3/2 Coolest Swimming Hole Ever

Today Larry Gilbert took half of us on a long ridge hike that lasted the whole morning. Saw some great views through tree falls (the ridges are steep, trees don't last as long there as they do in the lowlands). Larry is primarily a butterfly guy, so we were treated to some fascinating natural history lectures and the experience of watching him grab one lep after another right out of the air with his bare hands. He occasionally mentions that his heart trouble has slowed him down in the last couple of years. It's a good think I didn't come on this course 10 years ago, I never would have been able to keep up with him -- it's a struggle as it is.

In the afternoon several of us hiked up the Rio Claro to the coolest swimming hole the world has ever seen. The water was warm but not too warm. The deepest spots were about 8 feet, and big enough to really swim in. At the bend in the river there were some shallow rapids you could sit in to get the water massage, and then slide down and out into the pool. I floated for a while looking up through lianas at the vultures circling lazily far up in the sky. This was the first experience that really smacked of tropical paradise decadence.

It's a good thing there are moments like that, because I'm beginning to discover that there are more biting insects here than anywhere I've been. Except maybe coastal Maine in May. There are some mosquitoes, abundant no-see-ums, and enormous numbers of ticks. I pick off about 20 ticks a day, at least 5 of them imbedded. The only place I've seen anything like it is the New Jersey pine barrens. Throughout lectures and meals you can see people here and there twitch, pull up a pant leg or shirt, and pluck and squash. Luckily these ticks are way easier to kill than the ones I'm used to. But the bites itch for a long time, and are prone to infection. It seems like everyone has at least one sore by now that won't heal.

I was placed in Larry Gilbert's FLP group. I always seem to get my top pick of resource people, I don't know how that works. Larry is a very well known tropical ecologist. He's one of those people who knows lots of natural history, recognizes good questions. and can see how to carry it out. He's full of ideas. Our FLP involves catching butterflies and throwing them in spider webs. Hypotheses and predictions not clear yet; more on that tomorrow. I'm going to bed early tonight, hooray!