Death Defying Boat Ride To Belize

    After a couple days we decided to head to Belize so we hopped on a small boat over to the nearby port city. The ocean was very rough this day and we were getting soaked by waves as they crashed into the bow of the small pontoon boat. Got to the port and walked to the Guatemala/Belize immigration. We were greeted at the door by a very nice local guy who helped us fill out our paper work, showed us were to get some food and sold us our boat tickets to Belize. We waited for a while and then the guy came back and said the sea was to rough so we had to wait another couple hours until we could go.We went down to a restaurant on the water and got some food and drinks and bumped some music to pass the time.
    A very old and haggered looking man came up and started talking to me. We ended up talking quite a bit and I soon learned that he had just been released from San Quinten Prison a couple weeks ago and was deported back to Guatemala. He told me some insane stories of prison life and how he ran a gang. I kind of doubted his story as it was some crazy stuff like having to stab people and trying to escape. He then took off his shirt and he had prison tattoos all over and obvious stab and knife wounds. He seemed like the sweetest old man and not some gang leader though. He had changed his ways and seemed very happy about being out and leading the rest of his life happy and legit. He took out a piece of styrofoam and colored pencils and drew me a picture of a rose with a strange drawing technique I have never seen before. Very interesting guy I will never forget.

    Our boat was ready to leave and we got on board. It was a speed boat type with about 400 horse power via 2 large engines in the back. Josh and I were the only passengers as the entire front was taken up by large mattresses held down by one guy in the front. We took off into the open sea bouncing all over the place due to the rough ocean. The waves just got bigger and bigger the further from the coast we got until it just got dangerous and ridiculous. We were full speed through the water approaching eight foot breaking waves on this little speed boat.
    The driver was so pro at driving I was blown away, we would hit huge waves max throttle launching the whole boat into the air and clearing the gap between waves making a smooth landing on the backside of the the next wave. He would then cut the throttle to narrowly miss a huge white wash from a breaking wave and then hit the throttle again riding the side of the next swell like a skateboard on a half pipe using the thrust from the turn to launch the next wave. I for sure thought we were going to die multiple times and there were no life vest and we were so far off the coast drowning would of been eminent. Im very surprised we survived no joke. The ride was like this for about 45 minutes, it was quite intense.

     When we made it to dock I gave the driver a high five and we got off and went through customs. We then waited at the bus station for the next bus to come by. This town was so quiet it was erie. There was no one around at all and it was totally silent. A old truck pulls up and 3 women get out and sit next to us. I notice one of them had a big gash in her head and is bleeding. I ask her what happened and she said she was just riding in a Semi-Truck that had crashed and rolled right down the road. She looked pretty hurt but was still very friendly. We all boarded the bus and she sat across from me and we continued to talk. Soon traffic slowed down and she pointed out the window. There on the side of the road was a huge semi truck and trailer upside down in a ditch.
      I zone out for a while admiring the landscape of Belize out the bus window. Such a different feel here then Guatemala, I don't know how to explain it. It takes us quite a while but the bus drops us off and we walk down a dirt road trying to find a boat to take us to Pino island which is right off the coast. I guess the boats stop running at 5pm. We showed up at 5:10pm. They told us they are no longer working and we would have to charter a private boat there for $50! There is no way we are paying $50 for a 15 minute dingy boat ride. We argue with him for a while but he wont budge. A local guy shows up and says he will pitch in $10 if we pay the rest. We had no choice really so we take his money and get in the boat.
     I have a half full bottle of rum sticking out of my bag and the guy asks me for a sip. I say ya no problem and hand him the bottle. He takes a sip and then says, can I have the whole thing? I say no your welcome to have some but you cant have all of it. He then gets very offended and starts going off about how he doesent like me and how he is a gangster on this island. He is getting very hostile and making threats to us about how he better not see us on his island. I had literally did nothing but be nice to this guy, he was crazy.
      The last thing we need is a fight with a local guy so I give the bottle to him and we get off he boat and leave. That was stupid. Its almost dark now and we find a chill place to stay on the beach then walk down the one path in town and grab some dinner and call it a night. Wooo what a day!