Mystical Angels

This morning we disembark the Nortada and head west toward the

Summary: This morning we disembark the Nortada and head west toward the Mayan Mountains by minivan Our first stop is the Mayan ruin known as Mayflower The tiny complex is nestled in the jungle beside the attractive waters of Silk Grass Creek The site is currently under excavation by both Yale and Tulane Universities You might see archeologists digging during the summer Its believed that the site may have been used for ceremonial purposes The most important finds are of simple items that reveal more about daily Mayan life in this little known region Our next stop is less than 10 miles as the toucan flies The locals simply call it the Cockscomb famous for being the first jaguar preserve in the world Its also home to the four other wild cats of Belize which includes the ocelot puma margay and jaguarundi The reserve covers 160 sq miles 415 sq km of hardwood forests and jungle habitat encircled by the Cockscomb Mountains The Cockscomb gives birth to two important river systems one of which well trace later in the day A series of well maintained trails thread through the basin rewarding hikers with spectacular views visits to waterfalls and opportunities to swim The jungle canopy reaches up to 130 ft 40 meters in places In addition to the four score jaguar that roam the basin which are very difficult to spot nearly 300 species of birds have been identified Many sport bright splashes of color including scarlet macaw parrots and keel billed toucan Youll also find king vulture and white hawk eagles Reptiles and amphibians like red eyed tree frogs and iguanas inhabit the basin Howler monkeys called baboons in Belize have become a successful transplant from northern part of the country thanks to the efforts of the Audubon Society and Wildlife Conservation Society The endangered Bairds tapir also makes its home here Well spend the better part of the day exploring the basin We return to the coast on a scenic route that follows the Sittee Riverand connects the tropical forest at Cockscomb with the coral reefpassing a tiny village of the same name This region is home to the Garinagu who speak Garifuna which they are commonly called They trace their intriguing ancestry to a fusion of the Carib peopleon an exodus from South Americaand a band of enslaved Nigerians who managed to escape their Spanish captors during a shipwreck off the coast of St Vincent in 1635 Those who made it ashore found refuge with the Carib eventually giving birth to a new culture with its own language Following further exodus the Garifuna found safe haven by landing at what is now Dangriga in 1832 Harry Potter might consider a vacation to this part of the former British colony where the Garifuna practice a mystical spiritualism that emphasizes the casting of spells The Sittee River was once an important highway for the sugar and timber industries Today youll find thick vegetation where large iguanas feed on figs and parrots eat mangoes Jaguar have been seen making river crossings while manatees and dolphins inhabit the river mouth Depending on conditions and the time of day we may transfer to our panga and return via the river or simply continue by van to the village of Hopkins which lies on the coast Hopkins offers a quintessential white sandy beach lined with tall coconut palms where local fisherman keep their colorful handmade dories and dry their nets Well bask in the warm Garifuna cultural setting and toast the tropical sunset We have the option of setting out in our panga for a spotlight safari on the Sittee in search of Morelets crocodiles and other creatures of the night B L D

Image Dimensions: 166 x 250