A rest day of sorts. I don’t feel like I need a rest, however, as there hasn’t been enough time since the six days I spent waiting on the weather to improve. The journey is almost over. San Juan is only 30 miles away which will quickly be covered with the tail wind. Either I spend time here, or I spend time in San Juan. I think here, is much better. Even with the Piragua lady nagging all day in my water clogged ear.
I walked out to another beach just over the next headland. The trail through the mangroves had gigantic crab lairs that my leg would easily fit inside. I can only imagine the size of the animals that live in them. On the trail floor there were thousands of tiny crabs that would scatter with every step I took like cockroaches surprised by the light. Their tiny feet marching through the leaves made a crackling noise that resembled rain.
The beach I discovered was the prettiest stretch of shoreline I’ve seen in all of Puerto Rico. It went on for some five miles and was curved like a toenail moon rimmed with thick green forests, and three different blue-green shades of water. I didn’t see a single piece of trash, not even a bottle cap.
On the walk back I accidentally kicked a rock on the trail. I did not scrape my toes, fortunately, but the sandal strap ripped and so now I am one sandaled until I can buy a new pair.
Please Consider Buying an Item to Help me Keep the Site Funded
I spent the rest of the day sitting around. The heat got very oppressive, even with a sea breeze.
The seagulls were having a field day with everyone who left food unattended. The moment someone turned their back on a piece of bread they swooped in and began fighting each other for it. Sometimes one grabbed a big piece and flew off with a dozen other birds chasing after it. They are like sky monkeys.
I saw a couple grackles doing some really strange things. They are those dark black birds with a yellow ring around the eyes so ubiquitous that I hardly pay attention to them. Today however, one bird was on the ground puffing up its chest feathers at another bird. The other bird then hopped away some distance, picked up a bread crumb and gave it on the beak of the bird doing the feather puffing, which then promptly ate it. The scene repeated itself another two times. One bird puffed up and the other went to grab food. I have no idea why one bird was feeding the other; it didn’t look like a parent feeding its chick.
As I’ll probably be done tomorrow, I’ve tried to eat most of the food I have left so I don’t have to carry it. There’s one can of Chef Boyardee, 3 cans of fish, and a few power bars which I will save for when I’m paddling. I’ve found out through Facebook that two kayakers will be paddling from Loizia to the San Juan harbor tomorrow morning. Loizia is about sixteen miles west of me, so depending on when I start, we may meet somewhere along the way. Maybe it’s the feeling that the journey is almost over, but today for the first time, I felt like it would be nice to have the company of fellow kayakers out on the water.
Sea Kayak Puerto Rico Circumnavigation
Comments