On Friday, March 21, we decided to take the Indian River tour with one of the local guides. One can only go up the river with a guide--it's a national park and they're trying to preserve it. The boat boys who run around the anchorage in colorful skiffs with names like Providence, Cobra, Spaghetti, Ravioli Lover and Lawrence of Arabia will take two to six or even eight people up the river, but rowing their boats, not using their outboards. Our guide, Martin on Providence, was exceptional. A well-mannered, intelligent fellow, Martin carefully arranged a time to pick us up from our boat. He came back a couple of times to update us on the time of pick-up and appeared right on schedule. One other couple joined us from an Island Packet, Boundless. Martin told us the history of the area and pointed out the bloodwood tree, pictured above, with huge gnarled roots. They are over 400 years old. He also pointed out hummingbirds, iguanas, tiny lizards and crabs that were very difficult to see as their coloring tends to make them blend with their surroundings. We heard lots of parrots at one point, but they too blended with their surroundings and we couldn't pick them out. At the end of the river was a very nice outdoor bar. Many of the guides stop their allowing their clients to have a drink. Not Martin. He proceeded to take us on a little hike into the dense forest chopping away the brush with his machete as we went. There we had a "coconut moment." Martin took his machete to a coconut that he found along the way. We drank the sweet water then ate chunks of coconut. Around the outside of the coconut underneath its hard shell is brush-like orangey/brown mass which makes good sponges for washing dishes. So we each got some new dish scrubbers. Along the route back, Martin picked some wild bay leaves for our kitchens. After 2 1/2 hours, Martin returned us to our boats. Above are some of the scenes from the Indian River.
On Friday, March 21, we decided to take the Indian River tour with one of the local guides. One can only go up the river with a guide--it's a national park and they're trying to preserve it. The boat boys who run around the anchorage in colorful skiffs with names like Providence, Cobra, Spaghetti, Ravioli Lover and Lawrence of Arabia will take two to six or even eight people up the river, but rowing their boats, not using their outboards. Our guide, Martin on Providence, was exceptional. A well-mannered, intelligent fellow, Martin carefully arranged a time to pick us up from our boat. He came back a couple of times to update us on the time of pick-up and appeared right on schedule. One other couple joined us from an Island Packet, Boundless. Martin told us the history of the area and pointed out the bloodwood tree, pictured above, with huge gnarled roots. They are over 400 years old. He also pointed out hummingbirds, iguanas, tiny lizards and crabs that were very difficult to see as their coloring tends to make them blend with their surroundings. We heard lots of parrots at one point, but they too blended with their surroundings and we couldn't pick them out. At the end of the river was a very nice outdoor bar. Many of the guides stop their allowing their clients to have a drink. Not Martin. He proceeded to take us on a little hike into the dense forest chopping away the brush with his machete as we went. There we had a "coconut moment." Martin took his machete to a coconut that he found along the way. We drank the sweet water then ate chunks of coconut. Around the outside of the coconut underneath its hard shell is brush-like orangey/brown mass which makes good sponges for washing dishes. So we each got some new dish scrubbers. Along the route back, Martin picked some wild bay leaves for our kitchens. After 2 1/2 hours, Martin returned us to our boats. Above are some of the scenes from the Indian River. 
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