Cayo Espanto Day 4: Belikins, James Taylor, and Wind… Oh, my!

We awoke this morning to a howl… a howling wind that is! The sea breeze had picked up to a significant clip and we opened the villa door to quite a gust of wind across the water. An overcast day, but beautiful nonetheless. We set out on another day of fishing with Mark. As we tore across the flats of the bay, it was clear we were in for quite a bumpy ride.

Originally, we wanted to fish for permit and tarpon, but the chop in the water made it impossible to locate the schools or even singles. We took a scenic ride across the flats for an hour or so, stopping at a few spots Mark felt we may find a school. No luck. We headed back to our trusty Tuesday spot, a great cove of mangroves full of bones. Chad started the day casting first – mind you, in the whipping wind! Even at the disadvantage of the weather, Chad quickly set on his first bonefish of the day.

Next up, the fishing extraordinaire…. me. The wind also challenged me, but I actually got into a great rhythm with my casting and the wind helped to lay out my line farther out and very straight. I had an early hit, but lost it due to my excitement, I tried to set that hook like a pro-bass fisherman and Mark thinks I probably took out the poor bonefish’s cheek in the process! After a while, I was on another fish, determined to not miss this one. The fishing gods were graceful and I caught one! As my neice Bella says, “all by myselfing!” Mark and Chad were trading fish stories and I, without any help, caught a bonefish!!! I was completely impressed with my fishing prowess!!!!

Mark has a great life story. Since we alternated fishing on the bow of the boat, we both had down time to sit on the boat and hear his stories. Mark has lived in San Pedro for years, and his entire family works as fisherman and guides. His uncles run deep sea charters, while he sticks to fly fishing charters. He loves the water and grew up learning the best spots. His father, a boat maker, built his son a mahogany boat at the age of fourteen. Mark has been on a boat ever since. He has two adorable sons, who I got to see in pictures he quickly pulled out on his cell phone. He chooses to fish on his days off, and goes to church every Saturday with his family. Great guy, great story, we really found a good friend and fisherman in Mark.

We got back to the house around 11AM and decided to have a Wave. Well, that got the party started – we broke out the James Taylor CDs and started our own party. We danced to, “Something in the Way She Moves,” to commemorate our first dance at the wedding. We also imbibed a few of those delicious Belikin beers. Belikin is the local Belizean beer and it has a dark coffee taste. A ew drinks later, we were pretty happy and very much ready for lunch!

Lunch arrived and we were served on the east opening of the house to shelter against the wind. I had a cold gazpacho soup and grilled vegetable sandwich, while Chad had a tilapia fish sandwich with island fries. I snaked a few of the those delicious fries while Chad was not watching! We reminisced about all the fun on the boat and how fun it was to be toasty in the early afternoon – a couple of “wild and crazy guys” we really are! Now, mind you, Chad retreated to the bed and was sawing snore logs by the time dessert arrived. As a good wife, I could not wake him from his deep sleep….. so I ate the whole dessert myself! Vanilla ice cream and apple crumble! I quickly took a spot on the soft bed next to Chad and we napped through the afternoon.

As I write this portion for the day, Chad is on the helicopter pad that is adjacent to our villa. He is trying a new spot and is intent to catch a bonefish from the shore here. Earlier he caught two needle fish, they loved his popping cork. The needle would break out of its school and smack the cork, actually getting the barb caught in its side! They are fiesty little guys once you get them out of the water, they tried to swing around and take a nibble off Chad’s hand.

Drinks just got here, Manhattans for Chad and a dirty martini for me. For dinner, I chose the bacon-wrapped filet with parmesan risotto and Chad chose the local grouper. We start with a tomato bisque and end with dragon fruit trio for dessert. Dragon fruit is a local fruit with a deep purple color that reminds me of kiwi. Sign off from paradise, friends!

Cayo Espanto Day 3: A day of rest, relaxation, and reflection

Good Morning From Paradise! This is the view from our bed this morning. Absolutely gorgeous morning! We slept in until 8:30… sort of. 🙂 Huevos Rancheros are being prepared as I write this and we are looking forward to a day of downtime, with the exception of a couple of massages and some fishing from the flats in front of our house.

I woke up this morning with an overwhelming feeling to write so, I started blogging to document the last couple of days of our amazing honeymoon. Marci and I have decided to alternate days of authoring and editing so as to get two perspectives of this magical trip.

After breakfast, we spent the first few hours of hour day drinking coffee, writing, and taking pictures. We reflected on our wedding experience, our families, and the amazing place in which we sat. Times and places like this have a way of invoking deep thoughts, thoughts of how truly lucky we are to have found each other. We have so much to be thankful for, and I have found myself praying and thanking God multiple times throughout the day.

The day is warm and clear here in Cayo Espanto. We have spent most of the afternoon dodging the sun while creatively crafting. The UV rays reflecting from the water’s surface are still enough to tan our bodies.

We had a lovely lunch at about 1:00. Marci had the Sicilian Salad with watermelon, papaya, and chicken. She said she wasn’t sure what was so Sicilian about it. LOL. I had the Chicken Club Salad (Shocker, I know) which was kind of like a cross between a club sandwich and a Ceasar salad… Delish! A couple of Cayo Espanto Waves quenched our thirst.

After lunch, Marci returned to her book “The Last American Man” – by Elizabeth Gilbert and I returned to my 9 foot, 8 weight… that’s techy talk in the fly fisherman’s world for those of you not in the know. Brenda the masseuse arrived at our house at 2:00 and I was more than happy to let Marci have first dibs. I spent some time stalking the Bones that call Cayo Espanto their home but, they are spooky little jokers. After tying on a couple of different flies with no luck, I decided to tie on an additional four feet of tippet (13 feet total) and practice casting with a little minnow fly. Wouldn’t you know it, right as I started to get the hang of casting the longer leader, I found a school of around 50-60 small 1-2 pound barracuda off the long dock by our house! After a couple of chases with no hookups, a nice little two pounder found his way on to my line. My first ‘cuda on a fly!

I decided not to repeat the “Look Bird, it’s a Barracuda” experience from Monday. I could see through the open double doors of the house. Marci laying in nothing but a sheet over her bottom as lovely mocha-skinned Brenda massaged the pre-wedding stress out of Marci’s shoulders and neck. I knew she was in heaven. Before I knew it, Marci’s hour was over and mine was to begin. Relaxing atmosheric music played from the satellite tv, the smells of exotic oils filled the air. It has been many years since I have had a professional massage. I need to make sure I do it again soon. The hour long massage seemed like 15 minutes. When I awoke, my neck and shoulders were void of the kinks I had come with. Brenda the masseuse has healing hands.

After our massages it was time for a dip in the pool. Alex and Chef Richard soon greeted us with cocktails and the dinner menu. Tonight’s choice, Paella with Conch, Shrimp, and Spiney Lobster for Marci, Lamb Osso Buco served with pearl onions, and mashed potatoes for me.

Alex setup a dinner table at the end of the large dock this evening. Candles inside of brown bags lined the path to our destination. New sand drawings were also added on our path as well as “Chad and Marci.” The attention to detail is very impressive here! Our meal was delicious as always and once again we found ourselves pondering the question… “Is it wrong to go to bed at 9:00?” A full stomach, sun kissed bodies, and an ice cold room… I think a 9:00 bedtime is just fine.

Cayo Espanto Day 2: Here Fishy, Fishy, Bonefishy……

Early morning start on day two of paradise. We decided a half-day fishing charter for bone would start this week off right. We awoke at 6AM to Alex on the walkie talkie asking what we would like for breakfast. To digress, all we must do if we want something is pick up the walkie-talkie, and Alex is on the other end. Beer, coffee, snacks, towels…. just talk into the happy walkie talkie! Note to self, taking Alex (and walkie talkie) home with us! But I digressed…

After a light breakfast of local fruits and fresh croissants, we put on our swimmies and headed out for fishing. Alex escorted us across the island to a dock where we met our local guide, Mark. A short man of Mayan descent, Mark’s easy smile and quick wit charmed us immediatly. Chad’s first question, “Are you a patient man, Mark?!” He laughed at us, nodded yes, and the day got off to a perfect start.

We headed out on Mark’s flats boat, called “Baby Ruth,” across a gorgeous flat of aquamarine water. Mark knew of a school of bonefish in a secluded cove area surrounded in part by mangroves. The wind was still in our disadvantage, so he wanted to find a sheltered spot we could avoid the wind and still catch a ton of bones. The trip was magnificent, flats all the way, clear water to the floor, greens and blues mixed with salty water and overcast sun – we were in for a day of fishing delight.

After our short trek over the flats, we headed toward the mangroves and into a wide channel. On one spit of mangroves, you could see the encroachment of civilization, a set of powerlines – something totally out of the ordinary in this lush tropical environment. While this area is clearly untouched by modernity, there are small realities that this land will soon be inhabited be part of a tourist Mecca. We arrived at a perfect time – a sleepy island and a pristine landscape still untouched.

Bonefish we found – Mark set us on a school of over a thousand bones. He cut off the engine and used a long wading pole to push us around the cut away of mangroves. We followed the fish and began casting to the gigantic school. While our casting was a little less than desirable, Mark was indeed patient and began to teach us how to land a silver beauty. Chad was first up of on this day, catching his first bonefish. I could tell, he was so excited, this was a moment he would savor forever – his first fish on a fly rod. Then, it was my turn. While Chad has been diligently practicing his casts over the past weeks and has been a true student of the craft, I, on the other hand, am quite, “here for the ride.” Mark could tell I just wanted the thrill of the catch, so after a few attempts of my casts, he took the rod and landed it into the school. He handed me the rod and…. BAM…. fish on!

I screamed like a little kid, and Mark shouting, “let go,” as I attempted to treat the bone fish like a bass, fighting it all the way. With bonefish, you let them run out your reel, so as to tire them out. With great pride, Mark pulled the bone out of the water and handed the fish to me. I, in perfect girly fashion, proceeded to hold it for a second, then allowed the fish to shoot out of my hands and go careening across the boat! Poor fish! Mind you, I caught two fish today, both of which went sailing across the boat because I did not have a tight grip! Chad and I caught two fish each, it was a glorious day and I could tell a highlight of this trip for Chad.

Mark took us back to our dock and we were greeted by Ester. Lunch menu….

Chad chose the shrimp kabobs and I chose the chicken satay. A nap was in our near future after lunch. Chad settled in for about an hour before he snuck out to fish. The afternoon lazily dragged along, both of us in happy places…. sleeping and fishing, respectively! I did attempt to fish a little later in the afternoon, but nothing would bite. As if we needed more food, delicious veggie quesadillas were brought as a late afternoon snack. The pico de gallo so fresh and fragrant. We decided to kayak around the island and took a toodle around for a bit, we wanted to see the other homes on the island. We clearly decided we have the best one, our view is the best for sunset and our villa is the most romantic.

Now about that sunset….

At sunset, Alex brought Mahattans and we settled in to see the the glory. The view was clear and we watched every color paint the sky. The last color, a burnt orange, kissed the sky and the night settled in on our island view.

At night, you can really see the stars here. The moon was a hazy crescent, allowing maximum starlight to permeate the night sky. You can see horizon to horizon here, as if you can feel the shape of the earth. Alex and Rick arrived to set up for dinner, making another romantic spot on the deck, complete with candles, torches and lanterns. Dinner started with a young pumpkin soup and fresh bread. We then had a shrimp two ways for our second course – coconut shrimp with black bean salsa and goat cheese stuffed shrimp on a bed of watermelon and asparagus with a pool of balsamic reduction. The combination, strange, but the taste – amazing. I chose for my main course a local lobster on a bed of risotto and grilled summer squash, while Chad chose the snapper on a bed of polenta. We decided to have dessert on the other side of the deck in the reclining chairs. Ricotta cheesecake with berries, chocolate covered strawberries, and a strawberry puff pastry with a berry cordial. These are the days, my friends! In good Marci/Chad fasion, we ended the night early, our luxurious bed awaiting.

Cayo Espanto Day 1: Our magical Honeymoon destination

We have arrived at Cayo Espanto! After a quick flight to Miami, we boarded our first class flight to Belize City where we enjoyed cocktails and a wonderful Filet Mignon lunch. I highly recommend the upgrade to first class!

In Belize City, we landed in the tiny airport, reminiscent of Casablanca airstrip circa 1950s. After a short break, we boarded a Maya Air flight to San Pedro, a short puddle hop from the main land. Marci had never flown in a single prop, 10-12 seater before, so we had to get a picture and some video of her first trip.

Marci sat right behind the pilot and I sat behind the interestingly enough, empty co-pilot seat which rewarded me with a prime location to shoot some high def video of the islands and our crosswind, rudder heavy, landing. We shared the flight with two Aussies, who were instantly interested in our honeymoon status. They reminded me of a couple that had seen quite a bit of life, and had enjoyed it thoroughly. They went on about the untouched character and the great authenticity of San Pedro. The flight was very smooth and the scenery was beautiful.

We were met at the airport by Alex, our wonderful houseman, a quiet and reverent fellow. His attention to detail, as we have quickly learned, makes him perfect for this job. He is always listening, picking up on subtle details, then translating them into special moments. Also at the dock was German, the dive guide. We loaded the boat and set sail to our perfect tropical private island.

The wind was definitely up today so, after a bumpy ten minute ride, we arrived at Cayo Espanto where the entire staff was lined up on the dock to introduce themselves and greet us. We enjoyed a Cayo Espanto Wave, the island’s signature drink. The color of this perfect drink matches the aquamarine water around the island. Ester, the manager of the island, accompanied us on a short walk to Casa Solana, the honeymoon suite. Our walk took us down a beautiful path of well manicured, raked sand, decorated with lovely pictures of palms, flowers, and hearts etched in the sand. Every detail centers around attention to beauty and elegance.

Casa Solana is absolutely lovely. A quaint building with a large bedroom, high ceilings, a small den, and a single bath sits a top a raised deck. It is surrounded on two sides by the most interesting aqua-colored water I think I have ever seen. Not quite the rich blue of the Caribbean nor the deep greens of Mexicanwaters, but, a gin clear, sparkling aqua. A freshwater infinity plunge pool sits outside of the main doors looking out to the ocean. The tile color in the pool creates the infinity effect perfectly, it is as if you could step off into the ocean!

The water is quite cold for such a little pool, but, is nice and refreshing in the afternoon sun. Thankfully, the ocean water is warmer, so a mini dip is in our near future. Extending from the beach is a two to three foot flat of clear ocean water for what seems to be miles around the island. This depth is perfect for wading out and fly fishing. Needle fish, bonefish, and barracuda are within clear eyesight of the villa. I am in heaven!

We were greeted at Casa Solana with delicious quesadillas… not that we really needed them after polishing off a filet lunch on the airplane, but hey… this is a vacation! They were covered in fresh pico de gallo and sour cream, two of the most perfect foods on earth! After we had finished our tasty snack, we were quickly offered the lunch menu, not the we needed lunch after a filet lunch on the plane and a quesadilla snack… but hey, this isn’t just a vacation… IT’S A HONEYMOON!

For lunch, Marci had the Key Lime shrimp salad and I had the chicken avocado Club sandwich. Marci’s salad was covered in chargrilled shrimp and ripe avocados. My sandwich was also made with avocados and crispy bacon, and was served with a fresh salad. While the salad was not Marci’s favorite, her shrimp were OUTSTANDING! As for my club sandwich, while I have tasted many a club in my life, was one of the best! For dessert, we had bananas foster with rum ice cream, a perfect ending to our first meal on the island!

After lunch, we both spent time fishing with spinning tackle around the house. The wind was too high on this overcast day to bring out the fly outfits. Marci soon tired of casting the small yellow jig and fell victim to the alluring song of the soft, white, down covered, siren in our bedroom. Nap time is something that will be prescribed and taken daily for the duration of our stay. I soon followed and nodded off for 45 minutes or so until I noticed the wind died down. I quietly hopped out of bed and ran off to the long dock next to the house, leaving Marci still sleeping deeply.

I did cast the fly rod a bit but, found the wind still made it too difficult to get anywhere accurately. I decided to switch back over to spinning tackle and within a few minutes, landed my first barracuda. Fierce buggers those barracudas. They seem to come from nowhere at warp speed, attack the lure violently, and then run as hard as they can in the opposite direction. I was so excited, I ran back to the house with my catch and woke Marci with a mighty “BIRD, it’s a BARRACUDA!” Marci was in such a deep sleep, I am not sure that she thought it was real, or something in a dream so she just laid back down. I said, “Hey birdy, grab the camera, I got a barracuda.” This time, she begrudgingly got up and snapped this pic before laying back down…

I caught another one shortly after, I decided not to wake her for that one! 🙂

As the 5:00 hour hit, cocktails started to call our names. Now don’t get me wrong, we had several Cayo Espanto Waves throughout the day as well as plenty of beer from our well stocked fridge. But you see, in the Helenthal household, the cocktail hour is a tradition. About the time we had decided exactly what we wanted, Alex rounded the corner carrying two vodka sodas with fresh local lime… it is like magic here, I think they can read your mind. With Alex was Chef Richard, ready to discuss the evening’s menu. Marci’s choice, the Jerked Shrimp, served atop a bed of curried couscous. My choice, the Plank Grilled Red Snapper served on a bed of white wine and parmesan risotto. After a couple of Vodka sodas and then a couple of Manhattans, Marci decided to pop in our Wedding CD, and we worked up an appetite dancing by moonlight in our private paradise.

We decided on a late dinner and at 8:00. We were greeted by Alex, our houseman, and Rick, his second, in formal dinner service attire. During our first course, Alex arranged a Mariachi singer to serenade us by moonlight. The first course was a black bean puree with cumin, garlic, and onion. The second course, a trio of ceviche. My god… the ceviche was one of the finest I have had. Conch, spiney lobster, and shrimp… each served in a different style and flavor. The favorite, hands down… the shrimp ceviche as it was served with fresh coconut and lime. WOW! The main course was one of the best meals both of us have ever had. That says a lot as we are definitely foodies, and, foodies that cook! The snapper was plank grilled with a light seasoning, the natural flavor of the snapper in perfect balance with the smokiness of the grill. Marci’s shrimp were also grilled, holding a charred and spicy note. For dessert, the “Choc-o-holic” trio completed the meal. While I am not a dessert man myself, Marci was in chocolate heaven. Chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and chocolate ice cream – what a trio! I think Alex had just cleared the table as we drifted off to sleep. Ahhh…

Birthdays at Cedar Key!

My birthday is September 20 and Chad’s is September 21. How lucky! We make birthdays a big deal! This year, we took a trip to Cedar Key, Florida, a sleepy little coastal town near the panhandle. The main key, Cedar Key, is surrounded by smaller key islands, perfect for fishing and pulling up for lunch and a swim. We, of course, took the kayaks and spent 3 days on the water. Dolphins, tortoises, and turtles came to visit near our kayaks. We ate the famous sweet clam chowder at Tony’s and had a few fun drinks at the local bar, Coconuts. We both caught fish – it was a great get-away right before the wedding. Happy Birthday to us!!!

Check out our pictures from Cedar Key – http://www.chadandmarci.com/pictures/?album=10

Pictures from our “Getting to Know You” Session

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We just received our digital copies of the pictures that Mike and Ann Buoy took on our “Getting to Know You” session with them. This session was a lot of fun! Mike and Ann basically joined us on a date and brought along their cameras. The results are organic and beautiful! Along with being a wonderful addition to our BLOG’s photo gallery, these pictures will be used to create a custom guest book for our wedding. We are definitely going to be ordering a couple of prints for the home and office as well.

Great job Buoy’s! I have said it before and I will say it again, you guys are the best wedding photographers in Orlando.

If you have never seen any of Mike and Ann’s other work, you have to check them out at http://www.mikebuoy.com/ .

Check out our pictures HERE.

Our Maiden Voyage…. on NEW Kayaks!

Chad and I bought kayaks yesterday and took them for an inaugural spin on Lake Virginia in Winter Park. We bought a blue one for me and a yellow one for Chad. He is already referring to his kayak as, “my other blond!” I thought he should name it, “The Banana Hammock” – the verdict is still out. : ) Mine is named Blue Belle. They are the new Hobie Revolution kayaks with a Mirage drive. This means we have a pedal in the center of the boat that allows you to choose – pedal OR paddle! It also has a rudder on the back for steering. These are prefect for fishing, you can easily pedal with your feet and have your hands completely free to FISH!

Yesterday, our maiden voyage took place on Lake Virginia in Winter Park. We paddled around the Winter Park chain and explored all the possible fishing holes. Then this morning, we went out again to Lake Virginia with our poles and spent a few hours tackling some bass.

The kayaks are a great way for us to get exercise, get outdoors, and explore our beautiful state. We have already planned a trip in December to camp at a few new sites. Now, we have the kayaks to spend our camping time on the water. Between fishing, paddling, and pedalling – we have decided these are our new way to enjoy the outdoors and enjoy being together.

To check out the pictures, CLICK HERE.