Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker, often miss-spelled Caye Corker, is a small limestone coral island off the coast of Belize, measuring about 5 miles (8.0 km) (north to south) by less than 1 mile (1.6 km) (east to west). The town on the island is known as Caye Caulker Village.
Caye Caulker is located approximately 20 miles (32 km) 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 backpackers and other tourists. There are over 30 tiny hotels and a number of restaurants and shops.
The island is a sand bar over a limestone shelf. Underwater caves are found in the limestone. In front of the village, a shallow lagoon, between 6 inches (150 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 deep 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 Hurricane Hattie created the Split in 1961, which devastated Belize City, however that is a myth. Villagers who hand-dredged it maintain that it is essentially 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 waterway 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 easily pass. The natural erosion continues to this day and threatens the soft sand banks of the waterway.
