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2006 Daily Field Reports |
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March 30  I’m under palm trees with 11th graders on Tobacco Caye, a 5 acre island on the edge of the barrier reef. We’re talking about the trip, about the tarpon we saw in the cut, about dangling by a rope 300 feet above the jungle floor, about the kids in the village.
I ask them if they feel at home here tonight. In unison they say, “Yes!” To feel at home in this remote slice of God’s earth is what this trip is about. To know that we carry our home around with us, and that even in strange remote places we can make a place for ourselves is a part of the gift of this time together. It has been 17 days of adventure with seniors and juniors from Hammond. Over the years, sharing the journey with these gifted children has been one of the joys of my life. I have no doubt this trip will continue. It certainly will continue in my heart with the memories of children discovering the vast beauties of the world. Days without TV’s or iPods, just wind and sea, and conversation; how rich is that? I want to thank all the parents at Hammond for the trust of loaning us your children for such trips. As I look back over my years with you, these shining days traveling with students will be many of the best. I know that we sometimes despair over our culture’s ills, but as I watch these future leaders I see great hope for our land. Herb BarksMarch 29  I knew we had it a little too good here. It rained hard last night and few clouds have remained to cast their gray shadows on the reef. However I have complete faith in Fermin and Robert to take us to one of their special places where we will once again witness Belize’s bountiful aquatic riches. In contrast to the quality of snorkeling here, the ever-increasing human population of Belize City and Belize’s largest caye, Ambergris, has taken its toll on the reef off Ambergris Caye. Our students have seen first hand the effects of this march of development. You simply do not see the populations of marine life around Ambergris that we see just a two hour boat ride south. It takes eons for coral polyps to build a reef and a few short years for it to decay. Though the government extracts a tourist fee from us saying “it’s a fair trade with nature for you to get to enjoy its uniqueness and beauty and pay for it”, I see no evidence of the government using that money to protect the golden goose. It has been extremely valuable for our students to see this contrast and understand the interplay between man and nature.
This is my last field report from Belize. When I return home tomorrow evening I will be posting a special message from Dr. Barks. Please take the time to read Br. Bark’s message. In his famous book “Moby Dick”, author Herman Melville wrote, “The whale boat is my Harvard College and my Yale”. As a young man of about 16 when he went to sea Melville had many experiences that shaped his life and ultimately resulted in his becoming a best selling author. Thus is the value of experiential education. Many thanks to all of you who have e-mailed saying you’re following the trip through these updates. I have appreciated the kind comments and your refrain from criticizing either my photography or my grammar! Pete you have done a great job getting these Field Reports posted. Dr. Barks and I cooked up some other ideas while out on the boat today. I’ll be in touch. Enjoy today’s photos. The adventure continues for one more day … Jamie WalkerMarch 28  I must be living right! Overnight the wind laid down and enabled a few of us to get out this morning to my favorite spot, the “Honey Hole.” The girls continued to work on their tans while most of the guys went snorkeling. By now you must be tired of me saying how awesome the snorkeling is here but it’s just awesome. Visibility was good this morning and the usual reef dwellers showed up to say “Hi.” My favorites are the queen angelfish, the sergeant major and the yellowtail damselfish, all of which I have seen in countless numbers.
After a taco lunch Dr. Barks and I said our goodbyes to Group II in Dangriga and brought Group IV to Tobacco Caye. Shortly after their arrival we loaded up the boat and headed back to the Honey Hole. The water clarity remained great and the new arrivals were treated to the matinee of the reef show. Did I mention that this place has great snorkeling? As the current was sweeping us rapidly towards Bull Shark Alley we began climbing back into the boat but were halted by a sighting of a school of tarpon that must have contained 100 fish of about 50 pounds each.
With any luck the weather will continue to hold for all Groups as we wrap up Hammond’s 2006 Belize Expedition. Tomorrow is a busy day for us. We’ll hit our favorite spots and hopefully discover a new favorite. I’ll be bringing my fly rod to try and catch another bonefish at the Lunch Hole. I’ll bet we will see some sunburns tomorrow at the dinner table. Hope all of you are doing well.
The adventure continues … Jamie Walker March 27  Yesterday afternoon was rainy, windy and cold; however, early in the evening the wind clocked about 20 degrees and the rain subsided. We even saw a few stars last night but our usual companions the Big Dipper and Orion remained obscured by the clouds. It’s 6:08 AM and dawn has broken fresh on our little island. The sun is coming up over the horizon illuminating my surroundings as only the morning sun can. As I look out over the veranda I see an angry ocean that will prevent us from reaching some of our chosen snorkeling destinations today. The weather forecast is for “partly cloudy” which I interpret as “partly sunny” so I am looking forward to renewing my friendship with the queen angelfish I have met here.
My camera and computer equipment have both held up well in the wet environment of the jungle and the salty atmosphere of the caye. Many thanks to the Canon engineers for thinking to put o-ring seals on their EOS digital cameras and to the geniuses who built this sturdy little Macintosh laptop. Everything has worked flawlessly. Considering all the battery charging Dr. Barks and I have been doing we are probably responsible for 75% of the power consumption on this island. No problem so long as the panga brings the daily supply of diesel fuel I’ll have battery power.
We took the usual tour of Bird Island where the frigate birds soared high in the sky. The males display a bright red pouch on their throat as they attempt to attract a mate. The entire island is alive with birds and covered with guano. It’s beautiful but it sure smells bad! Back at the ranch we played volleyball with a few of the locals and as usual got schooled by Robert as he repeatedly served through his legs with his back turned to the court. The girls continued to work on their tans and the boys fished off the dock as we all enjoyed a beautiful golden sunset. Another day in paradise!
Enjoy today’s photos and thanks for the e-mails you have been sending. The kids are having a great time though as the week progresses I do hear more talk about home. All is well. The adventure continues … Jamie Walker P.S. Finbar and Hannibal, your dad says “Hi,” and Dr. Barks says, “Welcome to Hammond.”March 26 I am writing this report this morning (26th) as a gentle rain is falling on the Sibun River valley. I wish I could have written it last night but I was just too worn out. Miss Myrtle is hard at work cooking breakfast for this hungry bunch and we are all looking forward to what lies ahead. I’ll take a short break now for some pancakes!
We’re loading the bus in a little while for our ride to Dangriga where we’ll meet Dr. Barks to take the panga to Tobacco Caye. Here’s a shot of the Bad Cats and our group together in front of the Sibun Jungle Lodge. The adventure continues … Jamie WalkerMarch 25  What an incredible day we had. I went to sleep last night to the sounds and sights of a horrendous thunderstorm sweeping the Sibun River Valley. The wind was blowing so hard Chris and I had to batten down the hatches as rain came in sideways through the windows. I kept my eyes open for a while to watch the lightening illuminate the valley below. I decided I had seen enough when an orange bolt of lightening hit the tree not far from my window.
The rainy night eventually gave way to gray dawn as we all woke in preparation for our 300’ vertical Black Hole Drop adventure that awaited us. We stoked up on fuel in the form of a scrumptious breakfast prepared by Miss Myrtle. A short while later we split into two groups and loaded up on the flatbed for a short ride to the trailhead. I was in Group II so we waited for the truck to return from taking Group I up the road. It took about an hour to hike up what I frequently refer to as the “goat trail” to reach the Black Hole. The kids had differing attitudes towards the rappel that ranged from “I can’t wait” to “ I ain’t about to do that”. But in the end they all stepped over the edge and slowly descended into the tree canopy below. Numerous screams and a few bad words were heard, and that was just in the first 10 feet! The guides are all professionally trained and are the best I have encountered. This was my second trip down and it sure was easier than the first. If you have any fear of heights you should do this because it will cure you! Eventually we all made it to the bottom where we had lunch at the entrance to a cave. After an arduous hike back down the “goat trail”, we boarded the flat bed for our visit to the soccer field in the village of Armenia.
Enjoy today’s photos. The adventure continues … Jamie WalkerMarch 24 Please note that due to the fact that I could not get on the e-mail at Caves Branch this report is being uploaded on Sunday, 3-26. Robbie DaSilva is providing today’s report.
Here are a couple of photos of our island style students. The adventure continues … Jamie Walker March 23Thanks for letting me take the day off yesterday. I went fishing. Imagine that! The fish didn’t cooperate but while talking to another angler fishing the same flat I was on, I discovered that he was the owner of the Green River Preserve in NC that does the program for Hammond. Turns out he and I know a bunch of the same folks involved in experiential education. It’s a small world and getting smaller. The weather has changed a bit. The wind has backed and is now coming at us from a more northerly direction instead of its usual easterly direction. We’ll have to see how that affects the water clarity over the next few days. The juniors arrived by water taxi with Dr. Barks right on schedule yesterday afternoon. After settling into their rooms they began to explore the caye (pronounced “key”). This rock is so small you can tour the whole island in about 10 minutes with 5 minutes left over.  After breakfast today Dr. Da Silva took out the 8 stitches that Dr. Barks received from the
Cuban doctor when he banged his head on the boat last week. The Cuban doctor put the stitches
in with no anesthetic! Dr. Barks is TOUGH. He was not nearly as upset about the stitches as he
was with the requirement to stay out of the water for 6 days. Today he made up for it as he led
our group over some fantastic coral heads teaming with tropical fish. Dr. Barks easily has as much
fun as any student. The weather cooperated and we had a chance to explore some new areas. We have
been lucky enough to spot a number of queen angel fish.
I am including 2 photos today. I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to show Dr. Barks having his stitches removed. As Dr. Da Silva did his handy work, Dr. Barks fussed at me for standing on the picnic table and making it shake. I told him the same thing he tells us “It’s all part of the experience”. Tomorrow Group III moves on to Belize City and I will hop off the bus as we pass Caves Branch where I will meet up with Chris Angel and Group II for a little cave exploration. The adventure continues… Jamie Walker March 22 - Travel Day (no field report)  March 21No shirt, no shoes. Yep I’m back in the hammock again. Sort of a combination of Kenney Chesney and Slim Whitman songs. As I type this the sounds of Peter Tosh’s “Downpressor Man” drift towards me from a nearby shack that serves as one of the local’s little home. I am happy to report that Group IV is alive and well out on Tobacco Caye. They have had a good day snorkeling through what I now call Bull Shark alley. But don’t worry, some locals caught the big one yesterday afternoon. A tad under 8 ft and 300 lbs. “Nice fish”, I said. And, speaking of nice fish, I was smart enough to bring my fly rod on the boat today and caught a real nice bonefish while wading during our lunch break. He ate a size 6 McVey Gotcha and took me well into the backing on the reel. After our day on the water Robert cracked open a conch on the dock and we all tried a piece of raw conch. Not bad we all agreed. Not great either. One of the students hacked open a coconut with a machete and we tried a bit of that. Same response as we had with the conch. I am sure both would have been better with some of my favorite hot sauce but it was not close at hand at the time. We have developed a ritual of meeting at the bar for a late afternoon “virgin” pina colada. Trust me, leading by example isn’t all it’s cracked up to be but we adults are managing. This photo is a shot of the bar. Tomorrow will find the seniors headed back home and the juniors arriving. I’ll take off for that bonefish flat for a few hours and return to meet the group arriving here late afternoon. The seniors have had a fantastic trip and all have benefited tremendously from the experience. They certainly have a deeper appreciation for different cultures, attitudes and have a greater sense of what really constitutes a problem. Both the parents and the school are to be commended for providing the opportunity. On a programming note, I’ll be here helping Dr. Barks for 3 more days then I am headed to Caves Branch for a couple of days to shoot some photos of the students in the caves. After that I’ll be back out here with Dr. Barks for the remainder of the trip. Thanks for your e-mails commenting on these updates. It’s been a lot of fun! The adventure continues… Jamie Walker  March 20Today is another travel day for me. My taxi driver from the Hotel Mopan to the Municipal Airport told me stories of his days as a champion bicycle racer. His claim to fame is having won the Belize City to Dangriga race many years ago against a better trained and better equipped team from Guatemala. Since Guatemala has always had an interest in acquiring Belize, mostly by military means, his victory was cause for national celebration. He attributed his victory to a steady diet of fish with beans and rice. To that I would add a dash of Lissette’s Secret sauce, the finest hot sauce in Belize! I am going to miss Group I as they were a lot of fun and kept me in stitches. After dinner last night I witnessed the “Squash Dance” performed to gospel music from the TV. Despite its relative simplicity I refuse to learn it. An 8:30 AM flight on Tropic Air has now delivered me swiftly from Belize City to the coastal town of Dangriga, our departure point for Tobacco Caye. I’ll be meeting up with Group IV at the Riverside Cafe for a bit of lunch before we take the water taxi to Tobacco. However for the next hour and a half I will be sitting in the air-conditioning at the Tropic Air terminal enjoying the first cold breeze since arriving in Belize a week ago. Photography is tough work and requires air conditioning to focus properly. The attached photo is of Carson enjoying his first plate ever of Ceviche at Fido’s in San Pedro. I also want to say a special thanks to my friend Pete Moehrke who put together this website and is also a very talented photographer. Pete is diligently posting these field dispatches and photographs daily. If you get a chance drop him a note at pete@vibrantstudios.com and let him know you’re following the trip. Thanks Pete! The adventure continues … Jamie Walker  March 19 - Report # 2 Today ends my stay with Group I. Tomorrow they will be headed to Banana Bank and I will catch an 8:30 plane to Dangriga to re-join Dr. Barks and meet up with Group IV as they arrive from their stay at Caves Branch a.k.a. Chris Angel’s Boot Camp. I have been with Group I for 4 days and can tell you they are all having a great time and getting along very well together. I will miss being with them. We spent most of our day on the water. First we went in search of manatees but came up empty handed. After a bumpy ride across the bay, we arrived on the reef for an hour of snorkeling where we once again saw many different kinds of fishes including some large schools of jacks. Having worked up an appetite we bolted across the water to our lunch destination, the world famous Fido’s Restaurant. Man these kids can put down some food, and it’s not just the guys. The girls can hold their own when it comes to cheeseburgers and fries! I don’t know how they manage to stay so slender. Mary, Tammy, Carson and I enjoyed an appetizer of fish ceviche. I too snuck in a cheeseburger today. After lunch we had about an hour for shopping along the dust bowl of a street lined with t-shirt shops and tourist traps. Everyone managed to support the local economy by buying a t-shirt and some ice cream. My strategy involved simply grabbing a free spoon and dipping it into unsuspecting ice cream cups while the owner was preoccupied in conversation. Fortunately my family was not there to reveal my time-tested strategy. Today it worked most of the time. Today’s photo shows a few of the students hanging out with their ice cream and talking with Tammy. On our way back to Belize City we stopped off for a short swim with some nurse sharks and stingrays. The usual suspects were screaming when the sharks approached. Imagine that. In about a half hour we’re off to Old Belize for dinner. The adventure continues … Jamie Walker  March 19 - Report # 1It’s 6:30 AM at the Hotel Mopan. As the pigeons gather outside my window to do whatever it is that pigeons do at 6:30 AM I am sorting through some of the photos that Chris Angel provided me the other day and came across this photo of one of the students preparing to go over the edge at the black hole drop. The photo gives a sense of the scale of the sinkhole. The tops of the trees in the far left background are about 60 – 80 feet above the jungle floor. The rappel itself is about 300 feet. I am not sure that my schedule will allow me to photograph the black hole drop so I thought I would pass this one along. Having been there back in November I know that it’s a bit difficult to photograph the drop and convey the enormity of the hole and the height of the rappel. More photos can be seen on the Caves Branch web site. After breakfast today we’ll be leaving for San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. I’ll have more to report tonight. And despite yesterday’s bus ride, the adventure continues…! Jamie Walker  March 18After a leisurely morning of snorkeling yet another beautiful reef area, Group I and I loaded the panga with all our gear and reluctantly said our goodbyes to Dr. Barks and Tobacco Caye. At the dock in Dangriga we met up with the group taking over our slice of paradise. As we barreled along the Hummingbird Hiway, our bus driver seemed to take delight in seeing how close he could get to passing buses, trucks and people on the roadside without actually hitting anything or anyone. Coming around the corner on two wheels at breakneck speed halfway in the other lane with a gasoline truck rapidly approaching produced a near “brown trouser” experience! Luckily equilibrium was quickly restored and we survived. To the seeming dismay of our bus driver, we managed to arrive in one piece at the air boat adventure where we blasted across the marsh in an airboat driven by a man clearly bent on seeing his little bit of Belize at high speed. We figured he must be related to the bus driver. The over-caffeinated mate/bird guide pointed out birds as we scared them of their perch. I have ridden in airboats before but never did a 360 in one until today. I must admit it was a lot of fun. The photo of the day shows the calm before the tranquility ended. Tammy now has us settled in the Mopan Hotel. We are all very hungry since we didn’t eat the unidentifiable soup served for lunch back at Tobacco Caye. The adventure continues…, and hopefully at a slower pace! Jamie Walker  March 17I’m back in the hammock again after another exciting day in Belize. The day began with breakfast at 8:00, which suited this group just fine. Just prior to leaving the dock we found some baby turtles on the beach. Apparently this caye is frequented by nesting turtles. With Fermin at the helm of the panga, Robert our guide for the day and Dr. Barks led us to some fantastic snorkeling. The water conditions are excellent right now and with a gentle sea we were able to get outside of the reef and start our snorkeling in about 50 feet of water. At every stop we saw a tremendous variety of fish that call the reef home. I even saw a school of 10 pound tarpon. Everyone was quite comfortable in the water. The highlight of my day occurred when we stopped on a beautiful sandbar for lunch and the bonefish were swimming through the turtle grass within 25 feet of me. It was tough to see so many bonefish knowing that my fly rod was back in my room. I’ll be better prepared next time! This photo is of our group in front of a rookery of frigate birds and yellow footed boobys. Tomorrow after a morning of snorkeling we are off to Belize City. The adventure continues … Jamie Walker This e-mail came to me today from Mr Hillard ... "Hey Jamie... I have just read your entries to the Belize Expedition website... its GREAT! I thought since we might not run into you on this trip I would send you an entry of our own to include... Group 3... has just left Tobacco Caye... I know you are going to love it. We thought there could be no better way to start our adventure... hope you enjoy it as much as we do! The group wanted me to let you know that you are staying on OUR island... we were the first group there and claim rights!! So far we have seen a school of about 30 barracuda, sting rays bigger than me (no really they were huge), and more beautiful fish than you can find on the animal planet... believe me we know, Danny watches it religiously. As Dr. Barks or Adam may have told you... we snorkeled and collected several conchs wherein we returned to the docks to have Joe show us how to slice and dice... Group 3 can hereafter be known as "Team Conch" EVERYONE in the group enjoyed this Belizean delicacy... EVEN Brandon Knox and Katherine Helms! We have arrived in Belize City and are getting ready to swim with the sharks! Our adventure continues... MAN I LOVE MY JOB! .... Hillard"  March 16 - Report # 2I met up with Group I today at Caves Branch. Chris Angel passed along this photo he had taken yesterday when his group went to the waterfall cave. Everybody in the group said they had a great time hiking into the cave then climbing the waterfalls with water rushing over their backs and into their faces, their headlamps providing the only illumination as they reached for hand and foot holds. More photos of this will be posted to the gallery upon my return. I am now with Group I out on Tobacco Caye, sitting in the hammock as I write this! A gentle breeze is blowing in from the ocean. We’ll go to sleep tonight listening to the sounds of the waves breaking on the second largest barrier reef in the world. Everyone is happy, getting along great and having fun! Tomorrow we’ll snorkel most of the day. You know what’s wrong with this? NOTHING! The adventure continues … Jamie Walker 
March 16 - Report # 1Today is a travel day for me. My group left Banana Bank this morning and arrived at Caves Branch. They are now on their way to the Waterfall Cave for a bit of adventure. Today’s field report is at the request of the group and is a message to Eric. “Eric: Hey! We’re in Belize and it’s amazing, but we miss you so much. We went horseback riding with some Belizian cowboys, not the same as the Dallas Cowboys of course, but just as cool, I’m sure. Eddie’s horse was Tyrone. Keep checking the site to see what we’re up to, and we can’t wait to see you soon! Hold down the fort til we get back, and don’t stop Belizin! Love, Class of ‘06” “P.S. The Breunners say “Hey” and that the food is good.” The adventure continues! Off to Tobacco Caye… Jamie Walker 
March 15Unless you have heard it firsthand as we did at 10 PM last night, you have absolutely no idea how loud a girl can scream when she finds a scorpion on her bed! Well Mr. Greer came to the rescue and order was restored shortly afterward. We started the day with a visit to the Mayan ruins at Xunantunich. Junior, our guide, narrated our visit as we climbed to the top of the priest’s temple where we could see well into Guatemala. We next visited nurse Margaret Juan’s clinic where we all were deeply moved by the care and dedication she shows to her patients. She is truly a wonderful lady. We should do more for her because she has almost nothing to work with. The photo of the day is of a family waiting outside for their chance to see Margaret. After a great lunch at Clarissa Falls we floated on inner tubes through caves at Jaguar Falls. We got a new definition of “dark” when we turned off our head lamps. Tomorrow the group leaves for Caves Branch and I will be joining a new group late in the day at Tobacco Caye. The adventure continues!!! Jamie Walker 
March 14 Well, we made it to Belize! After a much needed lunch at Old Belize where many cheeseburgers were consumed we split into our respective groups and headed off to our destinations. My group, led by Kathy Dunne, arrived at Banana Bank around 4:00 PM just in time to put our stuff in our rooms and relax before dinner. The accompanying photo is of my group crossing the river with our luggage. No porters here! Afterwards we had the pleasure of lugging it up the stone steps. An interesting monkey-Breunner photo will eventually wind up in the Banana Bank gallery. Jamie Walker |
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The “Belize Trip” has been far beyond a typical spring break trip for our students. They have had experiences ranging from the bustle of Belize City and the filth of Dangriga to the warmth and compassion of Margaret Juan and her clinic. As I sit with the students whether it is on the bus, at the dining table or on the beach, I listen to their stories of their experiences at the different stations and am heartened by what they have come away with. I hear them talk about how “cool it was to rappel down into the black hole” or explore the waterfall cave at Caves Branch. Many of the students expressed how wonderful it was to visit Armenia and play soccer with the locals and meet some of the young children. In all the discussions I have been a part of over these last 17 days I have never heard a student say they did not like any part of the trip. Some have talked about coming back for reasons as varied as volunteering at Margaret Juan’s, coming on a family trip or having their honeymoon on Tobacco Caye. Everyone involved with the Belize Expedition 2006 experience has been affected. I know I have.
Tomorrow morning the boat-tailed grackles will wake us up one last time with their alarm clock like calls and we will board the boat for Dangriga where we will endure one last fast paced trip along the Hummingbird Highway. I have yet to see a hummingbird. I am looking forward to going home. I miss my family, my dogs and my cat. They were all very kind to allow me to participate in this experience and I am sure they have already figured out how I am going to repay their kindness. Whatever it is, my always loving family deserves it! I miss ice cream and really want a t-bone steak! I am anxious to get back in the office to begin the process of sorting through the almost 2000 photos I have taken so that I can build a slide show of the trip. 
As I swam down to shoot a few photos I noticed that swimming with them were a half dozen permit. There below me swam 2/3’s of a flats fishing grand slam. All we needed to see was a bonefish! Alas none were present but I am not complaining.
Enjoy today’s photos of Dr. Barks, the tarpon and our idyllic setting. 
After our typical breakfast of hen eggs and other stuff we delayed our usual 9:00 AM departure by 30 minutes then headed out for some snorkeling. The lack of sun and the chop on the water made it difficult to see the reef in its usual splendor. Nonetheless we made the rounds and saw a lot of tropical fish. The highlight of my day was seeing a moray eel. It was dark green with bright yellow spots and about 2 feet long. Dr. Roberts identified it as a spotted moray, just as I described! At the usual lunch hole we enjoyed the break from the chop and had a bite of lunch. The girls worked on their tans as the sun shone through the clouds around noon. 
It’s now 7:30 PM here and the stars are out! Our friends the Big Dipper and Orion are out from their hiding place behind the clouds of last night.
Our students were joined in their stay at Caves Branch by a group of same aged kids from Belmopan know as the “Bad Cats” which stands for “Belizean Adventure Cultural and Technology Students”. These students were selected for the Bad Cats program because they were all failing school and falling behind. Ian Anderson who owns Caves Branch sponsors these kids and rewards their scholastic achievements by allowing them to participate in the adventures he offers. They joined us on our daily excursions. The Bad Cats and our students became fast friends and each evening were found playing card games on the veranda. Though they will undoubtedly lose touch with each other when we part company today, the effects of their meeting will carry with them forever. You should have seen the hugs and tears when we left them this morning.
As soon as we arrived at the field kids of all ages came running from every direction to meet our kids who had brought a few small gifts for them. We stayed a little over an hour and could have stayed until dark. The kids were so warm and friendly and loved playing with the Hammond students. Some of our kids joined in the soccer game and were promptly schooled by some incredible talent. We were joined by Hammond’s new headmaster Adam de Pencier who had caught an early morning flight from Wisconsin. Adam is going to join me today as I head back to Tobacco Caye for the remainder of the week.
Speaking of island life, several of our students became overwhelmed with the spirit of the banana republic by taking advantage of the hairdressing talents of our cooks and having their hair braided. A Bo Derek look alike emerged from the hut.
Thanks to Robbie for sharing that report. I am now at Caves Branch having survived yet another trip down the Humming Bird Highway where the only hummingbird I am likely to see is one splattered across the windshield.