Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

The Trip In (Day 1)

Arrived at the Belize City Airp6ort then departed by boat to Southwater Cay. The weather was sunny and clear in Belize City, but there were stormy skies to the east and we were headed straight into them.

Figure 1. After our arrival at the airport, it was time to head to the boat dock to catch our transportation to Southwater Cay.

Figure 2. Looks like there’s stormy weather ahead.

Figure 3. Who remembered to bring a rain coat?

Figure 4. Crew and passengers enjoying a break in the weather.

Figure 5. Ulyana with a nice rainbow backdrop.

Figure 6. Southwater Cay boat dock, looking to the west.

Day Two

Day two of our trip was still cloudy and rainy. For breakfast, we feasted on Johnny cakes and scrambled eggs. We then headed out for a long day of snorkeling. The morning’s focus was the barrier reef crest, just north of Southwater Cay. We made our way from the outer edge of the fore reef past the spur and groove then over the crest, and into the back reef environments. In the back reef, we made a transect from the lagoon back to the crest.

After lunch, we headed north from Southwater Cay to Twin Cays to look at mangrove island development on the reef. Twin Cays lies about 2.3 km to the west of the reef crest.

Figure 7. Sunrise on the eastern shore of Southwater Cay

Figure 8. School of parrot fish swimming through a groove in the fore reef spur and groove

Figure 9. Who remembered to bring a rain coat?

Figure 10. Reef crest environment

Figure 11. Characteristic Rhizophora mangle (red mangroves) found on Twin Cays

Figure 12. Red mangrove roots make a good substrate for lots of things to grow on

Day Three

On day three we finally had a break in the weather. The focus of this day would be Glovers Atoll. After a nice breakfast of sopadillas, beans and cheese, Dr. Droxler gave us the most recent geologic theory for the formation of atolls. We then headed to Glovers Atoll, which lies about 20 km to the west of Southwater Cay. On the eastern edge of Glovers, near Long Cay, we found a very healthy windward side of the reef. The morning was spent near Long Cay, snorkeling through fore reef and reef crest environments.

For lunch, we stopped on the island where the Glover’s Marine Reserve Station is located.

To round out the afternoon, we snorkeled through patch reefs located in the lagoon of the atoll. The patch reefs that we came across looked pretty bad and were clearly not healthy.

The last dive of the day was on the western margin of Glovers Atoll, where we made a transect from the lagoon, out over the reef wall, and into the western fore reef of Glovers.

Figure 13. Sunrise on day three

Figure 14. Dr. Droxler leading the discussion

Figure 15. A. palmata (elkhorn coral) found in the for reef near Long Cay

Figure 16. A mature-phase Stoplight Parrot Fish in the fore reef west of Long Cay

Figure 17. Some Rice students waiting for lunch near the Marine Reserve

Figure 18. Bungalows at the Glovers Marine Reserve

Day Four

The focuses of day four were the lagoonal rhomboid reefs and the Sitee River delta. The rhomboid reefs have been interpreted as modern reefs that have grown on ancient levee banks, which formed during sea level lowstand. The rhomboid reef systems are in poor health. As we snorkeled here, we found that Ac. cervicornis (stag horn coral), once the major organism here, is almost completely gone. In addition to the poor health, the rhomboid reefs are presently being overtaken by mangroves.

In the afternoon of day four we headed to Belize’s west coast to the Sitee River delta. The point where the Sitee River empties into the Central Shelf Lagoon is a typical mixed siliciclastic-carbonate system. As we snorkeled in this area, the mixing zone of fresh water with marine water was clearly evident, characterized by a turbid fresh water lens overlying the clearer marine water below.

Figure 19. Dr. Droxler on board the Vitamin Sea

Figure 20. Small Ac. cervicornis found near Channel Cay

Figure 21. Red mangroves growing on a rhomboid reef

Figure 22. Mouth of the Sitee River

Figure 23. Convenience? store along the Sitee River

Figure 24. Sunset

Day Five

On day five we visited the reef crest at Curlew Bank and the peat blocks of Tobacco Range. Curlew Bank is on the barrier reef just south of Carrie Bow Cay. This section of the reef appeared quite healthy. Curlew Bank offered an excellent opportunity to observe the great diversity that can be found in the reef crest environment.

After lunch, we went north from Southwater Cay to Tobacco Range. The northwestern flank of Tobacco Range is composed of submerged and slumped peat blocks that are characterized by dramatic dendritic fractures. Our dive stop here gave us the opportunity to examine these features.

Figure 25. Pelican Beach Resort boat dock on the western side of Southwater Cay

Figure 26. A. palmata near the barrier reef crest at Curlew Bank

Figure 27. Fish grazing among the coral

Figure 28. Gorgonia (sea fans) in the back reef near Curlew Bank

Figure 29. Moon jelly

Figure 30. Smithsonian research office on Carrie Bow Cay

Day Six

The last day of our trip we headed up the coast by boat from Dangriga to the Belize City Airport. On the way, we cruised into South Lake and towards Gales Point to observe ancient siliciclastic dune features in the area. The origin and depositional history of these features are not well constrained.

Figure 31. Crew of the Vitamin Sea

Figure 32. Near the entrance to South Lake. In the background, the fresh water-marine water contact is evident on the surface.

Figure 33. Croc patrol

Figure 34. Off in the distance, ancient carbonate features that are now karst bluffs (near Gales Point).

Figure 35. On top of siliciclastic dune structures looking across South Lake towards karst bluffs

Figure 36. Every trip must come to an end.