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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 455
mikell Offline OP
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Our first stop after lunch is Shark Ray Alley. We have been eagerly awaiting this since we first started planning our trip. I was a bit apprehensive about swimming with these big fish and rays�but my trepidation is short-lived once in the water.

[img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd27b3127cceb98af62c22780000002610[/img]

It's amazing! The schools of fish are so friendly, obviously used to people. It's an unbelievable experience in this crystal clear water, having huge rays and sharks circling us.

[img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd27b3127cceb98af237a3510000003610[/img]

Alan takes almost a whole roll of film. One huge ray comes right at his head while he's trying to get a picture of it swimming towards him�he gets knocked over and comes up laughing out loud!

[img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd27b3127cceb98af29222c40000003610[/img]

We play around in the water for awhile and then head off to Hol Chan for another snorkel stop. This time, it's the coral and smaller brightly coloured fish that take our breath away. We swim out towards the cut in the reef and the drop off and walls of coral are incredible. Bicho's son does some free diving, hanging upside down in the water below us and pointing to some interesting sights. I followed a HUGE beautifully coloured parrot fish for awhile, watching it catch and eat smaller fish. Photos will never do justice to what you see here!

[img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd27b3127cceb98aa969628a0000003610[/img]

The current is quite strong in one place here�tide going out�and Alan finds himself right in the middle of it and struggling to get back to the boat. So, we pull anchor and go pick him up. It's our first snorkel of the trip and we are anxious to come out to the reef again later this week. We are thrilled�snorkeling here is everything we hoped it would be.

We're back at the Banana Beach dock by 4 p.m. We're sunburned, exhausted and absolutely ecstatic about our amazing day! We are way too full to eat supper, so we snack on the pastries we bought from La Popular yesterday and retire very early. Tomorrow we will take a water ferry to Caye Caulker and do some sightseeing there.

To be continued�

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 346
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Hey Mikell..you just get better and better...finding myself looking forward to your next post. One question...i know you discussed the camera that you were using for your landshots...are you using the same one underwater? Just curious because the underwater shots are even better laugh

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 455
mikell Offline OP
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no...for the underwater shots, we just picked up the disposable kodak underwater cams...they can take pretty good pictures if you snorkel on a sunny day in fairly clear water. cloudy days...everything looks pretty flat.

helps if you take pictures up really close...

we took three cameras worth of pics...probably can count about a dozen good pictures...most aren't that great...at least nothing like what you actually saw! but it's still cool to get a few good shots and the memories!

a flash might have helped too...the cameras we had didn't have a flash...and we snorkeled one really cloudy day.

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 31
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Hi Mikell-Love the posts! I await every new one. Really excited 17 days and counting. First timers also, so it's nice to get your prespectives. I have a question. What was the weather like when you were there? I ask because the picture of San Pedro has 5 people in it and 3 are wearing long pants. I was only planning on bringing down the ones I wear down. Could I be packing to light?

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 455
mikell Offline OP
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we had a mix of weather...but it was NEVER cold enough to wear long pants! hmmm...didn't even notice that other people were!

i wore a bathing suit and sarong almost every single minute i was there and alan wore shorts or bathing trunks and t-shirt.

it was very windy a couple of days and the locals kept saying a "cold" front had moved in...which meant, i think, that the temperature with the wind was only in the 70s...some of the time. in the very early morning or the late evening, you might want to be more covered up...if you get a "cold" front!!! and if you go out on the water snorkeling or diving on a cloudy day, bring along a cover up because you can feel chilly riding back.

anytime the sun's out...wind or not...i think it feels pretty warm. and we had one day without any wind or breeze...and it was too hot to even move!!!

you're almost at the equator...if you come from anywhere where it snows, like us, you're going to love the weather!

Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 104
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Hi Mikell, What great photos and reports. My 9 year old son is going to be in his heaven swimming with the nurse sharks! He is mad on them. Does projects on them all the time at school. Can't wait to show him these when he gets home from school! Thanks again for your reports!

Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 645
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And another great report. Keep them coming. Thanks again for all the usefull info.

Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,364
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love your pix, and reports too. cool


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