Belize River Lodge Live-A-Board (May 14 - 20, 2006)

At Belize River Lodge, we are proud to be the pioneers in developing live-aboard cruises within Belize. Each mothership comes with it's own crew, Captain, Guide, Chef, and flats skiffs. For the truly adventurous sport fisherman or cruising aficionado, this is the ultimate safari.

This is the most successful and versatile way to travel to remote locations in order to fish the flats, mangrove channels, rivers, coral reefs, and cayes of Belize for Permit, Bonefish, Tarpon, Snook, Barracuda, Jack, Snapper, and many other species of game fish. GRAND SLAMS are common on these trips.

Living aboard one of our comfortable motherships allows you to visit a variety of fishing grounds not otherwise accessible in this, the last uncrowded region left in the Caribbean. Fishing is from comfortable 23 Panga flats skiffs. Experienced and hard working guides assist you in fishing at your own pace... .early, late, or all day. No long runs in the skiff, since your captain has anchored your mothership in a calm protected area near the fishing. Unbelievably good snorkeling is usually close. At the end of the day, retire to your luxurious floating resort to relax and enjoy one of the spectacular sunsets which are only available in the tropics. Enjoy refreshments in the fully air-conditioned comfort of your yacht. You will easily forget about diets this week as you enjoy excellent meals prepared by our on-board chef. This is truly the ultimate get-away-from-it-all fishing vacation, no schedules to keep. We take care of all the details, you fish and relax.

We offer full fishing cruises aboard either mothership. The 23' skiffs are towed behind the motor yacht and used for fishing, trolling, snorkeling the spectacular Caribbean Sea and wonderful, colorful Barrier Reef, and also exploring the beautiful cayes, beaches, and shore areas. The vacation cruise is for those who want to be away from it all, for fun filled family holidays or for the two or three couples looking for a very relaxing vacation. Let your crew, captain, mate & cook, do all the work while you relax and enjoy yourselves.

In an effort to offer our clients the very best in facilities and equipment, we are constantly upgrading. The motherships Cristina & Blue Yonder accommodate four people and crew.

For the discriminating sport fisherman, we have the luxurious Cristina, an air conditioned 58' Hatteras Yacht-Fisherman. This vessel is the best equipped in all of Belize, and it offers the absolute ultimate in personal accommodations, comfort and safety at sea. The Cristina has two guest bedrooms, a master with a queen which can be converted to two single beds, and a guest room with two single beds. There are two private bathrooms with hot & cold freshwater showers. A large salon area to relax in, offers a CD player, color TV, and VCR; also an enclosed dining area with a wet bar, and ice maker. The fly bridge with comfortable seating offers great views.

Another choice to fish the same fantastic area is Blue Yonder, a 52' Chris Craft motoryacht. This Air Conditioned Vessel features two bedrooms with two single beds in each. It has two bathrooms, one with a freshwater, hot and cold shower. A large salon/dining area to relax in offers a radio/cassette player. An open air aft deck, with table and chairs, is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy cocktails. The fly bridge offers a great place to watch sunrises and sunsets.

Keith Kaneko

Keith is a top local drift boat guide and has his own fly fishing travel business, Angling On the Fly, located at Kiene's Fly Shop.

Read Keith's biography.

Belize River Lodge Live-A-Boards:

• The Cristina (58' Hatteras Yacht: capacity 4 Anglers) - $3,125.00 (USD) - Deposit $1,562.50
• The Blue Yonder (52' Chris Craft Yacht: capacity 4 Anglers) - $2,196.00 (USD) -Deposit $1098.00

A typical day depends upon you, your friends, and your crew. As there are no schedules to keep, fishing times are very flexible. Please remember that the average guiding day is 8 to 10 hours.

Arrival Day You are met at the airport by a staff member, and taken to the Lodge to check in. Mothership boarding time is approximately 4:30 PM. After boarding your mothership and meeting your crew, you and your fishing mate can settle into your room, unpack, and sort gear, with a cocktail. Meanwhile the captain will be setting sail for one of the nearby cayes, approximately two hours, where you will anchor for the night. Upon setting anchor, your chef will serve an appetizing dinner. After dinner, you can sit on the aft deck or fly bridge, enjoying the evening and discussing the upcoming week.

Day 1 thru Day 5 -This is where your options begin.

1st Option, Early Bird: A day could start early at sunrise with coffee, tea, or juice. Fish near the boat for one to two hours. Early morning fishing can be some of the best fishing of the day. Then return to the boat for breakfast. After breakfast, you can head back out to fish until midday, then return to the boat for a nice relaxing lunch in air conditioning. After a leisurely lunch, maybe a siesta, you can head back out for an afternoon of fishing. Return to the boat for cocktails, dinner, and a nice relaxing evening.

2nd Option: A day could start with sleeping in and forgetting the stress of the outside world. Have a mid morning breakfast, and then head out to fish until lunch. Return to the boat for a nice relaxing lunch in air conditioning. After lunch, resume fishing, and then return to the boat for an enjoyable dinner and watch the sunset.

Note: Both of these options are 9 to 10 hours of fishing per day. Mothership Travel time is daylight hours only. Whatever you choose to do, let your guide and chef know, so they can plan for your day. Just remember, you, along with your captain and crew, are in control of your trip.