How do you guys do it? I was forgetting what happened, which day after I was back a week! Do you take notes or just have a REALLY good memory? LOL!
How do you guys do it? I was forgetting what happened, which day after I was back a week! Do you take notes or just have a REALLY good memory? LOL!
"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver and gold" R.N.M
Okay, I'm back
Mayfield Falls Continued...
So when we left off, Daisy had decided NOT to rent water shoes.
In her defense, she did not come to this decision out of hubris, but rather for us to have more money to give to our tour guide, when we were done. Very noble. Our tour-guide disagreed with the decision and packed an extra pair of water shoes, should she request it later. Daisy never did. ( that's my girl!).
The sun was getting lower and the insects began buzzing in little dancing clouds above the shrubbery. As we stripped to trunks and bikinis, we began to feel little bites, real and imagined. It was high time to get into the water.
Sheldon packed our cameras into a little cooler and guided us down a slippery wood-and-mud ladder to the edge of the river, where the mud gave way to boulders of every size. The water was roaring merely feet away from us now. Conversation was impossible and even shouting helped little.
Sheldon screamed: “Canon ball! Canon ball! You can jump! Jump!”
Daisy wiped the water-spray out of her face and looked undecided: “Just jump?”
Jamar took one deep breath and courageously leaped into the wet. Daisy and I followed.
(still frame from the video footage)
Once my face broke below the surface my cheeks were tickled by a million frantic bubbles all racing upwards along the surface of my skin. Every inch of my body suddenly felt like it had been dunked into a soda bottle.
My feet found footing about five feet down. I erected myself and rose out of the ragging water.
I hadn't paid much attention before, struggling with our cameras, focusing on little plant pods and details. When I finally opened my eyes to take it all in, it was overwhelming.
A turquoise stream meandered downriver from my torso. Its color was so pure and strong, it looked painted. Picturesque boulders covered the river bed , while a lush ribbon of flowers, vines, moss and fern completed the colorful composition with an accent along the winding banks.
The trees here and there rose sturdily from the ground, their weight supported by enormous buttress roots that circled the trunk like the radiating fan-blades on a jet-engine. Looking up their height was intimidating. Vines came down some 60 feet or more. When followed by eyes, they disappeared into a tangle of other vines near the crown. I could only ponder, what wonders might be waiting there to be discovered - in that strange, lofty world, the kingdom of epiphytes and clinging roots.
Daisy ripped me out of my thoughts: “You should put on your snorkel, see what's in here”.
That's right. There were discoveries waiting right here. I put the mask on and squeezed for some suction.
First, all I could see were bubbles. The force of the water, racing downriver, grabbed and shoved the air two feet down, below the surface. I struggled against buoyancy and downstream to get a view below the frothy layer. My snorkel was being pounded and wildly shaken by enormous commotion and thus utterly useless. I finally grabbed a hold on a boulder and pulled myself down.
Again, the view that opened underwater was absolutely breathtaking.
I have seen clean water. All of us living in the Western World have, be it filling a pot from the faucet or diving into a swimming-pool. Yet, this was something different. Maybe, because THIS was a river and it WASN'T SUPPOSED TO be that clean. Maybe, because the light shining through it, was somehow more brilliant, I don't know, but what I can say, to me it was like showing someone, who has seen nothing but VHS-tapes, a blue-ray movie on an HD-Screen. STUNNING!
I felt like I was treading on hallowed ground. Suddenly I was aware of all the crap on my body, the sun-tan lotion, the lotion-lotion, the leave-in conditioner, the traces of detergent in my trunks. This water was so clear, I felt like my body in and of itself was pollution, a slight moment of western self-disgust.
There were only two colors down there. The turquoise color of the water intensifying with depth, and the even brownish-gray of the rocks. Every living thing, conformed to that color scheme. The rocks had probably taken the color from the algae growing on them and the fish, snails and river-lobster conformed for the purpose of camouflage.
I rose up with a gasp for air: “Honey you got to see this!”
I tore the mask off my face and offered it.
Meanwhile Daisy and Jamar had been enjoying the force of the river in other ways. Between the biggest of the smooth, round boulders were gaps that smaller boulders were stuck in. The whole configuration created an underwater seat right where the water rushed down the successive steps that made these "the falls" rather than a river.
(still frame from the video footage)
Sheldon gestured me to go there and screamed: “Like a Jacuzzi Man, just like a natural Jacuzzi, Ya Mon!”
Daisy made room, taking the snorkel, as we traded places.
Sheldon: “Push Man, against the rocks, Man, with your feet.”
I fumbled and struggled against the current until my feet finally found what he was talking about. As if created by an ingenious interior designer, nature had placed a little foot board right here, which made it possible to push ones body back against the rushing water and take a seat in the gap.
Once planted there the water pounded against my shoulders violently. I shifted left and right and received a thorough Swedish message at no extra cost.
Last edited by Hubby-man; 01-19-2012 at 05:38 PM.
“We got to go Man!” Sheldon screamed, “Lots more to see!”
He helped us out of the little pool, we had become so enamored with, and pulled us, one by one, onto the next higher level of the stream.
From there we wandered in shallow water over smooth and slippery rocks further up the river. I expected monkeys and pirates to fall from the trees any minute now, but no such event occurred.
When I took closer look at the boulders we were climbing over, I was once again astonished by a little detail: On the top edge of every rock, on the side facing downriver, a little lip had formed, grown out of minerals deposited there. That lip consistently took the shape a wave. Like a fossil of sorts, the river had made a mark into every rock. As a little indication of its existence for future generations, the river had crafted, no... , was crafting, a miniature image of itself into the landscape it flowed through, over and over again. Natures self-portraits.
Last edited by Hubby-man; 01-23-2012 at 05:58 PM.
We came to another set of pools, each frothing and bubbling. Sheldon was excited.
“This is a special pool. You can dive through a hole in da rocks from one pool to di other side .”
He showed us the spot and gave precise instructions of how to accomplish the deed.
I went first. So much fun, I did it twice. With the clarity of the water and the current pushing you forward, one could express dive through a hollow under the rocks, from light to dark and back to light. Exciting for the imagined danger of getting stuck, and rewarding for the otherworldly experience. Daisy and Jamar loved it just as much as I.
The next set of pools had a high-diving board mounted on a tree.
The final Grand Finale was, what locals called The Washing Machine. Here the water was falling from a bit higher up and in a broader pattern. The gushing forces encircled a pool.
Me and Daisy arrived a little later than Jamar to the spot as our progress was dramatically slower with one of us having no water shoes. Our first question was: “Where is Jamar?”
Last edited by Hubby-man; 01-20-2012 at 02:30 PM.
Sheldon pointed into the washing machine. But there was no trace of him. As Sheldon kept pointing we move deeper into the pool. The walls of water around us came down with formidable strength and it took some courage to pass beneath them.
When I finally did, I discovered our lost companion sitting under the overhanging rocks, in a dry spot.
His figure was erect and proud, while his chin was resting on his fist, not unlike Rodin's thinker. He looked deep in thought. It was like he had melted into this otherworldly landscape and became one with it. Jamar seemed like a warrior who had found his power place. He was absorbing all he could.
My arrival stirred him up. He lost his train of thought and dove back out of the cave below the raging water, that had hid him from the rest of the world. Again I felt like a pollutant. It was right after that, that the “praying mantis” picture was taken of him. I think he found something significant there, though he never talked about it.
Daisy and me dove in and out of the froth a few more times, kissing and hugging like this was our honey moon.
But this was the last stage of our adventure and we had to make our way home. Jamar and Sheldon had already started up the steep path back to the campgrounds, and eventually we had to follow.
I think Daisy will agree, that its really the trek home that you need the water shoes for most. I think her feet were getting torn up by prickly seed-pods, sharp sticks and stones. Also touching the hand-rail had serious consequences, as it was covered by armies of vicious little ants, that had claimed this rail as a super high-way.
If you make it to Mayfield Falls, and you feel yourself itching and scratching, these little ants are more likely to be the cause than mosquitoes or gnats. Just stay away from tree trunks, handrails.... or anything really.
The entire time we had enjoyed ourselves so much, also because Sheldon had completely taken over the task of taking pictures. And he had done an expert job, keeping memory card, battery-power, directed and natural snapshots, movies and still shots at a perfect balance. Something I can't even do myself, and he did it with three cameras.
When we got back to the campground, the sun was fading at a hurry. The hundreds of stairs back up to the road seemed insurmountable after the exertions in the water, but we made it.
Me and Daisy last.
Back up on top we were greeted by a Birthday Street Party in full progress. Sheldon and his wife and kids were dancing in the street with Jamar. Other folks and just as many dogs as people were moving about excitedly.
The big smiles from the kids were intoxicating and we hung about for a while. Sheldon’s girls absolutely loved Jamar and dragged him this way and that. What a good time!
It was so sad to say good bye. We gave Sheldon every dime we had and he was extremely thankful. It seems, especially during off-season, going out for a day excursion can really make a difference in someones family finance. And damn that makes us always happier than the money itself ever could have. And what an experience we had.
As far as day trips go I think that was the greatest experience of my life.
And with that I leave you. I think Daisy has the continuation of her family discovery almost ready to go. So stay tuned for that.
Last edited by Hubby-man; 01-19-2012 at 05:53 PM.
Thanks...again! My day always starts out nice if I get a chance to enjoy your report first. I forgot to close my office door today, and a co-worker walked in while i was checking out that bug, so must remember to close the door! I am leaving for JA in a couple of weeks, and its all I have been talking about....so he see the photo and asks......"is that a Jamaican bug?"
I loved Mayfield when I went, thanks for the pics.
It is a profound experience and one to be treasured always. You have described it so perfectly.
Excellent! Will put Mayfield Falls at the top of my "to do" list. The photo with the kids and their dad is precious. The little girl in the green dress looks like quite a character.
Awesome. Really cool report. All those times I've been asked to go to Mayfield Falls and turned it down now seem like a series of big mistakes! Love the report!
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