28 July 2011

This morning we hiked to the Annaly Bay tide pools, approximately 3 miles on the Trumbull Trail behind Carambola Beach Resorts. Last summer we attempted the same hike but yours truly got lost and we ended up walking on the Scenic Road for several hours. This hike begins within 100 feet of the start of the short and steep paved road leading out of the parking/organic dump area above the Carambola employee parking lot. The sign (see below) is only several feet off the pavement, but I missed it anyway. The trail winds its way along the steep hillside never more than a half mile from the ocean and is mostly within the coastal scrub forest. Hermit crabs appear to roll down the steep slope and stop on the narrow path as they were abundant on this day. One pinched Logan and he exclaimed he would never ever touch another stupid hermit crab - oh to be a young boy again. The path was muddy in places and several people fell, including Jonathan. There were a group of high school students who also went on the hike which was lead by Will Coles. There were steep sections on the trail, but it was not as difficult as the steep slopes we climbed last summer.

Trumbull Trail trail head

Hiking Trumbull Trail

Upon arrival at the tide pools, Jonathan lamented that he had walked 3 miles to see sergeant majors! A few minutes later he and his friends were jumping off the ledge into the pool and an hour later he was upset at having to leave! There certainly is a lot going on the the head of these boys, but they do know how to live in the moment - something we adults appear to lack. The boys also went for a swim in the waves in the Bay - but only for a short time because this old man was concerned about the undertow pulling an unsuspecting lad out to sea. Fortunately, there were only minor scrapes and scratches and the hike was deemed a success all around.

Boys at the tide pool

Boys in the waves at Annaly Bay

I picked up six male mongoose (five recaptures one from two days ago the others from previous trips, and one new animal) after returning from our hike. I also captured a different cat in an area where we had previously caught the Siamese. Four adjacent traps had been tipped over and dragged some distance from their original placements - cats the likely perpetrators.

It appears as if the cane toads lost one of their bets as the smaller of the two puddles with tadpoles has all but dried up.