10/1/2010 - Exploring

Everytime we go to an island or a new anchorage there’s always something to explore.  Some of our favorite things to find are, not surprisingly, sea shells and unique rocks.  Some of the beaches here have the most beautiful rocks of all different colors with different patterns and sizes.  Jake and I have a hard time leaving the rocks behind.  Andy has rationed the number of rocks we can bring on board although I’ve never heard of a boat sinking because it had too many beach finds.

Our friends on Eyoni taught us to appreciate some of the more unique things we find on shore.  The first time I went on their boat I saw tiny little bird skulls, perfectly shaped, scattered about on display.  They also have all kinds of whale bones and dolphin bones.  At first I thought it was a little…weird, but to each their own, right? But the next time I was on the beach…I wanted a bone too!  So now we have some dolphin bones and today we found a jaw bone from a small shark with all the teeth in it!  It actually shows the different rows of teeth also serving as a cool homeschooling moment for Jake.  He’s read over and over again about how sharks lose their teeth and new ones move in, but this was a first hand look at how it actually happens.

One thing I would have never picked up before but has since become one of our prized possesions is a tiny little iguana claw.  It’s a little creepy but really cool.  Our friend Teri on Ulalena thought it was a little weird but before I knew it, she was bringing her own iguana claw on board to show us (she didn’t keep it…just wanted to show it off).  Another prized possession is a giant turtle shell.  It’s probably illegal in a hundred different ways in the states (and probably here in Mexico) but I assure you we didn’t leave any naked turtles anywhere.

I haven’t figured out what we’re going to do with all of these things yet.  I made a necklace out of one seashell.  Jake made a necklace for one of his friends as well.  We made a “doorbell” for his room after he painted four of the seashells he picked up.  I have little boxes full of shells waiting for a project.  Sometimes we use them in our math games for Jake to count.  And I’ve even caught him using them as rockets and missles to blow up other seashells (despite all of the rockets and spaceships he has in his room).

One seashell that we’ve picked up has a pink inside and looks kind of like a miniature conch shell.  I’m sure someone more interested in the details would look up it’s proper name, but for us, it’s just a pretty shell.  Up until now, it was rare that you find one in tact.  Today, we found the mother load of these shells.  It seems, according to the evidence at the latest fishing camp we explored, that these must house mighty tasty animals as there are literally thousands of shells in piles on the beach.

You never know what you’re going to find, but we always find ourselves looking for that “treasure.”   It looks like we’re heading into different terrain now over here closer to the mainland.  Maybe our idea of treasures will change.  I can’t wait to find out.