The day started out just a bit different than usual. First we had rain last night about 2300 with wind and lightening(I slept through it but Tracy was awake) and then again at 0400. This time I was awake and got up and closed the portlites in the main cabin. I dozed a bit longer but was up by 0500. At 0845, Tracy looked over the southwest end of the island and saw a water spout. It's a tornado over water sucking up water into the clouds. Now the watch was on. I called Azizah to let them know. Semia already saw it and watched also. Luckily, it never came close to the island and eventually faded away. Just fine by us.

At just after 0900, Richard and Semia showed up in their dinghy and took us ashore to again search for the elusive caves we had heard about but had little clue as to where they were. Supposed to be 20 on the island of which only 4 have been explored. Richard dropped us off on the rocky shore and then he returned to Azizah to get a few jobs done. He'd had enough cave hunting the previous day. Smart man. Up the hill we went with not a clue as to where to go. Both Tracy and Semia had watched early in the morning and late at night to see if bats came out of any particular places on the hills. They both had some thoughts as to where the caves MIGHT be.

Off we went up the hills and into the jungle. Ever watch the old Tarzan movies? Not even close to what we were trudging through. Ants everywhere on just about every branch of just about every tree. You watched where you put your hands. I was continually brushing them off my clothes and arms and legs, normally after they had bitten me. As we walked through the jungle, we were suddenly attacked buy a swarm of bees!! Tracy was far ahead so she got it the least. Semia was in front of me and took off running(as best you can in a jungle). I got nailed heaven only knows how many times before I escaped the swarm. One of us had disturbed their nest. The attack didn't last long but I'm glad I'm not allergic to their stings. Mosquitos were also around us trying to find a way to get close and find a new place to tap on to us.

Suddenly, in front of us we saw a big hole in the ground. Big and DEEP and black. We weren't going to get into this one. I tossed a rock or two into the hole and it was almost 5 seconds before it hit the bottom with a big bang. We saw that there was some light coming in off to one side so we searched for the extra entrance. It was deeper and the sides just as vertical. Scratch this cave off our list(didn't have one anyway). On we walked only getting tripped by the occasional thin vines that seemed to run all over the place. No paths here. Glad Semia brought a machete. Sure helped get through some of the over grown places.

Another opening showed up ahead of us. At first it was just a brake in the jungle but then it opened up into a really big hole in the ground. Not just one cave but several. This one had the possibility of allowing us to get down to the cave floors. Down the sides we climbed watching out for loose rocks and dead trees you tried to grab hold of. Tracy and I had brought flashlights with us so we could lead the way. Semia didn't seem to need one. Down we went ticking off a bunch of bats. They flew farther into the cave. We scrambled down the sides eventually getting to the bottom. A disappointment as there were few stalagmites or stalagtites in the cave. Up we came and over to the next cave. Tracy and Semia scrambled over while I sat and rested and drank more water. Today, I got smarter and brought two bottles of water to keep hydrated.

A short time later, Tracy called out that I really needed to come down and see the cave. It had lots of stalagtites and stalagmites and some had eventually joined into columns. Down I went. The three of us explored the cave. Not a single foot print in the soft dirt at the bottom! It was like no one had ever been down there! We took picture after picture pointing the flashlights around to see what there was to take pictures of as it was so dark. I'll be putting together a gallery when we have internet again. It was quite the sight. It was now after 1300 as we climbed up the sides of the cave grabbing hold of sharp rocks and roots and trees or what ever we could to get back out. With Richard back on Azizah, Semia called him on the VHF radio to let him know of our progress and that we were coming down the side of the hills and to pick us up when we got to the shore line. Another 45 minutes later and we'd made it to the shore. By this time, the tide was up and Richard could come right up to the rocks to get us. A few minutes later we were back on board getting cooled and dried off as both of us were bathed in sweat. Our clothes were a mess of dirt and sweat soaked through and through and I won't tell you what our shoes and socks looked like(no Crocs today). So with a few ant and mosquitos bites and numerous bee stings we were back safe and sound. MOTRIN--where are you?!?