Sharks and Sting Rays

Woke up a bit ropey this morning as we had a late night with some people we met at the Trek Stop. It was fun trying the local rum! To compensate we had a really chilled out trip today. We went manatee hunting in the morning in the national park. I was all ready to jump in with them until Gareth informed me it's actually illegal as they are protected. I was gutted - I tried to come up with an accidental falling overboard plan but it didn't follow through. We had to sit dead quiet until one popped up its nose then we followed it - moving the boat around with a punting stick. We then went to another Caye where we went to a newly opened aquarium. It's basically in someone's house, but they have some really good creatures. A cute kid told me all the names and was very excited when I spoke Spanish to him. We saw an enormous, vicious looking grouper who chomped up a whole fish in one gulp. These fish always look grumpy. It was scarey to think we had been diving next to them all week. I also stroked a shark whose skin was like sandpaper.
The snorkelling was the best bit. We first swam over a reef. A bit like what we had seen all week. It's a different perspective from above. I definitely prefer being able to go right up to stuff and look up and down. I saw a parrot fish- amazing colours and held a sea cucumber. I thought it would be slimy but it was like leather and quite heavy. Gareth wouldn't go near it. We then went to shark and sting-ray alley where they flocked round the boat as they knew we would feed them. We hopped in with the sharks and they weren't bothered about us at all. Some of the rays were as long as me. I held on to one and it was like a slippery balloon.





I was feeling really good about myself this week. I've been so healthy all week, eating lots of fruit and exercising, but today has been a big pig-out! I managed to eat a whole pack of pringles pretty much to myself. I really couldn't stop. Aaargh!