We Come From a Land Down Island

"I'm king of the world!"

Awaking to a bright morning sunrise to our East and the sight of a flat blue Caribbean to our west we started our day with a nice fire to enjoy. Heartily consuming our morning breakfast of cereal and peanut butter we then transitioned into packing up camp. We were sad to see the beautiful beach go but the warming sun got us excited for the day’s adventures.

packing up camp

Loading up in the van we headed out to our first stop. We stopped along the road and were pointed in the direction of a small trail. Walking along we were informed that the place we were soon to be visiting was called the Queen’s Bath. We stepped out onto a large rock formation made out of jagged rock, known by the locals as “death rock,” which was carved by the Atlantic Ocean’s crashing waves. We climbed around much like mountain goats taking pictures of the calm tide pools and surging surf. Even in this harsh climate many of us saw lots of wildlife including crabs and small fish.

This definitely looks like a bath

striking a pose

We continued our journey back down the island until we reached an old gift store next to an ice cream shop. While many of us searched through the gift store to find souvenirs and gifts for loved ones others stopped by the ice cream shop for a nice cold treat.

For lunch we stopped by an abandoned resort and hung out on the beach. Before snacking on peanut butter, jelly and pretzel sandwiches, the boys engaged in an intense game of ultimate Frisbee until we got winded and covered in a nice caking of sand. Afterwards, some of us went in the water, explored the beach or laid out on their towels and soaked in the vitamin D. While spending a few hours on the beach we were constantly reminded to drink water and stay hydrated by Casey and Galen.

A little slice of paradise

After the beach we stopped at Ocean hole. Located in the middle of the island it is connected to the ocean by tunnels naturally carved deep under the island. It is estimated to be over six hundred feet deep with no-one having ever reached the bottom! Casey and Galen led us on a path around the side to a place where we could jump off of a small cliff. Interestingly the top six inches of water were freezing cold but below was warm and comfortable. Galen explained that this was caused by a thin film of freshwater that being less dense that saltwater remained on the surface. While the saltwater remained the same temperature as the ocean the freshwater, having freshly fallen, had not yet been warmed. After jumping many of us put on masks and snorkels to observe a group of friendly fish accustomed to human presence.

Finally returning to the Island School around 5 o’clock we began the process of unpacking. Some of us washed dishes while others put away tents or sorted trash (called “resources” at the Island School) for reuse or recycling. We ate a filling dinner of rice, chicken, and vegetables. Afterwards we ended the day with a hysterical dance competition.

Signing off,

Isaiah and Mills