Bella Looks for Whale Sharks

It's hot here today--about 90 degrees. It sure doesn't seem like April. As I mentioned previously, a lot of offices and shops are closing for the Easter holidays, but that doesn't mean that there is no activity in San Pedro. 

"The National," the English newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, has just voted Belize as the number two destination in the world for snorkeling. (And let me tell you, those guys, sitting in the desert, research snorkeling sites like crazy.) At first I wasn't going to tell you the number one place, but I knew you'd bug me if I didn't, so here are the others in the top five:  #1,the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, #3, the Republic of Palau, #4, Nigaloo, Australia, and, #5 , Koh Tao, Thailand. Since Belize is only a 2 1/2 hour flight from Houston, Texas, you decide where you want to go! Besides, everyone speaks English here! Check out more information at  http://www.travelbelize.org/things-to-do/reef-beach-2/snorkeling.

Shelley snorkeling "before the fall."  *

Our backyard neighbors, Belize Diving Adventures, take snorkeling tours to Hol Chan, Belize’s first marine reserve, almost every day. The reserve, located only fifteen minutes south of Ambergris Caye, is home to  tropical fish, nurse sharks, moray eels, and stingrays as well as the beautiful coral.  After touring the reserve, you are taken to Shark Ray Alley where you can snorkel with the guides and play with the nurse sharks and southern stingrays. (Or, if you prefer, you can snorkel with the sharks and stingrays and play with the guides.) All this for $25 US. What a deal!

For those (very) few of you who were upset when I reported the shark fishing ban in Belize, let me help you get un-upset. (Dis-upset?) The annual whale shark season has just begun in Belize. Lest you're tempted to say, "Who cares?" you should know that the largest recorded whale shark is 41.5 feet long weighing 79,000 pounds. (You should have seen the scale!) That makes whale sharks the world's largest fish and the largest living animal. 

I'm told that whale sharks are peaceful and allow divers to touch them during their annual stopover in Belize, but I do not personally endorse touching anything that big. Only a handful of other places in the world, including Madagascar, South Africa, Australia, Mozambique, Indonesia, and the Yucatan host these annual whale shark feeding seasons. 

And besides, you shark-fishing wannabees, who really wants to catch a 79,000 pound fish?

Seadogs on the Attack

Seadog Alert: On Saturday, March 24, the visiting San Pedro Seadogs defeated World FC by the score of 3-2 at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio Town. Ooh, I just love winning dog teams!

 

Y'all come visit. We'll snorkel at Hol Chan, then watch for whale sharks. You can't do that in Schenectady. You're gonna love Belize!





* Disclosure: Sometimes I utilize stunt doubles in these depictions.