Caye Caulker
Encyclopedia
Caye Caulker is a small limestone
coral
island
off the coast of Belize
in the Caribbean Sea
measuring about 5 miles (8 km) (north to south) by less than 1 miles (1.6 km) (east to west). The town on the island is known by the name Caye Caulker Village. Some have said the island's name is derived from the practice of caulking
or sealing the seams in wooden boats to make them watertight, due to the high number of shipwrights on the island. "Caye Corker", the alternative spelling of the name used by British
cartographers, has largely fallen into disuse. This was a phonetic spelling which in older English was pronounced the same.
It is now generally agreed that the name was derived at a much earlier date from the Spanish name for the island "Cayo Hicaco". This refers to the Hicaco plum (Coco Plum) which grows wild on the island and was gathered by Spanish seafarers to combat scurvy.
Caye Caulker is located approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) north-northeast of Belize City
, and is accessible by high-speed water taxi
or small plane. In recent years the island has become a popular destination for backpacker
s and other tourists. There are over 30 tiny hotel
s, and a number of restaurant
s and shops
.
bar over a limestone shelf. Underwater caves are found in the limestone (which have claimed the lives of several scuba divers exploring them). In front of the village, a shallow lagoon
, between 6 inches (152.4 mm) and 14 feet (4.3 m) deep, meets the Belize Barrier Reef
to the east. In front of the village, the reef is known as a dry reef with the reef exposed at the surface, while further north the reef is a deep reef and lies under 2 to 8 feet (2.4 m) of water. This area is popular with windsurfers.
A narrow waterway known as the Split divides the island in two. Some people state that the Split was created by Hurricane Hattie
in 1961 which devastated Belize City
, however that is a myth. Villagers who actually hand dredged it maintain that it is largely a man-made feature. The Village Council Chairman at the time, Ramon Reyes, recounts that he and others dredged the waterway by hand after Hurricane Hattie opened a passage a few inches deep. This made a practical water way between the west and east sides of the island, intended at first for dugout canoes. The increased flow of tidal water has naturally dredged the opening to 20 feet (6.1 m) deep until larger boats can now easily pass. The natural erosion continues to this day and threatens the soft sand banks of the waterway.
in 1847, when many mestizos of mixed Maya
and Spanish
descent fled the massacres taking place across the Yucatán
.
The area of the village was granted to Luciano Reyes by Queen Victoria around 1870. Lots were sold to six or seven families, most of which still have descendants on the island today. The influence of these families is still very apparent.
The location of the main settlement on the island is thought to have remained unchanged for thousands of years. The bay at the back of the village provides shelter for boats while the reef at the front provides good protection from large waves. Also, the coral sand near the village provides good anchorage compared to the soft mud found elsewhere on the island.
hit the island in 1961, a storm surge
swept across the narrow part of the village. The wooden schoolhouse, being used as a shelter at the time, was smashed by the waves killing 13 people (mostly children).http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-32156804_ITM Fortunately, the eye of the storm passed to the south of the island sparing it.
The village council was supported in the task of rebuilding by Governor Thornley's Emergency Committee and formed teams to do various types of work. About 42 houses were built in a few weeks. The British Army also helped with helicopters bringing medical and food supplies. Caye Caulker remains vulnerable to direct hits from hurricanes because it has no defenses from storm surges.
In modern times there have been at least four major hurricanes which have devastated the island, the most recent of which was Hurricane Keith
in 2000. Since the island is only 8 feet (2.4 m) at its highest point, a strong storm surge can easily cover the entire island, as occurred during Hattie and Keith.
was fishing. The island sits in the middle of natural migration routes for fish, and feeding grounds for conch and lobster. During World War II
, fishermen living on the island also collected debris from torpedoed ships in the Caribbean
that came floating ashore. The most lucrative were bales of rubber. The fishing industry is thought to support about 80 families on the island.
As speedboats came into use in the 1970s tourists became more regular. Hippies following the so-called "Gringo Trail", of Isla Mujeres
, Tulum, Caye Caulker, Tikal
and Lake Atitlan in Guatemala
passed through the island (many of them making use of the easily available marijuana). The reputation spread by word of mouth.
Today, the diversified economy of the village still includes lobster
, fish, and tourists. Internet e-commerce is growing in a small way. Recent hurricanes had a major effect on lobster fishing as well as dramatically affecting the vegetation. The island ecology is slowly returning to that prior to the storms. The island is now becoming a center for many painters and some musicians. There are also a few up and coming lyrical artists on the island, prominent among them include Alexander Joseph, otherwise known as "Bobbo youth" and ILYA Rosado a.k.a "ILLA-G" who have developed a local islander fan base with their rap and reggae style music.
The small airplanes and asphalt-paved airstrip of Caye Caulker Airport
may appear small to visitors accustomed to jet airliners and long concrete runways, but the system of barrier islands support a lively network of air transportation with an array of travel times. For those passengers preferring a route more commonly adopted by locals, there is a regular water taxi service providing transportation to and from the island. Taxi service is available from the main Belize City airport
. The speedboats used are capable of carrying around 50 people. The watercraft typically sport two or three large motors and make the journey in about 45–50 minutes.
Once on the island, the main mode of transport is simply walking. The paths are well defined, and crossing the island takes 20 minutes at most. Bicycles and golf carts are also common and can be rented. Visitors prone to sunburn
should take precautions, as the island is entirely white coral sand, and reflected sunlight can cause mild sunburns even in the shade. The Island is also used as a popular launch off for SCUBA diving the Great Blue Hole
, with several expeditions per week.
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
off the coast of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
measuring about 5 miles (8 km) (north to south) by less than 1 miles (1.6 km) (east to west). The town on the island is known by the name Caye Caulker Village. Some have said the island's name is derived from the practice of caulking
Caulking
Caulking is one of several different processes to seal joints or seams in various structures and certain types of piping. The oldest form of caulking is used to make the seams in wooden boats or ships watertight, by driving fibrous materials into the wedge-shaped seams between planks...
or sealing the seams in wooden boats to make them watertight, due to the high number of shipwrights on the island. "Caye Corker", the alternative spelling of the name used by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
cartographers, has largely fallen into disuse. This was a phonetic spelling which in older English was pronounced the same.
It is now generally agreed that the name was derived at a much earlier date from the Spanish name for the island "Cayo Hicaco". This refers to the Hicaco plum (Coco Plum) which grows wild on the island and was gathered by Spanish seafarers to combat scurvy.
Caye Caulker is located approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) north-northeast of Belize City
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
, and is accessible by high-speed water taxi
Water taxi
A water taxi or water bus, also known as a commuter boat, is a watercraft used to provide public transport, usually but not always in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or on demand to many locations, operating in a similar...
or small plane. In recent years the island has become a popular destination for backpacker
Backpacking (travel)
Backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel and/or budget travel are often used...
s and other tourists. There are over 30 tiny hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s, and a number of restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and shops
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
.
Geography
The island is basically a sandSand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
bar over a limestone shelf. Underwater caves are found in the limestone (which have claimed the lives of several scuba divers exploring them). In front of the village, a shallow lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
, between 6 inches (152.4 mm) and 14 feet (4.3 m) deep, meets the Belize Barrier Reef
Belize Barrier Reef
The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly offshore in the north and in the south within the country limits...
to the east. In front of the village, the reef is known as a dry reef with the reef exposed at the surface, while further north the reef is a deep reef and lies under 2 to 8 feet (2.4 m) of water. This area is popular with windsurfers.
A narrow waterway known as the Split divides the island in two. Some people state that the Split was created by Hurricane Hattie
Hurricane Hattie
Hurricane Hattie was the deadliest tropical cyclone of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the strongest, reaching a peak intensity equivalent to Category 5 hurricane intensity...
in 1961 which devastated Belize City
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
, however that is a myth. Villagers who actually hand dredged it maintain that it is largely a man-made feature. The Village Council Chairman at the time, Ramon Reyes, recounts that he and others dredged the waterway by hand after Hurricane Hattie opened a passage a few inches deep. This made a practical water way between the west and east sides of the island, intended at first for dugout canoes. The increased flow of tidal water has naturally dredged the opening to 20 feet (6.1 m) deep until larger boats can now easily pass. The natural erosion continues to this day and threatens the soft sand banks of the waterway.
Settlement
Caye Caulker is thought to have been inhabited for hundreds of years, however the recent population levels didn't start until the Caste War of YucatanCaste War of Yucatán
The Caste War of Yucatán began with the revolt of native Maya people of Yucatán, Mexico against the population of European descent, called Yucatecos, who held political and economic control of the region. A lengthy war ensued between the Yucateco forces in the north-west of the Yucatán and the...
in 1847, when many mestizos of mixed Maya
Maya peoples
The Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...
and Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
descent fled the massacres taking place across the Yucatán
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
.
The area of the village was granted to Luciano Reyes by Queen Victoria around 1870. Lots were sold to six or seven families, most of which still have descendants on the island today. The influence of these families is still very apparent.
The location of the main settlement on the island is thought to have remained unchanged for thousands of years. The bay at the back of the village provides shelter for boats while the reef at the front provides good protection from large waves. Also, the coral sand near the village provides good anchorage compared to the soft mud found elsewhere on the island.
Hurricane Hattie
When Hurricane HattieHurricane Hattie
Hurricane Hattie was the deadliest tropical cyclone of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the strongest, reaching a peak intensity equivalent to Category 5 hurricane intensity...
hit the island in 1961, a storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
swept across the narrow part of the village. The wooden schoolhouse, being used as a shelter at the time, was smashed by the waves killing 13 people (mostly children).http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-32156804_ITM Fortunately, the eye of the storm passed to the south of the island sparing it.
The village council was supported in the task of rebuilding by Governor Thornley's Emergency Committee and formed teams to do various types of work. About 42 houses were built in a few weeks. The British Army also helped with helicopters bringing medical and food supplies. Caye Caulker remains vulnerable to direct hits from hurricanes because it has no defenses from storm surges.
In modern times there have been at least four major hurricanes which have devastated the island, the most recent of which was Hurricane Keith
Hurricane Keith
Hurricane Keith caused extensive damage in Central America, especially in Mexico and Belize. The fifteenth tropical cyclone, eleventh named storm, and seventh hurricane of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season, Keith developed as a tropical depression from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea...
in 2000. Since the island is only 8 feet (2.4 m) at its highest point, a strong storm surge can easily cover the entire island, as occurred during Hattie and Keith.
Economy
The main industry on the island prior to tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
was fishing. The island sits in the middle of natural migration routes for fish, and feeding grounds for conch and lobster. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, fishermen living on the island also collected debris from torpedoed ships in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
that came floating ashore. The most lucrative were bales of rubber. The fishing industry is thought to support about 80 families on the island.
The growth of tourism on the island
Tourism first started on the island around 1964, with only a few visitors on weekends from the mainland Belleview Hotel, brought out by a local boat called 'Sailfish', built by a schoolteacher beside the then Teachers House. The early tourists were mostly people working with the Belize Government. Around 1969, Dr. Hildebrand of the University of Corpus Christi started visiting each winter with a Marine Biology Expedition of around 24 students. Backpackers also found their way to the island at this time, but transportation was only by fishing sailboats and there was no accommodation. The Alamina, Reyes and Marin families pioneered the tourism industry and the first Scuba Diving lessons and trips were started around the late 1960s.As speedboats came into use in the 1970s tourists became more regular. Hippies following the so-called "Gringo Trail", of Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is one of the ten municipalities of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. The municipality, located in the northeastern corner of the state is mostly on the mainland and has a municipal seat of the same name; Isla Mujeres...
, Tulum, Caye Caulker, Tikal
Tikal
Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now northern Guatemala...
and Lake Atitlan in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
passed through the island (many of them making use of the easily available marijuana). The reputation spread by word of mouth.
Today, the diversified economy of the village still includes lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
, fish, and tourists. Internet e-commerce is growing in a small way. Recent hurricanes had a major effect on lobster fishing as well as dramatically affecting the vegetation. The island ecology is slowly returning to that prior to the storms. The island is now becoming a center for many painters and some musicians. There are also a few up and coming lyrical artists on the island, prominent among them include Alexander Joseph, otherwise known as "Bobbo youth" and ILYA Rosado a.k.a "ILLA-G" who have developed a local islander fan base with their rap and reggae style music.
The small airplanes and asphalt-paved airstrip of Caye Caulker Airport
Caye Caulker Airport
Caye Caulker Airport is an airport that serves Caye Caulker, Belize. The runway is asphalt.-Scheduled service:...
may appear small to visitors accustomed to jet airliners and long concrete runways, but the system of barrier islands support a lively network of air transportation with an array of travel times. For those passengers preferring a route more commonly adopted by locals, there is a regular water taxi service providing transportation to and from the island. Taxi service is available from the main Belize City airport
Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport
Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport is an airport that serves Belize's largest city, Belize City. It was named for politician Phillip Stanley Wilberforce Goldson, who died in 2001....
. The speedboats used are capable of carrying around 50 people. The watercraft typically sport two or three large motors and make the journey in about 45–50 minutes.
Once on the island, the main mode of transport is simply walking. The paths are well defined, and crossing the island takes 20 minutes at most. Bicycles and golf carts are also common and can be rented. Visitors prone to sunburn
Sunburn
A sunburn is a burn to living tissue, such as skin, which is produced by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, commonly from the sun's rays. Usual mild symptoms in humans and other animals include red or reddish skin that is hot to the touch, general fatigue, and mild dizziness. An excess of UV...
should take precautions, as the island is entirely white coral sand, and reflected sunlight can cause mild sunburns even in the shade. The Island is also used as a popular launch off for SCUBA diving the Great Blue Hole
Great Blue Hole
The Great Blue Hole is a large submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape, over across and deep...
, with several expeditions per week.