YOLO! 24 Tatas Cruise to Caye Caulker, Snorkel with Sharks & Have “The Best Day Ever”

Make that 26 tatas.

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Yesterday, I was honored to be invited on a girls’ trip with Island Dreams Tours on the HUGE boat YOLO.  12 ladies from Idaho celebrating their friend’s one year recovery from breast cancer.  Leave the guys at home…head to Ambergris Caye, Belize for 10 days at the Blue Tang Inn and celebrate friends and family and life.

Snorkeling with sharks off Ambergris Caye Belize

What could be better?  We boarded YOLO at about 8:45am and after a short briefing, review of the bar menu and a challenge accepted to try one of each cocktail, we were off.  The trip includes snorkel stops at Hol Chan Marine Reserve (TURTLES!), Shark Ray Alley, brunch, snacks and 2 hours on Caye Caulker.  We also stopped for a dip on the way home.

Sunning at the Split on Caye Caulker, Belize

Here are some of my 150 photos.  Caye Caulker is gearing up for the weekend Lobster Festival and was looking as beautiful as ever.

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But let’s start at the beginning…

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The boat is HUGE…and with just 13 of us – PLENTY of room.

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An absolutely gorgeous day.

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LOVE THE HATS!

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The bartender worked fast and furiously…this is a FULL SERVICE bar.

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And the music was playing…

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We stopped at Hol Chan for about 40 minutes where almost everyone went snorkel…even those who didn’t think they were snorkelers…or even water people.  The crew is fantastic.

And then a stop at Shark Ray Alley.  So many nurse sharks!  More than I have ever seen at once…

It always makes for an exhilarating experience – in or out of the water.

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Super cool.  We motored off to Caye Caulker, around the back side of the island to stop for brunch and a photo.

Love the celebration.

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And the food.  KILLER French Toast.

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We cruised through the Split…

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Passing this oddly shaped boat…

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And we set off on the caye…I went to check out some of the set-up for the weekend’s Lobster Festival – the rest of the crew headed down to the Split and the Lazy Lizard.

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The booths being set up…only a few were being used Friday but this weekend?  They’ll be packed…

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And then down to the Split…

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We piled back in and cruised back to Ambergris Caye.  The last day of the ladies trip.

A little shrimp ceviche and some more dancing, drinks and music.

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What a fun day.  CONGRATULATIONS!  And thanks so much for the invite ladies.  YOLO!

It was declared THE BEST DAY EVER many times.

Oh…and the cocktail challenge.  She came up two short but man…what a good effort.

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