Casa de Tortugas - Stories
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Lost in Paradise: A Jungle Adventure
The Caribbean sun was still low on the horizon as Tina and I set out for what we thought would be a simple stroll through our 29-acre property. The tropical breeze whispered through the leaves, and the promise of a peaceful walk lulled us into a sense of calm. With the sound of waves gently lapping at the shore in the distance, we meandered along, not realizing how easily we could lose our way in such a vast, untamed landscape.
Our property, beautiful and sprawling, is a true testament to the wild and untouched nature of the Caribbean. But the thick jungle, with its dense canopy and winding paths, can be deceiving. As we wandered further from our familiar trails, the surroundings began to blend into an unrecognizable blur of green. It was then that Tina and I realized we were no longer on the path - we were lost.
Panic started to creep in as we tried to retrace our steps, but every turn seemed to lead us deeper into the jungle. The once-pleasant sound of birds and insects now felt ominous, and the towering trees, once beautiful, seemed to close in around us. We knew the beach was to the east, but the jungle had other plans. Vines tangled our feet, and thick underbrush made it impossible to walk in a straight line.
The sun climbed higher in the sky, and the heat became oppressive. We were trudging through the jungle, sweat pouring down our faces, as the hours ticked by. Each time we thought we were making progress, a new obstacle would arise - a fallen tree, a thicket of thorns, or a steep incline. But we were determined. The thought of the cool, blue ocean kept us moving, even when our muscles ached and our spirits waned.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity (but was really about four and a half hours), we heard the faint sound of waves crashing on the shore. It was the first sign that we were headed in the right direction. The jungle began to thin, and shafts of sunlight broke through the canopy, guiding us forward. When we finally emerged from the trees and onto the warm sand, a wave of relief washed over us.
We had made it to the beach. But our adventure wasn’t over yet. We were still far from home, and the thought of walking the rest of the way was daunting. We stripped off our boots, hats and took a moment to jump in the water to be refreshed. We were not looking forward to walking that last long leg down the beach to our dock. After a few minutes, we spotted a small boat in the coming around the corner. With every ounce of energy we had left, we waved our arms and called out. At first they thought we were just saying hello as we were swimming, but then they realized that we needed help. The boat turned towards us, and two kind young men pulled up to the beach.
They listened to our story with a knowing smiles and offered to take us back to our dock, which was about half a mile down the coast. As we sailed over the crystal-clear waters, the stress of the day melted away, replaced by a deep sense of gratitude. We had faced the jungle and come out the other side - tired, yes, but also triumphant.
If we hadn't kept our cool and stuck to our plan, this could have easily been a very different story and we both knew we were not giving up on each other. As we stepped onto our dock, we looked at each other and smiled. We might have been lost for a while, but we found our way back together. And that, in the end, was the greatest adventure of all.
Now that you know the story, here is a map of our property. Our land is made up of two lots side-by-side. Looking at the image the red and yellow lines mark our property. We became disoriented some place between green pin markers 12 and 11 and then we started following the white path (give or take a little). We got rescued on the coast by the passing boat who then took us back to our dock at green marker 39.
Here are some pictures we took before we got lost. Once lost, we stopped taking pictures. Sorry, making it out was the priority.
| The bodega has screening! Published 27-Aug-2024 | Building our porch railing Published 17-Aug-2024 |
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