After four days of snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming the 2006 PACT Marine Challenge ended this afternoon. The challengers spent the four days on the Turneffe Atoll, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, and Halfmoon Caye. The final challenge was an 18-mile sail boat race from Turneffe Atoll to Belize City. We were in the air for the start and at the seaside for the finish. Here's the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
At 10 this morning three teams set out in these sailboats in the open sea from the Turneffe Reef Atoll. They were headed 18 miles west to Belize City. There were three teams of 5, in addition to 5 support crew and the boat's captain. The teams were from the Belize Defense Force, Sea Sports Dive Shop, and the
University of Belize. Team BDF commanded an early and commanding lead in the 18 mile challenge against the sea and the breeze.
18 miles and 3 and a half hours later - at 1:30 pm - it was a race to the finish line at the Radisson marina. The team from the BDF had maintained its early lead and their sail boat, The Princess, sailed onto the pier as champions of the PACT Marine Challenge. Team captain Lt. Justo Velez says the team of soldiers he lead was prepared to meet and win the challenge.
Lt. Justo Velez, BDF
"It was team effort, team spirit, and everything we did, everybody knows their part of the game so once we put that collective effort, we took the minimal time to do the activity. All in all our training had become fruitful because we did training before the actual challenge. Everything entails teamwork. Once we put a collective effort, nobody will ever get exhausted so we share the burden throughout the whole team and that is what makes us like this."
Sharing that burden was Corporal Emerson Michael.
Cpl. Emerson Michael, BDF
"I never once felt like giving up. To me it was like an adventure as we dove the Glover's Reef Atoll, we did snorkeling in the area, we did some sea grass sampling collection, we did some research with mangrove so it was fun. Straight through from the beginning to the end it was nothing but fun and enjoyment."
And while Cpl. Michael and his teammates easily sailed into first place, the real race was for second place. The teams from the University of Belize and the Sea Sports Dive Shop were neck and neck and in the end it was too close to call. The judges gave team Sea Sports the nod. John Searle is the captain.
John Searle, Sea Sports
"Each day was action packed, lots of events, they kept us very busy and overall it was a very very enjoyable experience. It was a great experience. Actually experiencing it all with all of these people, some people have never
been snorkeling before, some people just learnt to dive. It was a great experience."
And even though his team didn't place first, UB's Captain Darren Bovell says he still has reason to celebrate.
Darren Bovell, UB
"For me it was my first time in that part of the area, it was my first time kayaking, my first time snorkeling, my first time diving, so I got a lot out of it, mostly things that I would never have done on my own if it wasn't for the PACT challenge."
The three teams were later presented with these trophies but PACT's Executive Director Valdemar Andrade says the real winner is the environment.
Valdemar Andrade, Executive Director - PACT
"They are all the winners because they finished the challenge and I understand it was a challenge in the end. Those stories will make other people aware of what it is that we are facing out there with managing these marine protected areas in order to be able to provide the necessary fisheries that we have for our country and for the foreign dollars that we bring in and also to provide for the tourism industry."
The BDF team came in first overall. There are no cash prizes for the winners, only weekend getaways. The first place winners won overnight stays at Ramon's Village, Lamanai Lodge, and Jaguar Reef lodge. The challenge is held every two years and it is actually a fundraising event.
