Caye Caulker in October
October is our slow season in Caye Caulker and Belize. The sandy streets are quiet with the exception of a few backpackers enjoying the island and all the discounts available. It is the time, when most business’s close and prepare for the upcoming busy season. It is also the peak time of Hurricane Season which officially ends November 30th. October 1st is the first day of Conch Season. All the fishermen have been busy and the local kitchens have been busy cooking up some of the favorite dishes that have been missed. The conch is a beautiful pink shell that you see all throughout the Caribbean. Food that is made with the conch meat is Conch Fritters, Conch Ceviche, Conch Burger, Conch Steak, Conch Soup are available to try. The season closes June 30th, so there is plenty of time to try out any of these dishes on the island.
 Conch Fritters |
 Conch Ceviche |
Here is a recipe for Conch Fritters, you can try these at home and exchange conch for Shrimp, Lobster or Crab.
3/4 cup flour
1 egg (whisked) mix with 1/2 cup milk
salt / pepper to season
mix all ingredients in a bowl (add wet to dry)
Add finely chopped 1/2 small to medium size onion and green pepper
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
and one cup of chopped conch.
Mix all ingredients, should be a semi thick batter, that you will drop by big tablespoons into hot vegetable oil, that has been heated to 356F or 185C fry to golden brown and serve with this easy to make dip.
2 tablespoons of ketchup combine with 1 tablespoon of mayo, 2 teaspoons of lime juice and hot sauce to spice up.
 fisherman cleaning a conch |
 Conch Pearls |
Conch pearls are one of the most rare and valuable of all natural pearls. It has been estimated that approximately 1 in 10,000 conch produce a pearl and of these only a few possess the color, shape and flame pattern necessary to be considered a gem. The color of conch pearls varies greatly. Pearls are most often found white, brown, beige, yellow, orange, pink, or red. The latter two being the most sought after.
Like all pearls the “Conch Pearl” is produced by a living organism and is sensitive to acids, solvents and long exposure to sun light. Therefore, as with all pearls, care should be taken. I am lucky enough to have a ring that was locally made with a conch pearl. It is over 10 years old now and it still has a pretty pink colour. There is lots of souvenir items that locals make out of the shell. Lots get piled under docks and lots are used as fill for concrete pouring.
September Celebrations
September is the month of celebration in Belize. Our official Independence Day is September 21st, but the days and nights leading to that date are filled with activity here in Caye Caulker and all over Belize. Under the theme “Industrious Hands, Intelligent Minds, Together for Belize”, 2014’s celebrations are set to bring in Belize’s 33rd Independence anniversary. The first holiday of the month is September 10th and it is the 216th anniversary of the Battle of St. George’s Caye. You will hear this song on the radio. “It was the 10th day of September In ninety-eight Anno Domini when our fore-fathers won the glorious fight at Old St. George’s Caye. Then hail them – cheer them.Let our grateful loyal hearts not fail them,as we march and sing and shout in merry glee The Battle of St. George’s Caye. Hip! Hip! Hurrah. Hip! Hip! Hurrah. This is the day, that the Spaniards assembled a huge invasion and try to take over the settlement of Belize.
September is a month of proud Belizeans. Homes and business are decorated in the colours of red, white and blue. So come to the island and enjoy this weekends celebrations island style and wave your flag.
 Parade in Belize September 21 |
 September Celebrations Belize |
The Sargasso Sea
The Sargasso Sea is a large region of rotation ocean currents located in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is bounded by the west by the Gulf Stream and on the North by the Altantic Current and on the east by the Canary Current and on the South by the North Atlantic Equatorial Current. So what does this have to do with Belize. Well if you have been here, you would notice all the seaweed known as sargassum on the shorelines. The Sargasso Sea is home to this seaweed, which floats in masses on the surface there.
 The Sargasso Sea |
 sargassum seaweed |
The Sargasso Sea also plays a major role in the migration of the Loggerhead Sea Turtles that use the currents, such as the Gulf Stream to travel to the Sargasso Sea, where they use the sargassum as cover from predators until they are mature. The ability of a sea turtle to migrate hundreds (and occasionally thousands) of miles from its feeding ground to its nesting beach is one of the most remarkable acts in the animal kingdom. That adult females return faithfully to nest on the very beach where they were born makes the feat even more amazing. Research into where and how sea turtles migrate has been a focus of scientists for decades. We now know that sea turtles undergo migration throughout their lives, during its first critical 48 hours, a hatchling must travel from the beach to a place in the ocean where it is relatively safe from predators and where it can find food. Many hatchlings in the Caribbean make their way into Gulf stream currents, which are filled with floating sargassum weed. There the young turtles find an ample food supply and few predators. After several years of floating around the Atlantic, these young turtles are big enough to venture back into nearshore waters.
So, although this seaweed is a pain in the beach, we have to love it because we all like to go swim and dive with turtles in Belize. In the meantime, it is all along the shoreline and the Caye Caulker Village Council and beachfront residents are cleaning it up daily. When the Sargassum reaches the beaches it dies and some of the marine species that use it as protection do as well. A lots of happy birds. The smell is unpleasant and it makes it hard to enjoy a swim or relax by the beach and enjoy the not so fresh sea breeze. This year, there has been triple the amount that usually comes at this time of year, so what is causing this bloom? Some say global warming is causing the algea to multiply.
New Signs
Every year at Tsunami Adventures, we redo our signs. We have always had stand up wooden sandwich board style signboards, that are painted by myself and Bunny. This year we decided to do something different. With the new hotel and new paint job of Costa Maya Beach Cabanas, we wanted signs that would compliment the hotel. We had Neon Plastics of Belize City produce these signs. The signs are certainly drawing a lot of attention and we are very happy with how they turned out.
 The new Tsunami Adventures Signs at the office of Costa Maya Beach Cabanas |
 Hol Chan Marine Reserve - The Best of Belize Reef |
Caye Caulker in July
Now that the Lobsterfest festivities have past and July has begun, it’s time to enjoy the quiet streets of Caye Caulker. Lobsterfest was a huge success and I can certainly say for myself, that all the years that I have enjoyed it, that this year was the best. The colour party was a blast and it was nice to see that the kids got to enjoy it. Best of all for us here at Tsunami is Bunny’s daughter won Miss. Lobsterfest. We knew she could do it. Conch season is officially closed from July 1st until October 1st. Lobster season has begun. There is so many good reasons to come to Caye Caulker, so don’t let the hurricane season discourage you, as it is more likely to happen starting in late August and onward in this part of the Caribbean. With hurricane season comes Rainy Season but that doesn’t mean it is going to rain all day and all night. We need a shower every day to cool things down and dust down the streets. Summer usually means crowds, line ups, and raised prices, but in Belize it is the exact opposite. This is your time to receive discounts and get to enjoy the reef all to ourselves. Even the manatees come out to the reef to cool off from the rivers and lagoons. Yes, you actually get to swim with manatees, another excellent reason to come to Belize.
Yes, it is hot, but it is hot everywhere and in Caye Caulker, you have the luxury of lazing in a hammock under a shady coconut tree, while having the breeze rock you gently and at any moment you so desire to drop yourself in the sea.
Come to Belize this summer and get away from the crowds up North. Instead of heading south for the winter head south for the summer. We hope to see you here!!!!!
 Snorkeling with Manatees |
 Lobsterfest 2014 |
Lobsterfest June 27, 28, 29
Caye Caulker’s is known for many things nowadays. Once, a sleepy fishing village and now a thriving tourist playground. Caye Caulker is the birthplace of Belize’s Lobsterfest. Fishermen are busy hauling up their traditional palmetto wooden traps to feed the people at this weekend’s 19th annual Lobsterfest, since it’s creation in 1994. It should be the 20th, but one year they had to cancel. Created to kick off the Lobster Season, which started June 15th and will end Feb 14th 2015. This Friday the 27th is the Miss Lobsterfest Pageant starting at 7pm and Miss Britany Ysaguirre is one of 5 contestants competing this year to win the title. We are almost positive she is going to win. The cost is $15BZ to enter to cheer her on. Seating starts at 6:30pm. The contest is typical pageant style and the prizes are endless. Last week was the Dinner Gala, where they introduced themselves. Tomorrow is the pageant parade, where they ride in their float that they have a decorated. Saturday the 28th at 10am, is the official kick off parade with the newly crowned Miss Lobsterfest leading the way. There are information booths and food stalls all day. Come 3 o’clock is the first Colour Powder Party where you are to wear white shirts, they are also selling Lobsterfest Festival Tanks and T’s for $25BZ, which will be perfect for this event. There will be a party all night long and all day Sunday from the split to the Palapa grounds. Come see the biggest lobster contest and more. Lots of fun happening this weekend in Caye Caulker. I am just glad I will be here to enjoy it. There are still rooms available!
 Britany Ysaguirre for Miss Lobsterfest 2014 |
 What a great combination Lobster and Beer |
Costa Maya Beach Cabanas and Hotel Suites
Costa Maya Beach Cabanas new hotel is ready to rent.
Please go to their new website and make a booking today. You can still use this website to make your booking.
The new website is www.costamayabelize.com
All of the new 6 rooms offer the same comforts. Two double size beds, private bath and kitchenette. Fully Air Conditioned.
Great views from the rooms and the best views from the third and fourth floor, which is our Penthouse Suite offering a 360 degree view. A spiral staircase to the rooftop for an amazing view of Caye Caulker and beyond.
Costa Maya offers a total of 12 rooms and the penthouse suite.
We look forward to having you come stay with us.
 Costa Maya Beach Hotel and Cabanas |
 Costa Maya |
Dive the Blue Hole
TA Adventures Ltd. is now offering Diving Trips to the Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef.
This is one amazing trip and must be in the logbook.
The trip is $200USD plus 12.5% gst tax. This price is all inclusive of dive equipment and marine reserve fees. A total of 3 dives. Breakfast in the morning before we take off and lunch at Half Moon Caye Island. Depart at 6:30am and return by 4:30pm
 Blue Hole |
 Half Moon Caye Wall |
Here are the details of the trip.
A world class site made famous by Jack Cousteau and designated as a world heritage location. The Blue Hole is indisputably the most famous diving area in Belize and it’s one of the best-known dives in the world. Half Moon Caye is the second stop of the day. We start on a sandy, flat, broad seabed about 15 feet deep. Imprints of sting-rays and conchs, leading to patches of sea grass. Garden eels pro-truding from the sand, sinuously moving together then vanishing rapidly as you approach. The floor rises to reef colonized by a multitude of sponges and gorgonians. A wealth, of large black coral trees, every type of sponge & large coral formations, hard corals colonize busy with marine life. Eagle rays, turtles, mantas, morays may be sighted. We spend time on Half Moon Caye where have a nice picnic lunch and time to explore the island to see the red footed booby birds. Last stop, “The Aquarium” located on the western side of the reef, near the northern tip of Long Caye. This site is luxuriant in marine life. Eagle rays are common and schools of jacks and solitary barracudas. Aquarium clearly owes its name to its wealth of species.
Watershot for Iphone 4 and 5
Remember the days when we travelled and we wrote a journal, sent postcards. We took pictures, which we had to wait until we got home to develop. When Tsunami Adventures first opened in 1999, we used to even sell Film for manual underwater dive cameras. We used to rent these cameras to guests who dove the Blue Hole. We made our bathroom a dark room. Well I can definately say, this new product has finally made taking underwater photos so much fun and easy to instantly upload your underwater pics to facebook or your travel blog or email your friends and family.
Tsunami Adventures has the new WATERSHOT for iphone 4 and iphone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy 4.
Your phone fits inside securely and waterproof. Depth rated to 195 feet for the samsung galaxy and depth rated to 130 feet for the iphone 4 and 5.
 watershot |
 watershot samsung galaxy |
These cases are very popular, so reserve yours now.
Special discount price when you book a snorkeling tour with Tsunami.
Stop by and check out this new amazing product.
Costa Maya Beach Cabanas New Hotel
Costa Maya Beach Cabanas new hotel is will be ready to start taking your reservations in 3 weeks.
The new website is www.costamayabelize.com
All of the new 6 rooms offer the same comforts. Two double size beds, private bath and kitchenette. Fully Air Conditioned.
Great views from the rooms and the best views from the third and fourth floor, which is our Penthouse Suite offering a 360 degree view. A spiral staircase to the rooftop for an amazing view of Caye Caulker and beyond.
Costa Maya offers a total of 12 rooms and the penthouse suite.
We look forward to having you come stay with us.
A quiet place to relax and enjoy the sea….
 Relaxing on the Beach at Costa Maya |
 Costa Maya Beach Cabanas view from the beach |
PLEASE CHECK BELOW FOR INSTANT AVAILABILITY OR BOOK YOUR ROOM INSTANTLY WITHOUT WAITING FOR AN EMAIL REPLY.
All cabanas are air conditioned and have private bathroom with hot water showers.
Each cabana has cable TV, coffee maker and fridge and toaster.
Cabana 5, 6 and 10 are BEACHFRONT and offer fantastic views.
These units also have microwaves. Cabana 6 has a stove. Cabana 5 has a electric grill.
 Cabana 6 one bedroom apartment |
 Cabana 6 kitchen |
Cabanas 7, 8 and 9 are partial view but still have great views and breeze from the sea.
These cabanas have toaster, coffee maker, fridge. These are standard type rooms, offer double size bed. Cabana 7 has an additional single bed.
FREE use of CANOES and WIFI INTERNET
 Cabana 5 Costa Maya |
 Cabana 6 bedroom |
 Costa Maya 7, 8 and 9 |
 Cabana 7 |
 Cabana 8 |
 Cabana 8 and 9 |
 Cabana 10 |
 Cabana 10 patio |
We’re Styrofoam Free!
