What comes to mind when you hear the term "Healing Hole"? The possibilities are endless, but to the Bimini locals this is the name of a so-called spring that is said to hold magical healing powers. Some have reported the water contains lithium, commonly used medically to treat bi-polar disorder, so in that sense it definitely holds the miraculous possibility of having curative properties. As a result, the members of the self proclaimed B-Team (Dr. Bokuniewizc, Ruth, Mike, Aaron, and I) are not only attempting to gain a better understanding of groundwater in Bimini, but are also trying to uncover the mystery of this supernatural "Healing Hole".
If you asked me what I first thought of the term "Healing Hole", I would have chuckled and added a slightly inappropriate comment, but today it entailed getting up at 6, lugging heavy, oddly-shaped equipment onto a 17-foot wailer, and setting off into the depths of the thick mangrove brush. Although I tried to keep my optimism up it was difficult with unfriendly, ominous clouds hovering over the horizon. All I could think of is what I have gotten myself into, and I subconsciously applied another layer of sunscreen and bug spray in fear that I would be relentlessly burnt and eaten alive. However, we passed the midnight lemon shark crew of the Bimini Shark Lab and I comforted myself with the thought that I would come out alive. Unfortunately the further we got in the more I second-guessed my circumstances. With sightings of lemon shark, numerous 'cuda' attacking the boat, peculiar sounds escaping the dense mangrove jungle, and having to travel through areas known as "quicksand" I began to think Indiana Jones had nothing on me. Today it was I, Cody from DePauw University in Indiana, uncovering the treasures of the Healing Hole. The only difference being that my location and beach attire get-up was so much sweeter!
Upon arriving at the site our tour guide, Stratta, informed us that we had to leave the boat behind and trek into the mangrove forests on foot. As the trail narrowed I realized this was at the point of no return and out of fear of traveling back alone I headed in. There was a constricting trail of 1-meter mud banks and just enough room for a single file line of reluctant and somewhat excited followers. Spontaneous mangrove roots protruded into the path but were concealed by the knee high murky water, and led to interesting encounters and cries of bloody murder. Not to mention excessive spider webs and the thought of Bimini boas, also led to daunting thoughts. After what seemed an hour (in actuality 5 minutes), we submerge ourselves into a deeper hole of a brown, murky fluid, and held onto a strangely textured rope. It smelt as if someone had eggs for breakfast and had the control capacity of an 80-year man. With my body submerge up to my neck in gunk that turned my once white shirt brown, I was also informed that if I didn't hold on I would sink into the depths and never come back. Why does this scenario remind me of another of the terribly terrific Indiana Jones saga? "Here we are!" Stratta joyfully exclaimed. This is the Healing Hole? It was definitely not what I expected, even though I didn't expect much. The Fountain of Youth (which we visited previously) was actually looking grand after this experience, and apparently at low tide the sulfur and other foul odors are concentrated leading to a not so attractive "Hell Hole". I doubted that the bugs wanted to get us here. We took our measurements, nearly drowned filing up sample containers, and left with a bittersweet feeling. On the upside it could have been worse. We were granted shade cover and had no use for our bug nets. Sadly it left me wanting a few beers (don't worry, I'm at the legal age of 22) to help suppress my OCD tendencies. As an interesting side not it is rumored that Martin Luther King came to this Healing Hole before he was motivated to write his speech. Honestly, I left motivated to take a shower and wash my clothes…multiple times.
We were scheduled to take another set of measurements at high tide, but not wanting to waste boat time and potentially not wanting to come back we headed to East Wells on the east side of North Bimini to scope out potential sites for our next seepage meter experiments. We found an untouched, pristine coast with beautiful white sands and nothing but the sound of the waves and the gentle rustling of trees in the wind. If you asked me, this should have been the site of the Healing Hole. After measuring an hour of groundwater flow we reluctantly headed back to the real Healing Hole for high tide measurements and to our surprise it wasn't so bad. High tide brought in clear salt water that allowed us to see our own feet. We could actually see the bottom sediment. We were also in a better mood and had enough energy to smile and crack a few too many jokes. Stratta swears that the Healing Hole does heal and he came a few days earlier for a sore back and insisted that 24 hours later he felt better. Given my scientific desire, I decided to give the Healing Hole a chance. I have strained an ankle while dodging Long Island drivers on my road bike and haven't fully recovered. If the Healing Hole is healing then in a 24 hour time period it should potentially feel better. This may be a little one sided because swimming has been shown to take pressure of the spine and salt water has been found to benefit tense muscles, but even so I still have three main theories: First, the Healing Hole has properties that are healing, or elements that rejuvinate the human body and mind. Second, swimming around in the muck makes you realize you have reached rock bottom, and can only go up from the experience and smell of the Healing Hole. Everything is relatively better! Third, you get infected by a benthic microbe or parasite that cleanses your system, in the sense that your are stuck on a bathroom thrown, while simultaneously hugging a trash can and releasing everything, good or bad. I think the second and third theories are highly possible.
As Stratta insisted I have let a 24-hour period pass by before I wrote this second part of my blog post and although my ankle is not any better than before the experience has reminded me of a very important life lesson. That lesson being that all experiences are what you make of them. The Healing Hole itself is a very personal experience, and in retrospect it was a great, although dirty experience. I'm happy to say I've done it. Though, I still have some time before I can officially say I'm clear in respect to contracting a parasite. In the end, I leave the Healing Hole with a better attitude for the week-and-a-half left in Bimini and the last five weeks of my Stony Brook REU. Surprisingly in a way it was healing. I guess sometimes science alone cannot explain natural phenomena, but I'll make that final decision when I see the results back at Stony Brook. Unfortunately, I cannot end this in the typical Indiana fashion and unlike Mr. Jones I didn't leave with exotic treasure or run off with a beautiful maiden, but if it makes me feel any better I have come out of this experience with the longest, over-exaggerated blog post ever, and an excessively large grin on my face!
Thanks for the detail! Hope your ankle gets better!
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