My Everyday Photos

Half Moon Caye covers only forty acres of dry ground. There is no electricity except when the generator runs in the evening. Our tent had a kerosene lamp and we used headlamps to get around after dark. Unlike at home, there is no prolonged period of dusk and dawn – just twelve hours of darkness and twelve hours of daylight.

So how did we pass the time? Days were busy with activities like snorkeling and kayaking and birdwatching. We often had talks on the island’s natural history. One evening our guides entertained us with drumming and dancing and stories of the Garifuna people’s history (it was not a happy story for the most part). We had wonderful meals prepared from fresh ingredients and our cooks always came out to describe the food for us. Most of the other guests were retired Canadians although two couples were from the US (Chicago and Pennsylvania) and one fellow was from the UK. Maybe three people had heard of Winthrop. They were mostly urban folks except for a couple from Nelson, BC.

We learned that coconut palms are not native to the Caribbean. They were originally planted and then drifted from island to island. And they are invasive. So some of the coconut palms were being cut down on the caye in order to preserve the native habitat preferred by the birds.

The dining hall

The conch was blown to notify us of meals and other activities. This is Sam, an Australian who taught yoga each morning.

Freddy describing our lunch

Clean up area

Activities were announced in the dining hall

The chalk board was used to sign up for activities.

Happy hour on the beach

Gathering after dinner for conversation and card games

Cleaning up

Our tent

Light cast from the kerosene lamp was not bright enough to dim the stars

Traditional drumming

Telling the history

Miss Anne demonstrates a traditional dance

Clint is her dance partner. He is also on the Belize National Soccer Team!

Getting ready for an outing to the Blue Hole!

A coconut grater

Bryan demonstrates how to drink and eat from a fresh coconut

Better coconut water than you can buy in a store!

Packing our luggage for the ride back to the mainland

Hard to leave.