June 21, 2000
Orange orchard
Barton Creek
After a nice breakfast that consisted of mango and pineapple juice, pancakes and sausages, with a cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice and a cup of coffee, we waited to go to Barton Creek cave. We took a ride in a taxi down through town and off a logging road, to a large orange grove. The 'road' put a pinhole in the taxi's oil pan on the way in. Somewhere in there was Barton Creek, which cut it's way through the limestone, forming a cave at least six miles long. There were seven American students and our guide, Orlando, waiting for us at the landing. So, we got in the canoes and, armed with car-battery-powered lanterns, paddled up the creek and into the cave. A few bats, and many limestone formations later, we were about 3/4 mile into the cave. We then turned off our lamps and enjoyed the utter darkness. From there, we turned around and slowly paddled back towards the entrance. On the way out, we saw a 'scorpion spider' - with a small scorpion-like body and long legs. They're completely harmless, but look ferocious enough. Once back on land, Ernie stepped in a pile of Fire Ants. A bit of fresh-squeezed orange juice, from a nearby orange tree, stopped the swelling and itchiness until we could find something else. By the time we got back to the taxi, the cabbie had fixed his leaking oil pan and we were on our way. On the way back to Windy Hill, we got the taxi driver to stop at a gift shop so we could pick up some souveniers and a few things for the folks back home.
continued...
entrance to the cave
inside Barton Creek cave
Bats!!!