In case you've missed the ads on television, on radio, or in the newspapers - it's tourism awareness week. Of course with the gloomy cloud of possible civil unrest due to the City Council-Tourism Board stalemate - this week began with more wariness than awareness. But, undaunted, yesterday the BTB took the media out for a day on the beach with dolphins. The 7NEWS team was there and Keith Swift shared in the dolphin experience.
Keith Swift Reporting,
On Monday morning the 7NEWS team along with other media personalities and staff from PACT and BTB boarded Hugh Parkey Dive Connection's "JR's Boys." Our destination was Spanish Lookout Caye - a 25-minute boat trip from the city.
The island sits east of Belize City. It spans 144 acres - most of which is undeveloped. It was bought by the Hugh Parkey Foundation in 2003. On Spanish Lookout Caye - the foundation is literally on nature and out here electricity is produced by this windmill. The island is also home to lush mangrove vegetation.
Alexander Edwards, Dive Instructor
"If we get lucky manatees, different types of birds, sea stars, maybe dolphins in the wild."
Luck wasn't our on side. We got brief glimpses at a manatee here, another one there, and a couple sting rays also made appearances. But that's fine by Alexander Edwards. He has been a dive instructor for seven years and for him - just cruising past the island's pristine waterways is still good enough.
Alexander Edwards,
"It gives me pleasure to see the kids them, the local kids from the primary schools in the country, to come out here and see these things because when I was a kid, I didn't have that opportunity and when I see the smile on their faces, I understand how they feel because I still feel it every day I come out."
The boat trip around the island however was just a primer. The highlight of
the morning and actually the day was on the other side of the island where we met the dolphin team. It's called the dolphin experience and we shared intimate touches and kisses with 5-year-old mikka.
Video Montage of Dolphins - See it [ON DEMAND]
Mikka performed under the able tutelage of Simon Villanueva. He is Mikka's personal trainer and it has been that way for the past year. But this isn't any circus act between an animal and a trainer - Simon says the highly intelligent and very playful Mikka is his friend.
Simon Villanueva, Dolphin Trainer
"Our trusting relationship between me and Mikka is very strong. So I am the primary trainer with Mikka. To earn her trust we got to make sure we spend a lot of time with them, show them interaction, treat them the right way as you would if you had a daughter or your son."
Keith Swift,
What's up with the cheering, why do we have to cheer?
Aggie Obara, Dolphin Trainer
"Well it is like an audience. Miss Maury or Mikka, when she has done it well, you clap and you are encouraging her and letting her know how well she has done."
There are a total of four dolphins - Mikka, Maury, Bill, and Ronny. All are Atlantic Bottle-nosed Dolphins which were imported from Honduras. The dolphins
are kept in a lagoon on the island and a barrier separates them from wild dolphins - ensuring there is little or no interaction. Aggie Obara is the head trainer. She says the dolphin experience is all about the "experience."
Aggie Obara,
"We work a lot on presenting to the guests from the simple fact of feeling the heartbeat of a dolphin to pointing out the ear of a dolphin, which is a little pink hole opening behind the eye, so its very much on the education and the close interaction that every guest would experience."
And after the dolphin experience - we had another experience north east of Spanish Lookout. That was the Hol Chan Marine Reserve where we snorkeled.
We have arrived back here at the Radisson Marina. It was a lot of fun, the dolphins were magnificent. It was a great day and but I have one more question: is a trip like this affordable?
Melissa Banks, BTB
"Of course it is. Most, if not all I think, tour operators offer these tours to Belizeans and they do offer Belizean rates as far as I know."
There are special rates for Belizeans and you can find out more about those at belizediving.com. Today Alfonso Noble went on a jungle adventure and you can see his report tomorrow.
