Snorkeling the Belize Barrier Reef
This June, I had the opportunity to travel to Hopkins, Belize! As the 2023-2024 National American Miss Teen, I was invited to attend this trip through the NAM pageantry organization. My five days there were incredible, but my biggest highlight was snorkeling the Belize Barrier Reef.
I grew up in Minnesota, and while my home state may have more coastline than California, I have always been a bit nervous about swimming in the ocean. So, when our director asked if we would like to participate in this excursion, I knew it would be outside my comfort zone.
But I am always ready to go on new adventures!
The journey began with a 14-mile boat ride. The waves rocked our small boat as we cruised across the sparkling water. Eventually, I got used to the bumps and started enjoying the views. Although June marks the beginning of the rainy season in Belize, our group was blessed with clear skies and bright sun.
First, we docked on a beach to learn about our snorkeling gear. We practiced breathing through our mouths and swimming with flippers to gain confidence before heading out to our first stop on the reef.
After cruising for a few more minutes, our guides anchored our boat near the reef. We swam over to the bright corals and started exploring. Because of important environmental guidelines, the corals, animals, and greater ecosystems are healthy and thriving.
The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest reef system in the world, following Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
We spent nearly an hour swimming around and learning about different species. While I can’t remember all of the exact details, our guide pointed out specific species of stingray, crab, coral, and fish.
Then, our group headed to Bread and Butter Caye, a small island reserved for tourist groups to rest and fuel up with lunch. My favorite part of our rest stop was the colorful hammocks that hung between palm trees.
After lunch, we boarded the boats for another snorkeling stop. Much like our first stop, we saw beautiful corals and wildlife. The gorgeous views and peaceful surroundings of the snorkeling experience are hard to describe. Instead of climbing back aboard the boats, we carefully swam back to the Bread and Butter Caye docks, navigating sharp corals and shallow waters. Once we reunited on the docks, we hopped about the boats for our cruise back to Hopkins. Exhausted from all the swimming and sun, I found our return ride calming.