Thatching

Dear Slickrock Friends,

We still have availability for 9^th and 16^th December at 20% discount, due to cancellations.



There are also a few spaces left for Christmas and New Year’s, should you like to spend a week on the island, with a night either side of that, in the jungle.

Since Covid, we discontinued the day trips. We highly recommend our friends at Black Orchid Resort who offer everything from Mayan ruins, to birdwatching, should you want to add on a few days. 




The weather patterns have been out of kilter the past few years.

Although the rainy season is from June to November, the most prominent time for hurricanes in Belize are September and October.  

There is Tropical Storm Lisa en route to Belize, as we speak. It is due to reach Belize by Wednesday evening and possibly turn into a Category 1 Hurricane, reaching 74-95 mph.
 


The tail end of Hurricane Julia caused some damage, mainly just the thatched cabanas. We are mid-way through fixing and replacing several cabanas, and the three palapas where we store the sports equipment from the elements.



This isn’t as bad as it sounds. On the mainland, thatch can last nigh on 20 years. The salt spray, alongside the sun’s ultraviolet on the island reduces that lifespan by at least 75%. 



We end up replacing some cabanas once a year on a rotating basis, using cohune leaves from the mainland. This year, we have trialed using a barge for 1,800 leaves, which worked great, albeit a six-and-a-half-hour commute (usually under two hours). 



Jungle vines replace the usual rope used to thread them together, which are more weather resistant. 



The whole process and expertise never cease to amaze, with each leaf stripped in half and threaded by a team of eight, using generation-old Maya knowledge. 



This includes the collecting of the leaves within nine days either side of a full moon to minimise bugs being present and damaging leaves. 



Producing a natural, multi-layered guttering system, topped with a ridge, the fascinating patterns are so much more than just visually pleasing.



We will complete the island repairs from this weekend, so fingers crossed for minimal damage.

Kayaks, windsurfs, and SUP’s will be put out, just in time for reopening of the resort.



We would be honoured to welcome you this winter.