We made it over to Turneffe Islands, the next atoll-like circle of islands due east of Lighthouse Reef. The humans chose to come here because the forecast was for light winds. Perfect weather for a visit to Turneffe Islands, but perhaps not the best for getting here. It took them most of a day to drift over.
There are two recommended anchorages at Turneffe Islands. Both are in the south end of the circle of islands. The most popular spot is just inside the reef off the beaches of Turneffe Island Resort on Big Cay Bokel. Of course my humans had to take ‘the path less traveled’ and anchored in the lee of Elbow Reef at the southern tip of the island group.
The sun reflects off the shallow sandy bottom of the bay here giving you the impression you are anchored in a swimming pool. The water is a crystal clear turquoise and you can see every fish and eagle ray that swims by. There is a small fish camp on the cay in front of us, but an isolated beach on the south west side with ‘my name on it’. Too bad about the hungry mosquitoes eating up the humans. At least they get lots of shells for the hassle.
The humans anchored at this end of the island group because Elbow Reef is renowned for its superb diving. In settled weather you can dive the ocean side of this reef. The coral encrusted walls drop off into the oceans abyss. We caught a tuna coming into the anchorage off this wall. Up welming from below brings up nutrients that attract a variety of species including schools of rays and the occasional shark. The reef is usually a drift dive, as strong currents are known to pass along its edge, but then you need someone on the surface to pick you up. Unfortunately my humans were anchored up alone here with no one to act as surface support and they did not feel safe doing solo dives. The solution was to tie the dingy to themselves with a 30m line and try and time the dive to correspond with slack water (when currents are lightest at the top and bottom of the tide). They might miss out on some of the fish attracted by the current, but it was the safest option.
The dive was fantastic. A light current pushed them along at a comfortable pace and the dingy was not that much of a drag. They did not see any sharks or schools of rays in the slack tide, but boy they saw some huge groupers, hog fish, schools of jacks and tuna and an abundance of beautiful hard and soft coral. There were cira, snapper and big old barneys (barracuda). They could see why there was a fish camp, and the resort boasts sport fishing, as the number of game fish was incredible.
If you are not into diving, there is some fantastic snorkelling behind the reef. The humans spent a whole morning exploring the multitude of shallow coral heads that proliferate the shallows between the reef and Coco Tree Cay. Here they found every shape and size of ray combing the sand for crustaceans and a multitude of every fish species in miniature. The warm shallow waters prompted them to play here until they were truly water logged.
They did get a visit from the Island’s Marine Wardens. They were very friendly and only wanted to take a consensus of number and origins of boats visiting. No Marine Park fees!
The very, very settled weather is supposed to last a few more days before drizzly rain is meant to settle over the Belize coastline. The humans want to head on to Glovers Reef, the last of Belize’s outer atolls. We are going to head there (30nm) tomorrow. For now we have one more day to enjoy this lovely swimming pool with the mountains of Belize’s mainland just in the hazy distance.
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