Blackadore Caye, and an Un-Belize-Able Biological Process

Blackadore Caye - windward side

Read our adventure on Blackadore Caye. Thank you Leo (totally on a first name basis after printing out a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio for the trip) for allowing us the opportunity.  So I think by now everyone in the world, or at least Belize (okay surely at least on Ambergris Caye) has likely read about how wonderful Mr. Leonardo DiCaprio is going to save Blackadore Caye from almost certain extinction.   How does an island go extinct?  I have no idea...

Blackadore Caye - Leeward Side

This lucky dude got to take a trip out to Blackadore with some friends this past week - an fairly exclusive deal since no one is really allowed on the island.  Charlie and Said captained our vessel (the mighty Koda).  Karen (check out her photography via her photography site or Facebook) got us on the island since she is the photographer with the power. Matt, Sara, Robyn, and I were lucky enough to come along for the ride. Perhaps next time I'll bring a real blogger along with me so you all can get a truly professional take on the island and not just hear random musings of an 'untalented hack that apparently breaks all the rules of blogging' and really just tends to anger a certain travel writer with every key stroke (by the way I've purchases those new whiz free Cheerios...but don't know where to deliver them?!).  So be advised - what follows is largely un-proofed, un-researched, and completely unsupervised!

Blackadore Caye - savanna lands

I know everyone's first question - and yes, of course I peed on Leo's new island!  Unfortunately I've since been informed that doesn't actually make it mine.  Square one again on the ownership front.

MERMAIDS!!!

Owning Ecologic Divers (partial owning...is that better?) I push that Ecologic is more than a name. We recognize the incredible importance of keeping the environment clean.  If we don't take care of our ocean and our islands then the source of our livelihoods will vanish, and us along with it.  So What does my feeling along those lines mean for my thought's on Leo's grand plans?  Well...you see I am also a realist in terms of development.  We are a growing people; development will go on.  So if Leo is truly going to be as he says - and develop an Eco friendly resort then I say do it.  I just hope the realities are feasible, and he really can keep a very low impact.  Things like this help us to improve developments in other ares - seeing better methods and technologies is a great thing.  We need to employ many of those methods and technologies here.

Blackadore Caye is currently a basically untouched bit of paradise.  Picturesque shore lines, dry cracked useless soil in the middle, with a rather impressive expanse of savanna style "grass lands" in the middle - so tall only one of our party could see over to the ocean (an entire 50 yards away).

Sea Grass washed ashore

Dried Earth meets new "sand"

Perhaps the most impressive thing about this little island is the excellent care taker it has - Guillermo. This man lives on the island and just works, and works, and works.  We convinced him to sit a bit and tell us about the island, fed him a PB&J and some fresh fruits, before we left him to his chores. He has a great deal of knowledge about the area and has done a great job at making sand...which I didn't know was a thing till now.  Thanks for the samiches Sara, they were more filling than the termites.

Piled & spread, to dry and breakdown

New beaches by Guillermo

The grasses (different than the plague of Sargasso) are constantly washing up on his windward (Eastern) shore.  He removes 50 wheel barrow loads per day; distributing the piles to be dried and broken down.  When I first arrived on the island I was intrigued by these piles of what appeared to be a synthetic fiber material...its sea grass, dried and about to all apart into tiny little balls of what people will call sand as they walk around the island.  It's amazing how things from the sea breakdown into sand-like materials.  This is where that "un-researched" comment comes in - I'm just going with what Guillermo was teaching.  Once again - this defies all logic I am used too...but eyes don't lie and that is the exact process I saw.

Said, Charlie, Guillermo - people that
make the world go round.

It was a good afternoon with friends on Blackadore, hope to be back again before the construction equipment moves in...


PS - I apologize to Mr. DiCaprio for calling him "Leo", I hate it when people call me "Ken".  So when you come down and we go diving together I'll let you call me Ken for an hour.  I'll also bake you a pie.

Time to Breath

Me and Linda after
she decorated my goatee

The world is seemingly nothing of what it was 8 months ago.  I thought I had an appreciation for the change ahead in my life, I thought I knew what I was getting into...little did I know I was about enter a world so many long for and don't even realize it.  A world where people are genuine, a world where someone's word is worth far more than a claim check, a world where you start asking about your friends if you haven't physically seen them in a few days, a world that can be so busy that you blink in November and open your eyes in March, a world I wouldn't trade for anything...

It's been a crazy busy few weeks - Brian is down for a visit, Eric got arrested, I made it on the board for the Tour Operator Association...plenty of other stuff happened.  Mark, General Manager of The Phoenix (a multiple winner of the #1 Resort in the Caribbean) paid my staff an amazing compliment yesterday.  He told me that he was so impressed at how they cared for everyone on the Sunset Sail and that even though they ran, jumped, cleaned, served, and hustled the entire time, because of the smiles and great attitude they exuded it didn't look like they had worked a minute. A team that truly loves their job will never work, but have fun living life and the things we do.  So blessed that is my team.

Eric singing "Kiss me I'm Shit Faced"

Saint Paddy's Day...wow...I'm not sure I know how I survived that odyssey.  It was fun partying with my man Tomas, operator of Hostel la Vista.  The night started innocently enough at Lola's...but the night got crazy once we got to Pedro's.  Eric sang karaoke, Brian and I watched and enjoyed some killer beef stew.  I danced some two step with a very nice lady I've met many many times...I can never remember her name (I want to say Kristen...but not quite). What makes it worse is I have NO problem remembering her friends name - cause she's hot and single (both are totally hot, but the one I danced with is married...though I should really remember her name cause her and her husband Randy are cool people - Canadians...of course they're cool). After Pedro's - no comment (5 hours of my life I would have rather slept through)...but David, you're broken selfie stick is still in my house.


So Eric was arrested last week - briefly!  He resembles a guy wanted for murder apparently.  The police treated him extremely well and he treated them with respect and kindness as well - cooperating with each request quickly and smoothly.  Luckily Brian was around to go back to the house and collect Eric's ID.  He found me and we went to the station to prove my brother's innocence. When we arrived he was already un-cuffed and sitting there; the officers apologized for the confusion, and my brother being the stand up guy he is (even at 2am), told them they had nothing to apologize for and that he appreciated them trying to keep us all safe.  Wise words young lad.

The sobering part of that was a few nights later.  We ran into a woman that stopped us, she said she was so sorry that my brother got picked up by the police.  You see this is the woman that came to the station before Brian and I got there and had told the police Eric wasn't the guy...the guy that killed her son.  The world is small...on an island it is microscopic.

This is the greatest place on Earth.  The people of San Pedro Belize and more amazing than anticipated.  There is no doubt in my mind that Ambergris Caye should win #1 Island in the World every year.

I really wanted to hit the emotions surrounding the loss of my dog Bailey the other day...but this post is long enough.  Suffice it to say that it made me more than a little sick, and thinking of the past.

Okay, its a been a couple days and I have a bit more writing mojo; Bailey (pictured left); passed away a few days back.  He was the weirdest damn dog.  You could hold this dog and pet him 23 hours a day, and by goodness the second you removed your hand he was so incensed and looked at you like you must hate him.  We had a fun little game, cause he would let you put him in all sorts of weird places and not issue a single bark, called "Where's Bailey".  He ended up in coolers, dryers, back packs, boxes...you name it, he was likely there.

  Eh, emotions and such.  Just need a bit of time to breath.
 

Kiteboarding Adventures on Ambergris Caye

Kiteboarding Belize...wow.  Over the years I've seen plenty of crazy people doing this sport and thinking they were bat shit crazy. Likely they are - but I hope to count myself among them!  I had many preconceptions about this sport that have vastly been proven wrong. An absolutely enormous thank you to Andy with Belize Sailing Center and Audrius the KiteXplorer instructor in San Pedro, Belize. Thank you so much for the invite - awesome experience and I will continue my kite education. There are so many great learning opportunities through this great organization - www.belizesailingschool.com


I've always been into some semi-extreme action sports; snowboarding and mountain biking.  So putting a board on my feet and going fast is nothing new - and water is softer than snow right?!  Not so much.  Audrius said, during my lesson, that I had the best kite control by a first day student he had ever seen.  Was this a move to boost my ego and get a good review?  If so - it worked.  But I was amazed at how well I was able to feel the kite and know what to so to get it where I needed it to be.

I've decided to tail the tale via my busted misconceptions about this sport.

Super easy and super quick rigging

Misconception 1 - Stupid amounts of gear, stupid amounts of set up (kinda like a baked potato if you know me at all).  Even as a guy that had to be walked through everything we had the kite setup and ready to fly in maybe 15 minutes.  The gear fit easily into packs, was REALLY light to carry, and not at all the cumbersome mess and cords and crapola I had been expecting. One trip to the boat is all it took; I took more junk to work most days in my previous life.

tacogirl.com - Audrus keeping her from
taking flight!

Misconception 2 - You have to be skinny and sexy and in great condition.   I'm a big dude, decent shape for my size, but still big.  My classmate on this day was tacogirl.com - the skinniest person I've ever known.  I was sure she was gonna disappear into the sky forever...she did not.  Though she did some pretty gnarly face plants.  The way the kite is attached to the harness takes the pressure off your arms and allows your whole body to feel the kite.  Your arms essentially hang free - only used to control the kite.  I was expected a huge pulling force on my arms, and it doesn't exist.  I can see how even a non athletic person can kite for hours.  Caye Caulker here I come!

Taking a stroll on the beach with 'teach'

Misconception 3 - I'm gonna slam into Caribbean Villas trying to learn this thing.  HECK NO.  We were taken to the back side of Ambergris Caye to this HUGE area in the flats.  There was a beach, sand bar and endless amounts of real estate to allow the kite to body drag us in waist deep water.  No hotels or docks to worry about, no deep water to struggle in.  Tons of space where we didn't have to worry about people or things - just us and our instructor.  Something else missing - NO Sargasso!!  The water was clean and free of the evil weed.

Embarrassing moment of the day - during one of my body drags I hit a shallow part of the sandbar, drug my waist on it...shorts hit my knees.  I'm happy to say I maintained kite control and got my pants up before anyone noticed.

No one around to worry about - can
learn all over this place!!

So if you've ever even fleetingly considered this sport...do it. Head down and do some sailing in Belize at the Belize Sailing Center at Caribbean Villas, and schedule a lesson.  Here's the caveat, let me know when you're going cause I want to come too.  I need to work on my kite control and body drags so I can graduate to a board!

It's Always the Team

There's a grip of things to talk about - but man I'm having a hard time finding the motivation, and if I keep putting it off then it will be such old news no one will really care (I typed that a week ago...so now it is all REALLY old new. Also, the more I think about it, the more I think I want to go a completely different way.  So - I think I'll just throw some pics up with very brief descriptions and hit topics largely unrelated to any of the weeks happenings.

Grant got married - 10 minute ceremony and hours of party...perfect.  Carnaval happened.  That was a wikked cool experience!  Bought clothes just to destroy them.  Went to a party with Captain Jack Sparrow as an official rum taster for an world famous blogger.  My official review - "the rum was...liquidy". Actual I had more to say, check it out on the tacogirl.com site - //tacogirl.com/tiburon-rum-white-a-night-of-flavorful-fun/.
Went on the best Sunset Sail of all time in celebration of Niles (you know him as "Jake from State Farm") and Parker (you know him as the dude I mouth shared a muffin with).  Killer Sail, no other words to describe the fun times had that day.

Roan - Dive Master, Charter Chef
Speared Lion Fish and served it up!

But after the last couple weeks I need to acknowledge that the fun can be had only because of the work.  I owe a great debt to my parents for educating me in my youth that work leads to fun if done right.  So I do my best to do work right; and I am most blessed to have a team that does the same.  Even today (now a couple days ago...I'm a slaker) our General Manager and I were talking about how amazing each and every one on our team truly is.

Charlie - Dive Master, Charter Captain,
Cooking at staff BBQ

We have a crew that comes in and works 6 days a week as a standard.  During busy season it can easily become 7 days a week, and a few of those 12 hours a day (anytime we sail).  The guests at the start of the day express the same amazement as those getting off the sails 12 hours later - utter amazement that each team member is bouncing all over the boat, smiling, cleaning,

Greg - What doesn't this guy do!
Amazing all around Tour Guide

feeding, whatever to take care of the guest...all while truly enjoying the experience.

Janel - Life of the shop!

As part of my job I try to expand our guest base, draw in business from new sources, etc.  I've been working on a tough nut to crack just down the beach that has strictly patronized a local "mega shop" that shall remain nameless.  They sent us 3 divers for a week; one of which was a student.  The 2 experienced divers have been to Belize several times, stayed at the "Tough Nut" and dove with the "Mega Shop" each time.  They left today feeling like our family; and minutes later that "Tough Nut" called me to set up a meeting for next week (now this week!) to send us more divers and set up packages for the future...win...courtesy of the little things this team does daily that no one else delivers...no one.

Shorty - Dive Master, Charter Captain
doing his best to cuddle Pops on a cold ride

I realize I need more picks!  I don't have any good shots a few team members...

As a leader it is always important to remember that you are your team.  Their performance opens the doors.  Their dedication lifts the operations.  I do nothing but help facilitate their greatness.

My bit of managerial advice for the day - don't worry about your guests, don't worry about your potential sources of business; but worry about only one thing.  As a manager (or owner) your focus should be singularly on your team.  Treat them better than they deserve, and let them then live up to that expectation.  Chances are they will.  If you treat your team better than your family - they will shine that to your guests, that word gets out, success will follow.

Thank you to each and every member of the Ecologic team.

Fish, BBQ, Boogers...er, ah, Bloggers!

Me and Boola - not my fish... 

Couple minor adventures have taken place since last we spoke. Went deep sea fishing for the first time, ate some BBQ at a fundraiser BBQ cook off thing,  Likely some other cool stuff I'm just not remembering right now...will work on that.  Fun stuff and some food porn ahead.

Gaylynn & Morgan

The Godfather and his Wahoos

So yeah - fishing.  I'm not a big fisherman.  I love going to the river, lake, or pond with my pole and chair.  Though I usually cast out an empty hook so I can just sit and enjoy nature all day. I mean really, who wants a bunch of fish ruining your day by making you work? I think I've covered this in a blog already - but meals I have to work for are not meals I'm interested in.  Fish is fine and all, but not interested in wrestling the bastards myself, just like I don't like to peel, though I love to eat, shrimp and I would be SO much happier if baked potatoes came out of the oven split open, insides mixed up with butter, salt, and pepper already in there.  We can genetically engineer anything! I've eaten apples that taste like grapes (so good). When will my damn potato have butter, salt, and pepper pre-grown into it?!  Can't be that hard.

Oh yeah, sorry - fishing.  We rode in a boat, we caught WAY to many fish for my liking, we went home, cleaned fish, bought a taco for dinner.  Eric pulled in a Wahoo, I pulled in about 30 billion Barracuda (couple monsters too), but the big winner was the Godfather; Shawn pulled in 2 Wahoo showing us all how it is done.  The most interesting moment was when a fish got off the gaf still alive, people were jumping out of the way all over - poor Victor took a mighty fin slap to the harry boys...I haven't seen him since but I assume he survived. Another fun moment was when a Barracuda we thought was dead came roaring back to life - leapt out of the box as a vampire barracuda I'm sure.  It went right for the Godfather's achille's (just like in 1000 Ways to Die!!).  Luckily Shawn's stealthy reflexes meant he was able to narrowly escape a certain death.  I highly recommend ForTuna - another great Ecologic partner.  Call us to book!  Full day and half day tours are available.

Who wants some Wahoo?!

My pile of Barracuda - well, mostly mine

"We pull up fish after fish...one of these times I just want it to be a cow." - Easton Beymer (mid way through our sail across the Caribbean, Tuna were plentiful...cows not so much).



4th Annual BBQ Fundraiser - I was kinda bummed cause I thought it was the 3rd Annual and was gonna have so much fun with how they say "turd" instead of 3rd down here...but it was the 4th annual, so I pretty much flushed my whole comic routine right down the crapper.  See what I did there?  Turd - crapper...hehehe. <--- poop jokes - another reason I'll never be a professional booger...er ah, blogger.

Sunshine doing the 50/50

Keith and bank rocking the event

 First a note - I did not win the 50/50 draw...but I know the lady very well that did. Though I won't mention the name of a big cash winner on the internet I will say that I cannot think of a more deserving person to have won this draw!  Thank you so very much to all the people that contributed their hard earned money to the Sunshine folks - very worthy cause, and know that the lady that won the pot is a great contributor to our community and is an overall star of human kind!

My plate of angel ribs

Boola about to chow

 This is where I tell you about all the different ribs right?  Not so much.  I'll leave that to the professionals, I'm gonna go rogue...largely cause I don't know who won.  I do know that my personal favorite was the judge's choice!  Yellow was amazing because of the spice...OMG...yum.  It was far to hot for the other people at my table, but it was just a phenomenal heat and flavor.  So often people will go for hot and forget about flavor; but this was the perfect combination of the too.  I do know that Charles, the reigning champ and host, was not in my top 3 for voting...so Charles. However - I voted largely on flavor, and I like spice. Charles had one very important thing going for him; best cooked by far.  His meat fell off the bones. The other guys all had the problem that I had to rip and pull with my teeth.  When Charles's rib touched my lips the meat jumped off the bone and landed in my mouth.  Thank you for that Charles.  I do need to know one thing - who made those beans?!  Holy delicious sides that made the meal!  I'm guessing Estel's, and therefore 'Charles was in charge' of it.  They were amazing.  Some sort of meat in there, or just 1/2 crushed beans...not sure, just amazing.  I'd eat a bowl of just those.  In fact - I'm going to Estel's for breakfast tomorrow.  Join me?

So it was a good time!  In closing - I've left a little game below.  We have a couple famous bloggers on the island; both of which I'm fortunate enough to know.  If you look at the picture below you will see - what could be - the only picture in the known universe to capture them both (neither terribly well, but this is a once in a lifetime shot that couldn't be passed up).  That's right, I captured two famous bloggers with one stealthy shot.  These famous bloggers are often read, but rarely photographed; where as I am often photographed and rarely read. One of them may have even authored a threat that I was "going down!" if I posted this picture...well I trip regularly, and my readership is an astonishing 5...really I'm surprised the internet hasn't removed me already. Therefore I find the threat very interesting.  Where am I going to go down to?  (Answer required....)  So if you made it all the way to the bottom of this then you have two options; consider yourself one of five people in the world with truly exceptional taste, or wonder what the hell you're doing with you life and go outside and play.  I for one am about to go outside and play.

Find and name the Bloggers and win a PRIZE!!!!

Iranian saying of the day - 'When two camels pass in the desert, then they were going opposite directions.'

Wolverine Slept at My House

Skitchin' is a common method of transport around here - grab onto a cart and let them power your bike.  Roads are bumpy so pictures can by difficult...especially lining up a panorama shot! Great shot given the conditions Sara.

I'm not sure where to go with this blog post - it was a pretty busy week and weekend; plenty of blog worthy bits and at different times thought about going so many different ways with it.  So I think I'll just start on the adventures of life on Ambergris Caye side of things and see where it takes me.

Bottom row (L to R) - Mark, Matt, Linda
Me. Upper row (L to R) - Maria, ??, ??

First I would like the humbly apologize to the lady in the back row of that picture on the left there - see she's picky something out of her teeth...or maybe getting ready to eat a booger...not sure (she's not eating a booger!!  That was a joke people!!).  Either way - I had to roll with this picture as it's the only one I took.  David and Linda were kind enough to invite us on their catamaran (the Cas Cat) for a Sunset Sail.  It was a nice little trip.  I really enjoy being on the water and the great thing about their boat is being much closer to the water, you can hear and feel it (though once the sun goes away you really don't want to feel it).  Fantastic Rum Punch as well!!  It was a great time with great friends.  Very happy to have them as friends, neighbors and business colleagues.

View from Amber @ Caribbean Villas

Super Sunday!!  And apparently there was some sort of game being played?  My view started at Caribbean Villas - where we began what became a 12 hour rum odyssey. Watching the ocean, sipping some drinks, listening to DJ Hoy...good times.  It was fairly interesting when I looked around the table and realized that of the dozen or so there - only 4 of us were Americans.  Just an interesting realization that my current "social group" is really short of Americans. Only a few months ago it was 100% US folk and now here I am and my group was 33% US folk - and two of them don't usually hang with us.  Diversity is a great thing - and really makes life a lot more fun (potential blog topic...maybe another time).

Superbowl @ Sandbar

On to that Superplate or Dumperbowl or whatever 'sportsing' event took place.  We caught the first 1/2 at Sandbar which is a nice little spot just north of us; amazing pig roast...OMG they can roast a piggy. At this point me and the Boola are about 6 hours into our RumBowl; by the time I worked out the math on what seemed like a light bill I realized I kinda forgot to tell the bartender I ate a plate of pork...so I didn't get charged for it...so I totally owe you guys some money. I hear the pizza is really good too; some day soon I hope to find out!  And pay for my delicious pork meal *insert Homer Simpson drooling noise now*.

SuperBowl @ Lola's

 TO LOLA'S!
On to watch the half time show and the second half of the contest of sport.  Half time was exciting - Sara and I were REALLY hoping for a complete wardrobe malfunction...didn't happen, but I did get to see my boobs later that night (okay mid the next morning).  Lola's was crazy busy, but all hands were on deck and drinks were coming out quick.  Met a cool judge man from Mississippi and his daughter and her friend...but that is a story for my man Mark to tell.  I was however fortunate enough to run into a woman I've been "crushing on" (I think is what the kids say these days).  It was brief, she was on her way out with her friends - headed up to their local bar.  I did get a touch, a smell, and smile - about all I need these days.  Anymore tends to lead to train wrecks - though I may have to spend a bit more time at her local bar now!  

Me and Mark

SIDE NOTE - "Local Bar" has a very different meaning down here.  In the States my favorite local watering hole was about 1.5 miles away and I past several drinking establishments on the way.  In San Pedro - my local bar is 100 yards away - and 'cute lady I may have no chance with but you'll all know as it will be blog worthy either way's' local bar is about 3/4 a mile away.  3/4 mile is not local down here...it's a journey - one I am most willing to make!

Here's my full, complete, and very in depth analysis on the OkayFork, or water that contest of sport was - Two groups men sported in a competitive fashion. One of the groups sported better than the other group; which lead to them achieving a greater number of tally marks, thus they were named as the victor of the contest.  

I've been drinking for 8 hours, my own brother just went to bed.  I should too...screw that - I'm hanging out with Wolverine, and the Reef View Massive! TO PEDRO'S!!!

From here on out it's really Marc's story to tell - a story of hot chicks, lust, and ultimate loss (none for me, which I'm cool with, too much trouble).  It was an adventure, but not my adventure.  I just chatted with Matt, Linda, Keith, and Amy for a few hours...ended up at Central Park with a great steak burrito and calm night all in all...the way I like it.  headed home..

Or are we - no... TO JAGUAR'S!!!
Okay we didn't make it to Jags...long story I don't feel like recounting - also not my story to tell again!  Fun night, fun day, awesome to hang out with new friends - good luck on the world journey Mark, and I'm happy as heck to let a great guy use my apartment.  That's right people - Wolverine slept in my house.

View from Greg's back yard

Me and Greg

Back to work - for a day - then hung out with Greg and the Ecologic cast for his BDay at night.  I have a great team of people.  So much fun to hang out with them, and Greg makes an amazing chicken dip!

I really should go work now.  My buddy Brian in coming in about a month for "a month" (it's really 3 weeks...)...may effect my productivity.


For the record it's been 4 hours since my last proof read and I did no work...