The north coast and islands of Honduras
The first full day of our trip along the Maya coast dawned bright and early, as our captain dropped anchor just off the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge on the beautiful northern coast of Honduras. This coastline stretches for 300km, bordered by the warm, turquoise waters of the Caribbean, and is home to long stretches of beautiful beaches, many Garifuna villages and three larger towns. This area is also well known for its nature reserves that encompass pristine environments and their abundant flora and fauna. The Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge (named after two rivers that run through the area) was created in 1987 and protects one of the last substantial remnants of wetlands and mangrove swamps along the north coast. This environment is home to large numbers of animal and bird species, and the best way to explore such an area is undoubtedly by river. These waterways form inroads into forest and swamps, and also form areas clear of trees, which offer us opportunities for much easier glimpses of the flora and fauna.
After a hearty breakfast, we opted to explore either by Zodiac or kayak, slowly cruising by stilted mangrove roots and dense vegetation, allowing ourselves moments of pure silence to embrace the totality of our surroundings, as much of tropical nature is perceived in the sounds that surround us. Ephemeral blue morphs fluttered around the brilliantly coloured heliconias, parrots and toucans flew overhead, howler monkeys lounged languidly amongst the treetops as other troops could be heard proclaiming their territories in the distance, and some of us even caught a glimpse of elusive manatees as they came up for a breath as well as a log-like spectacled caiman.
We returned to the ship, our senses overwhelmed with the sights, sounds and smells of the tropics, and lifted anchor immediately to cross the 60km of ocean that separate the coast of Honduras from the beautiful Bay Islands and their abundant coral reefs. Our destination was a tiny little privately-owned islet, called South West Caye, located just to the east of Utila, the smallest of the three main Bay Islands. This islet is little more than a mound of white sand, abundant shade provided by palms trees, and surrounded by the most spectacular of reefs. We added a few hammocks, snorkeling equipment, a cooler of drinks and paradise was ours! We spent the afternoon swimming over otherworldly gardens of soft and hard corals, sponges and other invertebrates, watching the rainbow colours of the reef inhabitants as they flitted through the reef; feeling at one once more with another important ecosystem of the tropics.
The first full day of our trip along the Maya coast dawned bright and early, as our captain dropped anchor just off the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge on the beautiful northern coast of Honduras. This coastline stretches for 300km, bordered by the warm, turquoise waters of the Caribbean, and is home to long stretches of beautiful beaches, many Garifuna villages and three larger towns. This area is also well known for its nature reserves that encompass pristine environments and their abundant flora and fauna. The Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge (named after two rivers that run through the area) was created in 1987 and protects one of the last substantial remnants of wetlands and mangrove swamps along the north coast. This environment is home to large numbers of animal and bird species, and the best way to explore such an area is undoubtedly by river. These waterways form inroads into forest and swamps, and also form areas clear of trees, which offer us opportunities for much easier glimpses of the flora and fauna.
After a hearty breakfast, we opted to explore either by Zodiac or kayak, slowly cruising by stilted mangrove roots and dense vegetation, allowing ourselves moments of pure silence to embrace the totality of our surroundings, as much of tropical nature is perceived in the sounds that surround us. Ephemeral blue morphs fluttered around the brilliantly coloured heliconias, parrots and toucans flew overhead, howler monkeys lounged languidly amongst the treetops as other troops could be heard proclaiming their territories in the distance, and some of us even caught a glimpse of elusive manatees as they came up for a breath as well as a log-like spectacled caiman.
We returned to the ship, our senses overwhelmed with the sights, sounds and smells of the tropics, and lifted anchor immediately to cross the 60km of ocean that separate the coast of Honduras from the beautiful Bay Islands and their abundant coral reefs. Our destination was a tiny little privately-owned islet, called South West Caye, located just to the east of Utila, the smallest of the three main Bay Islands. This islet is little more than a mound of white sand, abundant shade provided by palms trees, and surrounded by the most spectacular of reefs. We added a few hammocks, snorkeling equipment, a cooler of drinks and paradise was ours! We spent the afternoon swimming over otherworldly gardens of soft and hard corals, sponges and other invertebrates, watching the rainbow colours of the reef inhabitants as they flitted through the reef; feeling at one once more with another important ecosystem of the tropics.
