You have to check out Paul Mikkelsen's excellent
www.seabean.com website -- in particular his page
Sea-Beans of the Bahamas authored by Jim and Dian Winder with an assist by Ed Perry (we like that name "Perry".)
I'll be the first to admit complete ignorance on the subject. Admitting ignorance becomes easier to do as I get older. I didn't know what a Sea-bean was and now I can't wait to get back to the beach to try and find some of these gems -- perhaps take one home to captivity. You have to admit, these are definitely cool to look at.
What's a "Sea-bean" you ask? Click on over to "
What's a Sea-Bean" for the full scoop including "Why do Sea-beans float?" Everyone knows Sea-beans float, right? And just because they are beans doesn't mean we are making chili.
What I always appreciate are those scientific names. Sounds like geek speak, my favorite language. Just like the
shelling afficionados folks like Scott Schubbe -- lots of "you lose" possibilities for the next spelling bee. Cuff me cause I'm guilty too. I used to enjoy pointing out constellations and naming the bigger stars -- just one of my many obsessive compulsive disorders.
Whatever the geek language, it's all nice stuff to look at and admire. Memorize a couple of these scientific bean names and entertain your friends on your next trip to the islands. Hey! Maybe you all should hook up! Succulants with some Mucuna Urens (that's "Red Hamburger Beans" to us mortals) along with a couple of Cyphoma Gibbosom. No doubt, the beans and shells would look cool placed next to the cactus in the planter pot. Or is that cacti? Whatever. Take note, Gene! My idea!
What I took special note of was the time spent on
Windermere Island by Jim Winder -- 9.5 weeks. Yo Jim! I'll help you look for the beans! And I sure would enjoy reading your trip report. And I can't help asking whether there's any significance to your last name? Do you own half of the island?
Some of the nicer
rentals on Eleuthera are on Windermere. I heard they have a new chef at the club there. How is the food? Might be worth paying the short term membership fee to eat lunch there and go sea-beaning afterwards. Sea-beaning. That's my word; get your own! (And now that I
Google "sea-beaning", I see I'm late to again to the party.)
Okie dokie. Hunting sea-beans on the "to do" list for the next trip to Eleuthera, albeit I think we need to find out if the folks in agriculture are going to want us bringing these things home. I can hear my wife now: sea-beans?
Hats off to Paul Mikkelsen, Dian and Jim Winder, and Ed Perry. Nice web work!
And what a nice memoriam to Cathie Katz -- the Seabean Lady.
pj
Copyright © 2006 Perry Joseph
Or should I call this "Sea-beans Part 2"? Shortly after punching the "Publish Post" button and dropping some e-mail to Paul Mikkelsen et al, I get an update from Jim Winder -- turns out he's a Bahamas beach bum too.
