Day Eleven: March 31, 2012

Excursion One: Snorkeling at Hol Chan and Shark & Ray Alley.

Thanks Dr. C for your great underwater camera!

Today was AMAZING!! We got at a catamaran named "SEAduced" and rode about 35 minutes out to Hol Chan.  The boat was really fun, they had bean bags, fresh fruit and drink for us.  Once we arrived to Hol Chan, we put our snorkel gear on and jumped in! Hol Chan is the break in the reef where boats can go in and out.  There was so many fish and SEA TURTLES! We had a guide that would swim deep down and grab different animals and fish to show us.  One time he went down and grabbed a green eel but it slithered away.  He pointed out a lot of plants and the coolest one was coral that was purple or brown depending on if it was sleeping or was awake and eating.  I tried to swim deep down but after four feet you and to be able to pop your ears underwater and mine were not cooperating.  It was the coolest thing to be so close to the reef and all types of sea life.  

After Hol Chan we went to Shark and Ray Alley.  We got back in the water and they threw lots of dead sardines in the water to attract the rays and the sharks.  I was kind of scarey but then they told us that they were nurse sharks and they didnt bite.  I was still nervous about the sting rays because I didnt know if you get hurt if you get hit by the tail or if they have to decide to sting you.  Our guide held a shark upside down to put him to sleep so we could pet him, and then he got a sting ray for us to pet.  The shark felt different that I expected, I was expecting it to be smooth but it felt more like a finger nail file.  The sting ray was smooth and kind of slimy.  It was really cool to swim with the sharks and sting rays.

After we were done snorkeling we sailed to Caye Caulker which is just a little island with a few restaurants and shops.  I bought a couple of prints that I cant wait to frame and put up and the wall back home. 

We finally got back to San Pedro around 5 pm.  We hurried upstairs and changed for the Miss. Isla Bonita beauty pageant.  This is a  beauty pageant/talent show where students of Isla Bonita Primary school can participate in the show and if they win, they get a scholarship for the following school year.  This show lasted from 8:30 (it was suppose to start at 6:30 haha) until around 11:30/11:45.  These little girls dance, sing, do fashion shows, question and answer sessions, and there is even a bathing suit session.  I didnt stay the whole time, but it was very very interesting.

After that we came home and passed out.  Today was slam packed but a lot of fun!