Hurricane Dean threatening Ambergris Caye, Belize

Ambergris Caye, Belize is probably my very favorite travel destination. My wife and I honeymooned there in 2004. The local population, downtown, and aquatic recreation are all top-notch. Part of the island’s charm is the fact that it’s small–you can drive (a rented golf cart) from one end of the island to the other in a little over an hour. Unfortunately, its small size and low elevation offer very little in the way of protection from hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane Keith, with sustained winds of 138 miles per hour, devastated the island in 2000. And just two years ago, Hurricane Wilma did no small amount of damage.

Today, Hurricane Dean threatens the Yucatan Peninsula and coast of Belize, including Ambergris Caye. I’m expecting that the first updates will come from the San Pedro Daily and AmbergrisCaye.com (most of the activity is in the official Hurricane forum, and the most active thread is here).

Here’s wishing the local population and remaining visitors well in the days and weeks to come.