Red Tide

I wish that I had a picture of a beautiful sea turtle to post here.....this one was beautiful in its prime I am sure, but unfortanately he is dead now. Lane and I took a nice morning walk on the beach and we saw this turtle washed up. It was very sad....such an awesome creature.

We ended up going for a swim and didn't think much of the dead turtle. Later that day we went down to the Pirate's Bay beach by our house and it was there that we noticed the awful smell and saw many dead fish and eels washed up dead on the beach. In talking with people, we learned that right now it is what is called "Red Tide". It is caused by a toxic algae that reproduces certain times of the year and is actually toxic to the fish and other things in the ocean. Not supposed to be harmful to people but it was suggested that we don't swim until it is gone. It can last a week or two.

Yesterday morning I woke up with a red swollen eye and a teacher at school told me that it could be because I went swimming during Red Tide. He suggested washing my eye with coconut water, saying it is a great cleanser. The guard here brings us coconuts now and then because the kids like to watch him hack them open with his machete, so I will have to get another one asap.

Who knew you could use the juice inside as medicine? Maybe I will try washing my hair in it too. That sounds like it would be good huh?

We are preparing to head into the REALLY rainy season here in a few weeks, but as of right now, we are having alot of rain too. It rains everyday and sometimes more than once. It is supposed to get very intense in October. We usually lose internet during a hard rain, but so far the power outages have been pretty sparce. I hope that doesn't change. The rain doesn't seem to phase the locals. They still walk and ride their bikes everywhere, and push their babies in strollers in the rain. We pick up hitch hikers whenever we have an extra seat and get them some relief from the rain even just for a few minutes.

That's all for now....Pura Vida.