Post #66: The Best Hike Evah!

Monday, February 15, 2021

We’ve been with only rare WiFi and no cell phone access for almost 10 days so when we heard that we might have reception at the top of Boo Boo Hill (I did not make that up), we were all ready and eager to begin the hike at 9 a.m.  Let’s go, campers! 

We followed the well-marked trail along mangrove swamps and hot, dry eroded mounds of coral and limestone.  Deep wells, craters, and shallow puddles had been carved by the wind and water and the remaining rock formed spikes and pockmarks.

(There’s actually a little fish in that water, although I have no idea how he got there!)

Since I’m one of “those” people who read every sign (ask my kids—drives them crazy), I learned today that there are actually three different types of mangroves: White, which grows in the upper reaches of the tidal zone, well above the high tide line; Black, which is more like a shrub or small tree and thrives in seawater because its roots can breathe even when submerged; and Red which is easily identified by its above ground “prop” roots that look like long fingers reaching down into the water.

It was the white mangrove that captured my attention.  How could anything grow in such a seemingly dry environment?

Turns out a fresh water “lens” exists under many of the cays and islands.  Rainwater percolates down through the limestone and collects at sea level. Due to the specific gravities of salt water and fresh water, the fresh water remains delicately balanced on top of the salt water, thus creating the lens. This water is life itself for many inhabitants—natural sinkholes in the rock act like wells and provide access to the lens for people. Many plants, including grasses, have roots that find their way through the hollows in the rock all the way down to the lens.

But other plants develop a vast network of shallow roots that are very efficient at capturing the little bit of rainfall that does occur.  The leaves of these plants, in turn, provide water needed by the animals, reptiles and insects that live on Warderick Wells.  Some of the plants, though, have developed incredible self-defense mechanisms, to protect their own moisture. The toxins in the Poisonwood plant deter many plant eaters (including humans). Joewood leaves contain a potent insecticide and the edges of its leaves curl down to shelter the breathing pores of the plant during high winds to keep them from drying out. Even more astounding to me, a waxy cuticle grows on the upper side of the leaf to prevent moisture loss and filters out UV rays.  In other words, Joewood produces and applies its own sunscreen!

The path next took us over the creek that feeds the mangroves thanks to strategically placed flat rocks and a simple wooden bridge.  (Can you hear us whistling the theme to Bridge Over the River Kwai?)

The climb afforded us a bird’s-eye view of the “lay of the land.” I could not help but reflect that we have become so laser-focused on the water, the wind, the current, the coral, the sand, etc., that we miss the bigger picture: the enormous natural forces that shaped this place over eons and continue to reshape it every day.

I’d like to know who had the job of christening the beaches we got to choose from:

We chose Barefoot Beach, a path that took us through a palm grove:

and brought us to an untamed beach of sugar sand, colorful shells, mounds of weathered limestone, sandstone and coral, and crashing waves.

Keen-eyed Rebecca from Pleiades spied a bird in the rocks, hiding in plain sight.  Can you find it? 

Here’s a zoomed in version to help you out:

Such serendipitous observations have been some of the best parts of traveling with this group for each person brings his or her special interest or expertise to our adventures. For example, Rebecca took a course in marine biology in college and is usually the first one to identify fish or shells. Rick and Sue on Miss Adventure are both geologists and have opened our eyes to some of the wonders of the ground right under our feet.

I had never heard of “stromatolite” reefs but it seems we’ve been surrounded by them in the Park. Let Sue explain:

And this is what “new” stromatolites look like, continuing to produce and release oxygen into our atmosphere as they have for over 3 billion years! (How did I miss this in high school biology??) According to the Bahamas Marine EcoCentre, “The Bahamian stromatolites are living relatives of Earth’s oldest reefs. Bahamian stromatolites are unique in that they are the only known examples of present-day stromatolites growing in open ocean conditions.”

But wait, there’s more!  Because this was the most awesome hike evah. On the way up the final climb to the top of Boo Boo Hill I saw three ethereal dragonflys with copper gossamer wings that sparkled like teeny sequins.

The tradition is for cruisers to leave an offering at the top of Boo Boo Hill to appease King Neptune and be blessed with good winds and smooth seas.  We scrounged the beach for driftwood, coconut shells, seaweed, etc., wrote our names on our contributions, and left them for eternity.

As I lay in bed tonight, I wondered with expectation and excitement, “what will I get to learn about tomorrow??”  What a great day this has been!