So my girlfriend found a travel deal - 7 days and 6 nights on a catamaran based out of Belize.
Tradewinds is the company. Cheap airfare to boot! We leave Friday morning and will be gone until Monday the 24th. Taking a few extra days to explore the Mayan ruins, and tropical rain forest.
No cell or email so take care and I'll post pics / stories upon my return. Peace out!
Here's the itinerary -
Beautiful Belize with its blend of Caribbean, Mexican, Spanish, and Mayan traditions lies on the eastern coastline of Central America, bordered on the north by Mexico, on the west and south by Guatemala, and on the east by the Caribbean Sea. It is separated by sea from its neighbor to the southwest, Honduras. Travel to Belize from Florida is just over 2 hours, making it a close and accessible location to most. Considered one of the best places to dive and snorkel in the world with sites such as Great Blue Hole in Ambergris Caye which is rated #11 on the Scuba Travel Top 100 Dives of the World; it is sure to be a treat for our members who enjoy diving and snorkeling.
Arrival Day Embarkation is possible from 5PM. You can check in at the reception of the TradeWinds Tianna Suites and drop off your luggage when you arrive. Town is only a 5 minute stroll away. Your catamaran will be moored right outside the Tianna Suites in Placencia Point. Upon arrival you will be greeted by our operations manager who will take you through the check in procedure. Then you will be introduced to your crew and fellow sailors and you will be shown to your cabin and helped to settle in to your new home for the week. After a refreshing Welcome cocktail we will cast off and head out into the bay of Placencia where you will enjoy a delicious dinner aboard followed by a good night’s rest before we set sail the following morning.
Cruising Day 1 Wake up for breakfast and have an early swim if you fancy it. Then we set sail to nearby Wippari Caye which is around 10 nautical miles north east of Placencia. Here you will find calm waters, amazing snorkeling and fishing.
This Caye is home to fishing legend Julian Cabral where he owns and runs a beautiful little beach bar. For any fishing enthusiasts, a quiet beer with Julian will reveal the inside track on the best ways to catch our scaly friends down below. You can spend a lazy day strolling the Caye’s shore, swim and snorkel before and after lunch on board prior to getting ready for cocktail hour and dinner. Don’t forget your camera today. Wippari Caye has an unforgettable sunset.
Cruising Day 2 After breakfast you can help the Captain hoist the sails for a 2 hour journey to the beautiful Queens Cays. This small group of Cayes is made up of three of the most exotic sand Cayes you will ever see.
Your Captain will moor your yacht close enough to the Caye so that you can jump right off the back and swim ashore. The water here is crystal clear and there’s great snorkeling to be found all around. If you would usually be too nervous to jump off the boat you can still snorkel right off the beach and see everything that the Queens Caye reef has to offer. After lunch we will prepare the scuba divers for their first dive of the week on the nearby outer barrier reef. A short ride in the dinghy brings us to the WALL, with depths of around 100ft. After another exciting day it’s time to relax and just take in the beauty of this remarkable paradise.
Cruising Day 3 Following a Sailors breakfast we will take the dinghy for a short ride to a dive site that offers an abundance of fish, not to mention the odd reef shark swimming past.
Then we’ll hoist the sails and head south to Ranguana Caye, 2 acres of paradise on Earth. Pat runs the bar and restaurant on the Caye which serves the freshest seafood known to man. There are hammocks set up on the beach for you to relax in before diving off the beautiful white sandy beach into the coral reef waters. For the fishermen, Ranguana Cay offers some of the best bone fish Belize has to offer.
These ‘catch and release’ fish are caught right off the beach, under the shade of the coconut trees. Tonight we eat and drink ashore with Pat. She is a master blender. You name it, she’ll mix it. After dinner take a stroll under the moonlight along the beach. The stars so far from any light pollution are incredible.
Cruising Day 4 After breakfast we will make a short sail to Pompion Cay. Here you can stroll on the sandy shores looking for treasures that wash ashore. Snorkel right off the beach and explore this under water paradise. For the scuba divers you will enjoy another reef dive just 10 minutes away by dinghy to Lobster Point which is well known for, you guessed it, lobsters!!! After lunch we will once again hoist those shady sails to make our way to Little Water Caye for cocktails and the last swim of the day prior to settling down for another scrumptious dinner on board.
Cruising Day 5 5 nautical miles south west lays the famous Laughing Bird Caye, home to the rather noisy Laughingbird Gull. This small sand Caye has an information centre on the island, so any and all questions you might have that pertain to our friends underneath the waves can be answered here by one of the rangers. You can enjoy snorkeling and diving right off the beach with an underwater wall dropping down to 100ft vertically. Like several of our anchorages this week, Laughing Bird Cay is a marine park which means there is no fishing allowed on or around the Caye. Because of this protected environment the Caye offers an excellent chance to see some of our bigger friends down under including lobster the size of footballs walking along the bottom without a care in the world. Kick back for another great sunset.
Cruising Day 6 Breakfast today is followed by an early morning snorkel after which we set sail for Colson Caye. On arrival we drop the anchor in time for a last lunch on board followed by one last swim before heading back into Placencia and the end of the sailing part of our adventure. However, to compensate for that, tonight we dine out at our favorite local restaurant.
Departure DayAfter breakfast onboard, it is time to gather your belongings and memories. Your crew will arrange transport back to the airport before exchanging fond farewells. Those of you who are staying additional nights in the Tianna Suites will have their bags taken to their room, where arrangements for some land based activities can be made; whether exploring Monkey River or visiting one of the Mayan Ruins; you will already be planning your next TradeWinds adventure....
