What an experience today was. I have been trying to get in the water for the last few weeks, but other things took precedence. As part of our program we get to go on a sailing trip that includes two snorkels in Hol Chan Marine Preserve and then a trip to Caye Caulker. I'm so thankful for this experience with such a unique group of people.
We started out on the catamaran which set sail around 9 am. Ms. Willis and I were able to sit on the beanbags at the front of the boat, so our view for the day was spectacular. The first snorkel involved checking out the preserve which is home to the second largest barrier reef in the world! Hol Chan is Mayan for "little channel" and that is exactly what it is. It's a natural break in the barrier so boats can pass through, and it makes a great stopping point to check out the reef. We saw everything on this first snorkel: sea turtles, sharks, sting rays, fish galore, and beautiful reef structures. I got a little scared around the sharks and the sting rays, but that is all part of the experience.
Second stop for the day was in Shark Alley. This is basically an area where the sharks hang out and feed. We jumped off the back of the boat while this big sharks cruised around. I was terrified to make any sudden movements so I just held my breath and watched all the action. The sting rays were bigger than I had ever imagined. I noticed I was holding my hand over my heart like it would stop them from piecing it. It's so funny how our body will naturally do things without our mind being fully aware. Ms. Willis and I laughed about it later because it was clearly in reaction to what happened to Steve Irwin, but I wasn't even aware I was doing it.
The last stop we made was a really small island called Caye Caulker. This was a quaint little place that was hit really hard by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. The island is only five miles long and one mile wide, so the hurricane devastated the island, of the 90 homes only 8 survived. Since then the island has rebuild, but still carries the laid back mentality we often associate with island living. After exploring for a little while we headed back to the boat for our two hour return to San Pedro.
We started out on the catamaran which set sail around 9 am. Ms. Willis and I were able to sit on the beanbags at the front of the boat, so our view for the day was spectacular. The first snorkel involved checking out the preserve which is home to the second largest barrier reef in the world! Hol Chan is Mayan for "little channel" and that is exactly what it is. It's a natural break in the barrier so boats can pass through, and it makes a great stopping point to check out the reef. We saw everything on this first snorkel: sea turtles, sharks, sting rays, fish galore, and beautiful reef structures. I got a little scared around the sharks and the sting rays, but that is all part of the experience.
Second stop for the day was in Shark Alley. This is basically an area where the sharks hang out and feed. We jumped off the back of the boat while this big sharks cruised around. I was terrified to make any sudden movements so I just held my breath and watched all the action. The sting rays were bigger than I had ever imagined. I noticed I was holding my hand over my heart like it would stop them from piecing it. It's so funny how our body will naturally do things without our mind being fully aware. Ms. Willis and I laughed about it later because it was clearly in reaction to what happened to Steve Irwin, but I wasn't even aware I was doing it.
The last stop we made was a really small island called Caye Caulker. This was a quaint little place that was hit really hard by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. The island is only five miles long and one mile wide, so the hurricane devastated the island, of the 90 homes only 8 survived. Since then the island has rebuild, but still carries the laid back mentality we often associate with island living. After exploring for a little while we headed back to the boat for our two hour return to San Pedro.