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3rd Quarter 2007

A DAY IN THE LIFE by Pete Garvin

5.30am
Every so often rising early has its benefits, and the sunrises over Franks Caye offer one of those occasions. The experience of sitting on a jetty in the Caribbean Sea taking in this sight is something that had me wanting to get up at this time everyday, however I am a student and so admittedly only did it twice!

6.30am
A far more usual time to get up, giving time for a quick coffee and dive briefing before getting the kit together and heading out on the boat 'Jay Jay'. A quick chat with Roland the boat captain and it’s off to the first dive site of the day.

7.15am
This is the deepest dive of the day which was always my favourite, Whether it involved tagging conch at the stadium or exploring one of the many amazing wall dives afforded by the edge of the continental shelf. The incredible array of life in this area was second only to the topography.

8.15am
Traditional Belizean breakfast is served: Bacon, tortilla and re-fried beans. This is followed by some practice of fish identification (highlighting any gaps in my marine knowledge) before resting in the hammocks overlooking the sea.

11.00am
Back to the boat for the second dive of the day. The usual jokes with Roland fill the 5 minute cruise to the dive site. At around 20-25m this dive is often used to tag conch or survey lobster using a lobster molesting stick! (an experience everyone should try).

12.30pm
Lunch: Belizean burritos with plenty of Marie Sharp's hot sauce - be careful, that stuff is addictive.

3.00pm
As no night dive is planned (most common around the full moon), this dive is the third and last of the day. Every so often, even out of season you may be lucky enough, as I was, to see a whale shark. This was incredible, as we tracked a flock of birds and jumping tuna through the waves, Roland shouted 'jump!' and before I knew what was going on we all leapt off the boat and came face to face with a 25ft whale shark! I would have shouted or moved or something but, frozen by the shear awe of its size, I couldn’t even breathe, didn’t even think about breathing until it had passed. Only then did it occur to me to follow it! This experience is one everyone should seek out, diver or not, as words cannot do it justice.

4.00pm
Time for the daily volleyball marathon between guests, Roland and David (the island caretaker). Always a good laugh, it’s the best way to while away the hours before dinner and keep fit on the island.

7.30pm
Dinner of stewed chicken and rice to top up the energy following the exercise. The beers in the fridge are cold and they perfectly accompany the night's games of gin rummy or jenga while the absence of TV or the internet makes a refreshing change from home.

10.00pm
Everyone heads to bed as the generator is turned off and the lights fade. Anyone wanting to stay up longer can enjoy the island by moonlight, a beautiful experience that again, must be sampled at least once.

As well as the experience of a lifetime, my time with ReefCI offered numerous opportunities. Polly (founder and director) taught me many things including lobster, conch and reef check survey protocols and instructed me to both PADI Rescue Diver and Dive master qualifications. I came on a ReefCI trip as a marine biologist, although the majority of people who came on a trip during my time in Belize were non scientists. Everyone, including the recreational or non diver gets the opportunity to put something back into the environment.  So....you do not have to study marine biology to experience a ReefCI trip.