Day 11, Sunday

To see pictures, be sure to log on the internet to http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmcmissionpictures/.
You can view a map of Belize at http://www.progressoheights.com/location/belize_map.jpg . “Click” on the map and it will zoom in; we are working in the very northernmost tip in Corozal town (which is located in the District of the same name).


Here is what happened on Sunday.

Well, today is the day that everyone was really excited about – SNORKELING!!! That pretty much took up the whole day. Left early – 7 a.m., drove to Belize City (2 hours), boarded the boat for Caye Caulker, and about an hour later (21 miles NE) we were on a beautiful island with a pristine tropical beach. After getting fitted with mask, snorkel , and fins, we boarded the boat and went out to the second largest barrier reef in the world – second only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

We divided up into group of 10 or so and a local guide drifted around with the group, pointing out and identifying different things. As we snorkeled around above the coral, different groups reported seeing hundreds of tropical fish, a couple of parrott fish, nurse sharks, barracuda, butterfly fish, fire coral, lion fish, starfish, sea urchin, and neon colors of blue, yellow, white. It was like swimming in an aquarium. Then we went to a second location to see the Manta Rays – scores of them with their huge wings powering them all around our feet. We could reach out and touch them as they glided by. They were slick and squishy, and they looked very menacing, but they are harmless. We were there with the Rays for about 45 minutes.

After snorkeling we had opportunity to walk the streets of the little town. It is a really cute town with sand streets that run right along the beach. The whole key is only a block or two wide. There are a lot of cute little shops and vendors. We were there about 1½ hours checking out the town.

After the 2½ hour ride back home, we once again had our hermano restauranteers bring food to us. Their food is local, original, and GOOD. Immediately after supper we broke up and started packing and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow we will leave around 11; our plane leaves at 3:45 p.m.