Adventure time!!

There is quite a Mennonite community in the area.  They grow a lot of watermelons.  Some are brought to the market in Punta Gorda, others are taken door to door to sell.

Thursday May 1, 2014

WOW, what a day!

I got up early and actually started my photobook for this trip.  Don’t know that I will have time to work on it any other time, but it was nice getting it going!

Our tour guide, Martin, picked up four of us at 7:45 for an all-day adventure filled tour.  He was friendly, fun and a wealth of information.  I will try to get some of the wonderful info into this blog.

Martin works for Tide Tours which is part of a company that protects the environment.  They started the Honduras Marine Reserve that protects manatees and other sea life as well as many small islands.  The water we are on is the Gulf of Honduras. 

Our guide, Martin, was wonderful.  Here he is at the ruins at Lubaantun.

We headed out on the Southern Highway, passing through several small villages to our first stop: the Maya ruins at Lubaantun.  This ancient city was built on a natural hilltop and displays a construction method using mortar-less neatly cut black slate blocks.  In 1924 an amateur archaeologist named the area Lubaantun, “place of fallen stones”.  Perhaps the name has to do with the mortar-free composition of the structures or maybe the name was inspired by his own practice of dynamiting temple tops to remove earth and rocks.  History doesn’t tell.  More professional work has taken place since 1970 and now much of the site is cleared and some areas are restored.

Archaeologists suggest the Lubaantun, which flourished between AD 730 and 860, may have been an administrative center regulating trade.  The Maya site comprises a collection of seven plazas, three ball courts and surrounding structures.  It is known for the numerous mold-made ceramic figurines found here, many of which represent ancient ball players.  In the visitor center there are displays of copies of figurines.  The proprietor’s daughter makes “copies” of the figurines and makes them into whistles!  I bought one shaped like a jaguar.  It is a lot of fun to play!

Woofie just about gets lost on the ruins!

We were the only visitors at the time, and we could wander around as we wished.  It is fun to try to think about what it was like all those centuries ago.  The trees were incredible.

After our leisurely stroll in the not-quite-as-hot humidity, we had a snack of sliced watermelon.  Ambrosia!  The watermelons here are like what I remember as a kid.  Not like what you get in the stores at home these days.  Scrumptious!

Then off to the waterfalls!  Unfortunately, this was a bit of a disappointment.  It is the end of the dry season, so the falls were quite small.  But, we still went wading, got some funny pictures under the falls and had a little lunch. 

Leslie, Stacy, Kelly and Lindsey at San Antonio Falls

The view from under the falls!

The entrance to the cave.

Then the real adventure began!  We drove to a trail head, then left all our gear in the van, except a towel and any clothing we did not mind getting wet.  We hiked about a half hour through the jungle.  It had stormed last night, much worse here than where we are staying, and there were giant leaves, branches and trees down.  The trail was clear of big obstacles, but lots of plant debris.  The trail started out fine, then got smaller, a little steeper, then we had to climb rocks!!  Finally got to the mouth of the cave.  It was incredible!  This giant cave opening in the side of the mountain, surrounded by jungle growth, including a few vines hanging across the opening. 

At the cave entrance.  The water is crystal clear.

We put on a life vest… around our waists!  To use like water wings!  Then a head lamp and a helmet!  We looked pretty goofy.  Then into the cave we went.  The rest is hard to imagine or describe or photograph.  But I will try!  Below is the description from a tour brochure.  I have copied it and will put in some of my own comments!

Lindsey and Leslie are soooooo stylin'!

Here we go!

The Maya name for the Blue Creek is "Hokeb Ha," or "Where the water enters the earth". Blue Creek is an extremely large cave that begins near the village of Santa Cruz, where the river rushes underground, resurfacing five mile later near the village of Blue Creek. The cave is classified as a wet cave with dry routes.

 To reach the cave, you’ll hike approximately twenty minutes (actually closer to 30) over mostly (“mostly” being the key word) easy terrain, through the jungle and upstream along the banks of the green-blue river. As you approach the cave, the river breaks into small waterfalls and beautiful clear pools for swimming. The last hundred yards of the journey are the most challenging, climbing over roots and rocks.  (This part is very true!)

Turn the corner, complete darkness.  Just our headlamps to lead the way.

Designs in the limestone.  The dark area towards the top of the photo is where the water line is during the wet season. 

When you arrive at the mouth of the cave, you will step into the water and swim upstream towards the cave’s interior and the river’s source. You will be provided with headlamps, life jackets, and a trained guide to assist you.  (Thank goodness!)   After you turn the first corner all natural light disappears. You will then see stalactites, stalagmites, and other unique rock formations as you swim and hike upstream, hearing nothing but the echoes of water splashing around you.   Archaeologists have found Late Classic ceramics and an altar inside this cave, leading them to theorize that Hokeb Ha Cave was used specifically for ceremonial purposes.

Keep going as far as you can, spending about an hour inside the cave.  In the rainy season the current will be stronger and the swimming more difficult. This is certainly a challenging trip, but worth it.

Doesn't this look like a mermaid washing her hair?

Our "water wings" made it easier to swim deep into the cave.

Definitely worth it!  On this adventure, I was glad it was the dry season.  We swam, hiked, climbed way back into the cave.  I think about 45 minutes.  We climbed a couple of waterfall sites, and that was a real challenge!!  You can see the high water line quite a bit above the level the water was at today.  Martin said they still take groups during the rainy season, but you need a rope to help with some of the passing and can only go part way.  I cannot imagine it during those conditions!!

When we got to the final chamber there is a bigger waterfall.  Not able to take any photos because the flash reflects off the droplets and the picture is only a starburst of lights.  But believe me, it is spectacular!  We even turned off our headlamps for about 10 seconds.  Now that is dark!

Limestone stalactites.  The dots in the photo are the flash reflecting off the water droplets in the cave.  Remember, the camera flash and headlamps are the only light in here. 

Kelly stretching across the gap to climb up the next fall level.  Martin was amazing helping all of us!

I believe that is Kelly under the waterfall in the final chamber.  It was hard to get a photo because of the reflection of the flash on the water droplets.  Not sure how I got this picture!  Must just be the lights from the headlamps.

The trek/swim/float/climb down back was much faster.  Suddenly the huge entrance looms before us and it takes “spectacular” to a new level!  WOW, what an adventure!  As we approached the entrance and heard the thunder of the waterfall… except it wasn’t the waterfall, it was pouring rain!  So much for bringing towels to dry off!  It was a warm rain, so that wasn’t a problem, but it did make the trail a bit more slick, so we had to be extra cautious on the hike back to the van. 

Back at the entrance.  It was pouring rain outside.

Leslie said her husband would not believe that she actually did this tour.  Mr. Johnson:  She really did it!  And enjoyed it, too!  Although she did start to get concerned as we got deeper into the cave and was getting ready to turn around!  She said that was enough adventure for her!

We had a quiet drive back to our lodging.  I think we were all reflective of the days adventures… and tired!

Leslie coming out of the cave.

Most of us went out for Chinese food again.  Then I tried to write this blog, but was falling asleep, so it is being finished the next morning.

Off to more adventures today!  It is currently raining, expect it to stop soon.

This photo is actually early on in the hike to the cave.  We had some major rock and root climbing to do!