Prison
Today we splashed around in the jungle surrounding Ile St Joseph in whose lee we are anchored. I forgot my shoes and rowed back for them while Merel continued on. When we finally caught up it was on top of the hill where the main 'museum' is located. The museum is a collection of buildings in various states of disrepair. A very few have been restored, like the restaurant and hotel. We had coffee and then went shooting. I generally dislike photoshoots but with Merel we go our own ways. The Nikon died and most of my shots are broken up bands of random colors. Later I work out that it's just the SD card. I put a new SD card in it this evening and it goes again.
We took the lower, less used track around the island and Merel wore a grin. This is where she will spend the night! I'm not such a seeker of jungle sensations and will sleep on the boat. She has found a grove of trees and will come back later to string her hammock between them with the monkeys, peacocks, agouti's and iguanas. We saw no snakes, I'm pretty sure there are no jaguars and the tiger sharks are long gone. I think her main problem will be insects.
Back on the boat Merel cooks up a feast (last supper) and I lie down to digest it. About 1600 she wakes me up to say goodbye. She won't take a light or the hand-held VHF because she's now Jungle Woman -- impervious to all natural danger and friend to all the island animals. I take a deep breathe, tell myself she's a grown woman and calmly wave goodbye as she rows off.