My 68th birthday April 24,2019

North Long Coco Caye is that elusive caye that we have been told about by friends. A must not miss they say. We could not find it identified on our maps. And then we find ourselves onboard The Reserve motor launch with 20 others heading out there on of all days - my birthday. How cool is that! The Reserve owns the caye and occasionally they take homeowners out there for the day and lunch. Ron arranged for us to join them. We settle in for the 3-hour ride, chatting to the others on board. The lawsuit that hangs over them all dominates the conversation of the men. The women talk about their new homes, floor plans, mold, the next neighbourhood party and who is due back to the Reserve. They are an outgoing crowd and we become included in the chatter as we learn that some are cruisers as well. Gordon, the owner of the Marina and the M.V. Mariah tells us some history of the caye. The first owners of the Reserve bought this caye, which was then a very uninhabitable place. The reef ringed the island and it was sunken in the middle with brackish water and garbage. They dredged it and loaded sand onto the island filling the cavity and forming wonderful beaches all around the coastline. Nearby Rendezvous Caye was clearing its land and the Reserve gathered truckloads of discarded sprouting palm trees- and transplanted them onto their own caye. Their caye is now a beautiful grove of palm trees 15 feet high on beautiful white sand. There are several palapas off the shore with tables and chairs, swings in the water, picnic tables, lounge chairs throughout with washrooms, fresh water showers, a bbq and roughed in serving tables and bar. The Reserve hauled coolers and food and booze and water out to the kitchen for our day. There is wonderful snorkeling around the caye. We enjoyed it all and even saw a ray hunting in the shallow waters off shore. As we prepared to leave a large Cat dropped its anchor off the shore and waited their turn on this lovely island in paradise. We arrived back to Namaste as the sun was setting, feeling like we had experienced something very special and having met some interesting folks.

.