A Christmas Tale Retold After 10 Years of Belize

 

It is Christmas Eve and I lay in my tent camped on the edge of a whitewater river in the jungle of Belize with my clients. It is now ten years on since I first came to work  here in Belize, and I find it just as alluring  now as I did then ( though perhaps a dab more normal than I thought of it back then). Sleeping in the jungle with the sounds of the multitude of life around me, the stars twinkling above me and the roar of the rapids on the river next to me; I am brought back to a group email ( no blog back then) I first wrote of this experience back in 2005. My words then echo now in my mind as I sit being present to what's around me. I have included my old email below along with some photos I have taken over the years in Belize to accompany .
I hope you all have a great New Years and... Keep exploring.

Jaime

 

Written in 2005

Dark, wet and moody Jungle, where the rain falls so hard and for so long the ground pools even when it’s flat. The air itself becomes wet and the jungle rings with the noise of drumming everywhere. It stops suddenly, just as it started, though what is left now are the heavy drips that build from the upper canopy, drumming all the way down till large droplets strike the sodden earth. Now the sound of the river returns, a constant buzz from the nearby rapids, the frogs start calling and singing, the jungle is now alive with a new kind of music, and overture of tones and harmony that clutter, yet give symphony. A toucan flies across the gap made by the river winding through the jungle.

We are camped out on the side of the Moho River, in southern Belize's Toledo district. This trip is a four day journey through the jungle via the Moho, which runs a path

 

That leads to 5meter pool drops and an assortment of shoots, just to add excitement to the otherwise tranquil setting. We travel on inflatable two person rafts or kayaks, sometimes known as duckie's, they are stable and durable, and thus we can let our clients captain them without a guide, after a little lesson of course. All around us is life, howler monkeys in Ceiber trees, four eyed grey opossums who come to see who is in their territory at night, multitudes of birds, from eagles to Grackles (a type of black bird), to Oropendulas with their TUI like calls (for those in NZ), to the tiger Heron, who has a call a little like the gentle rumbling snarl of a tiger.

Boy I am humbled by the beauty and magnificence of this world. The two Mayan guides I work with, Pedro and Camellio, live in such a simple way and are so in tune with and knowledgeable of, the jungle we travel in, that I feel like an alien on an in hospitable planet, though boy I am super happy to be here.

Pedro is teaching me how to catch Green Iguana from the kayak. The iguanas hang out on trees along the river and when you surprise them on low branch they leap into the water. The trick is to paddle up slowly with your PFD of and as the jump you jump in after them, grabbing them by the tail until they stop spinning then they just relax until you let them go, quite amazing. I have not yet caught one, they are dam fast.

I found an amazing snake (in fact I found a number of them over the week), called the blunt headed tree snake, delicately long and super thin, it is a striking creamy white with large terracotta orange bands on it, its cat like eyes give away that it is poisonous, though it is extremely docile and even if it did bit it mouth is small and its fangs at the rear of the mouth (the specialises in eating frogs and their eggs, as well as insects). This particular Snake curled around one of my fingers and made itself at home staying there for 20 min's until I encouraged it to move to a tree.

 

Previously the trip starts on the ocean out on the Caye's (the name for the islands here) on the barrier reef of Belize (the second largest in the world). Here the sand is white and he water is warm and clear, the snorkelling great, eagle rays, morays, sea turtles and sharks, not to mention the multitudes of fish species found amongst the coral. Out here on the Caye's( pronounced Keys), brown pelicans dive for fish along with yellow and blue footed booby's, who in turn get harassed by frigate birds for their food. The frigate cannot dive for its own fish, due to the huge wings and little body, though it must resort to piracy.

On some of the Caye's live spinney tailed iguanas, a lot more ferocious than the green, however I did catch one (see attached photos). Out here we kayak from key to key or patch reef to patch reef, snorkelling and eating and drinking, catching seafood when we can. The kayaks are also set up with a sail so we can sail when the trade winds are blowing. Out on the Caye's I think of myself as more of a snorkelling guide, as that's what we do mostly, so it is very cool to spend so much time in the water and getting to know the foreign fish here.

  

However this place is amazing and has so much potential, the people are very friendly, though can be quite in your face sometimes. The Mayans further south, are simple and quite, living of their farms as they have done for centuries. It is interesting to live in a country with so much ethnic diversity, Creole, Garifuna, Mayan, and Mennonites, all different languages, and culture, though one nationality.

Any hew; I am great, merry Christmas and happy new years to you all.

J

 

March 22nd Pure Life, Rich Coast “Pura Vida, Costa Rica”

 

My first week in Costa Rica has been spent helping run an Client Group on the Osa Peninsula with Martine Racette. This Itinerary will become apart of my Company “World Wild Adventures” Key trips offered in Central America, and offers a wonderful rustically luxurious soft adventure trip for people keen to see one of the most amazing places in the America’s.

I personally have travelled extensively through central America over the last 7 years and spent a lot of time in the jungles and on the coasts of the area, though no place beats the Osa with Wildlife and Natural beauty. Four Species of monkey, Scarlet Macaws flying around like seagulls, primary rainforest, pristine ocean beaches and sheltered inner Gulf, friendly people and endless adventure options, this place is a mecca for Wilderness adventure seekers, surfers, fishermen and people who just want to escape and relax from the rush of modern life.

 

 

 

 

 

The lodge we stay is is called “Finca Exotica” or exotic farm in English, it is a sustainable eco lodge designed and set up by Markus, an eccentric German architect who originally planned it as an Artist retreat. The place has grown over the last 13 years from old clear cut farm to a bustling beautiful jungle orchard. The property is littered with fruit trees and edibles, with quaint little tepee tents and Cabaña's nestled about the premises (Some with astounding ocean views from aloft the hillside). Organic fresh food is served at the open planned Dinning room/ Bar/ communal area which sits half way up the hill and boasts a large deck with amazing views across the canopy to the ocean. Higher still is a wonderful yoga platform that gives you a large vista form its open walls out across the jungle canopy, the surf beach and the Pacific Ocean. Nothing beats a early morning session of sun salutations gazing across the blue, while Macaws squawk and fly in pairs between the trees and Howler monkeys great the new day with a roar of appreciation.

I have enjoyed the experience immensely and so have the clients, daily hikes and activities, of kayaking, horseback riding and hikes to stunning waterfalls where you can swim, interspersed with beach time and educational talks and Naturalist walks, keep everyone intent. Martine is originally from Canada though has been living and operating soft adventures in The Osa for 7 years, she has been telling me about its magic for a while now and I am now relieved to know it. I am happy to have my friend Martine Joining our World Wild Adventure Team and together we will bring some amazing trips on the Osa to people looking for that special trip to a special place. The next couple of weeks we will be exploring the Osa to get to know it better and create a more involved expedition style Itinerary for clients that explores more of the Osa and involves, Kayaks, horses, Hiking, and Camping out in amazing places. So stay tuned as I share the adventure that unfolds.

TRAK Files Episode 4 part 2 Panama!

This  TRAK files vid gives you some insight into our panama trip, with living color!

Feb 7th: Just Round The Corner

 

Trip Log:

Distance: 6 KNM

Weather: Sunny with light winds

Dinner: Chili with Beans

Story:

Waking to a cool morning, with a beautiful vista of the layered Islets across the mouth of the bay, we packed in no great hurry. After walking the boats out quite a distance to the edge of the sea, we loaded and then pushed off. The day was becoming a hot one, as usual, and we paddled for a couple of hours passed many houses and developments; which lead to a twang of remorse in my heart. After our journey around Coiba it was hard not to reflect on how developed the area is becoming and how wonderful it would have been before all the houses where here.

When the heat seemed too much we pulled up on a beach that looked like it had a lodge on it. We were hoping to be able to get fruit drinks and maybe relax in the shade, though we were only to find a gated retirement community that was set up by Panama’s president Toto Martinelli. Toto was also partially behind the protests that had been happening in Panama over the last few days, so we had heard. We moved on and found another beach to rest, one tightly packed with Palms and Flotsam. Amongst the coconut palms in the shade, well out of the way of falling Coconuts, we drifted off to sleep.

That evening we paddled on and found a nice little quite beach where we could set up our tent below a large almond tree on the sand, I hung our solar shower from a branch and Allie began cooking a dinner of Chilli. We took turns stirring the Chilli while the other had a shower. It was a bitter sweet night, we knew we would return to Santa Catalina tomorrow (the town being just around the next headland now) and we looked forward to restaurant meals, cold drinks (beer) and a real shower; though we were also sad to be leaving the simple life of journeying along the coast self sustained and free to explore. It was a full moon that night and the tides were covering all most all of the beach, but we had about 10 meters of space for the boats and our tent. In the that little space was where we were too sleep, with the waves lapping seemingly close to our feet, as we gazed through the mesh tent walls at the moon reflected on the water.

Tomorrow is a simple paddle around to more points back to Santa Catalina, and the surf isn’t big at all for our landing. Another kayak adventure finished and what an amazing one it was!

 

J

Isla Coiba Expedition Feb 6th 2012; A Beach

 

Trip Log:

Distance: 6 KNM

Weather: Sunny with light winds

Dinner: Instant noodles chocolate brownies

Story:

We woke to relaxed morning and came out to fried fish and plantains once again, this time for breakfast, and still delicious. We then hung out with Felix and his niece and nephew “Genisis” and “Joseph” all day. We all talked about Canada and New Zealand, looked at pictures of the countries in books and discussed other places in the world. Felix had never left the province of Veruagas, Panama, yet was very curious about the rest of the world. We then played in the Folding TRAK kayaks and Felix’s dugout canoe/Kayaks that had Greenland style wooden paddles. I showed them my attempts at Greenland balance braces and rolls with the TRAK kayak and their heavy hardwood paddles, quite fun, everyone was excited by the concept of rolling a kayak.

After smoked fish and rice for lunch we sleep in some hammocks in the shade until 3pm before we left at 3.45pm. It was an awkward and sad leaving, with us not wanting to over stay our welcome, though the family was obviously sad we couldn’t stay longer, Allie and I both agreed we would try and return in the following weeks for a longer stay and bring some gifts and food to contribute and thank the Hernade’s with. The family helped us launch the boats and, intrigued, watched us paddled out through the now small surf, they lingered on the beach until we were but specks rounding the nearest point

.

Pushing on for about 5 KNM we came to a bay Felix informed us would have good beaches, he suggested we stop and see a guy there he knew, though we liked he thought of having and solitary night and choose a corner of a big beach by a river, here we bathed, cooked instant noodles and baked a chocolate brownie in the Dutch oven upon the fire, then slept.

Isla Coiba; Feb 5th 2012: A Family

Bringing in the Launcha on logs.

 

Trip Log:
Distance: 12 KNM
Weather: Sunny with light winds
Dinner: fried coconut fish with fried plantains and coconut rice
Story:
We awoke relaxed, and headed off for the mainland, we came across one more sea snake as we covered the final stretch to the mainland, and this one was much more nervous and dove deep as soon as it noticed my boat.
A big crossing lots of talking, more dolphins and Brown Boobies chasing Flying fish, it was amazing to see the fish take flight trying to avoid the dolphins below, then have the Boobie Birds come after them in the air, the fish would drop back into the water and the birds would follow suite, snagging the fish below the surface. The game would then continue in the sky with Frigate birds then Chasing the Boobies to get them to drop their catch, a strange food circle.

Land, and people.

We stopped for lunch and siesta in Bahia Hondo. We then pushed on come 3 pm for another bay with a river and possible camp. Allie not in the mood for paddling or being in kayak, wanted a shower, a bed and someone else to cook meals and openly stated this laughing at the unlikely hood of that.

Mucking about in the open deep blue water.

We pulled in to a bay to land near a river, the surf was pretty big and slammed the beach hard,after waiting for the big rollers to pass we worked our way in with the waves,  following a small wave; then I looked back to see bigger sets coming again, and realizing we were right on the break zone I calmly but bluntly told Allie to back paddle and to not stop. She kind of froze smiled and said “OK!”, and we back paddled, I reminded her not to stop and a big face loomed up on us. We rode up the face of the first wave just as it crested and broke partially over us. “Don’t stop” I calmly reminded Allie, the next wave was also big and steep but we are outside the break zone, and we push up and over its steep peak, still paddling backwards, Allie stated “My heart is POUNDING!”. We were clear again and reminded of how easy the surf had been to us so far.

All hands on deck

We line up to wait for a smaller set to come again when a guy whistles from down the beach and waves us over to a sheltered corner that has small waves wrapping into it, though is very rocky and has no good camp spots. We had avoided that end as it was obvious a house was down there, however now we followed the guidance of the “Senor” and pulled up on the rocky section of the beach. This is how we meet Felix Hernade and his Family. They quickly and excitedly offered us a place to stay, helped carry the boats to their homestead, helped us carry our gear up to their house, and excitedly questioned us about what we were doing. That night we found ourselves with a room, a meal, a shower in the nearby stream and a family to talk and laugh with despite our struggling Spanish. Actually I think we (Allie and I) both did really well with our Spanish and communicated quite a lot as well as learned a bunch more words for things.

Our restaurant for our stay.

Dogs, chickens, ducks roamed the property freely .We helped bring up their Launcha (boat) with Felix’s sons using logs to roll it up the beach, and we brought up the fish they had caught us for dinner. That night the radio broadcasts that there are protestors in Panama and Costa Rica blocking the Pan America Highway, not sure for what reason, we couldn’t translate enough. We ate Fried Plantains (starchy Bananas) and fried Fish, it is delicious. Our Beds are just planks with light mattresses on top. I Slept with ants on me ( no one’s fault but mine) and had to wake up to wipe them off numerous times in the night.

Moving the rolling logs up, in order to roll the boat above the high tide line

Dinner, Breakfast and Lunch.

Fried Fish, fried Plantain and Coffee; Dinner, Breakfast and Lunch