Bahamas, Half Moon Cay

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I just came back from a cruise to the Bahamas. 1 of the stops was the cruise lines private island Half Moon Cay. When we first booked it I thought, great a day on the beach with nothing to do. Well as soon as we started to pull in to the marina I realized what my day was going to be like. And let me say this was the best day for PRA on the cruise. Half Moon cay is 2800 acres and only around 50 acres have been developed. They had nature trails everywhere. So Here are the pics from my trip.

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And what is that monster back there

I had to get back through the brush for a picture

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And getting back there I saw this orchid in spike. Have not done any research so not sure what it is.

Also not a very good picture of a blue curly tail lizard, can you see him, and a few sprouts

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And here are a few more

This 1 had a big hole in it.

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Here are some more, these 2 were split by a Casasia clusiifolia

and finally after all day of looking

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Here are some other Coccothrinax sp. pics I found a few seeds from these monster trunk cocco's, any guesses on an ID for me.

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And these are a few randoms of the island

This last 2 picture mark the spots I dropped 5 Bismarckia seeds I collected the day before in Nassau. So if anyone gets to make the trip and you spot some Bizzies I did that! That is all I have for now.

[Kim]

What a fantastic day that must have been. Thanks for posting these great pix. Did you have anyone along to talk palms with? My travel companions tolerate my palm gushing, but it's not the same as talking with another palm freak.

[avb]

That "big hole" in post #4 was someone's lunch. The inside of the trunk contains very sweet flesh. I sampled some in the Dominican Republic and I found it very tasty. Our guides claimed the damage wouldn't kill the tree, despite what would appear otherwise. The hole is apparently usually made just below the bottom of the crownshaft where the trunk is about full diameter, which means this tree was cut long ago.

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Kim, It was my girl Monique who went on the nature hike with me, and she will tolerate my palm babble. Have to love her for that! My brother and his girl on the other hand kept saying "Geeze, stopping to take another palm picture, don't you have enough already." But either way this was a great day and an absolutely beautiful island.

Alan, Thanks for the tidbit of knowledge. That is great you had an opportunity to taste it. I have a bunch of seedling I am going to plant out. I think I will add that to my bucket list. Putting my ignorance out there, I had heard about them as food, but in my mind I was thinking they harvested the whole palm, but that makes so much sense now. Starring at that hole trying to figure out what happened. Duh! Thanks again for clearing that up.

[Central Floridave]

Awesome photos! Hot, dry, and quick draining soil looks to be the key for Buccaneers. Its amazing that anything grows in that inhospitable environment. I've been in the Abacos a couple of times and alwalys find it fascinating what grows on these islands. This time of year they get zero rain and then in the summer they get hit by tropical storms. Tough plants!