mail list :: yarns :: tricks 'n tips :: patterns :: t-shirts :: accessories :: classes :: photo gallery :: in the loop
What the heck?
“Knitini” is a longstanding tradition on the North Shore of Boston... Once a month, a group of fiber enthusiasts gather at a local bistro to sip special yarn-inspired concoctions, knit in public, gamble away stash yarn, and laugh raucously.
Hosted by Yarns in the Farms, located in the tiny seaside village of Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, the event has grown over the years to include knitting retreats in Vermont, Texas, New York... and now, the 3rd Annual Knitini Belize sets sail.
Oh! When!
February 27 - March 6, 2010, 7 nights
Tell me more!
Knitini Belize is the perfect knitter's vacation. Great food, guided snorkeling, SCUBA diving, fishing, swimming, shelling, birding, kayaking, Belizean cooking classes, and of course, knitting workshops with great people!
Join 12 Knitini Belizeans on a tiny island located 30 miles off the coast of Belize, on the Turneffe Atoll. This atoll is truly an ecological treasure. Our home base is Turneffe Flats, a small eco-resort with no roads, no cars, no phones... just bliss
Where is this paradise?
Belize is home to three of the four coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere, with Turneffe being the largest and most biologically diverse. Turneffe Atoll is located approximately 30 miles from Belize City, and the boat trip to Turneffe Flats takes about 90 minutes on their 48 foot Custom Dive Boat. The scenic trip takes you through the offshore cays, the Barrier Reef, and the mangrove channels at Turneffe before arriving at Turneffe Flats.
Turneffe Flats is located on the Eastern (seaward) side of the Turneffe Atoll on a beautiful private point with coconut palms and white sand beach allowing immediate access to miles of wadeable flats as well as the best diving and snorkeling in Belize.
Awaken in your air-conditioned (or just open the windows!) beachfront cabana to an incredible tropical seascape of white sand beach, tranquil bonefish flats, lush mangroves and the surf breaking over the reef for miles in either direction. Watch a spectacular sunrise from your verandah and when night falls, the stars look close enough to touch.
What do we do there?
Turneffe Atoll offers several world-class snorkeling sites. You can expect to see a wide variety of tropical reef fishes, rays, sea turtles, lobsters, dolphins and possibly sometimes a manatee.
While snorkeling, we will always be accompanied by an experienced Atoll Adventure Guide, who are masters at helping even novice snorkelers feel comfortable in the water. They will make sure that your equipment fits and will teach you the best snorkeling techniques. They know where to find all of the interesting creatures and will ensure that you make the most of your snorkeling adventure.
The Atoll Adventure Guides are informative and fun, with a 25 foot boat at their disposal - allowing us access to all of this wonderful marine ecosystem. The activities are adapted to the desires and abilities of Knitini Belizeans on a day-to-day basis.
At several sandy areas around the atoll, you can snorkel above huge cushion sea stars, varying in color from pale yellow to burgundy red. If you wish to add to your seashell collection, there are opportunities to walk the shores of the many small cays on the Atoll to search for a variety of shells that wash up with each tide. Conch fishing is a vital part of the commercial fishing economy at Turneffe and there are thousands of discarded queen conch shells to choose from.
Meals are a tasty combination of Belizean and International dishes served family-style. Fresh seafood, local produce and home-baked pastries are standard fare. Depending upon your plans and your preference, you will have the option to take a packed lunch or return to the lodge for lunch. Following hors d'oeuvres and refreshments, dinner is the big meal of the day comprised of soup or salad, entree and homemade dessert. Entrees vary among seafood, chicken, pork and beef. If you have special dietary needs, they always do their best to accommodate you. The bar is located in the "Lodge" just off of the dining area with plenty of open space to gather around after a day of adventure, and large decks and screened porch are ideal places for our knitting workshops.
Quick Details:
When? February 27 - March 6, 2010, 7 nights
Where? Turneffe Flats, 30 miles off the Belizean coast
Who? 12 lucky people, with Jill and Carolyn from Yarns in the Farms
Why? To learn new fiber skills, to snorkel in the pure Caribbean Sea, go Bone Fishing, scuba diving in the world renowned Blue Hole, and visit the nesting sites of Red-footed Boobies and Frigate Birds... and eat.
How much? $2, 250 per person, double-occupancy.
What does this include?
Includes knitting workshops and materials (bring your on-going projects, too)
7 nights accommodations, including taxes (based on double occupancy)
3 meals (and snacks) daily
Transport from Belize City airport
Ferry service to the island
Guide services, including snorkeling transportation and instruction
Cooking classes
Attention Divers and fisher-folk:
Dive package is $2, 900, fishing package is $4,300, and includes all of the above.
When will we have time to knit?
We knit all the time. On the boats, under water, everywhere. But the workshops usually happen in the afternoons, from 4-6 PM.
Past knitting workshops have included needle-felting, Shibori, Lace patterns, socks, and intarsia color work. Because our group is small, we can tailor classes to fit any level
For more info, contact Jill or Carolyn info@yarnsinthefarms.com or 978/927-2108.
This is a nature lover’s paradise. There are more than 60 bird species identified on the Turneffe atoll. Looking for West Indian Manatees or Bottlenose Dolphins is exciting and fun. Learn the fascinating history of the Turneffe Atoll beginning with the Maya, who fished and traded on the Turneffe Atoll as far back as 400 A.D., to the Pirates of the Caribbean who used Turneffe as a favored hideout. Join a Belizean cooking class or just relax in a hammock under the coconut palms.
