Hangin' with the Hutia

 

 Last week was our first official Land & Sea Park Paddle! According to Dallas, it was a GREAT trip!! The weather has been absolutely gorgeous lately. Everything just seemed to fall into place for this trip, which is always nice. Dallas thoroughly enjoyed spending time up in the park. There is definitely more wildlife in the water and on land up in the protected region of the park...really breath-taking! One of the most unique wildlife on land up that way is this new critter that I am just learning of myself. Dallas mentioned it to me like, "Yeah, you know..." and I was just kind of dumbfounded and saying "a what??" So, without further ado I introduce you to the HUTIA!!

 

Native only to the Bahamas, pronounced "who-tea-uh", these little rodents are kind of a cross between a rat and a guinea pig, but more on the guinea pig side of things. They eat only plants and vegetation, and have completely taken over Warderick Wells Cay, the island where the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park Headquarters is located. There is a colony of about 2,000 on this island....TWO THOUSAND!! The vegetation on the island looks really funny where they have eaten all the good stuff and left the poison wood to flourish. They are also nocturnal, and a phrase I have heard Dallas saying the last couple days is "When the sun is away, the Hutia will play!" I believe his exact quote (showing all his true Bahamian colors) when he was describing them to me was, "When the sun went down, 'muh-da-sick', dey were everywhere!!!"

 We are frequently asked the question, "Is it worth it to go all the way up to the Park?", and after a trip like this we would have to say, YES!!! It is totally worth it. Not to say you won't see really cool stuff in the lower and more accessible cays, but the quantity of fish and wildlife is truly amazing!

 

 Saturday, Dallas will head out on our first Land & Sea Park Sail! We're hopeful it will be a fun and enjoyable trip as well. Times like these it pays to be related to us :) Our Brother-in-law, Kevin, is joining us on this trip as an extra guide! He found this information out about 6 hours ago when we were in need of another guide to replace one that suddenly couldn't make it. Thank you, Kevin and Kevin's Boss :)