Cabbage Haul Creek, Belize
Today we woke up early anchored close to Dangriga, our destination the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve. At 06:30 some 30 of us headed out, followed an hour later by the rest of our contingent, all hoping to see this elusive creature. We never did see a jaguar, but nobody was disappointed. We spent the morning wandering along forest trails, listening to the snapping sounds of white-collared manakins as these diminutive males made an earnest attempt to sound larger and more dramatic than they really are! One group was lucky enough to encounter a group of collared peccaries, another group took a dip in a refreshing waterfall pool, all groups were enthralled by the beauty of this area wrapped by the dramatic Victoria Peak, the highest mountain in Belize.
This afternoon we took kayaks and Zodiacs out to explore Sapodilla Lagoon and Cabbage Haul Creek, a remarkable mangrove estuary system. We traveled through a beautiful lagoon system, and then ventured as far upstream as our craft would allow, passing through the mangrove system and entering a pine savannah system which was studded with six-foot tall flower stalks of terrestrial orchids, and dramatic vistas such as the one above. We ended the day with the beautiful golden orb of the setting sun slipping behind the Maya Mountains, with the shimmering outline of Victoria Peak where we began this remarkable day.
Today we woke up early anchored close to Dangriga, our destination the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve. At 06:30 some 30 of us headed out, followed an hour later by the rest of our contingent, all hoping to see this elusive creature. We never did see a jaguar, but nobody was disappointed. We spent the morning wandering along forest trails, listening to the snapping sounds of white-collared manakins as these diminutive males made an earnest attempt to sound larger and more dramatic than they really are! One group was lucky enough to encounter a group of collared peccaries, another group took a dip in a refreshing waterfall pool, all groups were enthralled by the beauty of this area wrapped by the dramatic Victoria Peak, the highest mountain in Belize.
This afternoon we took kayaks and Zodiacs out to explore Sapodilla Lagoon and Cabbage Haul Creek, a remarkable mangrove estuary system. We traveled through a beautiful lagoon system, and then ventured as far upstream as our craft would allow, passing through the mangrove system and entering a pine savannah system which was studded with six-foot tall flower stalks of terrestrial orchids, and dramatic vistas such as the one above. We ended the day with the beautiful golden orb of the setting sun slipping behind the Maya Mountains, with the shimmering outline of Victoria Peak where we began this remarkable day.
