The view from the top is spectacular, as was the speed of the wind and my fear of being blown over the edge of this extremely steep pyramid. Unlike the US where we are protected from everything but paper cuts, Belize offers endless opportunities to take one false step and be dead as a result. Needless to say we exercised great caution on this particular day. Pictured behind us is the entire excavated city which includes several courtyards and lesser structures.
After lunch we visit the Mayan runis of Xunantunich and climb the Castillo which remains one of the tallest man made structures in the country today.
By noon we reach Clarissa Falls and put out for an exquisite lunch. Pictured here is a traditional dug out canoe that is still used for river crossings.
Before entering the river, we receive safety training. It becomes clear that my camera will not be making the journey with us and as a result I have no photos of the white water journey.
Why do you need helmets for kayaking? Answer: When you fall out in the middle of rapids and discover through touch and feel what creates white water. After negotiating a rapid, we would turn around, paddle upstream and river surf. This involves paddling like crazy to get into the eddy created by the whitewater in front of you. When you “climb the wave”, you can stop paddling and you will remain stationary surfing the river. Getting in and out of this position is rather tricky, however, and gave me a dozen opportunities to practice water rentry into my capsized kayak.
Today we head out for Class 2+ white water kayaking on the Mopan River in the morning followed by exploration of the Xunantunich Mayan ruins in the afternoon. Rather than the soft bottom kayaks used yesterday, today we switch to hard shell sit-on-top kayaks. They are much less stable but stand up much better to the encounters with big rocks which will be the order of the day.
During the final leg of our voyage, we stopped in an underground cavern to investigate a number of incredible mineral formations.
Kyle poses in his kayak at the exit of the final cave.
One last pose before we head back underground.
Lunch is prepared and served on top of an inverted kayak. Small fish, close relatives to the pirhana, are everywhere and swarm at our legs. Apparently they only nibble at dead skin which does not hurt. After lunch, we throw some meat into the water and they devour it. I decide to spend the rest of the time on shore or in the kayak.
At lunchtime we stop at a very interesting sink hole and Kyle does some exploration.
I stop often to swing my kayak around for a shot of Kyle’s raft. Several water fights errupt on this journey and it is always advisable to know if any vessel is sneaking up on you.
Occassional sink hole openings allow us to rest for a few minutes and soak up some sunshine.
Minding your head is essential if you wish to remain conscious to enjoy the bats swooping through the caves.
One last safety review before we enter the cave.