Lost canopy and rappelling

[2old4this]

Next to our parasailing at Key West, riding the wire over the Belize canopy followed by a little rappelling seems to me to be about as exciting as any of the Regent tours on our 7 days Mariner cruise. We have not had the opportunity in our past travels to skim tree tops and are wondering what you more experienced travelers have to say regarding the importance of the right shoes, clothes, bug repellent, etc., for this half day exposure to the elements. Jack Morris

[Travelcat2]

I'm assuming by your description that you will be doing a ziplining tour in Key West. The "canopy" tours we have done were not on a "wire". We have done ziplining (some with rappelling) in Costa Rica, the Caribbean and Alaska. I would recommend shoes that will not fall off and can be used for climbing as the places we have been require climbing ladders or hills. Clothing is not a big concern -- you can zipline wearing shorts or long pants. You definitely would want to lather some type of lotion on exposed parts of your body to protect against the sun (assuming there is sun). It is a good idea to have bug spray -- just in case. We ended up not needing it in Costa Rica or the Caribbean. . . . but it was definitely necessary in Alaska.

 

Have a great time!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

There's a rappelling tour in Belize, TC. Hoping somebody who did this on our cruise recently will post. I didn't talk to anyone on board who did.

[xrvlcruiser]

The tour is sold out on the 1/4/11 trip . . . my daughter and our friend are going so I'm curious about it as well.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Jack, you might want to ask your general questions over on the Belize destination board here at CC. I've seen general advice posted there of this nature.

[alexandra cruiser]

He s 67 and in good shape,,,thought it was quite a long walk and up steep areas that were uneven...quite a lot of instruction was given,,,and he enjoyed it....but would have liked more time actually doing it,,then getting there, preparing,etc..and walking back,,plus longish bus ride...he took bug spray,,but never needed it...did take fanny pack as directed ,,,,water was given,,,,wore regular tie shoes,,,,again,,,if never did it,,,give it a shot,,but be aware of above,,,,I took the city tour and airboat ride,,,and enjoyed it....less strenuous....;)

[2old4this]

Jack, you might want to ask your general questions over on the Belize destination board here at CC. I've seen general advice posted there of this nature.

 

For some unexplainable reason I never thought to go to a Belize destination board - didn't come across it in my viewings of CC. However, the suggestions right here have been quick, positive and helpful and I'm already very satisfied with their detail. Now I'll go look for the Belize board you noted. Jack Morris

[2old4this]

He s 67 and in good shape,,,thought it was quite a long walk and up steep areas that were uneven...quite a lot of instruction was given,,,and he enjoyed it....but would have liked more time actually doing it,,then getting there, preparing,etc..and walking back,,plus longish bus ride...he took bug spray,,but never needed it...did take fanny pack as directed ,,,,water was given,,,,wore regular tie shoes,,,,again,,,if never did it,,,give it a shot,,but be aware of above,,,,I took the city tour and airboat ride,,,and enjoyed it....less strenuous....;)

 

Your hubby probably understands why there are so few pictures of the people riding the wire. Could you ask him to explain this? I am guessing everyone is told to hang on and not take snaps. I'd appreciate his recall since I take lots of pictures and would like to do the same on this adventure. Jack Morris

[alexandra cruiser]

Yes,,,he just held on for dear life,,and tried to take mental pictures of trip,,,,but there are you tube videos ,,if you google them....of people taking videos of others zipping thru trees...it was enough for him to say he d go for it,,,and for me to do the airboat tour...hahaha....I say,,give it a shot..ps...you may want to take granola bars,,,can t take food of f ship at this port,,,and he wanted to avoid,,,the snacks available there...and he got back around 3pm....late for lunch...:)

[2old4this]

Yes,,,he just held on for dear life,,and tried to take mental pictures of trip,,,,but there are you tube videos ,,if you google them....of people taking videos of others zipping thru trees...it was enough for him to say he d go for it,,,and for me to do the airboat tour...hahaha....I say,,give it a shot..ps...you may want to take granola bars,,,can t take food of f ship at this port,,,and he wanted to avoid,,,the snacks available there...and he got back around 3pm....late for lunch...:)

 

Was hubby any worse for wear when he was back on board the ship? My guess he saw everyone else gearing up with harnesses and helmets and began to warm to the idea of that first release into the tree tops. The pictures show all sorts of folks, young and the seasoned, just flying off for a series of grand rides. Was he the oldest adventurer in his group? Hard to tell such things - but a glance around says a lot. Would he do it again somewhere else in his travels? Jack Morris

[alexandra cruiser]

and YES ,,he was oldest in group...and first one off to glide,,,laughed because everyone called him POPS,,,but could have been GRAMPS,,,,so go for it....good luck...oh he was fine after,,,but missed his lunch,,,,ordered him room service to recupperate,,hahaha:D

[2old4this]

and YES ,,he was oldest in group...and first one off to glide,,,laughed because everyone called him POPS,,,but could have been GRAMPS,,,,so go for it....good luck...oh he was fine after,,,but missed his lunch,,,,ordered him room service to recupperate,,hahaha:D

 

Please tell your 'gramps' 'Pops' hubby that I have him by more than a few years and I shall try to fly first if at all possible. And room service on a Regent ship is more than compensating. I can't wait to get on that wire . . . Jack Morris

[parisbijan]

My wife and I (late 40s) took this on the December 10 sailing. Echoing some of what was alrwady said:

 

1) The bus ride there was very uncomfortable - about an hour and a half, probably half of which is over an unpaved road. If you get motion sickness or have a bad back, it could be a problem. For us it was just a little unpleasant.

 

2) The zip line tour was a lot of fun. We had never done it before, and enjoyed it thoroughly. The people who run the zip line through the canopy do a great job of putting you at ease and really give you comfort that they know what they're doing.

 

3) We wore (and I woudl recommend) long pants and short sleeve shirts. Good sneakers/walking shoes also. We sprayed bug spray before leaving the ship. It might have been unnecessary, but at the very end, while we were waiting for the group to be done, there were a few mosquitos.

 

4) Totally agree on granola bars. There is no food except at the very end where there's a shop selling potato chips, etc. Nothing to worry about, but we were a bit hungry by 2pm or so. Definitely a day to have a big breakfast.

 

5) You can;t really take your own pictures. You;re allowed, but you need both hands on the zip line. I took one of my wife who was ahead of me. They take pictures and will put them on a CD for you at the end of the trip for $25. You can view them first. Probably not worth it in terms of actuakl value, but hey, it's a really tiny fraction of the cost of the vacation and you're not really in a position to bargain.

 

Summary: I would definitely do it. However, the next day in Guatemala we canceled our excursion because we didn't want another 1 1/2 hour bus ride (each way).

[2old4this]

Great response and timely Parisbijan. We fly out to Florida in the early morning and I am determined to ride the wire and tough out the long bumpy ride getting there and back. My fanny pack with be crammed with candy bars, bug spray, etc. I am guessing you bought into the CD which likely contained a few snaps of you and your wife and 50 other snaps of folks you found yourself with. No matter, it is having those pictures of the pair of you that count in the long run and not to worry about who actually snapped them. You didn't mention anything about the short rappelling at the end of the wire ride so I will assume that's a 'ho-hum' exercise that gave you no bother. When I return from this short cruise (4 - 11 Jan) I will give Cruise Critic my own version of the skip line ride and maybe rate it against my other excursions. I fully expect my rating will be high. Jack Morris

[2old4this]

I para sailed in Key West and did the Belize canopy gig a few days back and have much to say about both. Anyone wondering if these excursions are worth the money? Are you thinking maybe you're too old? Scare of high places? Need to talk with someone who just did both? I am your guy! Jack

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Well come on Jack, tell us all about it! Parasailing, pretty tame, but the canopy trip, give!

[2old4this]

Well come on Jack, tell us all about it! Parasailing, pretty tame, but the canopy trip, give!

 

By all means, Wendy, here comes . . .

 

The zip lining and rappelling turned out to be the high point excursion for Freda and I. Much more fun than the para sailing and the boat ride on the Rio Dulce and much better than the bus tour on Cozumel.

 

The Belize zip lining was, as I remember it, in three parts. Getting there over bumpy roads was a 1.5 hours ride each way. But well worth the trip for what followed. Once at the bottom of foothills, we were on foot and climbed into harness and helmets and received our canvas gloves; each of these are important as we soon found out. We then climbed a very steep trail for what seemed to be another 30 minutes. Anyone wearing flip-flops would have turned back for this was steep and rocky climbing demanding good shoes to the dark cave and then on to the first elevated platform. Phase two was about to begin.

 

Freda, my little darling, was among the first of the group to get her cable linked to the double line. I watched as she pondered her next move. Then the guide suggested she step off and, without a moment's delay, she was whizzing across a deep gorge and through the tree tops. Damn, but I was proud of her for what must have been one of the test moments of her life. Then I hooked up and began my slight drop from one platform to the second somewhere on the far side.

 

We worked our way from platform to platform as we made our descent from on high. By the last wire ride, we could have gone back and made the entire run a second time. We stood together and watched a few brave souls approach phase three from the final platform inside the cave where we had started. Rappelling was underway, the only way down, and it meant going over the side of a cliff and zipping 50 to 60 feet straight down to the jungle floor. We inched forward and again, like up on the first platform, Freda stood quietly and received her instructions. Over the side she went and, like a butterfly, made it safely to the cave's dirt floor. I went next and then we realized there was a second rappelling ahead, something we had not read about, and we did it, as well.

 

We were the elders on this venture as we had been para sailing a few days earlier, and I proudly stated my age, 82, to one of the guides fully expecting him to look me over and exclaim, "Man, you just set a zip line record!" He didn't even look up from his adjustments of my harness. His only comment was, "No big deal, dad, we had a 91 year old in here yesterday." I could have shot him.

 

Do it Wendy! It won't hurt . . . Jack Morris

[2old4this]

Well come on Jack, tell us all about it! Parasailing, pretty tame, but the canopy trip, give!

 

By all means, Wendy, here comes . . .

 

The zip lining and rappelling turned out to be the high point excursion for Freda and I. Much more fun than the para sailing and the boat ride on the Rio Dulce and much better than the bus tour on Cozumel.

 

The Belize zip lining was, as I remember it, in three parts. Getting there over bumpy roads was a 1.5 hours ride each way. But well worth the trip for what followed. Once at the bottom of foothills, we were on foot and climbed into harness and helmets and received our canvas gloves; each of these are important as we soon found out. We then climbed a very steep trail for what seemed to be another 30 minutes. Anyone wearing flip-flops would have turned back for this was steep and rocky climbing demanding good shoes to the dark cave and then on to the first elevated platform. Phase two was about to begin.

 

Freda, my little darling, was among the first of the group to get her cable linked to the double line. I watched as she pondered her next move. Then the guide suggested she step off and, without a moment's delay, she was whizzing across a deep gorge and through the tree tops. Damn, but I was proud of her for what must have been one of the test moments of her life. Then I hooked up and began my slight drop from one platform to the second somewhere on the far side.

 

We worked our way from platform to platform as we made our descent from on high. By the last wire ride, we could have gone back and made the entire run a second time. We stood together and watched a few brave souls approach phase three from the final platform inside the cave where we had started Rappelling was underway, the only way down, and it meant going over the side of a cliff and zipping 50 to 60 feet straight down to the jungle floor. We inched forward and again, like up on the first platform, Freda stood quietly and received her instructions. Over the side she went and, like a butterfly, made it safely to the cave's dirt floor. I went next and then we realized there was a second rappelling ahead, something we had not read about, and we did it, as well.

 

We were the elders on this venture as we had been para sailing a few days earlier, and I proudly stated my age, 82, to one of the guides fully expecting him to look me over and exclaim, "Man, you just set a zip line record!" He didn't even look up from his adjustments of my harness. His only comment was, "No big deal, dad, we had a 91 year old here yesterday." I could have shot him.

 

Do it Wendy! It won't hurt . . . Jack Morris

[2old4this]

If you would like to get a feel for the ziplining and rappelling excursion option open my web page and see for yourself. What a memorable blast it was! I will do it again on my next cruise if it is available. Your comments are desired!

http://awesome.webplus.net/BelizeZipline/index.html Jack Morris