Emerald Pool with the RSO

On Wednesday, I took the kids back to Emerald Pool so that we could swim in the pool. Our first time to the pool was back in January, with Memere, but we only put our hands in the water. It is a long drive with a couple stops and then a nice walk down to the pool through the rain forest. It was neat and I'm glad we all took our anti-motion sickness pills. The only down side to the trip was that my camera, the one I have had for 5+ years and taken 12,000+ pictures, stopped working. It still takes pictures but the lower half is blacked out so something is wrong with the shutter lens thing inside the camera. The positive thing is that I listened to a prompting that told me to take the video camera because we hardly have any video of this beautiful island so I did take it. And it can take still pictures as well so here is what it takes.

These are the stands/tables that the natives (they don't like to be called Caribs because the name comes from cannibal and they are not that type of people) have set up on the side of the road in their reservation (it's called the Carib Territory). They sell hand made baskets that are pretty amazing and I bought a "purse" that is waterproof because they make two layers of weave with a leaf between them. You can not live in the Carib Territory unless you are a full blood Carib and if you marry someone who is not full blood then you have to leave the territory.

This is the view from the road side where they sell their stuff.

I thought this hat was neat because it's more like a baseball cap and I've never seen one like it. I probably should have bought it... or not. My friend is also holding a fan that she bought and said she would be bringing it to Church. (One of the air conditioning units, or maybe both, are not working so it gets a little warm during Sacrament meeting.)

The kids liked trying on the different hats and they asked the ladies how much everything cost. It was funny and luckily the ladies were very nice and enjoyed the kids. At least I think they did.

This hat would actually stay on your head because it has that inner ring that hugged your head. The other hats seemed like they might blow away in a breeze.

Kemiah wanted to get in on the hat wearing so she grabbed this. Unfortunately it is a bowl, not a hat. The natives got a kick out of is though and thought it was so cute, which it was so I took a picture.

This is one of the largest baskets we saw there. They make them all different shapes and sizes and it's really amazing. I need to get one of them to come and teach me how to do it. Now that would be a great Enrichment activity. I bet you'd all come. Kemiah probably would have liked it a little more if she liked strangers, but she doesn't so she hated me leaving her there with the native lady.

This was on the walk to the waterfall and pool. I thought it was funny so I thought I'd share.

Just to give you an idea of the trail we took through the rain forest.

First view of the waterfall and pool from above. Just so pretty. I think they should trim some of the growth back so that you can have a clearer view, but that's just me. They have a rail fence with a sign that says, "Stay away from the edge." I couldn't get any closer.

The pool keeps flowing and this is what it looks like. It's just so neat and amazing that something so beautiful could be tucked away in the rain forest and I get to see it.

Kemiah was a little bit friendly but not much because she is pointing at me in the picture and wouldn't go any farther with our new friend.

My other girls, went willingly and were in the water before I even got there. The water is really cold so you can see Emily being a little resistant. They all went swimming and one of our friends took them each over to where the waterfall enters the pool so they could feel the spray and the water hit their hands. It was great.

Ben was hiking around a bit and then swam across the pool. I couldn't get him to jump off the rock into the pool though.

We certainly had a good time and I'm glad we went. I'm also very glad I had my video camera. It might have to do so I'll have to figure out how to take better pictures with it... Maybe I can get a new camera... I'll check into it.