The Mangrove Stream

In Tenacatita Bay, there is a jungle, river, dinghy, ride. It winds through the island for 2 miles. On either side of the channel, mangrove trees grow thick and strong. My family went on this cruise in our dinghy. It was a short dinghy ride to the shore, where you had to drag/float your dinghy across a sand bar. The sand bar opened up to the beginning of the river. 

This "river" was almost dead calm. It had sulfur in it  and smelled awful. The water was muddy brown with skating flies and dead leaves. It wasn't too unpleasant. In the beginning the channel was wide. Amid the mangroves, a few white flowered dogwoods existed. The birds were mostly pelicans and herons. Huge, white, herons would take off in front of us and we saw many babies. Jaime once saw a lone vulture, nestled in the treetops. The channel began to narrow and the trees grew closer and thicker. 

Looking in the water again, you can see fish. Fat, lazy, big fish and small darting fish. Though we saw no alligators, we saw signs of some. No lizards, absolutely none. Thats funny because you'd think lizards and iguanas would be everywhere. We motored in to a tree made tunnel. The air grew heavier and less light shone through. The light that did get through was a weird greenish brown color. Small crabs could be seen just a few inches from the water, clutching the roots. The trees grew even closer and sometimes we brushed the roots. I kept a wary eye out for spiders. Dad did a superb job with the dinghy even though I sometimes tried to do back seat driving.

At the very end of the 2 mile trip, the "river" suddenly opens up into a large bay. The sunlight bounces of the water and nearly blinds you. Its quite like emerging from another world. Mom says WOW several times and Jaime whistles. Aeron sits and stares and Dad wore is poker face. I'm not quite sure what expression I wore. And to think that we get to do this all over again going back. 

Mera Conger

s/v Don Quixote