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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

You came to the right blog for Belize Resources and Information.

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A Day on Caye Caulker Belize After Hurricane Earl

by tacogirl 09/08/2016
written by tacogirl 09/08/2016
The Split Caye Caulker Belize

Today’s guest post comes from Meandering Fool (A funny Belize Blog) aka my friend Kendall. Sadly his business, Ecologic Divers is one that got leveled in the storm. Thankfully he and his amazing crew had the dive gear and boats safely out of harm’s way.

So what do you do when there is no longer a shop to run a dive and sailing business out of, or a dock to park your boats? Not to mention a whole bunch of staff that rely on their daily job to sustain themselves.

You put one foot in front of the other do whatever it takes to keep moving forward.

In this case, diving got temporarily put on hold, home instantly became the primary office and a nearby dock not as badly damaged became a temporary pick up and drop off location to shuttle travelers to the Catamarans docked offshore for their day trips and sunset sails.

In yesterdays case it was a Caye Caulker Day Sail and Kendall was willing to snap a couple of pictures and share his account of the island after the storm.

Meandering To Caye Caulker Belize For The Day by Kendall Beymer

So I hoped or hopped (I’m really bad about knowing the number of consonants in words – so whichever one of those means “I got on by jumping”…although I didn’t literally jump) on an Ecologic Divers day sail over the Caye Caulker, as I wanted to meander around a bit and get a feel for their “Earl recovery”.

My first impression was that things looked great. The debris had been cleaned up, and while a few buildings were ‘misplaced’ and many docks in extremely rough shape – my feeling was that they had done better than Ambergris Caye. Mainly judging the docks; yes some were gone, many were damaged, but my basic (and very unskilled estimation) was that they had a much higher dock survival rate than AC. Then I got a bit more into things and realized they still have some big issues.

Most noticeably is the sand – the road is a foot or more higher in some places; people still shoveling out, and even some roadside stands that appear to be built for access by people shorter than 5′ only. Another very significant issue is the lack of current (that’s a Belizean term for electricity) to a good portion of the island. Crews were hard at work in several places.

The most obvious damage was at the Split – the whole area was fenced off…though the gate was open so I helped myself to a tour! The game area was washed away, the front sun deck is gone, the shallow water palapa tables are gone, the beachside seating is gone; at least there were lots of people at work to repair it all. Lots of sand and supplies were being brought in.

Not sure if it was the lack of current/electricity or just hurricane hangover – I often felt like I was the only person on Caye Caulker. It was a ghost town! I’d say 9 of 10 places were closed; I walked down the middle of the road with no worries ’cause no one was driving. It felt almost post-apocalyptic in a way – except the people that were there were much more friendly than I imagine a bunch of people would be after an apocalypse…no zombie sightings either.

Keep a Good Thought.
Kendall

Caye Caulker Belize

Heading to the Lazy Lizard at the Split

Walking down the street on Caye Caulker

Streets were very quiet

Caye Caulker Island

A small pile of debris – most was already cleaned up

These two shots below of Caye Caulker are courtesy of Astrum Helicopters taken after Hurricane Earl.

To see rooftop and helicopter aerial pics of Ambergris Caye after the storm, click through on I’m On My Way, What Should I Expect?

Note: If you or someone you know on Ambergris Caye needs help after the storm, look for San Pedro Red Cross crew around town in their red vests conducting needs assessments. You can also go directly to the ground floor back of the Town Council building to the conference room and get help with assessment there.

Helping Hurricane Earl Victims

Check donations can be made payable to San Pedro Lions Club Atlantic Bank Account #211 3829 02 (Can be used for wire transfers from abroad) Lions telephone number 011-501-226-2477

Weather in Belize after Hurricane Earl

The split on Caye Caulker after Hurricane Earl courtesy of Astrum Helicopters

Hurricane Earl Caye Caulker Belize

Aerial view of the split courtesy of Astrum Helicopters

Related

tacogirl

Laure Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

previous post
I’m On My Way, What Should I Expect?
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4 comments

Nikki 29/08/2016 - 3:05 pm

How has the clean up gone? We will be there at the end of September. We are planning on staying near the split so I am curious. Also, will restaurants and bars be open since that is the off season in addition to the recent hurricane? Thanks!

Reply
tacogirl 30/08/2016 - 6:46 am

Clean up still going on, lots of old docks that need to be dealt with. Some businesses do closures during low season to have time off and do repairs Nikki.

Reply
Lydia 10/08/2016 - 12:46 pm

We are due to spend a week on Caye Caulker beginning Friday, August 12th. This has me concerned. Are the restaurants open? Is there fresh food available? Should we stay home? Any more information would be helpful.

Reply
tacogirl 10/08/2016 - 1:28 pm

Things we still be open Lydia. The best way to help us after the hurricane is to come down and have a great vacation.

Reply

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Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton! I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s... always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and... local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do... what everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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THE ORIGINAL BELIZE BLOG

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation.

If you have any questions or want Belize discounts, Contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

3 childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age.Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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