Cranbrook highlight…

    “Is this edible Joe?”

                “Only one way to find out.”

                “It doesn’t taste like anything.”

                “Arsenic doesn’t either.”

 

Using our four other senses, we explored some more on the hike up Cranbrook—discovering touch-sensitive plants called Mimosa pudica. These plant leaves fold upon itself when touched, and spread once again after a while.  On the way down, we also learned the proper way to chop bamboo (burn a hole in it just enough to cut it down)—a survival skill that would come in handy if we ever found ourselves stranded in a forest, or wound up on the TV series LOST. I also learned to always bring bug repellant and an extra pair of flip flops.

 

Cranbrook: Swift currents that sailed a lonely flip flop down the brook as a klutz looks on in despair—wondering about the muddy hike back down.

 

Amber to the rescue (again)!

 

After she came to the rescue in a similar escapade (a pair of blue shoes that flew down Dunn’s River Falls), Amber was kind enough to lend her flip flops (as Joe fortunately had an extra pair in his bag). Thanks Amber and Joe!

 

After working up quite appetite hiking and swimming in an oasis in Cranbrook, we inhaled our weight of Jamaica’s infamous, mouth-watering, long-awaited, and past-due jerk chicken.

 

Flower at Cranbrook

 

Dunn’s River Falls highlight…

 

After some made it up Dunn’s River Falls in a record time of 6 minutes, some of us scattered off for food to Margaritaville (note to future MAR388 students: waterproof watches, waterproof shoes, waterproof cameras, waterproof everything). Others scattered into the straw market. We all bartered and bargained our way through. Some were naturals —making away with a hand painted drum for a mere $2 (although untentional). Others treasure hunters—finding steel drums (the beat of Caribbean melodies). 1 US dollar = 85 Jamaican

Climbing up Dunn’s River Falls (Note chain of hand-holding, toppling dominoes)

On our way back, our driver regaled us with a few interesting stories and fun facts. He segwayed into another tale, involving his fellow taxi driver:

“I was sittin’ on the left (driver seats here are on the right and traffic flows on the left in Jamiaca) and my buddy was drivin’ dese couple. ‘Ey,’ dey asked, ‘what kinda tree o’er dere?’ He said to dem, ‘A near tree.’ ‘Ey,’ dey asked again, ‘what ‘bout dat tree o’er dere?’ ‘A far tree,’ he said..” Our driver then imparted some wise words, ‘When ya don’t know, you don’t know.’”

Rio bueno highlight…

 

The ocean, still glazed over (as ice) without a wave in sight, made way for our motley crew of 15.

 

“Crepuscular” is a term used to describe animals active during twilight

Favorite time of day: dawn (matutinal) or dusk (verspertine).

 

Spotted by many on the way there were the usual parrotfishes, damselfishes, and sea anemones. But some rare sightings included the spotted eel, stone fish, DITs (divers in training) in action, and a Jake spearheading a lionfish.

-Mei (many more sea cucumbers to experiment on)