Belize in December with Dr. Bill and Family

My phone dinged at 5 am last Saturday. I was already awake so I checked out who was the early riser. It was Dr. Bill Young. He sent me the image above. Sunrise in San Pedro in Belize. I never get tired of seeing the morning sunrise over the second longest reef in the world. Dr. Bill; his daughter, Annie, and his son-in-law, Marty, were starting a fabulous trip to Ambergris Caye to fly fish for bonefish, tarpon and perhaps permit! Their trip began the day before with a direct flight from Calgary to Belize City and then a short hop with Tropic Air to San Pedro. That is an all day affair but the direct flight makes the trip down to Central America quite tolerable.

Bill had arranged his guiding and accommodation well in advance. The owner of the VRBO rental took them to their apartment once they arrived in San Pedro just 5 minutes from the airport and right beside the docks on the reef side of the island. Grocery stores were quite close so they were set.

This was the first salt water fly fishing experience for Marty and Annie. Luckily they were with Hilian Martinez, one of the best guides on the island. Unfortunately, they were also dealing with a cold front from the north. Cloudy weather makes sight fishing challenging but Hilian knew where to look! Dr. Bill said they had to deal with rain squalls every day. Usually these squalls are quick intense affairs.

Both Annie and Marty caught their first bonefish and many after that. Getting used to casting with wind and cloudy conditions can be a challenge even for seasoned salt water fly fishers. Having a guide who is patient and willing to ensure his guests have the best possible day makes for enjoyable days on the water. A day on the boat is all about good communication and a guide who can set the boat up for success. Dr. Bill knows Hilian and his family. They got together for dinner one evening. Getting to know your guide off of the boat makes for an enjoyable evening.

The weather was not perfect but 28C every day vs -25C back home makes for a break from our winter.

A few days later, my phone dinged at 5 am. I knew Dr. Bill was sending me a sunrise picture. I got my morning coffee and pretended I was on the dock feeling that warm humid breeze in my face and that amazing sunrise over the reef!

...photos courtesy of Dr. Bill Young and Hilian Martinez

Annie and Marty

Hilian Martinez

The sun rises over the reef just before 6 am. A coffee and a reef side view on the closest dock makes for a great start to the day.