Hawken Marine 2017: We're Going Down Down to Down Island

Hey there, long time no blog! We spent the whole day traveling, adventuring, and camping, and we are extremely excited to share all of our stories from yesterday.

One of the greatest moments from yesterday had to be sleeping in until 7:45am. We enjoyed our last time using running water and headed to our unknown destination.

we're buckled up and ready for adventure!

After about forty-five minutes in the vans, Casey and Galen pulled over on the side of the road; we all thought something was wrong with the vans. Turns out nothing was wrong with the vans and we were actually at the first stop. We all applied an ample amount of bug spray and then followed a narrow, overgrown path to an amazing sight. A gigantic banyan tree (or trees, it might have been two) greeted us with its intertwined branches reaching out to pull our curiosity in. We learned about the history of the tree and also the creatures that inhabit the area. We even spotted Galen’s favorite spider and some wild horse poop.

land before time anyone?

Our next stop was the infamous Governors Harbor Bakery. As we stepped out of the vans, we instantly smelled the aroma of fresh pastries. Between the cream cheese and coconut danishes, our collective sweet tooth was satisfied.

going all in

After a minor sugar rush, we went to Hatchet Bay. Hatchet Bay is home to a series of caves that have been there for hundreds of years. Back in the good old days, these caves were not only used as a burial site for the Lucayans, the indigenous people of The Bahamas, but they were also used as a place for pirates to hide their booty! There was a bunch of graffiti on the walls of the caves with names and dates, and the earliest date we saw was 1882 written in charcoal. A really spooky moment was when we turned off all of the flashlights and sat in complete darkness while we listened to the drips of the growing cave.

going underground

deeper still...

all the way down

Hands down the COOLEST part of this trip was our fourth stop: the Glass Window Bridge. The Glass Window Bridge is one of the only places in the world that you can stand in one location and see both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It was breathtaking to see the treacherous, dark blue water of the Atlantic contrasted with the calm, inviting, and clear water of the Caribbean. It was a glass window of opportunity for great photos!

pretty remarkable contrast

We went from one breathtaking view to another when we arrived at our campsite. It was located on a white, sandy beach. As the sun set over the water turning the clouds a bright orange, we set up tents, built a toasty fire and cooked us up some stir-fry. After eating three pots of rice, we all laid out on the beach and stared up into a sky filled with twinkling stars. Whether you were looking in the North, South, East, or West, you could find a shooting star. Not only could you occasionally see a shooting star, but the Milky Way was vibrant in the dark, night sky.