Mayflower Archaeological Site and Waterfalls, Dangriga, Belize
This morning we found ourselves approaching the misty shore of the district of Dangriga. The country of Belize is divided into six districts and this southern district is one of the most beautiful to encounter. This area encompasses eight hundred and forty square miles and the display off diversity is astounding! Tropical rainforests, sandy white beaches and numerous freshwater rivers make this one of Belize’s havens for the wildlife adventurer.
Dangriga is the Garifuna word for “where the sweetwater lies”. The Garifuna people, who make up 6.6% of Belize’s population, first settled here in 1802. After being persecuted for a period of twohundred years they now have been recognized and named as a world heritage culture by the U.N. designation that recognizes and urges protection for endangered heritages.
Our destination was the newly named national park of the Mayflower Archaeological Site and Waterfalls. This 7,000 acre habitat was designated a national park of Belize in September, 2001 which is managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation. Today there are twelve national parks established in Belize and this totals 41% of the country’s land mass.
The sky was slightly overcast and looked as if there could be a shower or two but our guests were quite aware that they were about to be immersed in a rainforest experience and the thought of a cooling shower was very appealing to most. We spit off onto different trails, some heading off to the Antelope Falls while others took the Bokawina Falls trail. The rainforest canopy descended over our heads and blocked the sky above as we made our way steadily upward towards the waterfall. Every step of the way we discovered exotic plants such as wild ginger with their waxy orange and red flowers, lobster claw heloconias and bizarre fungi that looked like edible succulent fruit! Tropical plants of the rainforest have adapted several ways to promote their survival. Many of the plants in the rainforest have leaves with drip tips. Drip tips are the pointed section of a leaf which promotes the flow of water off the general leaf area. It is believed that drip tips allow the leaf to dry sooner so that it can photosynthesize again and also rids the leaf of water preventing moss, algae or lichen growth on the leaf.
We all arrived happily back at the ship covered with the relics of the morning- mud, sweat and the thought of new destinations to come.
This morning we found ourselves approaching the misty shore of the district of Dangriga. The country of Belize is divided into six districts and this southern district is one of the most beautiful to encounter. This area encompasses eight hundred and forty square miles and the display off diversity is astounding! Tropical rainforests, sandy white beaches and numerous freshwater rivers make this one of Belize’s havens for the wildlife adventurer.
Dangriga is the Garifuna word for “where the sweetwater lies”. The Garifuna people, who make up 6.6% of Belize’s population, first settled here in 1802. After being persecuted for a period of twohundred years they now have been recognized and named as a world heritage culture by the U.N. designation that recognizes and urges protection for endangered heritages.
Our destination was the newly named national park of the Mayflower Archaeological Site and Waterfalls. This 7,000 acre habitat was designated a national park of Belize in September, 2001 which is managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation. Today there are twelve national parks established in Belize and this totals 41% of the country’s land mass.
The sky was slightly overcast and looked as if there could be a shower or two but our guests were quite aware that they were about to be immersed in a rainforest experience and the thought of a cooling shower was very appealing to most. We spit off onto different trails, some heading off to the Antelope Falls while others took the Bokawina Falls trail. The rainforest canopy descended over our heads and blocked the sky above as we made our way steadily upward towards the waterfall. Every step of the way we discovered exotic plants such as wild ginger with their waxy orange and red flowers, lobster claw heloconias and bizarre fungi that looked like edible succulent fruit! Tropical plants of the rainforest have adapted several ways to promote their survival. Many of the plants in the rainforest have leaves with drip tips. Drip tips are the pointed section of a leaf which promotes the flow of water off the general leaf area. It is believed that drip tips allow the leaf to dry sooner so that it can photosynthesize again and also rids the leaf of water preventing moss, algae or lichen growth on the leaf.
We all arrived happily back at the ship covered with the relics of the morning- mud, sweat and the thought of new destinations to come.
