Maybe there weren't any horrible face hugging Alien monsters (remember the 1980's Science Fiction Action Horror movie??) hidden in the deep dark cave that we found on Great Guana Cay. Or Maybe there were. Read On...

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Great Guana Cay is but one of the many many small Cays in the chain of Islands and Cays that make up the Exumas, and where we presently found ourselves anchored and ready for some exploring.

Oven Rock sits just by the sandy cream coloured Beachfront, and both beckoned to us as clear and as loud as the day was beautiful and blue. As we dinghied closer to Oven Rock we could better make out the large hole in the middle of it, and it did look somewhat like a large oven kiln. Pizza or fresh baked baguettes anyone?



Once closer to shore, we discovered it wasn't all sand and games. It took a little bit of exploring to try and find a rock free spot to safely land the dinghy ashore.

Barefoot we walked the long stretch of beach enjoying the heat of the sand, and the very different type of landscape our toes encountered.



Not quite all sandy, not quite all rocky. Limestone Strata, or Stromatolites perhaps? Long, flat slabs of rock that were perhaps pushed up from the ocean floor many many moons ago. And are now being eroded into the sandy bits we were walking on. The wind rustled the palms a little bit, and the heat of the glaring sun started the trickle of sweat down our brows.

We walked our way behind Oven Rock heading towards the Northern End of the Beach, where we had read that there was a walking trail that might take us to Oven Rock Cave (if we were Brave and Daring enough to find it). And as with all foreshadowing type of events, and quite possibly thanks to the many other Cruisers here before us, we immediately found a clear clue as to where to go.



We zigged and zagged along the hot sandy trail, looking for Clues and Cairns to point the way.



Pretty soon there were no more views of the water we'd left behind and we were totally enveloped in the enclosed heat of the green palmed trees.



This way. That way. And finally up and up and up-a-way's.

And on the tree densed hillside of Great Guana Cay, we found the entrance to Oven Rock Cave. We ducked under the trees that crossed our path,



and immediately were transported to a dark humid entrance of wonderment.



It is a wide but narrow mouth of an entrance and we started towards it, quite enthralled at the darkness that lay ahead of us. Carefully climbing down some rocks, ever watchful of the placement of our feet on the treacherous pointy jags of rock, each step downwards taking us further into the cavernous humid room.

The ceiling decorated with hanging somewhat pointy stalactites



and rising up from the ground the mounds of stalagmites



stood in our way.

The floor of the cave was nothing but a dark and cold looking body of water.



Truth be told we were sort of glad we hadn't brought our snorkel gear and thus didn't have the option to find out what monsters might lurk below us had we swam in the dark waters.



The beam of dancing light of our handheld flashlights illuminated the walls of the cave in excited fashion



as it touched on the nooks and crannies.



Some bats flitted about overhead. And then the beam of light came to rest on this. A large egg shaped mound.

It stood by itself. At the highest peak of the only rock before the cave disappeared into obscurity. Doesn't it remind you of something?



We talked in hushed whispers of Aliens and Alien lifeforms. How made up horror movies leave a lasting impression. How Life came to be. How surprising it was that the rocks looked wet, but weren't. Of cave explorers and divers that contort themselves into tiny spaces and explore miles of underwater areas. How hot and humid it was. How absolutely incredible this all was.



It's always easier to make your way out of something that took a while to get into,



and as we exited Oven Rock Cave towards the path, we turned right and made our way towards the windward side, where we walked the seaweed and plastic strewn beach back and forth, for the exercise and in the hopes of finding some beans.



And then back across the island and to our boats.



Life Sure is Great when you've searched for, had a possible encounter with, and escaped: Aliens! Yet Adventurer (or Alien Watched) Beware, you never know what could hatch when YOU visit this place.