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Caye Caulker, March 2008
its not spoiled yet. Tucked inside the barrier reef about halfway between Belize City and Ambergris Caye is an island still tenuously clinging to the Caribbean of old and offering a laidback lifestyle and rustic atmosphere. If you used the term barefoot elegance you would only be half right. Barefoot or sandals are preferred by most but elegance goes no further than shorts and tees. The streets are dirt and sand and the three that traverse from one end of the island to the split are quickly walked or you can rent bikes or golf carts. Lining Front Street are the bulk of the small hotels and a mix of bars/restaurants, street side vendors and a few shops. The changing face of the island is seen in the few, newer condo-tels that have recently popped up. Other accommodation, including backpacker hostels, populates Middle Street along with residential areas that fill in between there and Back Street. The buildings throughout the island are either colourfully painted or need to be. I stayed at De Real McCaw and it was inexpensive but clean and functional and centrally located.
You arrive on the island either by air on an eight minute flight operated by Tropic or Maya or via a water taxi taking 45 or so minutes. Most leave the island reluctantly and, more often than not, do so vowing to return. Some ex-pat Americans and Canadians never left. The air strip is a fair hike from downtown so most opt for a golf cart cab. Water taxis, on the other hand, have two centrally located docks.
Other than doing not much of anything, the island offers diving, snorkelling, fishing, kayaking, sailing and wind and kite surfing. My trip was for diving and, while there seem to be lots of places offering dives, most are just agents selling on behalf of the four main dive operators on the island. Frenchies, Belize Diving Services and Big Fish are the more established companies and Black Dragon is a newer player. Frenchies and BDS seem to be ScubaBoard favourites but Frenchies was unable to collect the minimum number of divers required to do a Blue Hole trip and BDS (along with everyone else) was blown off the water on the one day I had scheduled with them. Big Fish, based on reviews on this site, was my third choice but, while I will not dispute what others have said, did not disappoint me at all. With the largest boat on the island they were able to venture out to the Blue Hole on a day that would have turned others back.
You really have to want to dive the Blue Hole since it involves dragging your butt out of bed to get to the dive shop at 5:30 AM and then, after breakfast (coffee, pastries and baked goods actually) have that same butt bounced around on the two hour ride to the Blue Hole. At least from Caye Caulker it is a shorter and slightly cheaper trip than from the more northerly Ambergris Caye. If you do find yourself in a pinch with no one scheduled to make the trip, one or a couple of the San Pedro shops will stop at Caye Caulker to pick you up enroute to the southern atolls.
The Blue Hole wont likely enter your logbook as the best dive ever but it is a unique and world famous dive that can actually be impressive. I, along with the other Big Fish passengers onboard Irene was glad we did it. The depth dictates that it wont be a long dive but, after a short duration in the 140 depth range admiring the stalactites and stalagmites, your computer starts adding back minutes as you work your way up the sloping wall towards a bottom in the range of 40 feet. Time spent here and on our safety stop was shared with explosion of sharks, large grouper, barracuda and lots of other tropicals. All in all an enjoyable 32 minute dive.
Back to Big Fish. On this, and all three dives done that day they did what they are supposed to do. At the outset of the sailing they briefed us on the location of lifejackets, oxygen, emergency communications equipment, operation of the marine head and how they would lead the dives. They warned passengers about the bumpy ride ahead and suggested better seating locations for those prone to sea sickness. Pre-dive briefings were complete and professional and a mooring line and hang tank was in place for the Blue Hole dive. During the dives the pace was slow and measured and they provided a lead and trailing dive master for the divers with limited experience and one for the rest of us. Each group consisted of five divers so they were not too large. If I had a small complaint it would only be that bottom time could have been longer especially on the next two dives (I guess I have be spoiled by my chosen dive ops in Cozumel and Playa). I do appreciate, however, that travel time back to Caye Caulker needs to be factored in so that might account for limiting the subsequent dives to around 45 minutes. The other two dives at Half Moon Caye and Long Caye were excellent with lots to see, a nice overall pace and fairly good vis. Lunch, between dives #2 and #3 on Half Moon Caye, was very tasty with ample helping of chicken, pork and rice and washed down with a variety of sodas. Some wandered off to see the Red Footed Boobies in the sanctuary while others just rested on the beach. Fading winds made the afternoon run home pleasant and much smoother and it was sunny all the way.
The Caye Caulker portion of this trip was all too short. While it might not be for everyone (especially if you crave waiters shuttling umbrella drinks to your poolside chaise or if your idea of roughing it is a small suite in the Hilton) but for those with a sense of adventure and who, in addition to scuba, wish to dive into the local culture, it is well worth the trek. Excitement there is measured in a double header of local teams playing a very physical basketball game (and they say hockey is violent!) and, if you miss that aforementioned hockey or other sports, a great and lively sports bar marked by the Canadian maple leaf on the sign outside. Trice weekly trivia games give patrons a chance to knock up to $50.00 off their tabs and the beer is cold and plentiful. Up the street is the nightclub with Thursday karaoke and Friday and Saturday dancing. For the most part, however, the non-existent sidewalks are rolled up early and dont reappear any too soon the next day. Do watch out for valuables and dont leave temptation lying around as there is a little property crime but, overall this is a great, sleepy town that many hope can resist massive change and retain its character.
I have posted a trip report for the next segment of my trip which was spent on the liveaboard, Nekton Pilot, so I wont rehash that.
After leaving the ship, the shuttle dropped me off at the municipal airport for the final portion of the trip to be spent in San Pedro. I was not impressed with the Tropic Air pilot who would not accede to my request to fly under 2000 and indicated he would likely go to 3500. (I did receive an apology from the manager in San Pedro) Fortunately I had no need to visit the chamber across from the terminal and made my way downtown to my hotel.
San Pedro has changed since my last visit in 2005 and there are more cars, more golf carts and more new construction. The streets are now mostly paved throughout downtown and the bridge has replaced the hand drawn ferry at the cut. This inevitable progress has certainly caused concern among residents and regular visitors and the island has probably lost some of its charm but .all things considered it is still nothing like Cancun and that, for many, is a plus. The North American fast food chains are still nowhere to be seen!
What San Pedro has not lost is its collection of great restaurants. BCs BBQ still rocks on Sundays with outstanding ribs and great music, Ali Babas features juicy chicken, the Reef offers some of the best seafood around and long time favourites such as Blue Water Grill, Casa Picasso, Elvis, Rubys, Caliente, and Carumba are still getting great reviews. On this trip I managed to do a first time visit to Pedros Inn on St. Patricks Day and had an outstanding time. The pizza there may well be the best on the island and the mix of locals and visitors as patrons produces a lively atmosphere. Dont ring the bell unless you have deep pockets! (Jagermeister for the whole bar isnt cheap) Peter (Pedro) is a great host and, for those looking for an inexpensive but clean place to stay, has both private and hostel type rooms. Just be aware that his place is not on the beach and it is a bit of a walk to get to downtown. Wednesday nights chicken drop (at the Spindrift Hotel) if you havent been is a San Pedro tradition worth the visit.
Weather dictated that my diving was limited to my arrival day on Saturday and the following Sunday. Monday and Tuesday were blown out and Wednesday was out because of flying. The first dive was somewhat mediocre but high winds and limited visibility played a big part of that. The dives, Mayan Princess and Esmeralda were much better and it was fun to play with the dozen or so nurse sharks that had been baited in. There were a number of other sites I had hoped to do but the weather is beyond anyones control so I will simply have to return. I was told that February and March tend to be their windiest months so I will plan accordingly.
My diving was with Pro-Tech and, on day one, consisted of Peter (owner), Israel (dive master) myself and two other guests. Day two was just Israel and I. Pro-Tech gets good (and I think deservedly so) reviews. He seems to allow you to dive your computer profile and his boat is comfortable and roomier than a panga. I dont think that he is unique in San Pedro about limiting group sizes but that is always appreciated. In my conversations with other divers during my short visit I also heard good things about Eco-Logic (even from one diver on-board when their boat sunk) and Aqua Divers. I will say that I was impressed that Pro-Tech still went out when it was only me diving. Many shops would cancel due to high fuel costs. When you ever have a chance to do a one-on-one with just the dive master take it. Like diving with your buddy but better because he knows where to go and what to look for. Thanks Israel.
What I dont believe is healthy is the level of animosity between the dive operators in San Pedro. I suppose it is because it is a competitive business and the numbers seem to be down this year but, as a traveler, I like to see and hear respect between competitors. In searching out Pro-Tech I had two other dive operators tell me that Peter was out of business and, obviously, that wasnt the case. Nor do I like seeing those competitive dislikes creep into postings on this forum. Just my .25.
Unfortunately reality calls and the trip must end on Wednesday and I wont go into travel woes because a) they will differ from trip to trip and b) who really cares. Suffice it to say that I did eventually get home, my luggage eventually followed and I will return to both Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye on yet another trip. If anyone needs any more information as to restaurants, hotels or other opinions (mine and mine alone) please feel free to ask. Take some time to walk, bike or golf cart around the island it is a different experience.
You arrive on the island either by air on an eight minute flight operated by Tropic or Maya or via a water taxi taking 45 or so minutes. Most leave the island reluctantly and, more often than not, do so vowing to return. Some ex-pat Americans and Canadians never left. The air strip is a fair hike from downtown so most opt for a golf cart cab. Water taxis, on the other hand, have two centrally located docks.
Other than doing not much of anything, the island offers diving, snorkelling, fishing, kayaking, sailing and wind and kite surfing. My trip was for diving and, while there seem to be lots of places offering dives, most are just agents selling on behalf of the four main dive operators on the island. Frenchies, Belize Diving Services and Big Fish are the more established companies and Black Dragon is a newer player. Frenchies and BDS seem to be ScubaBoard favourites but Frenchies was unable to collect the minimum number of divers required to do a Blue Hole trip and BDS (along with everyone else) was blown off the water on the one day I had scheduled with them. Big Fish, based on reviews on this site, was my third choice but, while I will not dispute what others have said, did not disappoint me at all. With the largest boat on the island they were able to venture out to the Blue Hole on a day that would have turned others back.
You really have to want to dive the Blue Hole since it involves dragging your butt out of bed to get to the dive shop at 5:30 AM and then, after breakfast (coffee, pastries and baked goods actually) have that same butt bounced around on the two hour ride to the Blue Hole. At least from Caye Caulker it is a shorter and slightly cheaper trip than from the more northerly Ambergris Caye. If you do find yourself in a pinch with no one scheduled to make the trip, one or a couple of the San Pedro shops will stop at Caye Caulker to pick you up enroute to the southern atolls.
The Blue Hole wont likely enter your logbook as the best dive ever but it is a unique and world famous dive that can actually be impressive. I, along with the other Big Fish passengers onboard Irene was glad we did it. The depth dictates that it wont be a long dive but, after a short duration in the 140 depth range admiring the stalactites and stalagmites, your computer starts adding back minutes as you work your way up the sloping wall towards a bottom in the range of 40 feet. Time spent here and on our safety stop was shared with explosion of sharks, large grouper, barracuda and lots of other tropicals. All in all an enjoyable 32 minute dive.
Back to Big Fish. On this, and all three dives done that day they did what they are supposed to do. At the outset of the sailing they briefed us on the location of lifejackets, oxygen, emergency communications equipment, operation of the marine head and how they would lead the dives. They warned passengers about the bumpy ride ahead and suggested better seating locations for those prone to sea sickness. Pre-dive briefings were complete and professional and a mooring line and hang tank was in place for the Blue Hole dive. During the dives the pace was slow and measured and they provided a lead and trailing dive master for the divers with limited experience and one for the rest of us. Each group consisted of five divers so they were not too large. If I had a small complaint it would only be that bottom time could have been longer especially on the next two dives (I guess I have be spoiled by my chosen dive ops in Cozumel and Playa). I do appreciate, however, that travel time back to Caye Caulker needs to be factored in so that might account for limiting the subsequent dives to around 45 minutes. The other two dives at Half Moon Caye and Long Caye were excellent with lots to see, a nice overall pace and fairly good vis. Lunch, between dives #2 and #3 on Half Moon Caye, was very tasty with ample helping of chicken, pork and rice and washed down with a variety of sodas. Some wandered off to see the Red Footed Boobies in the sanctuary while others just rested on the beach. Fading winds made the afternoon run home pleasant and much smoother and it was sunny all the way.
The Caye Caulker portion of this trip was all too short. While it might not be for everyone (especially if you crave waiters shuttling umbrella drinks to your poolside chaise or if your idea of roughing it is a small suite in the Hilton) but for those with a sense of adventure and who, in addition to scuba, wish to dive into the local culture, it is well worth the trek. Excitement there is measured in a double header of local teams playing a very physical basketball game (and they say hockey is violent!) and, if you miss that aforementioned hockey or other sports, a great and lively sports bar marked by the Canadian maple leaf on the sign outside. Trice weekly trivia games give patrons a chance to knock up to $50.00 off their tabs and the beer is cold and plentiful. Up the street is the nightclub with Thursday karaoke and Friday and Saturday dancing. For the most part, however, the non-existent sidewalks are rolled up early and dont reappear any too soon the next day. Do watch out for valuables and dont leave temptation lying around as there is a little property crime but, overall this is a great, sleepy town that many hope can resist massive change and retain its character.
I have posted a trip report for the next segment of my trip which was spent on the liveaboard, Nekton Pilot, so I wont rehash that.
After leaving the ship, the shuttle dropped me off at the municipal airport for the final portion of the trip to be spent in San Pedro. I was not impressed with the Tropic Air pilot who would not accede to my request to fly under 2000 and indicated he would likely go to 3500. (I did receive an apology from the manager in San Pedro) Fortunately I had no need to visit the chamber across from the terminal and made my way downtown to my hotel.
San Pedro has changed since my last visit in 2005 and there are more cars, more golf carts and more new construction. The streets are now mostly paved throughout downtown and the bridge has replaced the hand drawn ferry at the cut. This inevitable progress has certainly caused concern among residents and regular visitors and the island has probably lost some of its charm but .all things considered it is still nothing like Cancun and that, for many, is a plus. The North American fast food chains are still nowhere to be seen!
What San Pedro has not lost is its collection of great restaurants. BCs BBQ still rocks on Sundays with outstanding ribs and great music, Ali Babas features juicy chicken, the Reef offers some of the best seafood around and long time favourites such as Blue Water Grill, Casa Picasso, Elvis, Rubys, Caliente, and Carumba are still getting great reviews. On this trip I managed to do a first time visit to Pedros Inn on St. Patricks Day and had an outstanding time. The pizza there may well be the best on the island and the mix of locals and visitors as patrons produces a lively atmosphere. Dont ring the bell unless you have deep pockets! (Jagermeister for the whole bar isnt cheap) Peter (Pedro) is a great host and, for those looking for an inexpensive but clean place to stay, has both private and hostel type rooms. Just be aware that his place is not on the beach and it is a bit of a walk to get to downtown. Wednesday nights chicken drop (at the Spindrift Hotel) if you havent been is a San Pedro tradition worth the visit.
Weather dictated that my diving was limited to my arrival day on Saturday and the following Sunday. Monday and Tuesday were blown out and Wednesday was out because of flying. The first dive was somewhat mediocre but high winds and limited visibility played a big part of that. The dives, Mayan Princess and Esmeralda were much better and it was fun to play with the dozen or so nurse sharks that had been baited in. There were a number of other sites I had hoped to do but the weather is beyond anyones control so I will simply have to return. I was told that February and March tend to be their windiest months so I will plan accordingly.
My diving was with Pro-Tech and, on day one, consisted of Peter (owner), Israel (dive master) myself and two other guests. Day two was just Israel and I. Pro-Tech gets good (and I think deservedly so) reviews. He seems to allow you to dive your computer profile and his boat is comfortable and roomier than a panga. I dont think that he is unique in San Pedro about limiting group sizes but that is always appreciated. In my conversations with other divers during my short visit I also heard good things about Eco-Logic (even from one diver on-board when their boat sunk) and Aqua Divers. I will say that I was impressed that Pro-Tech still went out when it was only me diving. Many shops would cancel due to high fuel costs. When you ever have a chance to do a one-on-one with just the dive master take it. Like diving with your buddy but better because he knows where to go and what to look for. Thanks Israel.
What I dont believe is healthy is the level of animosity between the dive operators in San Pedro. I suppose it is because it is a competitive business and the numbers seem to be down this year but, as a traveler, I like to see and hear respect between competitors. In searching out Pro-Tech I had two other dive operators tell me that Peter was out of business and, obviously, that wasnt the case. Nor do I like seeing those competitive dislikes creep into postings on this forum. Just my .25.
Unfortunately reality calls and the trip must end on Wednesday and I wont go into travel woes because a) they will differ from trip to trip and b) who really cares. Suffice it to say that I did eventually get home, my luggage eventually followed and I will return to both Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye on yet another trip. If anyone needs any more information as to restaurants, hotels or other opinions (mine and mine alone) please feel free to ask. Take some time to walk, bike or golf cart around the island it is a different experience.
