“Wow, it’s hot like a bath!” I couldn’t help exclaiming as I stepped into the black water, sinking into the soft debris at the edge of the salt pond. It didn’t look inviting at all, but rather scary as we were urged to walk into that murkiness. Mario and Stephanie were already floating backwards towards the centre of the pond.
“It’ll be fine. Just walk in until it’s deep enough to turn around, then push yourself backwards into the deep,” Stephanie encouraged.
I figured I’d just experience it and get out of there quickly. Thank goodness I followed advice and had put on my aqua shoes so I didn’t have to step barefoot into unknown squishiness beneath my feet. I pushed backwards as directed, straight into a log under the surface! I quickly paddled deeper and realised that I was floating in the saltiness without any effort or flotation device. And it was even hotter out there!
Soon everyone had negotiated their way into the salty water and was floating comfortably in a sitting or standing position. It was actually too hot to lower one’s feet. A soft rain started and that served to cool the surface to a bearable temperature.
“See the tiny shrimp all around you? They’re the only creatures that can live in here,” Mario enlightened us on this phenomenon. We began to catch a few of the wriggly, elusive creatures which were barely visible and could be mistaken for vegetation debris.
I looked around and marveled at the natural beauty of the roughly circular pond, about four hundred feet in diameter. It was within yards of a sand bank on one side that was lined with Manchineel trees and a stony beach holding back the Gulf of Paria. It was perfectly quiet and I felt like I was in a crater surrounded by forest. How did this form, is it volcanic, why is it so hot? Lots of questions to google later.
Too soon we had to leave and negotiate the short walk through the straggly trees, stones and plastic flotsam to get back to La Tinta Bay where Mario’s boat was moored. We relaxed in the sea water before clambering back on board and heading to our next stop.
This group of mostly women was arranged by Stephanie from our aquarobics class on a first-come, first served basis, and Mario volunteered his boat with a contribution from us towards gas. We had 
already visited the cluster of ruined houses on Chacachacare Bay, representing the nuns’ chapel and quarters, kitchen, etc., serving the nearby leprosarium. These buildings are said to be haunted and they were certainly spooky! We had also visited the small graveyard 
where we pondered on the difficult lives of these women of God who mostly came from France. They dedicated their lives to caring for the lepers who were banished to this tiny island in the last century. The climb up those crumbling paths and steps was hard on our knees, and the disintegrating floorboards of the buildings were downright dangerous. Tall grasses scratched our legs and arms along the overgrown paths and mosquitos viciously attacked us. I couldn’t help thinking that at least they had one of the most peaceful and beautiful views of the bay from this high point.
After taking a brief dip in the clear, amber water by the stone jetty, we had then speeded off around the north side of Chacachacare Island. People exclaimed at how close Venezuela was as we could clearly see details of lofty cliffs and mysterious vertical silver lines etched into those towering mountains just seven miles to the west of us. We moored off a stony beach and settled down 
to a sumptuous lunch of pelau, curry, tuna wraps, dips, cakes, etc. Everyone had brought enough food to feed the whole group! The Salt Pond was very close to this beach but Mario said we would go there at the next stop. He certainly seemed to know his way around these islands. Here’s a great article describing Chacachacare and its fascinating history:
http://www.caribbean-beat.com/issue-43/once-upon-island-chacachacare#axzz4xaIMpQVk .
After leaving the Salt Pond, we sped across the deep water of the Third Boca towards Huevos Island. Here we moored up for a final swim at the point where the Atlantic Ocean had crashed through the island to its other side, effectively cutting the island in two. Stephanie said she had once seen Oil Birds in the nearby caves peppering the cliffs. We were disappointed that we didn’t see dolphins on the way back; that would have been the perfect ending to a perfect day out, Down The Islands.
(Many thanks to Sam Bayne for the use of his photos)
Fascinating Sue, sounds like a place I would like to visit next time I’m in T&T!
That was very interesting that tour for you all. I went to Chacachacare Island on a Hash a few years ago and it was great that Hash.