The trip that started it all...
Governor's Harbour, Bahamas
Dreaming of paradise
Bushwhacking my way through the Bahamas
One of the main reasons I wanted to become a pilot was for the free travel benefits and opportunities to "work" in different places around the world. Sure it was cool in the beginning, getting to fly to all the beautiful islands the Bahamas have to offer, staying overnight in nice hotels, and flying to Havana and getting a little taste of of Cuba. I still love it and am always amazed by the beauty of the landscapes. I never got bored of flying into my favorite airport, Govenors Harbour, on the amazing island of Eleuthera. From the air I would daydream about camping on the white sand beaches which looked like that's all they were, just a dream. Too perfect to be real. However, I can only dream and talk about something so long before the fear and self-doubt begin to dwindle away and an undescribable burning urge starts boiling somewhere deep within me. It didn't take long for this urge to get the best of me after I finally gained enough senority with the company to hold a line. This means I had an actual schedule and was not the company's helper monkey on reserve anymore. One night after a long three day trip, flying 7 to 8 legs a day around the laid-back islands, it hit me that tomorrow I could wait no longer. Something hit me unexpectedly and there was nothing I could do, my adventurous side took over and nothing was going to stop me from going.
After a late night of packing and repacking, countless scenarios going through my head about how I would use each item in my backpack, I finally drifted off to sleep dreaming of the following day. As soon as the stores opened I was there getting the supplies I would need. Of course I would need a retractable fishing rod, some squid for bait, some fire starter(just in case!), and a dive knife to fend of sharks like Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Beach". Yes, I had it all planned out, all the cool gadgets I would use to survive like Robinson Crusoe! I decided to make a list of all the things I actually used, that came in handy, and everything else that was just a waste of space and made hiking in the blazing heat that much more difficult. Not to mention made me feel like a complete rookie, which I was, so give me a break! One thing I love about traveling, it humbles you like nothing else. Many more stories to come about being humbled, but for now here's the list!
After a late night of packing and repacking, countless scenarios going through my head about how I would use each item in my backpack, I finally drifted off to sleep dreaming of the following day. As soon as the stores opened I was there getting the supplies I would need. Of course I would need a retractable fishing rod, some squid for bait, some fire starter(just in case!), and a dive knife to fend of sharks like Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Beach". Yes, I had it all planned out, all the cool gadgets I would use to survive like Robinson Crusoe! I decided to make a list of all the things I actually used, that came in handy, and everything else that was just a waste of space and made hiking in the blazing heat that much more difficult. Not to mention made me feel like a complete rookie, which I was, so give me a break! One thing I love about traveling, it humbles you like nothing else. Many more stories to come about being humbled, but for now here's the list!
Things I needed to stay comfortableWater
Packaged Salmon Almonds Tarp Long-sleeved clothing Sunscreen Insect-repellent Mosquito net Lighter (I know it's cheating, but it's also really easy to start a fire with it!) Machete |
Things that were uselessDidn't use retractable fishing rod
Didn't use the squid, although if I didn't let them sit in the sun couldv'e had a nice meal! Didn't use my dive knife, except to give me a little confidence when snorkeling and look really cool! Didn't need the fire starter Didn't use my binoculars Snorkeling gear was nice, but the fins were very heavy and didn't need those for sure Sunglasses Watch Hat Sleeping Bag Probably a lot more I'm forgetting but you get the idea |
Spontaneous decisions are usually the best
This is a view of the "Caribbean" or "South" side from the plane. I was headed to the opposite coast.
The 19-seater Beech 1900 finally landed around 2:00pm and after clearing customs and a chat with some of the gate agents I knew from work it was time to hit the trail. I had been scoping out an easy way to the beach from my previous flights and I was eager to find the path that looked so simple from the air. After about half an hour of walking down the main road, and no signs of my trail, I finally gave in to the heat and just decided to make my own way through the "bushes" as the locals call them.
Luckily I brought along my five dollar Walmart machete to hack my way through the thick tangle of vegetation. If you've ever flown over the island of Eleuthera, or even seen it on a map, you would know how extremely skinny the island looks. From a bird's eye view, especially near my location it looks as if you could walk to the beach in five minutes. I really underestimated almost everything about the island. The "bushes" were not as forgiving as they looked, the hills were bigger than I ever imagined, and for the last part of my trip the bugs really started to swarm. What I thought would be an easy stroll to a paradise beach ended up being a grueling 3 hour hike in 90 degree weather with suffocating humidity. Add to that the 45 pounds on my back(my backpack I travel with now is normally less than 15 pounds), and it made for one tough adventure.
Luckily I brought along my five dollar Walmart machete to hack my way through the thick tangle of vegetation. If you've ever flown over the island of Eleuthera, or even seen it on a map, you would know how extremely skinny the island looks. From a bird's eye view, especially near my location it looks as if you could walk to the beach in five minutes. I really underestimated almost everything about the island. The "bushes" were not as forgiving as they looked, the hills were bigger than I ever imagined, and for the last part of my trip the bugs really started to swarm. What I thought would be an easy stroll to a paradise beach ended up being a grueling 3 hour hike in 90 degree weather with suffocating humidity. Add to that the 45 pounds on my back(my backpack I travel with now is normally less than 15 pounds), and it made for one tough adventure.
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Well worth the struggle
One of the first views I had of the beach. One of the most amazing moments of my life for many reasons
If you think I'm complaining about how hard it was to get here, then you don't know me very well. I enjoyed every second of it and it wouldn't have been half as fun if I would have just found the easy trail. Tired, hot, and sweaty, by the time I finally made it over the top of the last hill and saw this view everything I just went through became totally worth it.
It's really hard to describe the feelings that overcame me as the humid, stagnant air and the sounds of flying insects buzzing in my ears were replaced by a cool seabreeze and the sound of waves crashing. After a short struggle down the last hill my boots finally sank into the soft pink sand which was more perfect than I could have imagined. Before exploring the beach I decided to take a well deserved break and let the amazing moment sink in. As I sat there on the beach, boots already tossed aside, I savored the sensation of the warm sand between my toes. While sifting the sand through my fingers I realized why some of the islands of the Bahamas advertise their "pink" sand. From the air, the sand just looks beautifully white, but a closer look reveals millions of tiny grains of pink. I've been to some amazing beaches all over the world, but the pink sand of certain beaches in the Bahamas is the sand to beat in my book so far. I'm sure there is better sand out there, and I really look forward to the day I find it.
It's really hard to describe the feelings that overcame me as the humid, stagnant air and the sounds of flying insects buzzing in my ears were replaced by a cool seabreeze and the sound of waves crashing. After a short struggle down the last hill my boots finally sank into the soft pink sand which was more perfect than I could have imagined. Before exploring the beach I decided to take a well deserved break and let the amazing moment sink in. As I sat there on the beach, boots already tossed aside, I savored the sensation of the warm sand between my toes. While sifting the sand through my fingers I realized why some of the islands of the Bahamas advertise their "pink" sand. From the air, the sand just looks beautifully white, but a closer look reveals millions of tiny grains of pink. I've been to some amazing beaches all over the world, but the pink sand of certain beaches in the Bahamas is the sand to beat in my book so far. I'm sure there is better sand out there, and I really look forward to the day I find it.
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Setting up Camp on "Eric's Beach"
On a hill overlooking my campsite while gathering firewood
As much as I wanted to sit and watch the waves until sunset, there was still work to do. Sunset was approaching quickly and I still needed to find a spot to camp and gather firewood. Walking southeast along the beach brought nothing promising. With the high tide there wasn't much room to work with so I turned around and hoped for better luck. After about 15 minutes of walking past endless amounts of debris along the beach, I came to a spot that was perfect. The beach was very wide, even during high tide, and there were some small dunes behind it that would keep the wind off of my fire. I knew this would be my camp.
While searching for firewood in the bushes, I couldn't help but think back to all the trash on the beach. I always pictured a secluded beach, which it was at the time, to be perfectly clean with no trash due to the fact there were no humans around to dirty it up. But as I was looking around at the debris, which was all very interesting, I noticed everything that washed up had come off ships. With no other footprints or people in sight the whole trip it was clear that everything came off passing ships. Lifesavers, buoys, rope, liquor bottles, and many other fascinating things that I'm not familiar with the name were covering the beach. It wasn't like India where they just dump random trash everywhere, this had to be from a lack of people to clean up the shores, and maybe something to do with the currents.
While searching for firewood in the bushes, I couldn't help but think back to all the trash on the beach. I always pictured a secluded beach, which it was at the time, to be perfectly clean with no trash due to the fact there were no humans around to dirty it up. But as I was looking around at the debris, which was all very interesting, I noticed everything that washed up had come off ships. With no other footprints or people in sight the whole trip it was clear that everything came off passing ships. Lifesavers, buoys, rope, liquor bottles, and many other fascinating things that I'm not familiar with the name were covering the beach. It wasn't like India where they just dump random trash everywhere, this had to be from a lack of people to clean up the shores, and maybe something to do with the currents.
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First night in paradise
My bed...a tarp, and a beautiful fire.
I luckily had enough time to round up sufficient firewood and get the fire going before it became dark. With the fire blazing and my tarp laid out it was finally time to relax. Listening to the waves softly lapping the coast and the fire crackling couldn't have been more of a perfect combination. Until you add in the endless stars in the clear sky and an immaculate May evening in the islands.
It always makes me laugh, most people ask if I got bored out here. "What did you do, all by yourself?" I didn't do anything at night except watch the stars and think to myself. I love having alone time to try to figure out what I really want in life and many other questions I think everyone should ask themselves. It was also so nice to have no distractions and just be one with nature, it really lets you take in all the sights, smells, sounds, and atmosphere around you.
I thought after a lack of sleep the night before and such a long day of traveling and hiking I would fall straight asleep. Far from it actually, the dreamy night kept me up dreaming of the future and also lost in the sublime moment. The only time I felt a little scared or lonely the whole trip was when I stepped away from my campfire to go sit closer to the ocean. At first my eyes weren't adjusted to the light and a small desolate feeling came over me, for about 3 minutes, until my eyes adjusted to the dark. Between the crescent moon and the stars there was still enough light to make out the outline of the ocean, and being able to see my surroundings again gave me comfort. The stars really came out being away from the fire, and as I was looking towards the heavens, I started to count all the shooting stars. Since I was still a rookie traveler, I had my nice watch on with a glowing second-hand and counted an average of 5 shooting stars a minute for 5 minutes until a satellite caught my attention. I still smile a little every time someone wishes on a shooting star.
It always makes me laugh, most people ask if I got bored out here. "What did you do, all by yourself?" I didn't do anything at night except watch the stars and think to myself. I love having alone time to try to figure out what I really want in life and many other questions I think everyone should ask themselves. It was also so nice to have no distractions and just be one with nature, it really lets you take in all the sights, smells, sounds, and atmosphere around you.
I thought after a lack of sleep the night before and such a long day of traveling and hiking I would fall straight asleep. Far from it actually, the dreamy night kept me up dreaming of the future and also lost in the sublime moment. The only time I felt a little scared or lonely the whole trip was when I stepped away from my campfire to go sit closer to the ocean. At first my eyes weren't adjusted to the light and a small desolate feeling came over me, for about 3 minutes, until my eyes adjusted to the dark. Between the crescent moon and the stars there was still enough light to make out the outline of the ocean, and being able to see my surroundings again gave me comfort. The stars really came out being away from the fire, and as I was looking towards the heavens, I started to count all the shooting stars. Since I was still a rookie traveler, I had my nice watch on with a glowing second-hand and counted an average of 5 shooting stars a minute for 5 minutes until a satellite caught my attention. I still smile a little every time someone wishes on a shooting star.
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Relaxation
Lying on a piece of driftwood, enjoying my freedom.
It wasn't perfect at the beach, after the torment of the sand flies overcame the enticing time at the beach, I headed back to camp to get some sleep. Although I was covered head to toe, the mosquito net around my head didn't keep the buzzing out of my ears all night. I can't say it was the best I've ever slept but I woke up as the sun rose and was eager to have a full day to explore the beach and do absolutely nothing.
I started my day with a quick sun salutation, recently I had became a fan of yoga and I still can't think of a better way to start or end a day. Feeling extremely refreshed, the first thing on my agenda was to explore the beach. At low tide the water was amazing, with lots of the coral heads and rocks that were covered the night before, exposed. After a long walk confirming my solitude, I went back to camp to have a breakfast of almonds. By the time I got back the sun was scorching and it was time for suntan lotion and a swim. I didn't get a chance to use my snorkel and fins the previous day, so I was eager to check out the crystal clear water. Unfortunately the waves were a little rougher than usual and as I was heading out I got caught off-guard by a wave that knocked of my mask from my face. I caught the mask in my hand but when I put it on I realized the snorkel was missing! It was one of those moments where you just have to laugh at yourself, knowing you tried to be Mr. Crusoe while you're really more like Gilligan. Luckily I was still able to see beautiful scenery underwater that I had dreamed about for so long while flying over the islands from the air.
The rest of the trip was pretty much a repeat routine. Wake up, walk, swim, lay in the sand, run around naked, gather wood, enjoy the night. Not much of a story, but it's great to release your mind from any kind of worry. I had perfect weather the whole time, besides the sand fleas and mossies I had absolutely nothing to care about. One last swim and walk along the beach with my camera my last afternoon proved to be fuel for my next trip...although I did not know it yet. I would be back with a video camera and a hope for buried treasure soon! With this trip I had been planning and dreaming about for so long, after successfully completing it, I emerged with nothing but confidence and excitement. My new life had started...it was time to explore.
I started my day with a quick sun salutation, recently I had became a fan of yoga and I still can't think of a better way to start or end a day. Feeling extremely refreshed, the first thing on my agenda was to explore the beach. At low tide the water was amazing, with lots of the coral heads and rocks that were covered the night before, exposed. After a long walk confirming my solitude, I went back to camp to have a breakfast of almonds. By the time I got back the sun was scorching and it was time for suntan lotion and a swim. I didn't get a chance to use my snorkel and fins the previous day, so I was eager to check out the crystal clear water. Unfortunately the waves were a little rougher than usual and as I was heading out I got caught off-guard by a wave that knocked of my mask from my face. I caught the mask in my hand but when I put it on I realized the snorkel was missing! It was one of those moments where you just have to laugh at yourself, knowing you tried to be Mr. Crusoe while you're really more like Gilligan. Luckily I was still able to see beautiful scenery underwater that I had dreamed about for so long while flying over the islands from the air.
The rest of the trip was pretty much a repeat routine. Wake up, walk, swim, lay in the sand, run around naked, gather wood, enjoy the night. Not much of a story, but it's great to release your mind from any kind of worry. I had perfect weather the whole time, besides the sand fleas and mossies I had absolutely nothing to care about. One last swim and walk along the beach with my camera my last afternoon proved to be fuel for my next trip...although I did not know it yet. I would be back with a video camera and a hope for buried treasure soon! With this trip I had been planning and dreaming about for so long, after successfully completing it, I emerged with nothing but confidence and excitement. My new life had started...it was time to explore.