A walk in the rain forest - it rained

Irie
Fri 28 Mar 2008 19:53
Rodney Bay
Wednesday 26th  March
 
Well, it's 6.45 pm and sitting in the cockpit, the mantle of dusk is casting a deepening shadow over the silver shimmer of the sea and the voluptuous, volcanic folds of the bay. The sky is mostly overcast and the sunset was obscured, though a few shafts of light appearing through horizontal breaks in the cloud to the west hint at its passing. Several large tripper catamarans have threaded their way through the anchorage with motley cargoes of gyrating pink flesh, fuelled by rum and issuing tribal chants and anthems. Much more decorous is the pretty full rigged ship that sails a regular sundown trip; a tracery of yards and rigging supporting a darkening silhouette of square canvas and staysails outlined against the horizon beyond. A steel band chimes and trills all the old favourites, and entering harbour she fires a gun. It's a charming homage to a bygone day and at $30 US a head including  free rum and a burger, it's a bargain.
Tuesday provided a great family day for all eight. Anchored off Pigeon beach we had a watery melange of swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, plus the extra excitement of a rope suspended from the spinnaker boom providing a piratical gibbet swing into the briny. A foraging beach party established a beach-head, stoutly defended by a moated sandcastle and provisioned with ice cream. The water has still to totally clear from the swell, but the viz is much better, and there was loads to see round the rocks and colourful coral heads.
Today saw steady rain till after midday with occasional belting showers. This added authenticity to the Rain Forest Walk (there's a clue in the title) which was a low key affair meandering for two and a half hours round an undulating track beneath the soaring canopy. It's a real contrast from the sea; soft transluscent greens, misty views to nowhere as the foliage melts into moisture, the thrashing of rain on the canopy branches high above, and then the pattering of liquid pearls as large droplets tumble to the earth. It's very beautiful and deserves more time and  a better explanation of this delicate, balanced ecosystem, especially having travelled over a hour and a half each way down the by now familiar airport
road.
 
Kate undergoing punishment / A walk on the wet side