Bye Bye Belize

The charter season is over in Belize and the boats are on their way to the Rio, in Guatemala, for their annual maintenance.  I thought this would be the perfect time to post a selection of our favourite photos, from some of our most memorable experiences, while working for Belize Sailing Vacations. 

So many great memories!

Photo Credit: some of the below photos were taken by guests, specifically Andreas and Andrea Jensen, and they have graciously allowed me to use them for this post, and include their two beautiful daughters :) Thank you, Jensen family!

Goff's Caye

coconut harvesting on Goffs Caye

the view from above...

the view from below... getting to know the local Nurse Sharks

these guys are so beautiful and peaceful, and they love their sea grass. Rufus and I affectionately refer to them as "sea cows" :)

our guide, Ally, interacting with one of the rays - they know her well and greet her personally whenever she gets in the water

these two photos were taken while under way, sailing to the next 

island - perfectly calm and clear

the view from our cabin port hole, while we were sailing

seagull trying his luck for a seafood snack off the back of the boat

fresh.live.lobster.

fresh shrimps prepared the Danish way, for our Danish guests. D is for DELICIOUS!

these two gorgeous girls stole my heart!

Rufus, our Lion Fish wrangler

soon to be ceviche

there was no one else on or around this island besides the two of us, our two guests and our boat anchored in the background.

chasing a crab up a tree, doing his best crab claw impression

a coconut is not the best hiding place, as it out...

say hello!

exploring the curious and colourful town of San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye, in the north of Belize. definitely worth a visit, if only for the locally hand-made organic chocolate (!!!).

sunset view from South Water Caye

sunset view from South Water Caye

the Fernandez family from Uruguay 

you can take us out of South Africa but you can't take us away from the braai! this is one of our favourite charter meals to prepare: chicken, sweet pepper and pineapple sosaties (kebabs) on the ideally charcoal, not gas, braai (barbecue)

making furry friends on South Water Caye

sailboat sunset

National Geographic Traveller Magazine

At the beginning of the year Helen Warwick, deputy editor of Nat Geo Traveller UK, and her husband joined BSV for a honeymoon charter. Rufus and I didn't run the charter ourselves but when Helen started putting her article together she approached Rachael (our boss' wife and owner of Absolute Belize, a luxury travel company, who coordinated Helen's Belizean vacation) and asked if we would submit some of our photos to accompany it, along with another photographer.

I wasn't sure if Helen would choose any of my shots, especially alongside a pro photographer, so it was exciting to see a couple of my photos published for the first time, especially in a travel magazine and most especially in a National Geographic publication!

When I showed Rufus the July/August 2015 edition, and he saw himself in the pages, he asked me in a slightly worried tone: "Does this mean I'm famous now?". I laughed so hard I almost dropped my laptop! Luckily I don't think he has anything to worry about just yet...

Thank you Helen and Rachael for the opportunity to be part of this!