The Purgatorium

Chapter Five

At last Daphne and the rest of the group were in the water and paddling along the coastline toward the first cave. Prisoners Harbor was full of boats cruising in and out, but none docked at the pier. As they passed Pelican Bay, the squawking made it impossible for a while to hear anything else. The wind whipped Daphne's ponytail against her shoulders and brought the fresh salt air all around her. Something rushed away from her kayak, causing her to jump in her seat, and when she realized it was an otter, she squealed, pointing and trying to get Cam's attention. It had such a cute face and was so close. She could reach out and touch it, but didn't dare. The otter looked at her as he swam away on his back.

When they finally passed the boisterous babble of the birds, she told Cam about the otter, nearly falling out of her kayak as she tried to demonstrate how close the otter had been to her. As she laughed, she was amazed by how easy it was to be happy here.

Larry shouted in a "tour-guide" voice, "Soon we'll come upon the first sea cave, known as Twin Rocks Cave, because the entrance is flanked by two nearly identical rocks. My people, the Chumash, believed the twin rocks were at one time gods, Tumaiya and Mukata, sons of Hutash, or Mother Earth. Legend has it the two gods disagreed about whether humans should live forever. Tumaiya wanted humans to share eternal life with the gods, but Mukata felt immortality should be for gods only. They had a long battle but were equally matched, and the battle went on and on for years until Hutash took matters into her own hands. She turned her sons into the two rocks and compromised between their wishes. She made it so that humans would die, but their ghosts could come to dwell in this cave, and a few times a year, she allows them to wander the island for one full day. You see the twin rocks?"

They were as tall as a three story-building, but columnar. Daphne could see why a group of people would believe they were gods. At the very top, they rounded like a human head. Despite the tall rocks, the entrance to the cave was the size of an armchair. This made Daphne's mouth go dry. She had not imagined she would be going inside so small an opening.

Larry said, "We'll save that cave for our journey back. It's best to go to the furthest one first, while the tide is low. Then we can ride the tide as it comes in. The paddling will be easier."

As they passed the two columnar twin rocks, they saw a group of sea lions sunning on a rocky cliff. They were golden in color with dog-like faces, little flaps for ears, and long whiskers, white in the sunshine. They stared at the kayakers as they passed.

"We'll also skip by this cave coming up, known as Falls Cave, and start with the one called Platts Cave."

Daphne was glad when they came to the cave and could stop paddling. Being on the water in the kayak was pleasant with the waves rocking her to and fro, but her arms needed a break.

The mouth to the cave made a huge arch, like a tunnel for a train. Light shone in to the first part of the cave, revealing shiny, shimmering walls reflecting light off the water. Larry pointed his flashlight to shelves all along the side walls and explained they were used for storage by the Chumash. On the ceiling were carved figures of dolphins, sea lions, whales, pelicans, gulls, and foxes.

Cam splashed Daphne with his paddle, laughing. "Having fun yet?"

"Well, I was till you splashed me." She splashed him back.

"Hey, echo!" Dave shouted, his voice emanating throughout the cave. He laughed. "Echo!"

This time a bat scurried past Daphne and out into the bright light.

"Way to go, Dave," Cam said with sarcasm.

"Oops!" Dave laughed at himself. "Sorry little bat!"

They turned from the cave at Platts Harbor and headed back in the direction they came, toward the east. Larry had been right about paddling with the tide. It was much easier and faster going east.