MORE BAD WEATHER//SLIGHT SNORKEL SEASICKNESS//LEAVING PARADISE.

So, our last full day dawned cloudy and windy.  AGAIN!  But it had improved enough to do a snorkel off the shore  on the other side of the island.  I had not been there yet, so I was up for it. I popped a couple of Gravol to combat the inevitable seasickness and we walked to the other side of the island.

Maggie Peggy Karen and Mark heading to the other side of the island.

Getting ready to hit the COLD DEEP WATER!!!

Roger borrowed the infamous "gladiator" wetsuit from Mark, and proceeded to put it on backwards!  He left it that way and much hilarity ensued!

I think it is Neri on the left?  Roger with his backwards wetsuit, and MJ laughing...as usual!!!

WE walked through the grass, that could contain stinging critters, without any problems, and swam/got sucked through the opening in the reef to deeper waters.  The fact that we got basically got sucked out, should have been a hint that perhaps the swim back in may be a bit strenuous.  But, true to form, it never crossed my mind!  I buddied up with Dr. Cindy and her underwater fish guide, and off we went!

Dr. Cindy and her fish guide.

The trip was fairly uneventful, but I did manage to sight a small nurse shark!  My first shark sighting while snorkeling EVER!  No picture to be had...but  I would soon be snorkeling with them in Shark Ray Alley off Ambergris Caye anyways!

up close and personal with a not so friendly Lion Fish

a school of Blue Tangs.  Much deeper water here.

I believe this is Neri...

SO...after awhile, Victor came in a kayak to check on us, and since a few people were getting cold and tired, he escorted them through the break in the reef.  Because of the current, he set up a rope to help us get back through later.  And after safely making sure his group got to shore, he came and advised us it was set up and we headed back.  I don't tend to get cold snorkeling, and could stay out all day most of the time.  This time, I could FEEL the cold but could have stayed out for much longer.  But, my fingers and toes were turning purple so I guess that was an indication that it was time to go in.
Once we started to hit the strong current, all thoughts of my buddy were gone and off I went.  Neri was leading, and through the break we went.  It was like swimming and getting nowhere. I had to resort to swimming the front crawl, as kicking just was not enough!  I did manage to get through without the help of the rope and off we went for a well deserved Belikin! (Karen:  I am glad that I chose not to go in after hearing about how difficult it was to swim back.  I am not a strong swimmer and I know Stacey would never have been my buddy!  I'd probably still be out there somewhere!!!)

Charlie had  hot water for everyone to take to warm up the shower,  so we could have our first really warm shower of the week.  But as usual, I was too impatient to wait for it, so off I went for the usual cold shower.  I got the last shower stall of four, and could NOT get anybody to sing with me!

Supper was superb as usual, and we followed that with a few contests.  Victor instructed us to go out and catch a hermit crab and find a coconut.  No limitations.  Just to bring one back each.

Usually you spend all your time walking at night, trying to avoid stepping on the hermit crabs.  There are THOUSANDS of them, but due to the bad weather they were a little more elusive.  I did manage to find a mid sized FRISKY hermit crab, that I quickly named Crusty.  Short for Crustacean.  He was a little spitfire, and continually tried to pinch me.  SO..I wrapped him in toilet paper and got him into the racing bucket. (Karen:  All I could lasoo was a tiny little crab, but I had high hopes that he/she would be speedy because of his size.)

Crusty Crustacean

I think Crusty is on the far left...about to climb the wall...he liked doing that!

Crusty was always trying to climb the bucket, so I figured that maybe he had what it took to get the gold!  We took them all outside to the volleyball court where the boys had set up the ropes that normally outlined the volleyball court, and made a huge circle.  Victor took the bucket to the middle and set them all free.  The first 3 to make it over the ropes made it to the final heat.

I lost sight of Crusty, trying to help defend Kellie's crab, because so many people were sabotaging it.  (Karen:  I felt bad for Kellie as everyone kept touching her crab and at one point he was brutally flung aside!  Such crab abuse!)  But in the end.....he made it to the finals!  In the end, he came in 3rd.   But he is training to win next years race!

Crusty about to get his disappointing bronze medal!

ON to the coconuts!  The next contest was to see who could open their coconuts the quickest, using anything in the dining room.  We had to delay this contest as mine had already rotten out and was already open, thus giving me an unfair advantage. (Karen:  I do not recall any specifications as to what kind of coconuts we were supposed to find.  I think we should have been allowed to use the one we found!)  I went out and got a new coconut and was soon a loser!  I think it was Odd or Alf from Sweden that won, basically doing the same as me but with better results.  Taking the wooden stools at the end of the table and bashing them on the coconuts as hard as possible.

Because these two contest were over so quickly.  Victor set up a third one.  Anyone with remaining coconuts could go out on the water sports dock (in front of mine and Karen's huts) and throw them at the currently unoccupied Hut Number 1.  We all stood on the dock and threw the coconuts as hard as we could towards MJ, who was peeking out of the door of Number 1, attempting to not get hit!  After 2 heats, John from San Fran was the undisputed champ!  Almost hitting Victor who had taken over MJ's spot in the cabin.

I believe this is John's winning throw!

After the excitement of the night most people were off to bed, while I, true to form, stayed up to have beverages with my new island drinking buddies, and hang out for our last night on the island!  Sadly, we had to leave the next afternooon! (Karen:  And true to form, I was one of the ones that went to bed.  All this fresh, salty island air just wiped me out.)

The last day dawned a little calmer, unfortunately!  We were hoping for bad weather so we could stay another day!  But alas, it was not to be! Karen and Kellie and I hung out on the beach for awhile, all bundled up for the cold, and then Karen and I did a final walk around the grounds taking last pics of anything we may have not gotten already!

Karen brushing her teeth for the last time

And Stacey doing the same!  In her outfit from most of the last few cold days.

Karen doing a sexy pose! (Karen:  Acutally, I was dreaming that I was chained to the tree and would not be able to leave!)

A view of the kitchen from the back, and volleyball court on the right

Marcie and Laverne's Staff House.

Stacey saying good bye to the island next door.

The shower house.

One of the more secluded Cabins

Funny sign set up on the path from the Dive Shop

View of the women's urinals.

And Lucky the Bunny's grave marker.  Apparently Lucky hated Veggies but would eat anything else.

Karen Saying good bye to our view!  Our cabins were just off to the right.

After our usual delicious lunch, we got our group pic and headed out for our 3 hour boat ride back to Belize City.

Our family for the week!

So...our trip was NOT over yet! WE had another night in the Biltmore in Belize, and we were all going for a Chinese dinner with Victor, Neri and MJ.  WE had a few drinks by the pool with Kellie and John, and we were joined by a few of the others, including Mark (he is the one who has been on the island 4 or 5 times.)  John had shaved his beard off into a Fu Manchu at the insistence of cousin Kellie, so Mark had to come and show us his version of the Fu Manchu!

Johna and Mark and their Fu Manchu's

After our first HOT shower in a week, and a walk to go get souvenirs, we found this beer bong.  Can anyone make me one?  This was far too expensive!!!!

I sooo wanted to buy this.  But controlled myself!

Soon after getting back to the hotel, the boys picked us up in 2 vans, and off we went for our final meal together.

The food was really good, and the company excellent of course!  And Kellie got a bit drunk and fell in love with a really cute pig in the restaurant (no...not a pilot or a cop...a ceramic pig!). After 2 tries they were unable to secure a price on the pig, but upon arriving back to the hotel there was a call from the restaurant with a price.  Kellie hopped in the van with Victor and off they went to pick him up!
 (Karen:  That was a great bottle of wine that Kellie and I shared!)
A short time later Karen, Kellie, John, Victor, myself and the pig met for final drinks in the hotel bar.

Kellie Victor and the Infamous Pig

  Rear shot of the pig!

John double fisting (Karen:  Lighthouse!  Finally, a Belizian beer that I like!)

After a few drinks, and after dealing with an excessively drunk man, to whom we gave fake names...all except Victor, who likely thought that his name sounded fake anyways.  We called it a night and went off to sleep.

The next morning we were able to say good bye to Kellie, John, Victor, Mark and Karen....and we knew that we had made some great friends and would keep in touch!  But it was still bittersweet.  BUT...on to our next leg of the trip!  Ambergris Caye for 3 days followed by 2 in Playa Del Carmen Mexico!  OFF WE GO!

As told by Stacey over a week after arriving back in COLD COLD CANADA! (Karen:  Thank goodness one of us still had a workable camera!)