Sargasso Piling Up on Our Shores on One Beautiful Day In San Pedro + The Island’s Best Pizza

Sargassum, or the seaweed that is now quite plentiful in Belize, is all over the beach.  And, while not all that attractive, it’s seriously fascinating stuff.   There is a whole “sea” of it that is a home for all sorts of baby fish and sea creatures, it’s a spawning site…it’s basically a giant floating nursery.

And it’s HUGE (even bigger than the Pacific Ocean’s Trash Vortex!) and its movement is “managed” by currents and weather.  (Read more facts here.)

SargassoWait…isn’t that the Bermuda Triange?  Do ships have problems getting through this mess…I mean fertile breeding ground?  There is a ton of interesting information on the world wide web about this mass.  Christopher Columbus even mentions it in his journals…

Well all that aside…right now, the currents and the weather want some of this sea plant on the Belize coast because here on Ambergris Caye?  We are getting plenty of it on the shore line.

The Blob.

IMG_9855Some places a bit worse than other, depending on the cuts in the reef and the water movement, but around town, resort and town council teams are raking this stuff into wheelbarrows and trucks to move it out of here.

People are posting recipes for pickling the stuff and turning it into fertilizer. (Both ways you need to rinse with fresh water.)  But based on years past, this is only temporary.  A week…or two.  Let’s think positively.  I bet it’s a great cover for the baby turtles that are hatching this month to make a get-away.

Here are some pictures of my Sunday on Ambergris Caye – which now, just temporarily, sits in the Sargasso Sea.

In some places, it’s a mere sprinkling.  And kinda scenic.

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Oh…not so scenic.

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The Boca Del Rio area.

IMG_9857My favorite street in San Pedro.

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The beautiful beautiful Phoenix Resort.

IMG_9875Climbing coconut trees…

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I was catching the 12:30pm Coastal Xpress Water Taxi up to Rojo Beach Bar for their very last Sunday Funday before closing for the season.

Finn’s invite pictures are always very appealing.  The whole place is very appealing in fact.

1661715_282831068567986_9223058658174303935_nThe ceiling of the water taxi’s waiting area.

IMG_9882And of the dock while I sipped Watermelon Juice (most refreshing beverage on earth) at Lily’s and waited for departure.

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My view from the boat once we loaded.

IMG_9887My crew.

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My captain, Lu’s calf tattoo.  I thought it was perfect for shark week.

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And Rojo.   Right next door is their UBER-EXCLUSIVE villa, Azul.  And just this past week, they hosted one of the actors from BREAKING BAD.  I’m asking if I can tell you who.  The Scoop is the very soul of discretion.

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Hammocks blowing in the breeze…

IMG_9900Nice day.

IMG_9917There were about 10 people when I first arrived…

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And by the time I left, at about 4pm, there were maybe 50?

Love the menu…and the food.  And this description of how Rojo runs on “island time”.

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Love starting my afternoon with a celebratory cupcake with an extra dipping bowl of homemade ganache.  Nothing like licking ganache of your fingers in a bathing suit…

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Or this GORGEOUS pizza.  Half sausage and vegetable with homemade red sauce and then half the “Alaska” pizza.  Whole buttery garlic cloves, goat cheese, huge chunks of lobster, crust that is so delicious.  YUM.  The fresh green onion really makes it.   Best pizza I’ve had in Belize.

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Incredible.

All in all an excellent Sunday.  You can’t let a little seaweed bring you down.  Or this sign at the bar.  Ha.

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Love this spot.

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