Guess Who's Home

Yeah, I've been back in Ohio for about a week now and things are pretty much like I expected them to be. I am always tired, cold, and stressed but thats how life here is during the winter.

The snow was nice.....for about an hour. After that I just realized just why I love to leave here for the winter.

People ask me how I can leave for three months without missing anything experiences or losing friendships. Well the truth is that nothing happens in Bainbridge, Ohio during the winter and everything is exactly the same when I return. The only change is that people are much whiter with a tint of blue from their veins visible trough the skin. hahah Im sorry but it is true.

School is rediculous. I only find it inconveinent that I have to wake up and drive a couple hundred feet before I can go back to sleep in any of my four extremely easy classes. I guess I'll have to deal with it though.

Reality Check

Today is officially my last day in Belize. The time has flown by faster than ever before and it is extremely hard to believe that it's already time to come home. So many good times and memories that I will never forget have occurred over the last three months. From the time when we took our sailing trip to the remote and beautiful Turneffe atoll to our experience traveling through the Maya Mountains seeing tiny mayan villages and majestic rainforest waterfalls. They have all left me in awe of the true beauty, adventure, and wonder of Belize.

It will definitely not be an easy transition to go from the place where nearly everywhere you may look, it is as if you are looking at a picure perfect postcard or a photo from a magazine to a place where you see merely grey skies, snow, and extremely pale people (no offense to all of my friends back home). I have truly come to love this this "postcard" life, but I will be able to deal with this immense change as I have for every year of my life around this same time of the year.

Although I will miss this place and all of my friends down here, I am looking forward to seeing everyone from back home. It is just once again the stopping and continuation of my two lives; both of which have elements that make me who I am today. Anyway, adios until next year Belize.

Coldfront in Belize

The weather these last few days has changed dramatically. A coldfront has blown in from the north bringing gusting winds and much colder weather than I am used to. Last night going into town I had to put on my jeans and a sweatshirt for the first time since I have been here because it got down to the high 60's!! Although many of you out there suffering in the snow and really cold weather in other places may seem to think that this weather is warm, it's not.

After being in Belize for nearly three months, I have been adapted to weather in the high 80's to the low 90's. I find it amazing how the human body can adapt to it's enviroment and become accustomed to a certain temperature it is living in. I am definitely goning to have a hard time going back to snowy Cleveland in just over a week.

Boa

Last night, while my sister and my father were on a walk down the beach the ran into something very unexpected. My sister was walking a little infront of my dad and she saw a dark line that she thought was just a stick. The darkness inhibited her from seeing that it was actually a Boa Constrictor. My dad's flashlight shone on it and he realized what they had stumbled across. He pinned the snake's head down with a stick and picked it up carefully. Bringing it back to the house, he gave my mom quite a surprise. We measured it and it turned out to be just under five feet long. This just goes to show you that you never know what wildlife you could run into here in Belize.

Boogie In Belize

This is the third year that the Boogie in Belize skydiving trip has been going on here on Ambergris Caye. Groups of people from all over the world come here for nine days to do one thing, skydive. These daredevils seem to enjoy the breathtaking view visible from 13,000 above in which you can see seemingly endless ocean and countless carribean islands.

Although the popularity of the event has spread rapidly over the last few years, there has been a few accidents in which don't seem to bother the skydivers too much. Last year, there were several account of misguided divers landing far away from the landing site, often in the ocean. There was one man whose parachute did not open for some reason and he fell to ocean just infront of my house shattering every bone in his body, killing him upon impact and leaving a tangled mess of bones and flesh.

With the event just beggining a few days ago, there has already been an accident. A man was coming in for his landing right on target when he made a horrible mistake. Coming in way too close to the electric lines he hit them with his lower body. He fell 40 feet down to the ground onto his head and neck causing sparks on the power line and knocking the power out for northen Ambergris. His condition is unknown as of now.

These divers certainly know the risks of their sport and many of them take the necessary precautions to avoid injury or death. I was actually planning on going skydiving with the people from Boogie in Belize before my family witnessed the tradgedy and needless to say, my mom isn't very keen on the idea anymore. There's always next year!

Underwater Pics

I just took some pictures off of my sister's underwater camera and decided to post a few of them for all of you to check out.

- This is me getting a little closer to a spotted eagle ray about 30 feet under the surface

- This is a big Cubera Snapper

- This is a school of Blue-Striped Grunts hovering near some fire coral

Just Visiting

On our trip to the mainland a few weeks ago, we actually met up with an old friend of my sister's who she went to college with. It was just by chance that we stopped to get gas for our ride back home in a small gas station in Belmopan, that we saw him. Both my sister and her old schoolmate, Andrew Metcalfe, were amazed how they bumped into each other in such an odd place and situation.

After talking with Andrew for a while, our family invited him out to stay at our house on Ambergris Caye. He was excited for the chance to get away from the small village where he does some missions work with the children, and go on a weekend full of fun and relaxation.

Yesterday, Andrew arrived at our house in the afternoon. We got him aquainted with our town of San Pedro and took him out to dinner. Today we woke up at about seven, took some pictures of the sunrise (above), and went for a day on the boat. Driving down south a ways to Hol Chan marine reserve gave Andrew the chance to see some of the biggest and most "friendly" fish in the sea. Local guides have taught the fish to come up to snorkelers and be completely unafraid, looking for some food.

After going out to lunch on Caye Caulker, wen headed over to my favorite spearfishing spot, Coral Gardens. After being in the water for about an hour and a half, I had shot four good sized hogfish and a very good sized grouper. Andrew was just learning to spearfish and this was his first time. It felt good being able to teach him some things and show him how it's done. The most fulfilling part came when he shot his first fish. I really appreciated what I have learned over the years since I began spearfishing when I was six, and enjoyed showing my knowledge with Andrew.

My Jungle Adventure

Our trip to the southern part of Belize was one with some new experiences and old encounters. Driving through the Maya Mountains on the Hummingbird Highway was a beautiful way to begin our vacation with breathtaking views of the orange groves and small remote Mayan villages that provides the area with a rustic and quaint atmosphere.

The Lodge at Big Creek was a great resting place for us and the quick transition to the jungle atmosphere proved to be one of interest, curiosity, yet relaxing comfort. Our first day after our day of traveling, consisted of a morning kayak ride on the river surrounding our resort. The wildlife in the area was one thing that shocked me. Seeing so many different kinds of animals, vegetation, and flowers was intriguing.

The main activity of the day was a trip to a cave in the side of a mountain in which our local guide Isadoro knew everything about. He led us through the rainforest into the remote cave. He explained in his broke english thatr there are "wet caves" which have water running through them and "dry caves" which can be maneuvered without getting wet. Our cave was a wet cave. Very wet cave.

He gave us waterproof headlamps so we could have some light inside the cave. We jumped in the cold river water and began to swim. After getting about a quarter-mile in the cave my mom got sort of spooked by the entire surroundings and her and my father stayed behind while me and my sister traveled deeper into the earth. We ended up swimming into the cave about a half-mile encountering a waterfall, pure white blind fish, white caterpillars, and even white crayfish. The lack of light and life through the cave gave it an amazing feeling of solitude. Isadoro explained that the ancient Mayans used this cave for shelter and many artifacts were found inside.

The next day we traveled to a nearby city called Punta Gorda to go to the local market and chek out the town. The fisherman coming in with their catch from that morning and the farmers coming to seel their crops were very interesting sights. The day after this we met up with some people that I met last year. Stopping by to see my friend Jonesy and to visit his "cool spot" brought me back to memories of past years. All in all, I had a great time and experienced a lot of new things.

Adios

The last few days have been pretty stressful. My mother and sister's birthdays are both on February 1st and we are going on a little vacation to mainland Belize. Planning this and packing the house up to get ready to go has been a lot of work. It didn't help that the weather has been fairly bad and we could not get out of the house to do anything on the water. I have been working extra hard in school this week too because I am not going to be having any schoolwork this Thursday or Friday. Taking the boats out of the water today was another task that took some time and effort to prepare for our absence. Well at least I am coming back from our stay on the mainland to enjoy the greatest show on earth, the superbowl. Peace.

Deep Sea Glory

Recently we have been hit with a surprising streak of good luck. Me and my father have gone deep sea fishing the last few days and they have been anything but disappointing. All kinds of fishing revolve around technique, knowledge, patience, and persistance and when all of these things come together you are able to find great success.

Two days ago we got all of our gear together, set our outriggers up, and went out deep sea fishing for about half a day. At first things started off slow with no strikes for about the first hour. A ways into the trip we noticed that we had forgotten some things. While collecting of the things we would need, we neglected to bring our fighting belt which helps make the fight easier when you are bringing in a fish that can weigh as much as you. We also forgot our gaff which is essential for landing a large fish on the boat. Taking this into account we figured that we were sure to catch some fish the only time that we came unprepared.

I was sitting up by the front of the boat drnking an orange Fanta when I heard the first fish hit. The scream of the drag on the reel while the fish on the other end rips the line from the its resting point gets your blood pumping as fast as possible. I quickly ran to the back thinking of the irony of attempting to land a big one without the tools we are used to. I picked up the pole and the scream abruptly ended and I thought we had lost the fish. Reeling in the line I could feel that there was something on the other end but I knew it wasn't anything too big. Getting it up to the boat we realized it was a fish in the tuna family called a Little Tunny. As the trip wore on, we circled the spot where we caught the previous fish and ended up getting two more.

Yesterday, it was such a nice day out on the water that we decided to once again try our luck outside the reef deep sea fishing. The waters were tranquil and it seemed almost flat across the entire Caribbean. On the same lure we had caught the little tunnys on the day before, we quickly got another strike on. The same procedure occurred with the fight and we once again brought a little tunny. We ended up with two more at the end of the day. After a long day of trolling for the big one, we took a rest still fishing outside the reef at a depth of about 40-55 feet. We caught ten yellowtail snapper and threw several more back because we caught too many. Trolling back to our house came another adventure just when I decided to reel the lines in and head home, I got a strike. Getting the fish up to the boat was an easy task so I figured it was something small. When I first saw the fish I knew right away that it was a King Mackeral. After seeing the boat, the mackeral had a run that nearly broke the rod. It got off the line and needless to say, I was disappointed to let that one get away.

Wahoo Challenge

January 20th was a very exciting day on our little island here. The first annual Wahoo Challenge took place and was a huge sucess. Boats from all over Belize came and took part in this fishing tournament attempting to catch as big and as many Wahoo as possible.

A wahoo is a large gamefish that inhabits the waters of the Carribean. It is world renound for being the fastest fish in the ocean reaching speeds of around 60 mph and giving daring anglers the fight of their life. Belize has been a hot spot for wahoo fishing for many years and the world record of 158 lbs 8 oz came in the water just north of Belize in southern Mexico.


After the tournamnet was all said and done, it ended up that some good friends of our family and a neighbor just a few houses down the beach collected all of the prizes. Charlie Reed and Ivan Staines in the boat Catch of the Day took in over eight thousand dollars in prize money and won overall (average of two biggest fish caught), cumulative (most fish cuaght), and Ivan's son even won the junior angler prize.

Under the Surface

Growing up in Belize has changed my life in so many ways. When I was three years old I took to the water and began snorkeling. Although I was very young, I was instantly fascinated with marine life and all activities out on the water. When I was about six years old, I began spearfishing. Starting off with smaller and easier fish and eventually working my way up to the bigger and more elusive fish and sea creatures.

Ever since then my true passion has been underneath the surface, not only spearfishing but also snorkeling. Although I havn't yet, I am anxious to get certified to dive and enter an entirely new world underwater.

I use what is called a JBL 9 foot polespear with a penetrator three-prong tip. Its basically a long metal pole with a huge rubberband on one end and three very sharp points on the other. There is nothing like the feeling of spearing some fresh rock lobster that is sure to be treaured as a amazing meal late that night. Hunting many species of fish has become a hobby of both my father, bother, and I for many years. Although it is not a typical thing for a family from the suburbs of Cleveland to enjoy doing, we certainly have a passion for this.

A Real Belize Adventure

Here in Belize, there are many different nationalities living in harmony with each other. Ever since I first came here, I have always been surprised at the amount of Canadians living here. The Carlsons, some close friends of our family that have a house here on Ambergris, are from a tiny town in the Yukon territory of Canada called Watson Lake. A week or two ago we took a sailing trip with the Carlsons and it was certainly a time that I will never forget.

Since I was a little boy I have always heard stories about Turneffe Atoll and how it has the best fishing in Belize along with some of the most pristine reef in the world. For those of you who dont know what an atoll is, it is an island that was created by a volcano that has sunken into the earth's crust. Over the years, a circular reef has formed around the island creating the perfect habitat for all kinds of marine life. Turneffe is one of four atolls in the entire Atlantic Ocean, three of which are in Belize.

My family and the Carlsons chartered a 43 foot Fountaine Pajot catamaran to eat, sleep, and live on for the next week. The first day was mostly sailing out to Turneffe. The weather was relatively gloomy with brief spurts of sunshine. The next day was full of action with lots of snorkeling, spearfishing, and linefishing. Thankfully the weather improved tremendously with only a few small squalls throughout the day. One of my favorite parts of the trip was learning how to sail from our captain named Half-Inch. His knowledge of the seas and the art of sailing intrigued me. This trip to Turneffe was truly a great experience that led me to hear, see, and feel things that many don't have the chance to in their entire lifetime.

La Isla Bonita

A small island sits off the coast of a tiny almost unknown country in Central America. Ambergris Caye, Belize is attracting more and more attention as time wears on. The island is known mainly for it’s excellent snorkeling and fishing along the Great Barrier Reef just about a quarter of a mile offshore. Travelers from around the world come to this relaxing paradise to just get away from the stresses of life.

Although Ambergris Caye is unknown in the minds of most people, it has been favored by a few celebrities for some time. About 20 years ago Madonna came out with a song called La Isla Bonita meaning the beautiful island. After visiting Ambergris she wrote this song about the island. In the song she sings about the town of San Pedro and how she fell in love with and dreams about it. Actor Leonardo Dicaprio visited Ambergris and soon after purchased Blackador Caye, a sister island to Ambergris. Harrison Ford filmed a movie named Mosquito Coast just south of San Pedro town on Ambergris.

Although I have left Kenston, the staff has agreed to allow me to let everyone know what I am doing. My parents bought land on Ambergris Caye over 25 years ago. A few years later they built a house on it. Due to my fathers job having the winter season off, we get the chance to travel down to Belize for the winter and relax while I get homeschooled. Having done this every year since I was a a baby, I am very accustomed to the Belize culture. It has truly become a second home for me and my family. I will be sure to keep all of you back home updated on what is going on.

The Missing Dollar

Three friends check into a motel for the night and the clerk tells them the bill is $30, payable in advance. So, they each pay the clerk $10 and go to their room. A few minutes later, the clerk realizes he has made an error and overcharged the trio by $5. He asks the bellhop to return $5 to the 3 friends who had just checked in. The bellhop sees this as an opportunity to make $2 as he reasons that the three friends would have a tough time dividing $5 evenly among them; so he decides to tell them that the clerk made a mistake of only $3, giving a dollar back to each of the friends. He pockets the leftover $2 and goes home for the day! Now, each of the three friends gets a dollar back, thus they each paid $9 for the room which is a total of $27 for the night. We know the bellhop pocketed $2 and adding that to the $27, you get $29, not $30 which was originally spent. Where did the other dollar go????