4/11/14
Dear
Mishka,
Yesterday
we took a faculty trio to Batibou Bay (Matt is now a faculty
member... ooooh! I'm puffed up with pride even if he is unsure).
Batibou Bay is one of the most beautiful spots on the island. It was
amazing. So beautiful that scenes from Pirates of thhe Carribean
were filmed there. Oh what romantic scene I wondered The pirate
ships? A love scene? The great battlements of the fort?.....
remember when they were stuck inside the giant golf ball and went
rolling down the hill. Yep. No fancy ships or swashbuckling, just
rolling in a giant hamster ball. Sigh.
Well
it was still amazing. Beaches of white sands and blue waters, a reef
just nearby where the waves were crashing and throwing up giant
plumes to awe you. The surf coming into the beach not breaking hard
but waves just big enough that if you were standing shoulder deep you
better jump with them or plan on salt up your nose. The children
screamed and played in the surf and the adults stood nearby, bobbing
up and down in the waves as they rolled through. Occasionally being
surprised by a large wave and spitting salt. We stood and bobbed and
chattered like magpies. Rum punch was served and we all indulged
(carefully) and laughed.
Matthew
and I had brought our kites and found the high breeze lifted them
easily. I was in the water “networking” (yapping about our
husbands) when we noticed Matt standing at the end of the beach with
the kite flying, and 2 small boys watched in rapt adoration and
another running pell mell legs churning in the sand to see the flying
kite. In such beautiful setting a kite of turqupoise white and black
so high was an amazing sight.
Later
we took the lazy rider ride on inner tubes. Lazy is right. Almost
no current whatsoever and most of us kicking and paddling to move
along. At the shallows you could stand on the rocks and carry your
tube or pray to float. Personally I couldn't stand, my tube was
stuck to my ass like it had been glued there and I couldn't get my
butt out of it. The 8-year old in the lead wasnt helping by shouting
from far ahead “Just stand up!!!” I did finally figure the magic
trick. Turn backward an push against the rocks with your feet and
shove yourself along (yes your ass paid the price, but a few bruisses
compared to being hung up on the rocks like someone's lost swimsuit
(no one ever wants to know how or why but we've all seen it) is no
hard choice).. But Julia couldn't turn around or stand and was
simply wedged on the rocks forever. After 4-5 minutes we realized
the guide standing beside her trying to help couldn't get her up or
out we began to laugh, and laugh somemore while trying not to fall
off our own tubes where we were all flotaing away. Worst case, it
was her son in the lead moving ditching his hung mother as fast as he
could.
It
took about 45 minutes to travel, and the guides pulled out a jar and
plastic cups and served coconut rum punch to the grown ups. Oh what
wonderful guides! Lord knows that Julia certainly was ready for a
drink!!
At
the end, the river came out on the beach right near the cliffs where
we were suddenly fighting the tides and just yards away breakers were
hitting the carved cliffs and sending up waves at least 50 feet or
more into the air. So quiet and secluded. This is apparantly where
they did more filming... now I'll recognize the background.... and
remember the sights and sounds and the tang of salt in the air. If
you never go anywhere else, go to Batibou Bay on the islandof
Dominica.
I'll
be waiting with the punch.
Love,
The Blonde
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