Everywhere Magazine: Article: The Island that is Washing Away

Our captain was warned that Ranguana Caye is a dangerous place. Dangerous, because if you go there you may not want to go anywhere else.

Washed up by Tannis McCartney

The fading paint on this decaying boat matches the turquoise waters in the background. We were warned that this tiny Cay was dangerous--if we came here first we'd never leave.

When we anchored our catamaran, we had only been on our boat for a few days. It wasn't long enough to go stir crazy, but we were still really looking forward to getting off the boat and onto a beach.

We had sailed south from Little Water Caye, at a relaxing 3 knots, to Ranguana Caye. It is a tiny island near a break in the barrier reef. Even from a distance, it seemed like you could count the palm trees on the island.

Five of us headed out in the dinghy, to the island. The guys headed straight to the bar to get cold drinks--something we were excited about as the last of our ice had melted the day before.

Belikin beer in hand, we decided to explore the island. I think it took us less than ten minutes to walk all the way around it. One side had been severely eroded, leaving picnic tables, thatched shelters and even a brick oven tumbling into the sea.

We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out on the island until it was dinner time. There were pelicans to watch, Belikins to drink, and hammocks to be swung in.

Once all the food was cooking, the cook came and sat with us for a bit. She lives on the island year round with her brothers, managing the resort. It is an outpost of one of the resorts on the mainland, and consists of a few cabanas and a place where sailors like us can go for a home-cooked meal.

She showed us where the shoreline had been only a year ago--it extended out well beyond where the shelter, picnic tables and brick oven are now tipping into the water. The shoreline now wraps around the roots of the palm trees, but the trees don't grow fast enough to protect the island. The beach on the other side of the island, meanwhile, is being extended by new sand deposits.

Dinner on the island was fantastic--fresh fish (of course), fresh-baked bread, scalloped potatoes, vegetables, salad, and roast chicken.

Sunset was amazing--we're further south so the sun wasn't completely blocked by the storm cell that has formed in the west every other night we've been on the boat. It was an added bonus to watch the sunset from the caye, where the fading light turned the sand pink, and the birds and trees were silhouetted against a fiery sky.

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Ranguana Cay