So this weekend is a big Independence Weekend here in Dominica, which means everything will be closed until Monday. Being all productive (and I use that term loosely because I forgot everything I was supposed to get), I went to the store to stock up for this weekend. On the way back home, I make a comment that my mission before I leave this island is to see the a boa constrictor. Well this wonderful guy, Randy, was also a passenger in the taxi I was in and said he knew where I can see a pit of them.
We live really close together and he said he'll show me where they're at. I can officially say that I have walked through the jungle! It was around 5pm when we got to the wooded area (it gets dark here around 6pm-6:30pm) and he told me to find him. I see these HUGE holes in the ground, and he said those are actually crab holes, snake holes are actually pits...when we get there, I'll be able to see the difference.
We pass through a creek which was lukewarm, which is normal around here, and we climb through the jungle. Randy told me I need to get there tomorrow morning at 7 to 7:30am, that's when they come out, but I have to be really quiet walking past his family's house (they own all the property up there) because his mom gets upset when he shows people the snake pit. I told him I'll be extra quiet so I don't wake her.
So we finally get to the spot where the pits are....HUGE. They are in the base of the trees. He said they'll leave me alone as long as I leave them alone. I'm going to bring a knife with me, just in case, but all I'm taking is my camera and knife. I'm so excited. I'm posting pictures of Randy, he's such a cool kid. He goes to college in Roseau.
Oh, but get this! The water from the creek, lukewarm, the water by the snake pit, boiling. He let me feel the water and I don't know how it works, but that water is hot. He said with all the crab holes, the crabs go into the water, but by the time they figure it out it's not the lukewarm creek water, it's too late and they pretty much crawl in the boiling water and cook themselves. I'm of course posting pictures that I have now. I can't wait for tomorrow!
The first picture is Randy, that's my guy. He's an awesome kid. The second is the trail (if you were to call it that....soft ground. My feet sunk in a lot), I will be climbing in A REAL JUNGLE (I love that!) to get to the snake pit. The third picture is of the boiling water and right above it is the snake pit, which is the fourth picture, it's in the base of a tree. The last picture is of the crabs that crawl into the boiling water (different boiling water area) and just cook themselves.
I asked Randy if the snakes eat them afterward, when the crabs fall into the water. He told me no, he explained it to me in perfect words, but I can't remember how he put it. But I guess once they cooked themselves, the snakes don't want them. I'm so freaking excited for tomorrow!
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