Belize Days, Island Ways
June 11, 2025
WHATS UP BELIZE FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!!! We are here to update you on our adventures this past week with our hilarious, curious, and outgoing group! Our first day started with sweaty hugs and friendly smiles in the airport before we made our way to Placencia for the first section of our trip. The kids chatted away in the back of our car ride, sharing their favorite songs they wanted to add to our playlist and playing endless get-to-know-you games. After a delicious lunch on the way, we arrived at the wonderful Royal Rat hostel and immediately threw down our bags so that we could jump in the pool. Graciously hosted by Sheila and Mark, the Australian and English couple that run the hostel, the group devoured pizza and quickly went to sleep, exhausted by the long travel day and excited for the first day of scuba.
Our first real day began with LODs (leaders of the day) Davis and Addy infecting the group with their positive energy. Although the weather was too windy to learn scuba skills in the ocean, we were able to go to a fun pool with pickleball and tennis courts to begin our intense but exciting training. Ethan and Ava were naturals with all of the scuba skills, serving as great examples for the rest of the group. While the other two groups were in the pool learning how to remove their BCDs and use their alternate air source, Guy and Stokes showed off their crazy pickleball skills. With delicious Belizian jerk chicken with rice, veggies, and fresh juice for lunch, all of the kids quickly ate before heading back to the hostel to swim and play the fan favorite game ERS (Egyptian Rat Slap). Whitley is the current reigning champion of the game, with Ethan close behind. The group got to walk down the road from the hostel and explore the beach, where Owen absolutely dominated our small game of hacky sack (no doubt from his soccer skills) while Stokes and Stephen retrieved and cracked fresh coconuts. By the end of the first day, with a wonderful moonup and full bellies from our home cooked fajitas, its safe to say everyone fell asleep quickly.
The next two days of scuba diving had our jaws on the floor! With friendly sharks and eels, as well as huge lobsters and colorful angelfish, this coral reef is un-belize-able! Stopping at picture perfect islands with crystal clear water, all of the kids absolutely crushed the scuba skills. Even the most difficult and scary tasks, like completely taking off the mask and putting it back on 30 feet below water, were done beautifully by Eloise. We saw some of the coolest coral and tons of sea life, with some awesome scuba pictures on the gopro. Ethan even learned how to make bubble rings, and we can’t wait to show you them on camera! Guy has been taking a ton of photos and we are 99% positive at least one of them will be posted on the Moondance instagram. Elle swiftly developed the scuba skills as well and has been diving like a pro! With how quickly she catches on to new skills, we can’t wait to see how she shines on the horseback riding day in particular. Adding to the basic hand signals that the scuba instructors use to communicate underwater, the boys have created their own complex sign language that allows them to talk while 40 feet down. The language has also made its way out of the water, as the whole group has adopted the funny expressions as our own. We ended these long, salty days with dips in the pool and talks around the bonfire. One night, with newly purchased clippers from the supermarket down the street, Davis got the buzz cut he had been begging for since day 1! Don’t worry, it actually looks really good. With endless laughs and so many inside jokes, its hard to belive that all of these kids only met a few days ago.
Once again due to windy weather, we moved our final day of diving so that we could go on a monkey river tour and manatee watch on day five. With insanely blue waters and picturesque mangroves, we boated through the jungle in search of crocodiles and howler monkeys. With Helen and Guy taking over the aux, we jammed out on our boat ride over to the town. After a quick hike with lots of monkeys followed by our imitation of monkey sounds, the group then headed to the monkey river town to buy some handmade souviners and eat yet another tasty Belizian meal. Grilling out with burgers and fries, we ended our more relaxed day with watermelon and card games before our moonup in the pool. Stephen has passed all of us with his newly found darts talents, even beating the seasoned pro Chase.
From yummy S’mores outside of the hostel to fun dinners at restaurants on the beach, our bellies and hearts are full as we head into the half way point of our trip. Thank you all for sharing your amazing kids with us, we truly are having the best time and can not wait to tell you all about it!!!!
– Claire and Chase
Shoutouts
Stephen- “hey mom and other siblings I’m nasty at darts now love and miss yall”
Davis- “hey mom hey dad hey Otis!!! I got a buzz cut and really like it. Love yall!
Stokes- “hello mom dad Peter Emily Lilly jack and Dave, I love all of you and I miss you but I am having sooo much fun without yall!!!!!”
Guy- “hi mom dad weezie and Betsy, it is very fun here, thanks for sending me.
Helen- “I love and miss you guys, happy early Father’s Day. Mom I’m not getting skin cancer and text Eliana’s mom and tell her I miss her and tell James I say hi”
Eloise- “Hey mom and dad I miss yall! I got officially scuba certified, but don’t worry I’m not getting too sunburnt. Belize is so much fun thank you so much! See you soon love yall!!”
Ava- “Hi mom and dad and coco. Thank you for letting me come on Moondance I promise I will actually do my chores when I get home. I’m having so much fun and I bet it is much better at home without me and Riley. Love you!”
Elle- “Hey mom and dad I’m having so much fun in Belize!! Scuba diving is so fun, I saw a shark! Love y’all”
Owen- “Hi mom and dad, Belize has been good I like a lot of the campers and my counselors are cool. My hammock has carried me through all the downtime as well. Happy early fathers day and can’t wait to see yall”
Addy- “hey guys I miss yall sooo much!!! Can’t wait to tell yall all the cool things we have been up to. Happy early Father’s Day. Love you all so much!”
Ethan- “Hey Mom and Dad I’m having a great time in Belize Scuba diving has been so fun and I was able to pet a shark. Happy early Father’s Day dad and I hope u guys are having fun in London and Scotland without me.”
Whitley- “Hey mom and dad I love you and miss you. I’m having the best time.”
Safe Arrival!
June 5, 2025
Hello Belize Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Belize City! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
