Drift Dive

We enjoyed a number of drift dives off Ambergris Caye with this particular dive being the last of our trip. It was a rainy morning so I called the dive shop to make sure we were still going. They said as long as we wanted to go they’d take us. We were enjoying ourselves so much we never watched a TV or listened to a radio so we failed to realize a major storm was out in the Gulf of Mexico. The seas were calmer than they had been the previous days and we were going to get wet one way or another so we went. We had an excellent time diving two sites one of which was called “Christ the Abyss” with a couple from the L.A. area.

Erina & Patricia with Saint Peter at "Christ the Abyss"

The Winnie Estelle

This is the view we had from The Blue Tang’s (our hotel) rooftop deck. The deck sets three stories high, which is the highest a building can be built on the island, so the view is excellent. The onshore breeze blew lightly in our faces and kept us cool in all weather conditions. I think Patricia and Erina preferred a nice rain so they could kick the standing water one each other.

Most mornings and evenings you could find us relaxing and enjoying one picture perfect moment after another. We'd watch islanders walking and riding by on their way to work or school. The boat taxis were hauling loads of people to and from the outlying islands. You really cannot call it a "bustling hive of activity" as the pace of life is very laid back.

The classic boat anchored in the center of the photo is the Winnie Estelle. I don't know anything of the history on the boat, but I have read an internet article, written by the owner, about it's care and the piloting required for boats down in the Belizean waters. We imagined Humphrey Bogart towing it through a jungle river while worrying about leeches!

The Winnie Estelle

Cleaning the Catch

A San Pedro fishing boat Captain Cleans a Barracuda

We walked down the beach and met a fishing boat Captain and his crew who were all very friendly. He talked to us as he was cleaning the fish and told us to just wait a little bit and his friends would come to visit. We were kind of wondering what he was talking about when sure enough here came not one but three rays to feast on fish pieces and parts. The Captain told us every evening he cleans the day's catch at the base of the pier and every evening he is visited by a number of rays who eat the free leftovers.

A Ray Cruising Above the Turtle Grass Like a Grey Ghost

Off to School

Brittany on her way to school

Anytime our friend Enes' daughter sees us she has to stop for a chat. She forgets about going to school or going home. She is such a sweet little girl.

Addis for Breakfast

Naveed Khan Baking Bread

Visiting Naveed is one of our favorite stops in the morning. One of us will stop and pick up a couple unleavened breads and a couple cups of hot addis. Addis is a thick pasty soup made from lentils which are cooked with spices and served with a little bit of cream (the fat kind - not the 2%) drizzled over the top. Please note that Naveed is one of the friendliest guys you can ever meet so don't let the sober face fool you. It is customary for people not to smile over here when they get their photo taken.

My Bread Baking in the Oven

Naveed flattens out the dough on the convex topped round thingie (the seat looking thing to the left of Naveed in the top photo) and then throws it upwards onto the inside of the oven sticking it to the side. The oven is really hot so he doesn't loiter long inside. He then watches it until it browns and pulls it off with two long rods.

To eat this breakfast, Middle Eastern style, you gather a few of your co-workers / friends and sit around in a circle on the floor. You break the bread into small pieces and use the pieces as a spoon to scoop out a bit of the addis from the bowl. Follow it down with some juice, water, tea or even pepsi and be prepared to fight off a snooze in about a half-hour!

My Favorite Fish

A Bold Yellowhead Jawfish Looks Right Back at Me

I saw two of these little 3-4" fish about a foot apart peering at me over a branch of coral. I couldn't believe my eyes so I slowly moved closer watching them the whole time. As I moved closer they would descend into a little hole. When I moved back they came back out to look at me. I surmise this one gathered I wasn't going to eat him as he stayed up while the other one descended into the sand and could not be seen.

To me, they were so beautiful and surreal they look like something out of a Star Wars movie.

Nurse Sharks Amongst Us

Patricia Descending to Depth While a Nurse Shark Cruises By

We really enjoyed the different types of dives Everett and Enes led us on. On one dive we would cover a lot of distance underwater looking for larger species. After our surface interval, we would do a slower more intensely investigative dive where we would inspect all the crannies, crags and cracks looking for the interesting little guys.

Always following with the camera, I like the slow dives better. There are so many things to see besides the big guys cruising by.

The Filipino Lady's Grave

Patricia and Erina Looking for the Grave Stone Marker and Being Followed by the Ever Present Yellowtail Snappers

We dove with Enes, Everett and Clifford at Belize Diving Adventures and the "tall tales" were as plentiful as the beautiful reef fish we enjoyed. I think Everett's best story was when he told us that a Filipino Lady had been granted her dying wish and had her ashes scattered outside the reef at her favorite dive spot. He said we would probably even be able to find the grave stone marker that had been erected in her honor some years later. Talk about hook, line and sinker! We swallowed that one bigtime. I mean, it is so beautiful, it is only common sense to think someone would want to be scattered there!

Needless to say, no matter how hard they looked, Patricia and Erina never did find the marking for the "Filipino Lady" while Everett and Clifford had a good laugh for days!

Front, Middle and Back Streets

Crusing Down Middle Street

San Pedro has three streets running North to South on the caye. The are Front Street, Middle Street and Back Street. Front Street is closest to the ocean while Back Street is closest to the lagoon, while Middle Street is well.......in the middle. Middle Street is for two-way traffic while the other two streets are one-way. We didn't figure that out until one day a guy smiled politely and told us we were going the wrong way. So we turned at the very next side street to check out the signage and he said you are STILL going the wrong way. It turns out some of the side streets are one way also. Whew! We still laugh about that one.

Elvi's Kitchen or Elvis' Kitchen??

Interior of Elvi's Kitchen - Note the Sand Floor and Tree Inside

Okay. So we're from the Midwest and not too hip on the Caribe accents so it is understandable that we kept thinking we needed to go to Elvis' not Elvi's to try the food recommended by the locals. We were initally thinking we didn't want to go to a touristy place named Elvis' Kitchen. We finally broke down and made it for lunch one day and boy were we surprised to find the photo of an older lady (Elvi herself) on the cover of the menu and not the "King." We enjoyed the food and the restaurant decor. They built the building around a tree inside and the floor is still sand, which is kind of neat. I guess they do that so the next high tide from a hurricane can just flow right on through. If you get to San Pedro we'd recommend a visit.

Happy Birthday Erina!

Smiling for the Camera and Trying Not to Get Water in Her Regulator

So my "little girl" turns 15 (July 9)! Oh my gosh I suddenly feel very old! Seriously, Erina has made me very proud to be her father. I am looking forward to many more life adventures together with her.

Scuba Certification

Patricia, Erina and Everett Performing Their Open Water Scuba Skills

We did all our scuba diving with Enes, Everett and Darryl at Belize Diving Adventures. We did two dives per day at a different spot every dive and enjoyed them all.

The Lyrical King

Erina Being Serenaded by The Lyrical King

We met The Lyrical King in downtown San Pedro and saw him about everyday. He loved to stroll down the beach with us and just chat or sing a song. He was one of the special people we met while visiting Belize.

Where to Eat?

Patricia, Erina and I Heading Down the Beach for Supper

So where do you eat in San Pedro, Belize? Oh my gosh! We tried everything and I can honestly say I never had less than a very good meal!

We ate breakfast at a corner taquerias where the lady makes the tortillas right in front of you. A couple mornings I'd get up early, grab a cup of java and amble down to test out my spanish on the ladies and bring home some breakfast burritos. Awesome.

We ate at Elvi's and didn't realize it wasn't ELVIS' until we got the menu. Elvi's was very good. We ate at Jambrel's Jerk Pit where they play loud reggae and serve spicy Jamaican fare, which is of course right up our alley. Carambas was another place we went to more than once. Ceviche was immediately served instead of chips and salsa and I had some very good grilled snapper there (see below).

Fishing Off Ambergris Caye 7th & Final Installment

Erina Posing When We Stop for Lunch with our Boat "Uprising" in the Background

Clifford, Erina and I climbed back onboard and Eric broke out the tortilla chips and ceviche, which if you haven’t tried it is kind of like a pico de gallo with a kick. It is made with fresh conch or fish, lime juice, tomatoes and onions all mixed up. We cruised a short distance to another stop where Erina and I snorkeled over a wrecked catamaran sunk years ago on elkhorn coral. We saw a small ray floating over a snow white sandy bottom and we followed it for a few meters when for no apparent reason it got spooked and flapped its little wings for all it was worth and in about three seconds it was completely out of sight. Erin and I immediately surfaced and exchanged our surprised looks at the incredible speed it had shown us.

Eric had the lunch ready to cook so we headed towards land and anchored just off shore where Clifford’s old fisherman friend lived. He and the old man cooked our catch over an open grill and then joined us at a shaded picnic bench Clifford had built for fresh fish, onion, green pepper, tomato, and potato soft tacos. We had more ceviche, pineapple, baked beans and punch on the side while we watched the old man’s dogs and a few locals stroll or ride by on the beach front.

We talked sports, how much our sons would’ve enjoyed this day, Belize and life for awhile, then watched Clifford make a scouring pad out of a coconut leaf frond. Eric used it to clean up all the utensils and pan while Clifford and I floated the cooler back out to the boat. We all loaded up for the trip back to San Pedro and Eric turned on some reggae tunes. Everyone was smiling and talking of doing it again. I was so happy Patricia and Erina enjoyed it so much. Then again, what is there not to enjoy about a day on the ocean with good people, good fishing, good food and those you love?