UNBELIZEABLE VACATION DAY 11 :: BELIZE BARRIER REEF, BELIZE :: Mexico Rocks is the name given to a popular snorkeling destination along the Belize Barrier Reef located just a half-mile from our resort. We were told we could easily kayak there and back, but a strong breeze produced some doubt. The waters were choppy and it began to rain. After waiting an hour for the weather to improve, I grew impatient and decided it wasn't too bad, so we casted off and began paddling towards a buoy we could just barely spot on the horizon.

Getting there was easy. The wind was against our backs and the waves were breaking in our general direction. We arrived at the buoy within just a few minutes, but couldn't determine whether it was the right one, as there were several positioned within 50 feet of each other along the reef. We didn't know if these were mooring buoys or just navigational buoys, intended to warn boats of shallow water or the reef wall. We tried peering through the water, but couldn't make out anything that looked interesting.

After some debate, we decided we wouldn't even know how to get back into the kayak if we chose to dive, so we gave up and started paddling back. Now the wind and the waves were working against us. Despite our furious paddling, it seemed like we were barely making progress. The salt water was blowing into my eyes and Kristie was getting sick of me barking our rowing cadence. Apparently I wouldn't make a very good coxswain.

We felt tired and miserable, but somehow managed to make it back to our pier after about 20 minutes, laughing at ourselves for our foolish venture. As we climbed out of the kayak, we noticed the guide from our previous day at Hol Chan, and asked him to take us out to Mexico Rocks.

He powered up the boat and took us right back to the same buoy we paddled to... Oh well, at least we had found it and done the work to get there and back on our own. Now we could enjoy a leisurely snorkel by ourselves with the work behind us.

Compared to Hol Chan, Mexico Rocks isn't very exciting. There's more coral, but not very many fish. The coolest thing we saw were schools of squid, which hovered and swam in perfect formations while their skin glimmered with patterns of bioluminescence. It was one of the most alien things I have ever directly witnessed. Very cool and well worth the effort of getting there (twice)!

Funny story! Reminds me of the experience at Milford Sound in New Zealand. Terrible Headwind equals a very grouchy me! I'm glad you both came out of it unscathed mentally and were able to go back via powerboat. :-)