Halfmoon Caye, Lighthouse Reef, Belize
The wind howled at us as we made our way determinedly towards the day’s destination- Halfmoon Caye .Located on the southeast end of Lighthouse Reef atoll, it is home to a large population of red-footed blue-billed booby birds and magnificent frigate birds. Presently, it is managed by the Belize Audubon Society and includes 9,700 acres of unique flora and fauna becoming Belize’s first national monument in 1987.
Forests of zericote trees , a local hardwood used for wood carving, surrounded us as we made our way along the sandy path to the viewing platform. As we climbed the rustic stairs to the platform and burst thru at the top, what an amazing sight to behold! We were in a sea of feathers - booby birds perched, atop nests and flying above our heads. Fuzzy fledglings teetered from their stick nests as they attempted to preen their downy feathers. Still others were propped up on branches snoozing as they tried to escape the noon day sun. The magnificent frigates soared effortlessly above as the booby birds squawked and chattered below. Then back down to the jungle floor to hear the scurrying in the brush of red hermit crabs and a brown anole lizard.
By afternoon we found ourselves tucked in behind the calmer waters off Long Caye on the west side of the atoll. The snorkelers hovered above the drop-off while the divers plunged from the stern of the ship to be swallowed by the blue abyss. A large school of yellow-tail jack swam up to greet the descending scuba divers and circled in for a closer look. The unusual pattern of the scroll coral’s corallites provided a bizarre esoteric image. Huge silver tarpon appeared suddenly from the darkening waters. Thousands of super male Creole wrasse attempted to cajole the females into their harems as they frantically chased away invaders. A large hawksbill turtle with barnacles on it’s back swam up the precipice to join the divers for a brief moment or two and then disappeared into the shadows of the reef. Hawksbill turtles are considered an endangered species and Belize is doing it’s best to protect it and the significant habitats for other threatened species.
Belize is a land full of areas of exceptional beauty and superlative natural phenomena. It was wonderful to be able to share this experience with our fellow adventurers.
The wind howled at us as we made our way determinedly towards the day’s destination- Halfmoon Caye .Located on the southeast end of Lighthouse Reef atoll, it is home to a large population of red-footed blue-billed booby birds and magnificent frigate birds. Presently, it is managed by the Belize Audubon Society and includes 9,700 acres of unique flora and fauna becoming Belize’s first national monument in 1987.
Forests of zericote trees , a local hardwood used for wood carving, surrounded us as we made our way along the sandy path to the viewing platform. As we climbed the rustic stairs to the platform and burst thru at the top, what an amazing sight to behold! We were in a sea of feathers - booby birds perched, atop nests and flying above our heads. Fuzzy fledglings teetered from their stick nests as they attempted to preen their downy feathers. Still others were propped up on branches snoozing as they tried to escape the noon day sun. The magnificent frigates soared effortlessly above as the booby birds squawked and chattered below. Then back down to the jungle floor to hear the scurrying in the brush of red hermit crabs and a brown anole lizard.
By afternoon we found ourselves tucked in behind the calmer waters off Long Caye on the west side of the atoll. The snorkelers hovered above the drop-off while the divers plunged from the stern of the ship to be swallowed by the blue abyss. A large school of yellow-tail jack swam up to greet the descending scuba divers and circled in for a closer look. The unusual pattern of the scroll coral’s corallites provided a bizarre esoteric image. Huge silver tarpon appeared suddenly from the darkening waters. Thousands of super male Creole wrasse attempted to cajole the females into their harems as they frantically chased away invaders. A large hawksbill turtle with barnacles on it’s back swam up the precipice to join the divers for a brief moment or two and then disappeared into the shadows of the reef. Hawksbill turtles are considered an endangered species and Belize is doing it’s best to protect it and the significant habitats for other threatened species.
Belize is a land full of areas of exceptional beauty and superlative natural phenomena. It was wonderful to be able to share this experience with our fellow adventurers.
