It was a late night and an early morning ... but all for good reasons. Just as I was about ready to doze off this morning following the last of the post-game interviews, the mail boat arrived at the Government Dock. I listened to the chatter of the dock hands, the beeping of machinery, and the moving of containers while making my grocery list in my mind. We departed Crossroads around 10:00 to visit the market. The harbor was choppy and the wind was gusty as Barry secured the dinghy to the dock at Frigate's restaurant. A short walk up the street took us to The Marketplace where we found fully stocked shelves and employees busy unloading the fresh produce that arrived via boat. Fresh heads of Romaine, tomatoes, milk, cheese, and bread were all available. We also restocked some of our canned vegetable inventory -- even at $3.68 for a can of green beans. We returned to Crossroads, stowed everything, then headed back to shore to explore the town. Rock Sound is a nice-sized town with all the normal municipal services and brightly-colored residences just off the main street. We walked to Sammy's, a local favorite, and enjoyed a great lunch.
Our afternoon was ear-marked for exploring three natural wonders located just south of the town. Walking along the main road it was good to see a stately older house being restored. The stone wall and landscaping provided evidence that this was once quite a place. We spotted another very tall evergreen and also bees on roadside flowers. The St. Luke's Anglican Church dates to 1863 and stands just a short distance from the water.
Our first stop was the Boiling Hole. It is a blue hole formed when the island's limestone eroded. It is connected to an offshore hole a quarter of a mile away by a network of underground caves. The water in this hole bubbles and churns with the movement of the ocean tides, but it was nice and calm while we were there. We continued on the trail beyond the hole to find Cathedral Cave. These passageways were also formed by the erosion of the limestone. The most dramatic feature are the roots that cascade down from trees on top of the cave. The ceiling also has several holes that allow an abundance of light to filter down.
The scenery was spectacular, even including several colonies of bats clinging to the darker upper areas. We exited the cave and backtracked toward town to see the inland Ocean Hole, a beautiful body of water tucked in the middle of the island just beyond a border of trees. This hole is over 600 feet deep and is high in mineral and sulfur, leading locals to think that the water has healing powers.
Not being one to pass up the opportunity for a miracle cure for old bones, I sat down and dipped my feet in for a refreshing few minutes. On several occasions today, we heard locals complaining about how hot it was. One older gentleman told us it was a good day for making toast. Our final stop was to be a gift shop that had nice signs posted on most of the utility poles in town. Google Maps took us to the spot, but no store. Tired and hot, we walked over to Wild Orchids and enjoyed a frozen beverage on the deck while chatting with the bartender about local spots of interest. Turns out the gift shop has relocated to Governors Harbor. No worries. Maybe will catch it in a few days. The sign hanging by the bar summed up the day. With UVA's win and the resultant chatter with old friends, the 18th birthday of a special young lady, and a day spent exploring this area it was indeed easy to relax.
Our afternoon was ear-marked for exploring three natural wonders located just south of the town. Walking along the main road it was good to see a stately older house being restored. The stone wall and landscaping provided evidence that this was once quite a place. We spotted another very tall evergreen and also bees on roadside flowers. The St. Luke's Anglican Church dates to 1863 and stands just a short distance from the water.
Our first stop was the Boiling Hole. It is a blue hole formed when the island's limestone eroded. It is connected to an offshore hole a quarter of a mile away by a network of underground caves. The water in this hole bubbles and churns with the movement of the ocean tides, but it was nice and calm while we were there. We continued on the trail beyond the hole to find Cathedral Cave. These passageways were also formed by the erosion of the limestone. The most dramatic feature are the roots that cascade down from trees on top of the cave. The ceiling also has several holes that allow an abundance of light to filter down.
The scenery was spectacular, even including several colonies of bats clinging to the darker upper areas. We exited the cave and backtracked toward town to see the inland Ocean Hole, a beautiful body of water tucked in the middle of the island just beyond a border of trees. This hole is over 600 feet deep and is high in mineral and sulfur, leading locals to think that the water has healing powers.
Not being one to pass up the opportunity for a miracle cure for old bones, I sat down and dipped my feet in for a refreshing few minutes. On several occasions today, we heard locals complaining about how hot it was. One older gentleman told us it was a good day for making toast. Our final stop was to be a gift shop that had nice signs posted on most of the utility poles in town. Google Maps took us to the spot, but no store. Tired and hot, we walked over to Wild Orchids and enjoyed a frozen beverage on the deck while chatting with the bartender about local spots of interest. Turns out the gift shop has relocated to Governors Harbor. No worries. Maybe will catch it in a few days. The sign hanging by the bar summed up the day. With UVA's win and the resultant chatter with old friends, the 18th birthday of a special young lady, and a day spent exploring this area it was indeed easy to relax.
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