A typical summer trip for me includes a fishing pole, a few lures and some quiet time on a boat with my friends to enjoy getting back to nature. With my recent trip to Belize, my buddy and I decided to do something similar and explore the Barton Creek Cave…by canoe!
The short drive from our hotel in San Ignacio to Barton Creek Cave took us through large plantations and rural Mennonite villages. We crossed creeks and streams without the luxury of bridges. I don’t exactly recall how long this drive took because we were amazed at all the beauty that surrounded us.
Once we arrived at the entrance of the cave, we were given the chance sip on a cold one before we rented our gear and paid the entrance fee. Fidelio was our expert canoe guide and taught us many interesting tid-bits about everything we saw. There were lots of Mayan pots, bats, blind fish and even some human remains for us to quiz him about. What I found most interesting is that if you accidentally touch a stalactite, the oil in your fingers stops the natural process that created all this underground beauty. We made sure to stay away from the walls of the caves and had to lay down in the canoe a few times to avoid crashing into stalactites.
After 20 minutes of paddling, we reached the end point where the roof had caved in and we were told that only authorized staff were allowed to go further. Fidelio gently turned the canoe around, we turned out our spotlights and then I realized something….it was dark! We sat like this for a few seconds, then cut out lights back on and headed back to base.
If you’re looking for something unique to do while in Belize, leave the mass of tourists behind you and go explore the Barton Creek Cave system.
By Vern