The day stretched out before us, with the wedding at 4 in the afternoon and after a slow breakfast and some rain watching from the porch, I realized I had to clarify that indeed I had not gotten married on this trip to Belize due to a mispost on Facebook.
So with so much time in front of us, David and I decided to try our hands at stand up paddle boarding, while others kayaked, snorkeled and sailed around our little oasis in the ocean.
It became clear quickly that David and SUP were a no go and after the fourth time trying to stand up, David abandoned ship and went to the dock to find a kayak which was closer to the water and less likely to tip him into the water below us. Maybe it wouldn’t have been as nerve wracking if we hadn’t seen the result of Regan’s venture from the SUP into the coral reef early in the weekend, but regardless, we made it work with me working against the wind and current to make any progress around the island and David literally rowing circles around me.
Ross was thrilled to see us out and being adventurous and jumped up and down on the shore to see if we wanted to join them afterwards for lunch before the wedding. The clouds were threatening, the wind high and we were hungry so shortly after I crashed into the dock and pitched myself into the water, David paddled the rest of the way around the island and we met in the bar area for lunch.
The festivities were set to start at 4 and it was only 2 after lunch so we decided to engage in a friendly game of scrabble. To be honest, not sure why we bother since Roxanne always wins, but we played until we saw Travis and his groomsmen getting photographed on the beach in front of our bungalow and then decided to gussy ourselves up to join them.
The wedding was like something out of a story book set at the end of the dock overlooking the horizon, now clear from the morning’s rain.
The sun was low in the sky and the bridesmaids and the bride managed to make it all the way through the ceremony without getting their heel stuck in the dock – which most definitively would have ended with someone swimming in their formal attire and a few people diving in after them to save them.
While I have never been called to tie the knot myself, watching Roz walk down the dock with her dad filled everyone on the pier with a sense of love and hopefulness.
Their vows left no one there with a dry eye and I could imagine that Travis’s Dad – where ever he was – was looking down and smiling. Later during Regan’s toast to the couple we learned that during her wedding early this year, it had also rained and that she was sure that it was her father who had recently passed, giving she and Paul their blessing, just as he had that morning on Roz and Travis’ special day.
I have never been to a true destination wedding – the closest would have been my brother and Roxanne in Tahoe three years ago. This was a magical destination – complete with a blessing of rain, diving Pelicans, tropical breezes and a sunset that took our collective breath away, leaving the 24 of us feeling like a family after just five short days together on our own little oasis out at sea.
The day after the wedding greeted us with the worst rain we had seen to date on the island. It matched our slow moving moods after a night of dancing and celebrating. But we hoped that it would clear up in the afternoon for the snorkeling trip and island bonfire.
All day long, it would pour and then clear. Pour down rain and then clear up. Just to show us who was boss. It rained so much that I thought about bailing on the boat trip even if they did go. Later I heard I wasn’t the only one. But boy am I glad I weathered the proverbial storm. There is no way that I would have known that I was about to skip swimming with giant marine life.
Now by now, you know that the water – the ocean water to be precise – scares me a little. I am convinced that something will sting, attack, bite or eat me. But I also love swimming. It’s a real conundrum. So when I heard that we were headed to swim with the big marine life – I wondered what that meant. Big turtles – sure I could do that? What else was big? I was about to find out.
We climbed aboard the boat and sped off to the middle of the Belize Barrier Reef. One of the biggest and most diverse reefs in the world. And after about 15 minutes, the anchor was thrown down and we prepared to listen to Andy who would snorkel with us and give us a chat.
“Look! Sharks!”
We all scooted over to the side of the boat and sure enough there they were. Not just one, but a school of sharks.
“Oh hell no. I am not going in there.”
“There not dangerous. They won’t attach humans.” Andy (or maybe Sean) assured us.
“Do they know that?” A nervous laugh spread across the group.
“Here you will see nurse sharks, gigantic sting rays and big sea turtles. I’ll be in the water with you so there’s nothing to worry about. If a turtle approaches you, swim backwards. If he doesn’t stop, just put the heel of your hand on his head and push him back.”
HMMMM. Why would the turtle want to get close. Andy laughed and told us not to worry but to stick together. I was worried. Roxanne decided to watch everyone else go in first before she made a decision. David mentioned for the tenth time that day that he had never snorkeled before and around us swam the sharks and a giant blue sting ray.
Off the back of the boat went the first of us. I can't for certain tell you who it was, but the sharks swam and they swam and it seemed like it was all ok.
I sent a quick prayer out into the universe, donned my mask and flippers and followed the herd of people plunging into the ocean. And then there they were – the men in grey suits.
About 6-8 feet long with the tell tale dorsal fins swimming right beside us. Andy grabbed one as it went by. He splashed around as some of the group came up to pet him. He definitely didn’t like that. I decided to keep my distance – one because I am not a big fan of petting animals, but two just in case the nurse shark didn’t know that he wasn’t supposed to bite me.
Then the sting rays – large diamond shaped blue and gray slinking along the bottom of the ocean floor kicking up a trail of dusty sand in his wake, oblivious of the other marine life around him. A school of fish with pointy sword like noses swam around me and then there was the turtle.
A gigantic sea turtle swimming with fish that seemed to attach themselves to his sides and bottom. The turtle came up and seemed to take a breath of air and then back underneath the water. Andy caught him as well and some of the group got closer to pet him as well. I kept my distance and sent out a silent “I'm sorry” on behalf of the rest of us for bothering day. Ross came up behind him and touched him on the back before Rasta could tell him – never ever from behind, lest he think it a predator and attack in defense.
The rain had retreated, the big marine life was all around and we floated and swam until it was time to go to our little tiny private island for happy hour, ceviche and our evening sing along and bonfire.
If the town of Placencia had been quaint and laid back and Hatchet Caye had been picturesque, then this place was a darn post card come to life. The whole island was about 30 feet long and ten feet wide.
We docked on the sand and waded through the water ashore and unloaded the driftwood and coolers. The sun sunk low in the sky, large hermit crabs wandered the shore as we ate and drank and did tricks on the sand in the fading light.
As the sun left us, the fire was lit and Ross began to play the bucket since there was no guitar and not drums. Soon Andy took the bucket and my brother played the cooler while we stood around singing terribly, thankful for the postcard place and one another.
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