Follow the sounds to adventure

My hair had expanded three times the size; the humidity with a mix of mist had made it look like I had just spent an hour wearing a parka in a steam bath. A few hours before my skin was covered in a layer of salt I had opened the passenger door of our rental car and could already hear the thunderous noise of the crashing Caribbean Sea knocking against the cliffs.

Walking down the winding forested trail, lizards dashed into fallen leaves as they heard you approach, we were only feet from the opening and you could hear the roar of the ocean. Minutes later, the water came into view. Boka Kalki, one of seven inlets along the north coast of the island of Curacao, is a natural spectacle. The waters of the Caribbean Sea produces a show like no other, the thunderous waves crashing into the cliff almost make it seem like the sea is in competition with itself to see who can create a larger splash. The charm of the island isn’t built on picturesque white sand expanses, but instead is known for the small secluded coves where wildlife flourishes and the natural environment takes over.

Walking towards the water I began to feel small, the two rock walls of the inlet seemed daunting as they rose over 20 feet above my head. The open sea in front of me crashed against the cliff before reaching my feet and soaking my sneakers unexpectedly. Taking my shoes off, I could feel the stones and coral knocking around my toes. The eight year old rock collector in me was in heaven, smooth beach pebbles that had been polished by waves years prior seemed to multiply by the minute.

Hermit crabs lofted around in their colourful shells while land crabs skittered away behind the rocks as I approached. Goats not shy of human interaction trotted down the cliffs to get a drink of water from the shallow pools that were left from high tide the night before. Dark figures appeared in the waves; sea turtles bounced around in the thrashing tide. As afternoon turned, the 1:00 pm sun caused a lot of wildlife to recluse to the shade, something I wish I had thought of before. A morning trip would have made more sense; my skin certainly would have thanked me. However, regardless of sunburns and frizzy hair, my Curacao adventure was only just beginning.