It’s the age old problem for the tourist industry, isn’t it? Everybody wants to preserve the pristine vibe of their particular tourist spot, without having hordes of tourists and lots of development spoil it all. However, if you don’t keep up with the development, then you will be passed by either other tourist spots, or other tourist developers, who want to come in and take over. It’s the same here in Caye Caulker. Everybody wants to preserve the slow way of life and the relaxed vibe. However, you have to keep the infrastructure growing to provide water and rubbish facilities, and other things necessary to cope with thousands of tourists. After all, your income depends on having them here, and keeping them happy. So there’s a natural increase in the number of carts, if only to deliver the necessary supplies to the restaurants and the supermarkets. You need police and firetrucks. This morning the firetruck was filling it’s huge tanks with water out of the sea. And where do you stick the waste?
It also extends to the reefs around. Signs encourage you to only wear reef friendly sunscreen. There are signs everywhere asking you not to discard plastic, feed the fish, or step on the reef. But it’s the reef that everybody comes to see, and today it was Mandy‘s turn to take a snorkelling tour out to enjoy it.
The tour description said ‘swim with sharks and stingrays in stingray alley, snorkel with barracudas, eels and snappers in the south channel, and admire the butterfly fish and parrot fish at the coral gardens’. Eels, sharks and stingrays have never been high on my bucket list, so I sent the boss on by herself. Meanwhile, I had breakfast at a café with the iguanas dutifully cleaning up the floor after me.
Well, I guess the sharks didn’t find her as tasty as I do, and she was on board when the boat dutifully pulled up at the appointed time. Had a great time, and thought that it was totally worth it. Wasn’t impressed by the feel of the stingrays as they brushed past, but other than that …. Also got to see the tarpons jumping for their sardines, and black pelicans trying to spoil their efforts at snagging dinner.
Tea at one of the seafront cafes.
Out to the Reef
If the sharks don’t get you, the stingrays will
Shark bait
