Belize and Wonderful Friends Arrive...

Heading back out to the Cays, we felt like we were the only "cruisers" left in Belize. We only came across two other boats in the two weeks we were out.

The beautiful white sand and palm trees at Salt Water Cay 

We went to visit the Smithsonian Research Centre at Carrie Bow Cay

We met Brandon, a Singaporian Scientist (who is doing his PHD in Germany).  

He was kind enough to show us around and explain the research he was doing on a minute worm that lives in the sand in Belize

North Long Cocoa Cay was a gorgeous spot.  Richard set up the shade cover, where I spent the afternoon painting the scene of the two overwater palapas…

We were sooooo excited heading back to Placencia as Lynnette and Dean were finally due to arrive.

They had come all the way from New Zealand to spend three weeks with us.  It had been 18 months since they joined us in the BVI's.

They came so loaded with goodies for us, we felt so very spoilt.  Crunchies, Jaffas, Pineapple Lumps, Pink Pegs, A beautiful dress they bought me in the Cayman Islands, DVD's, Music and lots more - they gave us so many things.

They even came loaded with gifts from Chris and Michael, 

Richard immediately wearing one of their wonderful gifts…

The next day after clearing out, we headed to Hatchett Cay, where we had a lovely dinner…

Lynnette took the opportunity with wifi to Skype chat to her beloved Grandson 

who she was missing terribly…

 Deans Birthday on the 23rd July,

so we greeted his day with fresh fruit and presents, followed by Chelsea Buns…

Dean and Richard went for a dive,

  then headed back for a relax before his birthday dinner…

Guacamole...

followed by crayfish two ways, smoked fish, panko crumbed fish, apple ginger cucumber salad…

followed by Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese icing…

We felt so lucky to share Deans birthday with him.

The next day we had and Sashimi from a kingfish we caught…

and crayfish caesar salad, homemade rolls…

We were now out of Belize waters and entering Guatemala.

Belize...

Belize is famous for its barrier reef (second largest to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia).  

The waters are a beautiful turquoise, with many atolls.

We cleared in at San Pedro.  We then went and had lunch, where we watched these gorgeous local children enthralled at watching a local elder opening coconuts to sell to passersby...

This was a great sign at Caye Caulker.

At Halfmoon Cay marine reserve – a lovely scenic cay with Palm Trees 

and a Red Boobie Bird Sanctuary. 

The Red Boobies were nesting in the top of the trees, 

a spectacular sight from an observation deck, 

watching the males fly in with food for Mum and the Chicks.

Bill (the Ranger) showed us a “baby” Boobie, which had fallen from the nest.  These babies will not survive, so he was looking after it until it was strong enough to fly and be returned to the wild.

We motor sailed amidst rain showers to Glovers Atoll, where we had organized to catch up with Teresa and Brett (Seismic Wave).

We all dived “The Wall” from our dinghys – a lovely dive seeing Crays, Spotted Eagle Rays, and lots of fish.

North East Long Cay had a tricky entrance of coral reefs, the light was perfect for our visual navigation (thank goodness) as the electronic charts in Belize are not accurate!

North East Island has a small resort with the Bures over the water, they have nurse sharks, stingrays and lots of fish swimming under their accommdation.

Us diving with Brett & Teresa,

Some of the Fan Coral

Loggerhead Turtle that was very friendly with us

At a safety stop before surfacing...

This guy greeted us on arrival at Hatchett Cay, a lovely resort owned by an Australian

These are the local fishing boats that go out to dive for the crayfish.  The little canoes are towed by the diving, then they head back to the “mother-boat” where they sleep.  The Motherboat has ice for the crayfish to be chilled immediately.  They then come back to Placencia, where they sell their catch to the local Co-Op for local and export sale...

Placencia Cay for the “Lobster Festival”, though they are actually Crayfish.

Lion Fish are a major "pest" here, being introduced from Asia - they have wrecked havoc on the fishlife and reef system.  Lionfish are venomous.  

They had a competition as to how many Lionfish could be brought in...

Belinda and Ken (Free Spirit) had also arrived so it was a lovely catch up…

and the Lobster (Crayfish) festival was fun...

Richards Birthday

This is typical of many of the rural houses that we saw while driving to Tulum...

This car was parked opposite the Restaurant we went for dinner...

Richards Birthday 16 May 2015

We were up early and off to Dos Ojos Scuba. 

Richard's wish for his birthday was to dive Cenotes.  

Cenote is a Mayan Term, which refer any cavern with a water deposit.  These are inland, underground cave systems, with the six biggest in the world all located in Tulum.  Since the caves were formed in the last ice ages, inhibitants in that period (prehistoric, including human) settled in the caves in search of the single drinking water source.  Most of them, including mammoths, sloths, horses, camels amongst others, did not manage to get out and their remains stay there as proof.  Four human skeletons more than 10 thousand years old have been found.

These caves were dry in the last ice age, rain was filtered and it dragged minerals along forming stalactites, stalagmites and colums.

The first dive at “The Pit” an amazing 123 ft deep, with contracting scuba bubbles and divers against light backdrop – an incredible place...

  

The second dive was “Dreamgate” at Cenote Profunda, a very remote place down a long rough road.  Only two sets of divers.  A double pronged dive along 20 ft bottom with millions of staligtites and mites on the bottom and ceiling.  Very unique place in pitch blackness.

We then headed back to Our Rose, doing some major provisioning along the way...

We headed to Punta Allen, we were the only boat there.  

We went ashore and chatted with the locals.

Leaving Punta Allen we overnighted to San Pedro Belize, a rolly night, we had to slow Our Rose down, as we were going to arrive too early to have the right light to navigate the reef system at the entrance to San Pedro.

Mexico Ruins...

One of the most advanced indigenous cultures of the ancient Americas,

the Mayans began as hunter gatherers and migrated into the Yacatan around 2500BC.

During the pre-classic period (500BC - 250AD) they appeared in Quintana Roo - it was this area that we visited ruins at Tulum, Coba, Chichen Itza, Ek Balam

The shear size and architectural fete was nothing short of extraordinary!

Considering they felt the "wheel" was sacred, therefore was not used for any constructions whatsoever…

The following photos are from the four ruin sites we visited:

Tulum…

Coba...

Our accommodation where we stayed overnight

This is a "Ball Court" - the object was to get a Rubber ball through the small hoop at the top of the wall, using only the hip to hit it.  This was not a game, however used for various decisions needing to be made, including political and sacrificial…

The "Watch Tower" at a cross road connecting various main cities...

Below was our "Mayan Limosine" a typical mode of transport...

Richard climbed to the top of this!

Iguanas come in various colours...

Chichen Itza

The ruins covered a huge area here.  We visited in the morning before it got too hot…

This pyramid is actually a second layer on top of an existing pyramid from an earlier era…

In the evening, we returned for a light and sound show, that was projected onto the above pyramid…

The below photo depicts the fact that most of the Mayan Ruins were brightly coloured structures - they used Jade, Dyes from Vegetation etc to achieve this…

Ek Balam

This is Richard climbing to the top…

The view from the top showed the area that Ek Balam covered…