by Kat Robertson s/v Ritmo Di Vita Pictures by s/v Djarrka & s/v Tash Tego
Up until Saturday, March 6th 2010, my very limited knowledge of Trinidad was based upon the familiar route between Peakes; Power Boats, Budget Marine, Crews Inn and TTSA. Although these marinas and stores met the needs of our boat requirements, my spirit was starving for a real taste of the true flavor of the Island of Trinidad.
When Connie from s/v Tashtego spoke to Jesse on the Net one morning inquiring about a hiking tour to see a waterfall, my antenna went up. Flashbacks of an early conversation with Connie of the beauty of this island came flooding back and I implored Jörn to let us take a day and go exploring. Feeling the need to replenish his spirit as well, he radioed our interest in joining the group.
On the morning of March 6th we arose before the sun; gathered our travel belongings, climbed in the dingy and headed to shore to meet up with our fellow adventurers from s/v Djarrka, s/v Tash Tego, s/v Galeta, s/v Lise of Life and s/vArgonus, all coming together in the spirit of discovery and exploration. As the sun rose, we listened as Connie joined Jesse in pointing out some of their favorite sites, seasoned with historical and local trivia, as we journeyed along to our destination. Along the way we met up with Jesse’s friend and fearless hiking guide Lawrence “The Snake Man” Pierre, joined by his brother Mark Pierre; together they rounded out our group of 14.
Mark introduced himself first as a trained medical professional in the case of any emergencies to set our minds at ease about the various perils we could possibly encounter. The Snake Man then took center stage emphasizing why it was important to wear the proper clothing and footwear before describing how we were to say together as we proceeded on our expedition. Filled with knowledge of the wildlife and foliage, Snake Man also gave us the history of the paths through the mountains that originated from a time when Trinidad was both a British and a French colony. The African slaves along with the indigenous peoples of that day were used to carry the natural resources from the forest to the shores and these were the very paths upon which we now tread.
For the first time since our arrival in Trinidad, Jörn and I found ourselves in awe of the splendor and exquisite charm of this island paradise. From the first beach Snake man, Mark and Jesse lead us along the North Coast between Blanchisseuse and Paria to the lookout at turtle head ridge and the magnificent archway on the Paria Baybeach the charm of the island held us captive. Finally, hot, sweaty and hungry we arrived at our destination; the Paria Falls, Blanchisseuse. When I close my eyes I can still feel the coolness of the water when we stripped off our walking shorts and jumped into the refreshing pool. Those of us, who could, swam to the fall to fill up our water bottles. It was quite simply a beautiful experience.
The way back, refreshed yet tired, we were lifted and encouraged onward by psalms sung by Snake Man’s as his boisterous baritone voice filled the air. When we climbed into Jesse’s van we were all looking forward to the promised “Richard’s Bake n’ Shark which did not disappoint. Exhausted, yet totally fulfilled, this journey to one of Trinidad’s hidden treasures proved to be a revelation and discovery of the true allure and charm of this island paradise.
