The Jamaican Countryside Is Filled with Caves
A way to tell if a person is a “bushman” (Jamaican slang for someone raised in the countryside) is to learn more about some of their experiences growing up. Caves are found in hilly areas, and these places are usually rural. Jamaica is actually one of the most mountainous places in the world. Very few parts of the island are flat. If a Jamaican person tells you that they have knowledge of the various caves you will find on the island, then they are probably from the country. It’s an exceptional place to be because cave exploration can be incredibly fun and yet test you on so many different levels.
The Boys Explore a Cave
I can remember clearly those days when I would hear stories of people getting trapped in the cave because they were too fat to fit through the rocks. The funniest of the stories is one where a friend was in the cave with some other people, and a bat flew and landed on him. He ran out of the cave screaming and fanning the bat away. Imagine a gigantic man running out from a cave with a baseball bat in hand, screaming like a little girl. If that is not entertainment, then I’m not sure what is.
Basic Cave Exploration
Some of my fondest memories can be traced back to me walking with a kerosene lamp in hand with the wick slowly burning and a baseball bat in the other hand for protection against bats. It used to be that cave exploration was a scary thing, but after a while, you would get used to it, and you could just enjoy the scenery as you climbed on your belly through small pathways underground. Usually, you’d end up deep down until one of your friends screamed in Jamaican Patwa, “Woooiiii mi ago ded!!” (I’m going to die), only to realize that there was nothing ahead of them.
Here are a few tips for cave exploration if you ever plan on going through caves. Never go alone because if something happens to you, then it’s you, yourself, and you who are left to figure it out. Always carry a torch even in the daytime because it can get dark and scary. That’s about it. If you are doing it in Jamaica, just have fun and don’t try to go too far.
