In addition to diving with whale sharks we took a day off so that Randy, Robbie and I could tour the local rain forest. We were looking for monkeys, but found much more.
Edmond, our guide, placed the outboard in gear, and we headed into the heart of the Belizean tropical rain forest. If we got lucky we’d find monkeys along the rivers. Unfortunately we were not that lucky, but there was plenty of other wild life to see. Every couple of minutes Edmond slowed the boat to show us another jungle species.
“Edmond taking us into the rain forest.”
“Bats along the rivers edge.”
“There were plenty of crocodiles.”
“A tree climbing blue crab.”
Eventually our guide pulled over to the rivers edge and tied the boat up. He told us to wait, as he would return shortly. Almost and hour later Edmond returned with good news. He had found a family of monkeys, but it would be a half hour slog through the forest to see them. We jumped off the boat into knee high water, and made our way to the trail covered in calf high water. I didn’t have the guts to ask about snakes, and I had already seen the local crocodiles as we waded into the jungle. I was just ahead of my youngest son Robbie when he yells at me to stop.
“Dad, there’s a giant spider on your back and he’s crawling all over the place.”
“Well get him off me.”
Robbie being the caring, loving son that’s always concerned about his father’s well being replied. “I’m not touching that thing,” as he backed away from me.
Now what? Fortunately Edmond had heard the commotion, and came back to see what the problem was. He told me to turn around, and with a flick of his machete the spider was gone. His only comment, “We have much bigger spiders than that.” Oh great. So now I have to worry about giant man eating spiders, crocodiles and snakes, and who knows what else? We continued on our journey until finally Edmond stopped and pointed up into the trees. “Do you see that black spot on the highest limb?”
“No.”
“Well that’s a monkey. Oh, and over there way up in the tree is another one. Do you see it?”
“No.”
“That’s too bad because monkeys like to live in the top of the forest canopy.”
Eventually I was able to pick out a couple of black spots high in the trees. We made it back to the boat without further incidents, if you exclude a bazillion mosquito bites. Don’t they have malaria down here? On the way back to the dock we past by some monkeys in the trees right next to the river. We didn’t even have to leave the boat to see them.
“We finally got to see a monkey.”
“A passing turtle while diving on the reef.”
-Tom Miller
Author of “The Wave” – a Chuck Palmer Adventure novel
APR
About the Author:
Tom Miller graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science in Geology. He is a consummate adventurer with over 1,000 dives as a recreational scuba diver, and an avid sailor who has traveled 65,000 miles throughout the Pacific including the Hawaiian Islands. Miller has also cruised the canals of Europe on his canal barge and given numerous lectures on cruising the canals of Europe, as well as sailing in the South Pacific. Piloting is also an interest of Miller's, and He has completed over 1,000 hours flying everything from small Cessnas to Lear jets.