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Scuba diving and snorkelling

Marine conservation scuba diving and PADI courses

Caye Caulker, Belize

Matt Scott writes...

"The boat drifted down the river towards the open sea, having just departed the water taxi station in the centre of Belize City, making its way to a small island just a few miles away. Caye Caulker is less than an hour from the centre of Belize City. While light aircraft operate a quick and comfortable transfer to the island, the powerful two-engine speed boats that operate a taxi service to the Caye and other islands are also popular and a far more enjoyable way to travel.

A relatively small number of backpackers make the journey to these islands; the reward for those that do is a unique atmosphere and environment that can only be found in the Caribbean. The islanders frown on commercialism and mass development and the islands have retained their unique charm. Only reggae can be heard playing on shop or restaurant radios and the 'no shirt, no shoes' philosophy is strongly encouraged. The rush and hustle that usually comes with an arrival did not happen as we docked on Pier One in Caye Caulker. A few men were waiting patiently with golf buggies or bicycles to take tourists to the various hotels, but they did not rush upon us, as is so often the case. One passenger tried to jump ashore before the boat was tied, only to be told in a friendly Rasta manner, "Hey man, you gotta take it easy here".

Chilling out...

There is little reason to go fast here: even at a snail's pace it takes only minutes to walk the width of the island, and little longer to walk the length of the main street. Being laid back is an art, and the residents of Caye Caulker are true masters. After just a few hours on the island you drop into a slow stroll, as if all your cares are left on the dock in Belize City.

There are over 30 hotels in Caye Caulker, yet few have more than a dozen rooms. All accommodation on the island is family run and owned, mostly of a basic but comfortable standard and within metres of the beach. Main Street is a sandy road, lined with souvenir shops, restaurants and a few art galleries offering local work. Dive shops or boat tours fill the remaining spaces.

Numerous bars and restaurants offer various cuisine; The Sandbox offers no menu and instead shows you whatever has been caught in the nets that day. Fishing and lobster catching form a large part of the industry in this area; they are the freshest you'll ever have and with a price to suit a backpacker's budget. A mixture of Mexican, Jamaican and Western food makes for an eclectic eating experience and Rastafarian, Mestizo and Creole culture have all heavily influenced the area. Barbequed chicken can be eaten on the beach and Conch Fritters (Conch meat mixed with herbs, crab meat and fish, which is then deep fried) can be found in Rasta Pasta. You can also snack on coconut macaroons and brownies, baked freshly on the island, and delivered to your door, or hammock, by Cake Man One, or his assistant, Cake Man Two. The rooftop bar in the middle of the island has a variety of tropical cocktails as well as local Belizian beer; instead of bar stools, swings and hammocks are there for you to relax in as you gaze over the water.

Sunset boat tours can also be taken from the island; as dusk approaches you could find yourself sailing into the Caribbean, accompanied by Bob Marley on the stereo and a cup of rum punch. Windsurfing, sailing, kayaking and fishing can be enjoyed from the island and with over 500 species of bird, it is a naturalist's dream.

With Caye Caulker lying just one mile from the Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest in the World, a trip to this area is not complete without enjoying the World-class snorkelling and Scuba diving. The reef is just metres from the shore in many places, but to enjoy the real variety of nature that it has to offer - the bigger fish, the brighter colours and the deep trenches - you have to head to the areas away from the coast. The white surf, seen breaking across the horizon from Caye Caulker, gives visitors a clue to the size of the reef in this area. With coral only growing a few millimeters a year, a reef of this size has been in existence for thousands of years.

Fitted with snorkel, mask and fins, David, our guide, led us to his small boat to begin our tour. I was snorkelling with a few other backpackers who had made the journey to this part of the World to experience a little bit of paradise and a lot of relaxation. We were also joined by John; having given up his job in the City he'd moved to Caye Caulker. He lived in a small hut, with no electricity or running water, in the forested part of the island.

Dolphins appeared in the water as we left the pier, and just as quickly disappeared. The boat stopped just a few metres from the breaking surf; a few white pieces of coral were poking above the waves as David carefully threw in the anchor to keep the boat from drifting into the reef. From here you could see only the waters of the Caribbean; the island had disappeared over the gentle surf and the blue sky melted into the even bluer ocean. Only the waves breaking over the reef told us that we were not too far from land. We had sailed to the marine reserve of Hol Chan; a five square mile preservation area with abundant sea life. The warmth of the water was the first thing to hit me, shortly followed by the variety of colours and life below its surface.

A large barracuda was already in the shadow below the boat; blue and yellow parrot fish swam close by and silver needle fish could be seen in every direction, yet we were not even in the reef yet. A ray made its way below me and I was able to stoke its velvety body and smooth underside, without it appearing the least bit perturbed. Rays have a very potent sting in their tails, but these ones only use it if they are directly threatened. David had given us strict instructions that we could only touch what he told us was safe.

Rays

The area of the reef we swam into is known as Shark Ray Alley and many more rays passed by, while some remained partially hidden in the sand and weeds on the sea bed. The graceful movements of the rays made us all look cumbersome in our fins. Visibility was over 100 metres, and our first view of a shark came just at the edge of this field, gliding into the depths of the reef before we could get closer. It was only a few moments before another swam towards us as we made our way through the reef. Nurse sharks are fairly docile fish and the first we saw was little over a metre. Despite their sharp teeth they prefer small prey and are generally playful, even with intruders such as us. This shark followed us for part of the way. Even as I reached out to touch its skin, it didn't seem bothered; instead it turned around and remained almost motionless as my hand ran over its underside.

Barracudas hovered in the water, watching as we swam past, only moving as a watch or other shiny object caught their eye. Attracted by silver, barracudas have been known to attack swimmers who are wearing jewellery. David told us of a woman who had recently died when a barracuda went for her necklace, taking much of her throat with it.

The reef was vast, in some places rising almost ten metres from the seabed and stretching as far as the eye could see. Brain coral, over a meter wide, grew in patches away from the main reef and blue and red fan coral swayed in the currents of the water. Lobsters quickly moved into their holes as we approached and sea turtles swam for the safety of caves. Sea cucumbers could be seen on the sea bed, and pieces of white coral lay there after being knocked from the reef.

As well as being sharp, coral is very fragile, and even a slight touch can cause permanent damage. Touching the reef is strongly discouraged. What has taken thousands of years to grow can be destroyed in a matter of decades. David, and guides like him, takes steps to ensure that the tours he runs are in no way damaging, and the reef will remain, and grow, for future generations to enjoy."

further info

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