21 November 2009

This is not the optimal time of year to bring Jonathan to St. Croix because there are very few kids here. This morning he played with Orion, a three-and-a-half year old local boy, and most of the afternoon he played with Jacob, a five-year-old boy whose father was born and raised on the island. While he was playing I went to the Refuge by myself to check the traps. On weekends the Refuge is open from 9:00 to 4:00 so there were several vehicles parked at the end of the road. I suspect that the number of visitors is much lower due to the fact that the road is full of water holes ranging from several inches to nearly a foot deep. I wouldn't risk going through those holes with anything other than a truck or jeep. Before we arrived the island received four inches of rain over the course of several days and it all collected in the uneven roadway. The roadway sits mostly on bedrock, so the only way for the water to disappear from most of the road is through evaporation. The tropical sun is a powerful evaporative force, but it still takes several days for a foot-deep pool containing thousands of gallons of water to evaporate. We have also had several rainstorms since we arrived that have contributed to the ponds on the road. Fortunately, it has rained at night or for very brief periods of time during the day.

The recent rains have caused the annuals to sprout and the perennial grasses to set leaves so that the island resembles the lush paradise we conjure up when someone mentions the tropics. As one might expect the insects are abundant as well. Butterflies are everywhere as are mosquitoes and no-see-ums. Fortunately I have found that salt water heals all bites, scratches, cuts, and other maladies (even hangovers!).