The morning was a bit blustery, but that didn’t stop us from eagerly awaiting our departure for Half-Moon Caye, one of Belize’s oldest wildlife protection sites and a declared crown bird sanctuary. Our assistant expedition leader, Adrienne, showed us her incredible patience as we yearned to immediately board the Zodiacs for the beach. After an adventurous 4-mile cruise across the brilliant blue water, we finally made it to land. (And only a little damp from the waves!)
Half-Moon Caye is well-known for hosting colonies of red-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebirds, which could be seen on approach to the island. The view of the birds gliding above the palm trees was truly picturesque. Our morning consisted of walks led by our knowledgeable expedition team to view the local birds and other wildlife. We felt lucky to have encountered the spiny tailed tenosaur!
Outside of bird-watching, we had the opportunity to snorkel on a stunning coral reef with beach access. Belize has the second largest barrier reef system in the world; a real treat to explore! With the variety of fish species, corals, urchins, and anemones, we collectively decided that this was the best snorkeling of the trip!
Just as we entered afternoon hours, the weather turned and we experienced a heavy rainstorm (it made us truly realize the tropical temperament). We all huddled under a covering and laughed about our situation. Just as fast as it came, the storm passed, and we continued with our activities. The hot, humid weather made us thankful for the cooler of cold beer available to enjoy.
As this first part of our trip came to an end, we spent the evening reminiscing about our favorite experiences and enjoying fine cocktails and dining with friends. Next stop: Guatemala!
