boat again we headed back to the mainland on the way as we motored along we had two different dolphins catch a ride with us. The used the momentum created by the boat as it cuts through the water to propel them forward. Besides going up to the bow to look at the Dolphins, everyone did their best to stay in the shade for the rest of the trip as the sun was brutal and there was little or no breeze. We arrived in Placencia Belize in the early afternoon on Sunday, saying goodbye to our crew and fellow passengers. Amy, Turgay, Chris, Maartje, Pa' and I headed out to find a hotel together. |
