Fri-Sat, July 10 & 11

Dive and a Mongoose!

What do you do when you catch a rat in a live trap? In the tropics... there is a rat problem. There are many solutions. There is much argument about the solutions and which is best. I think if you were the ultimate animal supporter, you'd say all rats should deserve to live, and then I'd have to disagree with you and point my finger to the plague and say, no, you're wrong. Rats are bad. With that in mind, I prefer the spring-loaded snap traps. When you're using the live trap, the politics of how to dispose of the creature really can be overwhelming. You could just let it go... but wouldn't it come right back to your kitchen and start crapping on the counter, sharing hantavirus with the neighborhood at your next cookout? I've heard of freezing the live-catch cages. They go to sleep and just don't wake up. I've heard of euthanasia, also, going to sleep, permanently. There's BB guns, there's other types of injections, there's garden tools, the list can go on as long as minds remain creative. I'm not sure what exactly happens to most of the rats on this island, but I can assure you that I am hopeful they all end up as far away from my housing as possible.

On to brighter topics, I got on the dive boat today with Low Key Watersports. I dove with them at Congo Cay and Grass Cay. Two amazing dives. The day began early and I enjoyed watching several shop owners getting started for the day during my short walk from the visitor's center to the dive shop. I quickly met a handful of folks that work at the shop and in no time at all, was helping them get set up for the day. I've been with a variety of dive shops over the years and every shop has its unique way of running the show. I was and still am excited to get to know how things run at Low Key better. One of the cool elements about Low Key is the shore entry to the boat. The beach is a few feet from the doors of the shop. By the time you're waist deep in the water, you're at the ladder to the boat. For tanks to get off the boat, the general practice is to toss them overboard, float them across the water and carry them up the sandy beach and some stairs, to get them to the shop's compressor. To get them back on the boat, float them in the water and then hoist them aboard. Pretty neat. I got to know the crew better during the morning and through the dives and I'm happy to report, they are in fact, more interesting than some of the corals I've seen. I'm hoping to get in the boat again soon and do some more diving with them!

Now, more about the dives themselves! I was working, sort-of, during both dives, so it wasn't completely recreational. I did catch a few glimpses of the reef between scans of the group of 7 divers in the water. The water is so clear and the visibility so great, things at 40 feet are as well illuminated as I might expect at 5 feet in the Florida Keys. Great viz. There were the usual suspects and then there were the cool things. Cool things to me are things that you may not see every dive. Today, I was able to see some trumpet fish, a ginormous trunk fish, an enormous lobster (I'll get to that in a minute, it was so big it deserves its own paragraph), a part of a shark (the reef provided just a little sneak peak of the shark and some of its gills), a super-neat sea urchin that can be handled, if done carefully, and that is sticky enough to stick to your tank if you find one large enough (if you don't follow leave no trace, etc), clusters of sea monkeys, the clacking and snapping of shrimp, cleaner fish on the trumpet fish, and an overwhelming sense of “this is awesome.”

I enjoyed the topography of Congo Cay the most, as the reef undulates between depths and provides a very beautiful mixture of hard and soft corals, fish, and underwater wildlife. The second dive, Grass Cay was also very enjoyable. With its shallower depths, the visibility was even better than Congo Cay and meant the colors of everything underwater were all the more vibrant and beautiful. I saw magenta and fluorescent purple corals juxtaposed against a more rusty and orange tinged coral landscape, making the colors appear all the more interesting. The other divers in the water shared reports of great experiences and by the time of their departure, I had earned a few tips and coins for my assistance. I thought going out on the boat and working a little was fantastic. Getting a tip on top of it- very fantastic. I was also invited back for more diving, which is awesomeness. I hope to make some bubbles again soon!

The lobster. It was huge. The lobster are more scarce here, but when you find one, they are massive. In the Keys, they are smaller and much more plentiful. The lobster I saw during my dive today was of insane proportions. I'm guessing there was somewhere around 10-15 lbs of meat on that tail. The head of the lobster was about the size of a human head. The spines were possibly two or three feet long. It was a big big lobster. I really wish I had brought a mesh bag and a pair of gloves with me. A camera would have also been a great way to prove the sight that I saw. Unfortunately, with a camera, you're watching the lens more than the divers in the water, and since I was working, the camera is an obvious no-no. I guess it'd be like talking on a cell phone while driving. If I am able to get back to the same site, I will for sure see what I can do about bringing the mammoth catch home.

After all was done at the dive shop, I took a seat at The Beach Bar. The Tropical Mango Pale Ale from the St. John Brewery is delicious. It smells more like mango than it tastes, but it carries a fruity essences down to the last drop. I enjoyed my bottle tremendously. I think the next time I go out for a drink or two I will definitely pony up for more of the Tropical Mango goodness. It was quite serendipitous that I bumped into Keith and Breslin at The Beach Bar just as I finished up my diving. I quickly found out about a BBQ going on all day at the other end of the island, in Coral Bay, at Donkey Diner/ Sputniks.

The fundraiser BBQ will help some St. Johnian kids go on a trip to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. To do my part in helping out the kids, I was happy to indulge in a great big plate of roast pork, coleslaw, potato salad, a johnny cake, and plantains. It's a BBQ, Caribbean style. I thought everything on the plate was in contest with some of the tastiest bbq I've had in North Carolina. I'm talking moist, smoky, a little bit greasy, lip-smacking hamness. There was live music which could have kept us there for hours. Unfortunately, right around 5-6pm, the biting bugs really get an appetite going for my legs and any other bits of exposed flesh, no matter the concentration of DEET. The wearing of St. John's cologne (OFF! Repellant) can only deter so many buggies. We scurried out of the bbq and headed for a stronger breeze, namely AquaBistro. I have heard about this place and seen it from the road, but never actually stopped in for a drink or a bite. There is free wi-fi. I am a huge fan of free anything. Free wi-fi, particularly on the island, is really hard to find. Back at home, free wi-fi spots are sprinkled all over the place. We took advantage of the internet connectivity and enjoyed the bug-free breeze until just after sunset.

Rats: 6
Mongoose: 1

Yes, a mongoose! They are a bit like squirrels, minus the bushy tail. They are fuzzy and vicious. I saw something in my trap and went to get a closer look. As I bent forward to study what was inside the trap, I heard the most alarming and scary screeching hiss. If I didn't know better, I'd say the thing was rabid! I backed away from the cage quickly and was glad to see the cage stayed securely shut.

The following morning, Saturday, I prepared to carry the cage into the car so I could transport and dispose of the critter. I could barely get a finger on the carrying handle before more hissing and squealing and screaming issued from the mongoose. I am not one to get squeamish or frightened by wildlife in general, but I was most admittedly terrified of the sounds coming from the cage. I decided to let someone manlier and burlier than me deal with this wild animal. I left the cage where it was and hoped to get someone's assistance by the end of the day. By the time I got home again, before any person had been able to confirm they'd help me, the cage was gone, along with the mongoose. I'm relieved. If it was my roommate that took care of the miniature beast, I am most grateful to her.