I got up this morning in time to watch the sunrise. The island puppy was playing with a crab all over the beach. He would bark and sniff the crab, the crab would snap it’s claws at the dog. It was a beautiful dance.
We had a quick breakfast and waved goodbye to the island and it’s inhabitant, who kind of looked like a Belizean Santa Claus. An hour or so along our journey, I reeled in a good 3-ft baracuda. Soon thereafter, we pulled up along the reef for some more snorkeling.
Again, I was freaked out and amazed by the coral system. I’m starting to enjoy snorkeling even more, despite the mess left on my moustache after. The whole experience is fantastic, in all senses of the word.
We cruised along the reef and past many small cayes. In the mid-afternoon, we reached Tabacco Caye. The island is 5 acres, with a handful of small houses (for the island’s 15 permanent residents), a few cabanas, and two bars. During the winter and spring, many tourists and biology students make the island their temporary home. Now, during the slow season, there were only two guests (a pair of medical residents from the Midwest) other than our crew. We all felt a bit sunburnt, so after setting up our tents, we sat in hammocks and lounge chairs in the shade.
Come sundown, we partied with some of the locals and ate more delicious seafood. After a bit more stargazing, we all retired to our tents.