Happy Thanksgiving!

Early one morning in November I set up my tripod and camera in an area that I knew was frequented by turkeys. Sure enough a proud tom and his hens came in to feed, also a white-tailed deer herd with a young four-point buck. As the sun stretched above the horizon its rays highlight beautiful tones of copper and green on the turkeys' feathers. I imagine deer hunters clad in blaze orange back in Minnesota are enjoying a similar scene, as they drink coffee from a thermos and watch their breathe drift away like a cloud of smoke. I feel right at home yet things seem out of place. I'm still in Belize, where the grass is green, it's 80-something degrees, I'm trying to remain still as mosquitoes swarm around me, and the turkey I speak of is not the familiar Wild Turkey of North America, but the Ocellated Turkey.

Last weekend I went to San Pedro and took a course in Open Water Diving; breathing under water felt very strange the first time. We explored the barrier reef and an underwater canyon, which were full of marine biodiversity. I was really excited to see a green sea turtle. I heard about a fishing tournament and stopped by for the weigh-in at the end of the day. It's raining and a large crowd surrounds the scale so I can't get a decent picture of the large marlin; two boys pose for me with barracudas. At night a karaoke DJ belts out Johnny Cash tunes and the bar (mostly Belizeans) sings along.

In the Belize City I walk by a store downtown, the usual crowd of homeless people wait with their hands out, now they're competing with a bell ringer from Salvation Army for a few shillings. More cruise ships are coming in and the streets by my office are full of tourists. I pass by the tourist village to pick up lunch and hear a local band singing in their best country accent, "Hey good lookin', Whatcha got cookin?" followed by Bob Marley.

After work I stop at a grocery store and find the shelves are well stocked with Thanksgiving essentials, such as pumpkin pie mix and cranberry sauce. While it is not a holiday in Belize, the hype from American television is enough to put Belizeans into the turkey-eating spirit. But I'm sure they still prefer their version of football (soccer) over American football.

So today I'll raise a glass of pineapple wine and say that I am thankful for everything I have in Belize, even though it's a little out of the ordinary. Happy Thanksgiving!

Last night I dreamt of San Pedro

Overlooking the Caribbean Sea is San Pedro, located on the beautiful island called Ambergris Caye. The beachfront of Belize's most popular tourist destination sat empty. The only vacationers walking on the white coral sand had flown in from the Arctic tundra.

The Sanderling is a medium sized sandpiper that chases receding waves and probes for invertebrates in the wet sand before running away from the incoming surf. In their winter plumage Sanderlings are pale gray above and pure white below. The name sanderling comes from the Icelandic, "sanderla," which alludes to the birds' sandy habitat according to the Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds.

Running on the beach next to the Sanderling is the smallest shorebird in the world. The Least Sandpiper is distinguished from other "peeps" by its yellowish legs. Peep is a term for various tiny sandpipers that are smaller than the Sanderling.

Ruddy Turnstones, like the Sanderling are residents of the Arctic. As their name suggests, they turn over stones and other objects on the shore in search of food. To follow the arrival of neo-tropical migrants in Belize visit the Wildtracks project.

Meanwhile the residents of San Pedro are busy with construction and other preparations for the high tourist season, which runs November through March.

"Tropical the island breeze
All of nature wild and free
This is where I long to be
La isla bonita"

Lyrics from La Isla Bonita by Madonna

The reason for my visit to San Pedro, not vacation but work. North of town on Ambergris Caye is Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve. I assisted another Volunteer and the Fisheries Dept. with their pre-season Queen Conch survey. Conch are large marine snails. A spent a few days snorkeling transects over the sea grass beds, diving for conch, and taking their measurements. The conch population in the preservation zone appeared much healthier than the general use area, which is open to fishing. But regular enforcement is difficult, I found several broken shells while surveying the preservation zone.

News from Half Moon Caye is that Bob Marley was caught with undersized conch, not sure if they were within the park boundaries (most likely yes). This is the 3rd or 4th incident I've heard of involving Bob Marley. See last year's archives for "Conch-fiscated".

A September to Remember

When I returned to Belize in August it was just in time for Hurricane Dean. I was safe in Belmopan when it made landfall as a category 5 hurricane with winds of 165 mph. While the full force of Hurricane Dean did not hit Belize, the Northern Districts (Corozal and Orange Walk) and the Cayes (Ambergris and Caye Caulker) experienced strong winds damaging roofs, uprooting trees and affecting power lines, water supply and telecommunications. The storm severely affected papaya and sugarcane crops. At Peace Corps' consolidation point we experienced heavy rains and 60 mph winds. Through Belize Red Cross, I helped distribute rations in the village of Chunox a few weeks after (pictured below).


Hurricane Felix gave Belize another scare, as it was expected to hit the country directly. During last week's Carnival parade a truck displayed a banner that read, "Let us celebrate and Thank God for sparing us from Hurricane DEAN and FELIX."

Despite the weather, there was much celebration in Belize throughout September, including Battle of St. George's Caye Day (Sept. 10), Independence Day (Sept. 21), and Carnival. This year's September Celebrations theme was “Independent, Strong and Free, Belize fi all ah We.” I enjoyed fireworks, parades, food, music and dancing.

Carnival is highly anticipated in Belize. From July, I heard drum cadences echoing from the King's Park neighborhood in Belize City. Masqueraders practice their dance routines and work on their costumes during the late hours of the night. The question I ask is, Why is Belize celebrating Carnival in September?

It all started with a group of women who wanted to liven things up on the tenth day of September. They danced around the streets of Belize City in costumes and the rest is history. Today neighborhood bands compete in the road march to see who's best in show.

This year's Carnival Road March, with eleven bands and over a thousand dancers lasted for more than five hours. My favorites were the Succotz Festival Drum Corps and Pantempters Steel Drum Band. The judges chose Mother Nature's Creation as the number one senior band and Black Pearl in the junior section. For more Carnival photos visit my Flickr album.

Now I feel as if things are returning back to normal.

A Break in the Road

July was the month of summer camps. First I teamed up with 4-H to put on a week-long environmental camp on Caye Caulker. I led a beach scavenger hunt, bird watching, mangrove/forest walk, and lots of other fun games and activities.

We learned first aid from the Belize Red Cross and thankfully none of our campers got hurt; we picked up garbage around public areas as a community service project; Ellen McRae, a resident of Caye Caulker, gave lectures on the reef ecosystem and environmental issues; and recreational activities included swimming, sea kayaking, fishing, basketball, soccer, or whatever games the kids invented. The most memorable experience for many of the 4-Hers was snorkeling the Belize Barrier Reef.

When I returned to Belize Audubon Society I stayed in summer camp mode. A school bus full of excited kids departed from Belize City to jaguar camp. At Maya Center, the gateway to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, we were greeted by the Maya Center Women's Group. With the Women's Group we danced to marimba music, learned the art of slate carving, and enjoyed tamales for lunch.

Park director Nicacio Coc gave an overview of Cockcomb before embarking on a rigorous hike to one of the park's spectacular waterfalls. Swimming in the cool water was a revitalizing experience. Aside from the campers, a news team from Channel 5 Belize tagged along. Their coverage of the jaguar camp can be found in the link below.

City kids experience wild outdoors in jaguar camp

After the reporters left we had much more fun. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over a fire hearth, shared jokes, ghost stories, and sang. In Kriol the jaguar is called tiger (pronounced taigah). I adapted the well-known "tiger hunt song" into Kriol and the result was hilarious. My Kriol grammar is perfect and pronunciation is good but still has a hint of Minnesotan.

The following day we woke up early to discover the bird life of Cockscomb. While I was giving an introduction to bird watching, two Crested Guans (large turkey-like birds) flew into plain view. Birding in the tropical forest with beginners is a challenge because so many of the birds remain out of sight, so it was a real treat to see these birds up close.

Audubon's second summer camp was held at St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park. It was an action packed day camp. We hiked trails, watched wildlife, explored St. Herman's cave, and swam in the Blue Hole.

After the summer camps were finished I had another big event to look forward to. I have stayed in Belize for over a year now, halfway through my Peace Corps servies, and it was right time to take a break and visit home. Time to see my family again, reconnect with friends, and attend a wedding.

In the morning, August 2, I went to the office because my flight was scheduled for the afternoon and I had an offer from a coworker to take me to the airport. I prepared my instant coffee and sat down to check e-mail. To my surprise and disbelief Minneapolis was the top story in the news with the collapse of 35W over the Mississippi. After reading thid news I remembered the countless times I had crossed the very same bridge and exited on University Avenue at the end of a hard day's work. And the times I went running along the banks of the Mississippi below the bridge.

I reached Minneapolis late and stayed overnight at a friend's place on University Ave, only 2 1/2 blocks from the scene. Close enough for him to feel the vibrations of the bridge going down from his apartment. On Friday morning I saw everything I had been seeing and hearing about on the news.

Seasons

June marks the beginning of rainy season in Belize and this year the storm clouds came right on schedule. The first week of June it rained almost every night; days are typically sunny, hot, and humid. The lingering clouds have produced some beautiful sunsets. The constant rainfall also brings about pothole season.

In rainy season some people speak of crab season. I notice many blue land crabs peeking out of their mud holes as I walk around my neighborhood. Belize offers a lot of good seafood, but I think I'll pass on the land crabs.

June 15th is the beginning of lobster season. In the off season the fishermen were busy repairing their traps. Belize is home to the Spiny Lobster (Panuirus argus), which has no claws. Fishing communities such as Placencia and San Pedro celebrate Lobster Fest in June. Speaking of Placencia, I caught a whale shark on camera; have another look at the previous post.

In Belize's Cayo District is an amazing wet cave system called Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the Stone Sepulchre). Inside the cave are many artifacts such as clay pottery, tools, and human remains. Because hundreds of water vessels were found in the cave it is believed that Actun was most used for ceremonies pertaining to the Rain God, Chac. The ancient Mayas also sacrificed humans in the hopes of appeasing the gods and bringing rain.

Once dry, ephemeral ponds are now full of water and life. A noisy chorus of frogs can be heard during the night or on a rainy day. I visited Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary to work on an environmental education project and with some free time went looking for Red-eyed Treefrogs. I saw many other frogs jumping around in the grass and surrounding trees, thick like grasshoppers in summer, but not the one I was looking for.

Finally, rainy season is the beginning of hurricane season, which is no cause for celebration. This popular Kriol rhyme traces the progression of the season:

June tu soon
Julai stan by
Aagas luk out yu mos
Septemba memba
Aktoaba aal oava.

Close Encounter with a Whale Shark

I jumped into the sea with a snorkel and fins. The water was clear, deep blue in color, with rays of light piercing into the depths below. My only frame of reference was the formation of scuba divers showering bubbles towards the surface and the group of snorkelers around me. The larger bubbles reminded me of jellyfish. Suddenly Steven, who was leading the snorkeling group, yells, "Whale Shark!" I look down and see an monstrous fish forty feet below. It swam slow and methodical in search of food.

The moon is closely connected to life at sea. The position of the moon causes tidal changes and the behavior of sea creatures are effected by the moon's phase. A full moon in spring causes excitement among fishermen in Belize because many fish gather to spawn. These large spawning aggregations will also attract predatory fish in search of east targets. From March to June, while Cuberra Snappers are busy releasing eggs and milt, chances are an enormous Whale Shark is somewhere close by.

The Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) is the world's largest fish and can reach 60 feet in length! Unlike many of its relatives, the Whale Shark is a gentle giant. It feeds with a gaping mouth and filters materials such as plankton and krill through its gills. Whale sharks are pelagic, meaning they roam the open sea, and can only be seen along the coast during seasonal feeding aggregations.

To witness this amazing encounter I travelled to southern Belize, to the tranquil village of Placencia, located on the tip of a sandy peninsula. The full moon was on Friday, June 1st, so the weekend was prime time for watching Whale Sharks. From the Sea Horse Dive Shop we headed an hour east by boat to Gladden Spit Marine Reserve, which harbors an intact spawning aggregation site for at least 25 species of reef fish. Conservation partners have created guidelines to regulate tourism and to ensure that this rare event can be seen for years to come.

Within five minutes of being in the water I saw a Whale Shark. The formation of scuba divers releasing air bubbles is said to mimic a spawning aggregation. A very entrancing moment, like watching a campfire. Suddenly the bubbles start moving horizontally towards me and the outline of another Whale Shark materializes; this time it was much closer.

Outside of the Reserve, the dive boat anchored for lunch. We enjoyed stewed chicken with coconut rice and veg. Afterwards we had the opportunity to explore the nearby reef, which had beautiful elkhorn corals, tube sponges, and sea fans decorated with brightly colored reef fish. While admiring a brain coral I noticed a Nurse Shark resting in the shadows below.

The boat ventured back to Gladden Spit for more Whale Shark watching. While waiting to enter the water a pod of three dolphins was swimming nearby. In the afternoon I saw even more Whale Sharks than earlier and observed their feeding action. One fish showed its belly as it swam in a straight column towards the surface with its mouth wide open. Peeking above the surface I could see its dorsal fin and tail sticking out of the water. Many of the Whale Sharks were breaching the surface and at one point I had to back off as I watched a Whale Shark moving in my direction. I saw at least eight Whale Sharks, although its hard to say if they were all individuals. I carried along an underwater disposable camera to catch the action, hopefully I can share some good shots with you.

Crooked Tree

The month of May was an exciting time for Crooked Tree. The first week of May a Cashew Festival is celebrated by Crooked Tree Village. Before I came to Belize, I only new about the cashew nut, which I assumed grew on a tree like other nuts. However, a cashew has a fleshy fruit, and the nut hangs outside of the fruit.

Belizeans also call it the "devil's fruit" because the raw shell contains a poisonous oil that causes skin irritation. Cashew belongs to the family Anacardiaceae, which includes Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac.

The ripe fruit or cashew apple is yellow to orange-red in color and can be eaten raw. Its surprisingly juicy and a bit tart. There are many ways to prepare cashew- cashew wine, cashew jam, stewed cashews, cashew syrup, cashew fudge, cashew nuts, cashew...

During May, Belize also experiences dry season, evident in Crooked Tree by the cracking mud flats surrounding the shrunken lagoon and vultures feeding on dead fish that have washed to shore (mostly tilapia, which are non-native to Belize). This caused quite a stir in the news.

(News 5 story) Fish kill around Crooked Tree has residents concerned

When the lagoon shrinks the fish also become more concentrated, which attracts a large amount of wading birds. I joined a group of birding enthusiasts for a day at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. The amount of Wood Storks flying overhead reminded me of a fall day in Minnesota with flocks of Canada Geese filling the morning sky. Scanning through the birds with our binoculars we saw Jabirus, Great Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, and many more. "Find me a Great Blue Heron," said the man who was compiling our trip list. It was like Where's Waldo except we couldn't be sure that the bird was even existed in our field of view. I was happy to spot it first.

Go Nuts!

I ventured up the Old Northern Highway with a group of Volunteers to Lucky Strike Village. Nearby is the most visited Maya site in Belize, Altun Ha, which means "water of the rocks." From the Temple of the Sun God we enjoyed a beautiful Belize sunset.

On Sunday I was woken up by the morning chorus of birds. The sun was just peaking above the trees and glowing like red ember. My bird I.D. skills are pretty good now, I know quite a few birds by sight and sound. I added two new birds to my checklist for Belize. The best find for me was a small group of Cedar Waxwings. First I heard the familiar high-pitched whistle and sure enough they were right above me. Cedar Waxwings are an irregular winter visitor in Belize, some years they are not seen at all. The bird pictured below is a Clay-colored Robin, which has a beautiful song.

Our team, the Gibnuts, didn't show up in full force this weekend so we played a 9-on-9 football game against Lucky Strike. Off to good start, we didn't give up any early goals. However, Lucky Strike scored 2 or 3 three goals before the Gibnuts roared back. I got a short pass from my teammate and was face-to-face with the opposing goalie. I booted the ball with left foot and watched it curve around him into the goal. The second half was much like the first. We gave a few goals and took one for our team. Lucky Strike hit the magic number, scoring 7 goals against the Gibnuts 2. Better luck next time. Go Nuts!

Earth Day!

The Belize Audubon Society participated in the 2007 Earth Day Fair, (as pronounced in Kriol- Ert Day Faya) held at the University of Belize campus in Belmopan. Events included games, tree planting, music, and information booths. Elementary school classes and University students attended this all-day event.

Meanwhile, other staff members from BAS visited St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park, just south of Belmopan. One of the park wardens had seen some suspicious activity in the area and soon bags of xate leaves were discovered in the Park waiting to be picked up. A total of forty-one bundles, each with approximately thirty-six xate leaves, were collected and turned over to the Forest Department. Illegal xate harvest is a management frustration throughout Belize's protected areas.



This Sunday (April 22) you can tune in to Oapn Paki Show, were host Rosalie Stains will discuss issues with Belize Audubon Society's protected areas managers. The show airs live from 10:15am to 12:15pm on Love FM (you can listen to a live stream if you have Real Player).

Belize Audubon Society will continue to celebrate Earth Day throughout next week. Activities include classroom presentations and encouraging Belizeans to bike to work, school, or wherever they may go.

Often times I'm behind the lens of my camera, so family and friends at home haven't seen much of me since I left Minnesota. I'm alive and well, also wanted to show-off a project I have been working on lately. I took up oil-painting last week and completed ten signs that will make up an interpretive trail at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. The Jabiru Stork (locally called Turk or Fillymingo) is a flagship species for wetlands in Belize. Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

Easter in Belize

The wind was howling and rain pounded on the zinc-top roof of my house Saturday morning. I had my alarm set early so that I could catch the first water taxi to Caye Caulker, but with the weather sounding like a hurricane I decided stayed in the soft comfort of my bed. Crowds of Belizeans travel offshore to the cayes to relax on the beach for the long Easter weekend. The weather man on the radio cautioned travel by small boats so I stayed in the city.

Instead I witnessed Belize's premier cycling event, the Annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic, a 140 mile bike race starting in Belize City, traveling west to San Ignacio where the cyclists turn around and ride back to Belize City for the finish. When I turned my radio on the race had just made the turn-around.

I rode my bike to the market to buy some fresh fruits and vegetables and also stopped to see if there was any activity at the fish market. I like seeing all the different kinds of fish that are brought in and the hungry bunch of Brown Pelicans in the canal waiting for scraps to be thrown to them. Fish prices go up in Belize like gas prices during Easter, the fishermen had already sold out. Normally $4-6 per pound, fish prices jump to $7-10 per pound at Easter.

As I listened in on my little radio, the leading pack had just left Hattieville and was about 12 miles outside of Belize City. Crowds of spectators slowly assembled along the race route as the cyclist came nearer. A group of men gathered under a shade tree next to me so they could hear the radio announcer while they enjoyed their One Barrel Rum and Sprite. Then came a motorcade of support vehicles, the media, and a police car, the cyclists were trailing right behind. The crowd cheered as the bikes went by in a flash and on to Marion Jones stadium for two laps around the track to the finish. In the final sprint it was American Boyd Johnson who came in first and in record time. The crowd was greatly disappointed that a Belizean did not win the race as predicted in the news. The top Belizean finish was fifth and for that he received a Brahma calf (not sure what the story is behind that). Boyd Johnson's victory was much like the surprise victory of Zach Johnson in the Masters at Augusta. I wonder if they are related?

Easter morning on my way to church I heard the excitement of children coming from one of homes in my neighborhood as they hunted for Easter eggs. I guess the Easter Bunny comes to Belize too. It was a beautiful morning, the lilacs are blossoming now. Afterwards, I visited a Peace Corps couple in the city to talk over coffee and a light brunch.

You may have noticed I made a few layout changes to my blog, I upgraded to the new Blogger. Not everything is displaying correctly, such as the weather, its been very hot in Belize this week, highs in the 90s and it broke 100 one day. I'm missing the cool breezes at night and had to turn on the fan instead. Also I would like to point out my YouTube link; I added a new video this week, this time I used video editing. You can watch it below.

Xaté Survey

Last week I worked with staff members from the Belize Audubon Society surveying diversity and density of xaté palms (family Chamaedorea) in Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. The Reserve (6,750 acres) was designated to maintain natural processes in an undisturbed state, thus it is not open to the public. Despite management and patrol efforts, many illegal activities occur within its borders, such as logging and hunting. Most evident in Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve is the presence of xatéros, who work illegally in Belize collecting leaves that are trafficked back to Guatemala (trails marked with blaze orange arrows spray-painted on trees and cleanly chopped by machetes, clearings in the forest for make-shift camps, litter on the ground, and of course the xaté palms stripped of all their beauty).

Xaté (sha-tay) are leaves from three Chamaedorea palm species (C. elegans, C. oblongata and C. ernesti-augustii) used in the floral industry. They are used commercially because they are attractive leaves that can last for up to 45 days after being cut. This makes them popular for flower arrangements, Palm Sunday services and decoration. Make a difference by making sure that your flower arrangements come without xaté leaves or that the xaté leaves come from a sustainable source. There is currently very little sustainable fishtail available but this should be changing in the next few years as projects in Guatemala and Belize begin harvesting.

(read more)

-Belize Botanic Gardens

To develop capacity in Belize for conserving and sustainably managing xaté palms (Chamaedorea spp.) and improving economic benefits to Belizeans from xaté collection a collaborative venture between the Natural History Museum (London), the Belize Forest Department, and the Belize Botanic Gardens was established in 2003 through The Darwin Initiative. The Darwin Initiative is a small grants programme that aims to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of resources around the world.

The fishtail palm (C. ernesti-augustii) is the most commonly harvested xaté species. We observed that xatéros had covered every square inch of the Reserve; steep terrain, thick bush, no matter- the xateros had already been here. Besides being illegal, xaté harvest in Belize's protected areas is done unsustainably; some plants were left with only a stem. After four days of surveying we only observed two mature fishtail palms with harvestable leaves that were completely unscathed.

What I found most interesting during the survey was a large and healthy fishtail palm with a hummingbird nest, neatly woven out of the spider silk, on one of its leaves. The typical fishtail palms we encountered stand about knee-high off of the ground, this palm was over my head. I don't think disturbed palms cannot grow high because they put so much energy into producing new leaves (it takes 2-3 years for the plant to mature).

What if this bird species (not sure which one, we only saw the nest) has a specific relationship with the fishtail palm? It could not survive in a disturbed habitat because its nest would be low to the ground and very susceptible to nest predation. Its a stretch, but who knows, nature has so many secrets that have yet to be discovered.

La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge

This year marked the 10th anniversary of La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge, the longest canoe race in Central America. La Ruta Maya is a four-day canoe race along the Macal and Belize Rivers, once a major trading route of the Mayas. Starting in San Ignacio under the historic Hawksworth Bridge (the only suspension bridge in Belize), the race covers 170 miles before reaching the Belcan Bridge in Belize City. San Ignacio, in western Belize, was an important center for the Baymen (British loggers) and chicleros (collectors of chicle, which is used to make chewing gum), who also relied on the river to transport their goods.

“With the spirit of competition and the promise of high adventure, the challenge is hereby cast to any and all hardy souls throughout Belize and the world, who dare to take up the quest for victory and pursue the adventure of a lifetime on the Belize Old River.”

This year 93 teams, each consisting of three paddlers, competed for the adventure of a great race or a chance to the win “Kinich Ahau” Trophy among the serious competitors. Kinich Ahau (the sun god) is a national treasure that was discovered at the Altun Ha ruins in Belize, to date it is the largest jade carving found in any Maya country.

I had been prepared for the challenge mentally ever since last year when I first heard of the race during pre-service training. I registered a team (myself and two other Peace Corps Volunteers) but we still were without a canoe in late February. Thankfully, a co-worker from Belize Audubon Society was able to secure a canoe from a friend in Burrell Boom. And by good grace, another co-worker happened to have a meeting in Benque (just west of San Ignacio) the day before the race, otherwise we had no way of transporting the canoe. But that wasn't the last of our worries, before leaving Belize City I learned that one of my team members was sick and couldn't race. When I reached Cayo the news was confirmed, so we recruited a member from our support crew to fill the spot. At last the our team, Peace Corps Northmen, was complete. Northmen were voyageurs who had passed a winter in the North; also a reference to the Vikings (our team had two Minnesota natives and coincidentally our newest member once lived there).

March 9, 2007 (Day 1) San Ignacio to Banana Bank (49 miles)

We spent the night at another Volunteer's house and started carrying our canoe early before the race. It would have been very tiring, however we were able to hail a truck that was willing to help transport our canoe across town to the start of the race.

Under the stillness of a cool misty morning in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, the canoes packed behind the starting line anxious for the race to begin. The race was off in a mad dash, which caused a few canoes to turn over. We had a sturdy craft and were not worried about swamping. The lightweight racing canoes that had maintained their balance at the start flew down the river like an arrow, far out of sight. The competition slowly spread out and we settled into a pack of about five canoes.

Photo by PCV Jerry Wagner

Seated at the stern I navigated our canoe around the bends and through the rapids. The scenery along the river was beautiful - lush green forest, bird songs, parrots flocking overhead, howler monkeys calling in the distance. There are hardly any signs of development along the river - a few farms and small communities, families shouting words of encouragement to the racers, women doing laundry against the rocks, and children swimming.

It was a very long day that seemed to never end. We asked spectators how much further we had to go when it seemed like we were nearing the end; three miles we were told. About an hour later we got the same answer, three miles. Later someone shouted only 20 minutes to the Banana Bank, which also turned out to be an hour. Finally, we received a positive answer from a support boat, just 15 minutes. We sprinted towards the finish of stage one and soon heard bass booming music and the roaring crowd. Day one was over after paddling for 7 hours 20 minutes and 39 seconds.

A swim in the river was very refreshing at the end of the day.

March 10, 2007 (Day 2) Banana Bank to Bermudian Landing (60 miles)

Another early start and a rush of excitement at the line (pictured left: our team in the white canoe; that's me in the blue hat & black shirt; a big up toJerry Wagner for the photos). The second day of the race was the longest stage and required a lot of endurance. We got a good rhythm going and the cohesion of our team improved. Seeing rapids ahead was a welcoming sight to me. The weather was cool and it rained during parts of the day.

The highlight of the day for me was seeing a Central American River Otter sitting on the riverbank (only a few feet away as we passed by). I also identified birds for my teammates to help pass some time. We paddled along with another team of Peace Corps Volunteers for a while. Our dedicated support crew was waiting for us ahead and brought out much needed food and water. Our team re-charged with bananas, tortillas, peanut butter, Snickers, Gatorade, and lots of water.

On day two of La Ruta Maya we finished after 9 hours 25 minutes and 30 seconds.

March 11, 2007 (Day 3) Bermudian Landing to Burrell Boom (36 miles)

The start time was later in the morning and the extra hours of sleep were much needed. I had a good stretch before getting into the canoe, felt a little sore from the previous day but once I good my arms moving again I was feeling better. Lots of howler monkeys around Bermudian Landing (locally known as baboons). The river felt a slower, especially along the straight stretches of river. Starting to recognize the names of a few of the villages we passed. Day three finish- 5 hours 54 minutes and 45 seconds.

March 12, 2007 (Day 4) Burrell Boom to Belize City (25 miles)

The final day got off to a disappointing start. Seven minutes before the race a group the lead canoes made a false start because a person in the audience was blowing a whistle (even though the official starter was clearly shouting through a bullhorn how many minutes where left still the start time of 8:30am). We waited with a majority of the canoes as the officials tried to stop the race, eventually the starter shrugged his shoulders and said, "We can't stop them now." And off we went. After rounding the first bend a boat was cruising down river telling the teams to turn around for a re-start. We paddled back up river and waited in the shade as the rest of the canoes slowly returned, but not all of them. The official announced that the race would start again at 10:00am. I was very disappointed because I could tell the sun would be very hot. 10:00 and the 10:30 rolled around, still no sign of the leaders. Rumor was that they were getting towed back by a boat and needed recovery time. The race finally went off at 11:30AM.

We paddled hard on the final day and battled a strong headwind. Before reaching the sea the race course disappeared into a narrow canal. I felt like I was deep in the jungle, surrounded by mangroves. The canal widened after a few miles and we raced down the home stretch. I recognized buildings that I pass by on my way to work. After another mile the Belcan Bridge came into view. People along the banks of the canal were yelling for us to paddler faster. And at last we reached the finish line after about four hours of paddling. We had completed La Ruta Maya after four days, totaling 25 hours and 58 minutes sitting in our canoe. Our overall finish was 56th and 9th in the Mixed Division.

Belize Bandfest 2007

Marching bands from around the country lined up in Belize City on Saturday morning ready to compete in Band Fest 2007. About a dozen bands paraded from the Southside to Marion Jones stadium. Dressed in uniforms of all colors the bands stepped to punta-rock and salsa cadences. The upbeat mood really got the crowd involved.

The typical Belizean marching band consists of a colorguard with batons and a drumline; very few wind instruments if any. Music education does not have a strong presence in Belize yet, so most of the students cannot read sheet music and the drumlines play their own cadences. The few bands with a trumpet made some noise (not of musical quality).

St. Luke's Methodist Primary School of Belize City (last year's champion of Bandfest) added recorders to their band this year. Peace Corps Volunteers Grant and Annaliza Thomas have been working with the school's music program; they played 'When the Saints Go Marching In.'

Visiting bands from Guatemala and Honduras were also featured in the parade. Instituto Evangelico Bethel from Honduras was hailed as the number one marching band in Central America by the announcer. I think they sounded good, but not on the same level as the Marshall Tiger Marching Band (my high school marching band). Colegio Osorio Sandoval, from Guatemala was equally as good as the Honduran band.

Another great marching band to mention is the Stella Maris School -Belize Academy for the Deaf. They were a led by a banner that read "Futuristic Trendsetters Marching Band."

In the afternoon there was a field competition. The stadium was full and Prime Minister Said Musa was in attendance, while the bands stood in block formations for the opening ceremony. A bugle corps, Banda de Geurra, visiting from Mexico performed a traditional military-style show. After a few speeches the visiting bands played the national anthems for Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico; Belize's national anthem was played by a DJ through the sound system. Shortly afterwards it started raining, which delayed the show for a while.

The marching band field competition is new to Belize, this being the second year of Bandfest. Each band was given fifteen minutes for their field performance. They appeared semi-rehearsed and I wasn't impressed with the marching. The drumlines stood in place a lot of the time while the colorguard did their dance routines until the announcer called the time.

A few of the schools put on a performance that resembled a field show. St. Luke's marched formations (including the letters S &L) and the drumline played in control so I could still hear the recorders from the stands. One my favorite performances of the day was Mt. Carmel Marching Band from Benque; their show started with Belize's National Anthem on bells. They went on to win first place in the Primary School Division and second overall.

The champion of the day was Succotz Festival Drum Corp (pictured below). Their show had a great Latin rhythm. Succotz, a small village in the Cayo District, has a great music teacher, many students with musical talent, and a lot of proud band parents. They had more than one band representing Succotz. I sat among the Succotz crowd in the stadium who were waving school pennants. I was radiant with glitter before the end of the show.

The visiting bands, which did not compete, also put on great field shows. Their brass sections were large and in charge; especially the trumpets (that's my kind of marching band). And just when everyone was ready to go home, Instituto Evangelico Bethel started playing Bob Marley tunes and the whole crowd got on their feet and sang along. Check out more of the action on my Flickr photo album.

A Lighthouse Tale

An old weathered red and white lighthouse overlooks the blue lagoon at Half Moon Caye of Lighthouse Reef Atoll. The brick foundation is slowly crumbling into the waves and the sea salt has been eating away the steel frame. After reading a research paper on the cayes of Lighthouse Reef Atoll (Stoddart 1962), I discovered the history of this particular lighthouse.

The first lighthouse on Half Moon Caye was built in 1820 and was lit on December first of that year. The lighthouse was replaced in 1845 and built midway between the north and south sides of the caye. Hurricanes have actually moved the caye northward, now the lighthouse rests at the edge of the sea. The steel frame tower was built on the brick foundation in 1933.

There has been interest in preserving this historic landmark but no efforts due to limited funding. Based on my own observations, the old lighthouse is currently used by a pair of Ospreys as a nesting place.

Spaghetti and Dodgeball: A Recipe for Success

The Belize Triathlon Association hosted the 2nd Annual BTB (Belize Tourism Board) Challenge on Sunday, January 21. Prior to Sunday's races, Peace Corps Volunteers assembled for a dinner of spaghetti and garlic toast (the secret is in the sauce). While enjoying a carb-loaded meal, race participants received words of inspiration from the movie Dodgeball.

PCV Greg Szalay cycling ahead of the competition.

In the individual sprint competition (swim-750m? bike-20K run 5K) Peace Corps Volunteer Greg Szalay finished seconds behind Panamanian triathlete, Libardo Bru, whose winning time was 1:20:11.77. In the swimming leg of the race Bru was the first competitor out of the water and despite going off-course he recieved no time deduction. If Chuck Norris was judging the triathlon, clearly Szalay would have won. The sole racer in the female division, Jamie Lee Usher finished with a time of 1:29:32.58.

Individual sprint men's results: (1) Libardo Bru 1:20:11.77, (2) PCV Greg Szalay 1:20:44.52, (3) Kenneth Butler 1:25:55.49, (4) PCV Ness Tiano 1:35:58.85

In the corporate relay division, team BATSUP (British Army Training Support Belize Unit) claimed victory with a winning time of 1:18:26. Finishing in second place (1:26:54) were the Leopards, a team comprised of Peace Corps Volunteers. Swimmer Jenny Groenenboom gave the Leopards a strong starting position, exiting the sea in second place. Underdog cyclist, Jerry Wagner was the only competitor in the field racing a "power bike" (mountain bike). While drawing some laughs from spectators, Jerry and the Jagger endured the 20K bike ride only slipping two spots to the fierce competition. Minnesota-native Mike Norbeck, with a strong running performance, reclaimed the second place spot for the Leopards. The other Peace Corps Volunteer team in the division (swimmer Grant Galland, cyclist Audrey Spencer, and runner Erin McClellan) finished with a time of 1:43:46. PCV Rob Landolfi swam for team Belize Hotel Supply Ltd. Volunteers will donate their cash winnings towards Peace Corps projects.

(left) Jerry Wagner (Leopards) mounts the Jagger. (right) The Dyno Dips and Amphilife in a tight race.

Corporate relay results: (1) BATSUP 1:18:26, (2) (PCVs) Leopards 1:26:54, (3) Dyno Dips 1:28:12, (4) Amphilife 1:29:38, (5) Belize Hotel Supply Ltd. 1:32:04, (6) (PCVs) Zissou 1:43:46.

(left) Audrey and Erin in race mode for team Zissou. (right) 2nd place Leopards: Mike, Jenny, and Jerry with BTB reps.

PCV Cribs

As an Environment Volunteer in the Peace Corps, living in Belize's most populated city isn't exactly the most picturesque locale. People usually envision Volunteers living in something simple like thatch huts in the bush, which is the case for some of Belize's Peace Corps Volunteers. I want to big up the Rural Community Development Volunteers for the work they do. However, living in Belize City is a much different situation, I have indoor plumbing and electricity.

Welcome to my palace. Through the front doorway enter my spacious living room (still unfurnished) and you'll see a beautiful chandelier that looks like a million bucks (closer inspection will reveal its made of plastic, not crystal). The floor is tiled, the walls are blank and boring except for the curtains I recently put up.

Moving on, let's look at my kitchen, this is where all the magic happens; rice and beans, stew beans and white rice, stew chicken, flour tortillas, fry jacks, you name it, this little stove does the job. And until I get some actual cookware I'm relying on a Boy Scout mess kit for nearly all my cooking needs. On the counter, next to the stove I have a bottle of Marie Sharp's Habenero Pepper Sauce, everybody has got to have a bottle of this. Also, fresh pineapple and bananas from the local market. Bananas are going for "ten fi dala" in the market place. Everything is sold per dollar or per pound at the market (one U.S. dollar= two Belize dollars).

Here's the other half of the kitchen and everyone is probably wondering what's in the refridge? I'm keepn' it fresh; lots of vegetables from the market (cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers, cilantro), limes, fresh squeezed orange juice, guava jelly, honey, eggs, and left-over rice and beans. Frozen chicken and ice cubes in the freezer. On top of the refridge is my radio, the DJ has a great selection of ten hits on replay all day and his voice interrupts the song every second or he plays annoying mix effects.

Next to the refridge I have a microwave and my Belize flag, have to big up my host country Belize. Below, in the cupboard I have some dry goods - rice, beans, flour, cane sugar, powdered milk, baking powder, cocoa, etc. But you haven't seen anything yet, check out my Crystal, five gallons of the finest quality purified water (Crystal is the name of the bottling company).

Here's my ride- the Jagger, 26 inch rims, Xtreme Tested Construction, this Golden Cycle was designed in the U.S.A. You'll notice I have a bicycle helmet because you know I always have to ride the Jagger in style (and so Peace Corps doesn't send me home, its in the Policy Manual).

Let's see the rest of the house. Here's the bathroom, the toilet flushes and it has a shower (it's cold and environmentally friendly, really helps me conserve water). When I first moved in I was greeted by a small snake that had crawled in through the shower drain and a house gecko. I hear the geckos chirping at night, but I don't mind as long as they keep the cockroaches out of my house. (House Geckos are an introduced species, brought over to control a crop pest I think, they've become a nuisance in many households)

Here's the master bedroom (and the only bedroom). It came with a built in closet. A big wardrobe wasn't big on my packing list so there's a lot of space in there. I "jres op" for church on Sunday, otherwise keep it pretty low key. I have quite a selection of books and a stack of Newsweeks to entertain my free time, currently reading a book about baseball's minor leagues. PCVs love to read and a good variety of books have been left behind by past Volunteers. I also store my Peace Corps issued Health Kit here, it collects a lot of dust (I haven't came down with any parasites, illness, or injuries). Mosquitoes are known to carry malaria in Belize so every Monday, "Malaria Monday!", I take a tablet. I get a nice breeze through my window at night so I can sleep easy, but lately I've been waking up to rain in the middle of the night. It's been an unseasonably wet winter in Belize (blame it on El Nino).


On the outside my house is a washed out pink color. I live in a safe and quiet family neighborhood. The kids get a little rowdy at times; last week one of the neighbors rented a trampoline for a birthday party and fireworks from Christmas and New Years are popular. I have "burglar bars" on all my windows, its pretty standard in the cities and towns of Belizw. I have a small coconut tree in my yard, some hibiscus shrubs, grass, and a line to dry my clothes. The Caribbean Sea is close by, but sadly its too polluted to swim in near the city. You've seen my crib, now get out of here before the House Gecko gets you.