I have lived in the Belizean jungle for over 8 years but I have spent most of my adult life on, in and around the ocean. When I need my salt water fix, I like to go to Tobacco Caye. This 5 acre hump of sand on the barrier reef has a hook in me like the hook my Dad had in this 4 foot barracuda. Despite my love for the island it has its drawbacks.
At first glance this tiny place seems like everything one could want from a tropical paradise; palm trees swaying in the island breeze, the sound of the waves lapping at the shoreline, lots of hammocks, the promise of snorkeling in an aquarium-like environment, smiling locals greeting me in their Caribbean dialect & conch fisherman selling their haul from their dugout canoes. As I walk around the island though I cannot help but see the dilapidated structures in various states of disrepair, garbage strewn nearly everywhere, most of the docks are falling apart and several of the locals who work on the island wear a permanent scowl. I think it’s the garbage that makes them surly.
The island is primarily made up of 6 “Lodges” that provide accommodations and food. Nearly all are very modest and consist of a small cabin or room with a couple of beds and a bathroom with a cold shower. On my three visits here I have found the food to be consistently mediocre with only a few exceptions. The Lodges are generally leased out by the owners and some change hands every few years.
On this visit my wife and I are less than a month from moving away from Belize but the opportunities out here threaten to draw us in. As I write this we have been here 4 days and two Lodges have either asked or insinuated that we could take over their leases. This isn’t my first day in Belize and I see the challenges of running a business out here but there is no doubt in my mind that we could make it work. Running Barton Creek Outpost for 8 years has given us some insight into this business and Jacquelyn and I have been discussing how we would do a few things to make minor improvements and do some marketing to bring more people in. I also know this, it is easy to look at other peoples’ challenges and talk about how you would fix them, walk a mile in their shoes and things often look different.
Regardless of what we would do here I am sure of this, someone could seriously benefit from taking their game to the next level on Tobacco Caye. Only two of the six lodges have websites, only one place appears well kept and almost no one has a staff that excels at customer service.