Out on the Water

If I hadn't gone to Zumba, I wouldn't have remembered the nice lady at the other end of the breezeway

If I hadn't run into her in a gift shop, I wouldn't have learned that lady's name was Amy, that she was teaching clogging.... or that her nephew runs a sailing/snorkeling charter boat.  

Amy told me I should give Jeff a call.   I don't have a phone, so she said to walk up the road from Zumba to the blue house on stilts, go in the driveway and yell 'Jeff!!' up towards the deck.  (Really?)
So I did.
"Jeff!!?"
Pretty soon a guy in a baseball cap and sunglasses came out on the deck (It worked!)
I asked to schedule a sailing trip and we settled on a date.

I've since been to that blue house three times a week to Clog and have gotten to know Jeff, his wife Theresa their kids and Aunt Amy a little bit.  Very nice people!

Unfortunately every time we tried to schedule my snorkel trip the weather has been bad.  Finally, Jeff just told me to show up at the dock bar Yoli's, any morning around 9 and he'll see if he can fit me in.

I chose this morning.  It seemed like the rainy cycle has ended - a good day to go.  I walked down to Yoli's, but didn't see the boat tied to the dock.  Figuring he's either not going out or I was late, I started to walk back to town.  I found a bench near the dock and sat for a bit, to think about what else I could do today.

In a few minutes, a couple came by and asked if I knew the way to Yoli's.  I asked if they were looking to go sailing (while there are a few people at the bar drinking at 9 in the morning, these folks looked more like the snorkeling type!).  They said yes, so I offered to walk up with them, show where it was.and figured I could go in and ask too.  

Turns out Jeff was on his way and was taking a couple out today and 'sure I could come along'.
Cool - sailing after all!

Here comes Captain Jeff!

I went to the dive shop, rented snorkel gear, then came back to Yoli's to wait for the other couple.  In the meantime, Jeff got food packed for lunch and prepared to go.  The other couple never showed up.  Jeff told me not to worry, we'll go out any way if I don't mind making it into a bit of a fishing trip for his tour guide, Bert.  I thought that sounded great.  We gave the no-show couple ten more minutes, then left without them.

We sailed out of the harbor, 9 or 10 miles off the coast, to the inner edge of the coral reef that runs along Belize (it's the second largest barrier reef in the world!)

Leaving Placencia

Bert scouting out a good spot

Captain Jeff - unfortunately the only picture I got of him

Jeff and Bert found a place to anchor in the shallows between a couple of cayes.  Bert and I got our gear on and got in the water. 

 Once we were set, Jeff was going to move the boat to the other end of the shallow while Bert and I went spearfishing.  Yes.  Well... I just held the bag and swam along side Bert, handing him the bag to put in the lobsters he speared.

Earlier on the boat, Jeff and Bert were teasing me about not being a big seafood eater.  Bert told me I didn't  like it because I hadn't had it cooked properly    Here in the water, before any lobsters made it to the bag, Bert said if we catch any he'll cook me one the right way.  (!)

 LOL...am I gonna have to eat one of these things?

We snorkeled for a while, Bert speared 4 lobsters and picked up a conch shell (at which time all I could think was that I'd rather try lobster than conch!)

My hand holding an Arrow Crab

 After a delicious packed lunch of fried chicken and pasta salad, we picked up anchor and went to another spot and snorkeled around another caye.

On the way back to Placencia, the wind was right to shut the motor down completely and get under sail.  I sat on the roof of the cabin under the sail with my rum punch and cruised back to the dock.

Bert and I at the end of the trip

The day was absolutely beautiful.  It was so nice of Jeff to take me without some other paying guests, but I had a great time.

I got back to the apartment and changed, deciding to go get some groceries.  On the way home I stopped at the Barefoot Beach Bar for some dinner.  (I did wait around for a while to see if Bert showed up with some lobsters!  lol)

Today is Bob Marley's birthday and Barefoot was gearing up for a big party tonight.
I didn't plan to stay for that, but while I was there I did get to hear my favorite Bob Marley song - yes, I have one - 'Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright'.
Yes it is, Bob Marley.