The Great Blue Hole

Our day trip to the famous Great Blue Hole was a bit of a question mark due to the high winds and resulting high waves. But we went ahead and the hour-long crossing over to Lighthouse Atoll wasn’t as rough as I thought it might be. Once we got inside the Atoll it was much smoother. 

In terms of size and depth, the Blue Hole is quite impressive. It’s 318m across and 124m deep. The circular shape and differing water color shows up clearly even from water level on a boat. Photos from the air look spectacular. 

Looking up out of the Great Blue Hole. The photos around the stalactites were dark and blurry!

But in terms of diving, we weren’t expecting much. We’d been to one before and our travel agent, who’d been to this one, described it as “underwhelming”. Basically, you’re diving into a deep dark hole. At about 40 meters (which is quite deep in scuba diving terms) there are some stalactites that you can wind your way through – but only for a few minutes due to the depth. If we do this day trip again next week, we will snorkel around the top as the rest of our fellow guests did and really enjoyed. 

The next stop was Half Moon Caye, a small island that is also a bird sanctuary and a spot for nesting turtles. After a short stop and dropping off the snorkelers, we went a short distance away and dove a site called The Playground. Our dive master, Cardinal, said it’s one of the best dive sites around but unfortunately, visibility wasn’t great this time. We still saw quite a few things including a reef shark that came around several times during the dive. 

After lunch back on the island we had time to wander and take some photos. The red-footed booby were looking after their young and the frigate birds, in mating season, were displaying their puffed red breasts. 

Our third dive of the day at The Aquarium was plentiful with fish and great visibility. 

Back at the resort, the “Blue Hole” special of the day (a combination of Caribbean rum, blue curacao and tequila) had much more kick to it than the real thing! 

  

There were lots of very large hermit crabs on the island.

A frigate bird in mating season.

A red-footed booby and her baby.

This guy followed us the whole dive!

Can you spot the stingray?

Flamingo tongue on the fan coral.

Small shrimp in middle of photo.

A potent blue hole!

Blackbird Caye

We are loving Blackbird Caye Resort. Partly because we are two of eight guests here this week, at least until Wednesday when four more arrive. We are the only guests staying two weeks rather than one. (25 – 30 guests is average with maximum capacity of about 50. We were just told another 20 arrive on Saturday. Yikes! We should have known the present situation was too good to last!) Our travel agent got us upgraded to the best cabin on the island so we’re at the end of the guest cabins for even more privacy. Internet is only available near the office and at one edge of the dining room so a quick check in the morning and afternoon/evening is all we can manage. Which adds to the stress-free environment. I’ve been sleeping amazingly well thus far! 

Boat driver, Alan (aka Biggy) and Dive Master Cardinal

And it’s certainly the first time we’ve had a dive master to ourselves for more than a day. All the other guest are snorkeling. There are three dives scheduled per day but we figure two is enough. On the very first day I wasn’t feeling well (puked my guts out) so we both skipped the first dive, Andrew did the second one and we both did the afternoon dive) but since then have been fine. Many of the dive sites are only a 5-minute boat ride from the resort so we’ve come back in after each dive. Which is good because it’s been quite windy with rough waters. 

The highlight of our first few dives was seeing a toadfish (which we’d never seen before) and two large spotted eagle rays. 

Spotted Eagle Rays (photo by Andrew)

Toad fish (photo by Andrew)

Checking out the tube sponges (photo by Andrew)

Andrew taking photos

In our down time we wander the small island or work on photos or video from what we’ve seen thus far both above and under water. We are entertained by the pelicans diving for fish and enjoy seeing other birdlife.

View from our cabin

Our cabin on the beach

Modified motorcycle has many functions

Raking the beach. Lots of seaweed.

Desalination plant

Pelicans catching their dinner

Another view of our cabin

Osprey

Banana Colada with dolphin (Jose is a talented bartender!)

Welcome to Belize!

I’ve often heard people lament about having a terrible/bad/shitty year. I’ve always thought, “Really?” and wondered how a whole year could be that bad. Well, now I know. Those who know me already know the details . . . it was a tough and emotional 2018 and start to 2019. 

I’m thankful that Andrew and I now have the opportunity for a short break just to relax and chill out for a while. When we decided a couple weeks ago to go on a dive trip, I started looking at places and my head was still so full that I simply couldn’t make a decision. I emailed Michelle at Faces of the Sea (who we've used a few times now and who I highly recommend!) and, after a few emails back and forth, we quickly had flights and a couple weeks booked at Blackbird Caye – a small resort on a small island off the coast of Belize. 

"Man should not live where bougainvillaea does not grow." - K.S. McKinlay 

We flew to Calgary and then straight to Belize City where we overnighted. In the morning we wandered for a couple hours along the waterfront and some of the side streets. I took a few photos around a cathedral that had a beautiful stained glass window and we found Martha’s Café, a nice vegan/vegetarian restaurant where we had a delicious lunch and sat and read our books while the ocean breeze moved through the wide open windows and doors.

Stained glass at the cathedral

At the marina in Belize City

An old government house -- the wraparound verandas are very common.

Mid-afternoon, we and six others took an hour-long boat ride out to the island. As it turned out, there’s only the eight of us here at the resort until Wednesday when four more people are due to arrive. It’s nice to have such a quiet, relaxing place! 

Hiking, Flying, New Wings

It was a spur-of-the-moment trip. Our new paragliding wings were going to arrive in Invermere (FlyingMax) and we hoped we'd get a chance to fly with them before winter set in.

It's questionable as to whether we actually needed new wings (we don't!) but the reviews of the new Phi Symphonia have been very good. They have a higher safety rating than our present wings but are higher performance. Both of which, for the amount of flying we do, is a good thing. Plus, Andrew was buying so who am I to argue?!?!?  ;-)

The wings definitely have a different feel to them so it was great to be able to get out to the training hill in Invermere to do some ground handling and get in a few launches and landings there before moving on to something bigger.

It's not as pretty as my purple and blue wing but Search and Rescue orange was a suitable alternative . . .
 because everyone knows colour is most important, right!?!?!   :-) 

One thing I'm super happy about with this wing is that it fits into my reversible harness backpack. It's so small and light!  :-)

The weather didn't cooperate fully and none of the locals were flying but Andrew and I drove up to the Swansea launch late one afternoon. Conditions were flyable (but very cloudy so no thermals) and Andrew got in a short flight to better test the wing. I tend to be more conservative (aka chickenshit) and it would have meant a long evening hike back up to get the car so I didn't fly. But took the big camera and got some good photos!

While still checking conditions, a sailplane buzzed us and took a few passes. Humorously, it was "007." Both pilot and passenger smiled for the camera.

Just seconds later, a juvenile bald eagle flew past. He wasn't quite as cooperative as a photographic subject. 

Then it was Andrew's turn. Consistent 10 mph winds and great launch. Enough ridge lift for a couple passes and then cruise around the flatland for a bit before landing.

So many deer! 

Prior to this we managed to get in a bit of hiking. Banff's Tunnel Mountain, in the snow, to break up the drive; to the top of Mt. Swansea, in the rain, to check out the launch; and Dry Gulch near Invermere while waiting for weather to cooperate for flying. 

And I had to add this food photo just because it looked so pretty!