No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem!

(Ryan) 

The sign said "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem!" next to the bar called The Sand Box and we knew we were in the right kind of place. They had an old school Jimmy Buffett CD in and I was in heaven. Talk around town was sharply focused on the previous nights happenings. The day bartender at the Sand Box had been shot at as he ran from the local police, who were said to be quite drunk. Roomer had it that the police, who have little to do on Caye Caulker, an island 400 feet long and 100 feet wide, had been drinking since ten in the morning. The well known bartender was accused of looking suspicious and carrying something shiny and was beaten by the intoxicated patrol until he broke free and ran for help. Just another Day in the Caribbean.

"The Blue Hole", pictured above, is a major diving destination. A 400 foot deep hole in the middle of the reef draws divers from around the world.

November 30:

(Ryan) 

High hopes of renting a 15' sailboat and hitting all the popular snorkeling spots like "Shark Ray Alley" and the Marine reserve but winds were up to 20 knots. We were told to come back at about one in the afternoon and winds should die down... Winds finally calmed slightly so we headed out to the outer reef. We planned on tying off to a buoy and doing some snorkeling but winds were strong and seas a bit choppy. As the sun set we tacked a few times back up the channel. Right into the slip like a pro and now it was time to get ready for a Lobster dinner. With the whole hostel in tow, we took over the Paradise Restaurant. Others joined in at dinner and we made our way to the "I and I", a tree-house bar with swings and hammocks for seats , for a few beers.

December 1. 

(Ryan) Cloudy morning. A good excuse to do some work on the web page...Two hours at the internet cafe and now the suns out...

December 2. 

(Ryan) Were not leaving until we do some snorkeling but winds are high and they have a small craft warning which has canceled the morning dives...We checked back at 1:30 p.m. and snorkeling trips were ready to go out. We were on our way to shark and ray alley very excited about doing some swimming and seeing some fish. We couldn't believe when we pulled up to the unmarked spot near the reef that both sharks and rays were circling the boat and the driver was telling us to get out. I was the first one out and a little nervous. A few girls aboard said there was no way they were going to get into water full of sharks. There were many more rays than sharks and they would swim inches from you. The water was only about seven to ten feet deep and when you looked down there might be three or four rays or sharks circling below you. It was absolutely incredible. The guide was in the water holding a six foot shark like a baby and rubbing his tummy. The sharks and rays seemed just as curious about us as we were with them. It took a little nerve but I finally gave one of the prehistoric beasts a pet. Wow! We spent the next hour at another location chasing tropical fish through the reef. Conch shells are everywhere, as well as other large shells and wildly vibrant colored fish. This makes me want to get my diving certificate!

December 3. 

(Ryan) Time to get off this little island. A Canadian kid showed up at the hostel  who talked more than the house mom which I didn't think possible which signaled us to leave. A girl named Jennet who had been in the hostel just a couple days and was leaving the next morning as well, and  suggested that we go to the Crooked Tree Wild Life Sanctuary. A very small village, with huts on stakes over looking the fresh water lagoon. It's very quiet and relaxing here. We spent the afternoon in a canoe paddling around the preserve then an early night to catch the 6 A.M. bus back to Belize City.

December 4.  

(Dan) Still in Belize, we woke up at 5:30 am, walked down a dusty dirt road to a house by the lake in the Sanctuary. Typical bus accommodations, cramped, dusty, but the array of characters and scenery made up for the accommodations. We were headed back to Belize City to catch another bus to San Ignacio, Belize. It was just a stop from Belize to Guatemala. The main attraction in this small town was the large deep caves located outside of town about 10 miles. So upon arrival we were greeted with the usual line up of hustlers. "Do you want a taxi?, Hey you what do you want, I can get it for you. Hey, do you want a hotel. Hey do you want to see the caves?". Of course this persists no matter how many times we say "NO!!!!". After pealing off and pushing away the salesmen of San Ignacio, we made our way to a hotel "Hi-et", and believe me, this hotel was no where close to it's American counter part, "Hyatt". Never the less it was in our price range, so we paid for one nights stay and off to explore the town. This was a day of rest. Ryan went one direction, Jennet went another, and Dan another. Jennet set up our tour to the caves for the nest day.

December 5, 1999 (Dan)

Weather: The day was sunny and about 85 with a nice breeze. 

We had our breakfast with the usual small amount of frustration, but we are getting better at the eating game. First upon entering a restaurant in Central America go directly to the menus, that gets somebody's attention immediately. Next walk to a table with authority, but while walking decide, or have decided what to drink because if you make contact with a server, bam, you're in the game. Then quickly decide on a entree, no time for hesitation or the flow will be broken and then you're back a square one. When the drinks arrive have the order ready, and even better if one person does the ordering to eliminate confusion. Oh, also pay close attention to the price of anything you order. This is two fold, because not only do you have a defense from getting cheated but also you may have a quick exit and this allows you to know exactly how much to leave without communication.

  Off to the caves, riding in a Chevy pickup, we saw beautifully green jungle like hills with scattered small farms of papaya trees and banana trees. Their are a few Quaker families with farm down here as well. We arrived and helped carry stuff to the mouth of the cave. A small clear pond surrounded by a tall cliff  adorned with a water fall and various vines, moss, and greenery one see in a jungle movie. We waited a few minutes for the group in front of us to get a head start. 

  Once we got started we split up into two canoes, Dan and Ryan in one and Jennet and the guide in the other. We had very bright spot lights powered by car batteries and the guide did all the paddling. We moved through the long narrow cave very slowly careful not to miss anything. Our boats were joined by hand and the guide pointed out various points of interest as we moved along. The water was very clear and the tall walls were covered with water drippings, stalagmites and stalactites, I think. But at the bottom of the walls were a small area one could walk. Either side of the cave was joined randomly by small natural bridges and every so often the cave walls would shout away back ;making another small cave and I guess they found pottery, knives and sticks and stuff in these smaller caves. The cave was used by Mayan warriors to escape persecution from Kings. As we floated in our silent dark passage way bats would fly from our lights as they slepted waiting for night to feed on the fruit trees just out side the cave. Floating along the cave walls got narrower and narrower and the ceiling got lower and lower. So much at times that we had to go single file and slouch over and duck so we didn't hit our heads. 

  We turned around when we reached the end, I guess we went about a mile and a half. The view was almost completely different going the other direction. We even tried to scare a few boaters coming the other direction. The trip into the cave was very cool and peaceful. It will be hard to duplicate.

  The guide told us the land surrounding the cave was owned by a Canadian guy who was trying to light the cave and charge three times as much as we paid. What a stupid idea. And when we travel back to San Ignacio, we had to give this dork a ride. What a irritating loser. This guy was nonstop chatter. You know the type, a story topper. Only interested in impressing and being the center of attention. Thank god Dan had to sit next to this Cliff Clavin. His usual luck.

  Back in town we had dinner and went to bed.