9-3-2015 Sailing & Snorkeling at Bread & Butter Cayes

I (Cara) love sailing to the cayes with Brujula Sailing Trips, and I knew Gabby would love it too.  I was happy that my friend
Jennifer was able to join us also.

Gabby and me

Captain Bryan at the helm, and our guide, Udell, in the forefront

Bryan always offers the old fashioned method for females to "use the facilities" before we make
it to the caye.  Nobody has had to take him up on that offer until this trip.  Another couple joined
us on this trip, and Jen actually did have to use the restroom the old fashioned way.

Udell with Bolo, the boat dog

Landed on Bread and Butter Cayes - time to relax in a hammock!

We met the owner of Bread and Butter Cayes, Dwayne Miller, and he gave us a tour of the island.

When he first acquired the islands, this one was mostly mangrove like this, with only a sandy spot big enough for a tent.

Construction materials for island expansion

This lovely cabana can be rented during high season.

I want to come back here and stay sometime.

View from the cabana deck of the channel between Bread Caye (this island) and Butter Caye (the companion island)

Looking straight out from the cabana deck

Looking to the left from the cabana deck

Me and Gabby

Another cute cabana for rent on the island

There is a full bathroom hiding behind the door to the left.

The view from the little over-water cabana window

Time to head home...

Sun setting on the Sittee River

That night we had a quick dinner at Loggerheads Pub (hoping for live reggae music, which did not happen that night).
This is Cara's veggie burger over a salad, and fresh cut fries.

9-2-2015 Antelope Falls with Gabby

Up for a challenge and adventure, Gabby and I (Cara) decided to hike up to the swimming pool at Antelope Falls in nearby
Mayflower Bocawina National Park.  I have done this hike once before, but it is highly worth redoing to introduce it to
somebody new to Belize.  It's a challenging hike, but the viewpoint and the swimming pool at the end are fitting rewards.

Those little bits of green leaves are being carried by leaf cutter ants, ever-present along the trail, and cool to watch.

Gabby starting the hike

Looking up at the tree canopy

Bird of Paradise

And so starts the stairs section of the hike...

Good spot for a short break - you actually get a breeze here.

The view from the bottom of this root ball we have to climb - it's
taller than it looks.  This is in the ropes section of the hike.

The view from the top of the root ball, looking back at Gabby starting the climb.

Gabby in front of the Ceiba tree whose roots we just climbed

We saw loads of lizards along the trail.

The view from the viewpoint

Success - the Antelope Falls Swimming Pool!

The water is crystal clear!

Looking down at the outflow from the swimming pool

Gabby in the swimming pool

The water is cool/cold and refreshing, but Gabby is surprised by all the little fish that eat the dead skin off of you.

Free fish pedicure!

Gabby coming down the root ball

Look!  That big leaf to the left is almost as big as Gabby!

Nuts from the Cohune Palm Tree

Back to the trailhead...

Not sure what this plant is, but it looks like it has loads of tiny little hot peppers.

That night we had dinner and drinks at the Curve Bar at the Sittee River Marina.  The blue
drink is an Electric Lemonade, and the aqua one is a Glowing Lagoon (so named for the nearby
bio-luminescent lagoon).

The Curve Bar makes a nice salad with a good mango vinaigrette.