A Gorgeous, Inspiring April Week on Ambergris Caye

Last week, the wind was howling…making fishing and snorkeling difficult/impossible. And the wind brought in huge mats of sargassum. This week, the “Easter winds” died down considerably (starting Monday, April 7th) and shifted from the north. Clearing our beaches and providing, maybe, our last touch of cooler air (temp in the mid-high 70s) as we move into (HOT) summer in Belize.

Beautiful weather, a busy week. Here are some of my snapshots. I’m getting to you a bit late because our internet is out this morning. I’m borrowing the Wifi from the resort next door. Shhhh…

I wrote about the Cayo Rosario meeting on Tuesday evening – the message came from the entire community. Emotional and unified as many expressed that they feel like that are losing the island they love and the one that supports their family. We will not accept 40 over-the-water structure in the Marine Reserve!

I also stopped at the farmers’ stalls on Back a Back Street – in town by the lagoon – where Mennonites set up stand of locally grown veggies and fruits early Tuesday morning. I found some huge bunches of delicious chaya. I grabbed mine with my bare hands- I’m SUCH an amateur.

Some types of chaya – this SUPER FOOD GREEN that grows locally – have teeny tiny spines on the young leaves that leave an awful sting. Thankfully, this was stinger-free – and delicious cooked with eggs. (Read all about this native super food and how to prepare it.) Protein, calcium, considered more nutritious than spinach.

Wednesday the North Ambergris Alliance had a meeting scheduled with our local Department of The Environment. Did you know that San Pedro’s new DOE office is the first one in the country outside of their main office in Belmopan? Did you know that there are only 24 technical officers in the entire country who monitor and can enforce the environmental laws of Belize?

It was a super interesting meeting about how we can work together – to enforce laws against illegal dumping and fill (you can NOT fill a lot with trash), illegal filling and reclaiming of “land” (you need a permit), noise pollution…a host of issues.

I learned for the second time in 2 weeks that you should NEVER eat a meat pie while driving. Never.

And then it was up to the far north (17ish miles) for an overnight at the camp. Gorgeous weather.

The road is incredibly dry and dusty.

Someone, a few miles north of us, even put up a sign…though I’m not exactly sure what they are referring to!

One of our few neighbors up north had babies the night before. Well…her duck did. 4 easter cuties.

Since we are soooo close to the barrier reef up north, the high winds and waves against the reef kick up an incredible amount of salt into the air…

It salted up the screens in the house above, it covered our cabanas at the camp in a sea schmutz (yes…that’s a technical term) and it burned the leaves right off some of our crotons, crown-of-thorn plants and even the palms that are meant to be very salt-hearty.

Last week at Robles Point – where the reef just about touches the land.

And then this week – looking from the other side. Still there but…

And a gorgeous almost full moon that night.

Two things that flyfishermen seem to remember to pack. Sunblock and powder. Cooling powder on a hot humid summer walk is a dream. Some folks like Gold Bonds, some like Monkey Butt, I’m an Ammens fan.

Ask someone raised in Mississippi or Alabama. They’ll have a suggestion.

Back home and then to town for a meeting with our local chapter of the BTIA. The bad roads way up north and the part of my golf cart that holds on the windshield snapped.

Golf carts were designed for manicured, level golf courses not off-road driving over rocks and roots!

Belize Tourism Industry Association. We’ve never joined but they advocate for tourism and sustainability on this island and…well….there is strength in numbers.

A great meeting, we officially registered for membership and I headed home early. I had a 7am trash clean-up to attend the next day – and I had to be in town by 630am to pick up our 4 Belize Coast Guard volunteers. Thank you guys!

An AMAZING crew of volunteers arrived – from Las Terrazas and Matachica Resort, El Pescador, Cocatel Hotel and 11 students and the principal from Holy Cross School, Tres Cocos Resort and Dennis Alfaro Construction, the traffic department provided us a safety escort and the San Pedro Town Council picked up all the full bags.

It was sooo good. And the road – from the bridge all the way to Residences at Barrier Reef (about 4 miles) looks fantastic for Easter.

Thank you everyone! It’s so inspiring to see our community so fired up against unsustainable development at Tuesday’s meeting and then coming together for a clean-up on Saturday.

It really DOES help to get off Facebook and social media and get out there…fills me with love for this island.