Caves!!!  We, Zeb the Duck and Soapy Duck were inside caves.  Our moms took us to Arikok National Park in Aruba.  This national park occupies about 18% of the island of Aruba.  Bouncing along dirt roads while viewing the wild donkeys

Going to Arikok National Park

and glimpsing the Caribbean we enjoyed the drive.

Climbing the rocky stairs to enter the cave, things became much darker.

Steps to caves

Moms had to watch the placement of their feet to keep us all upright and steady.  Carefully navigating the entry and dark passage, we soon entered a larger chamber and experienced more daylight.  From this larger chamber,

Heading to another chamber

more smaller openings led to other parts of the cave complex.

Venturing through another entry, we soon discovered an even larger chamber with sunlight streaming through an opening, like a natural skylight.  Our Quadirikiri cave and sunlight produced some beautiful colors.

Colors in the cave

Quite stunning!

Stalactites and stalagmites were forming in our cave.  Stalactites grow from the ceiling and stalagmites appear to grow from the floor.  They are formed by dripping water and grow approximately one inch per hundred years.  Very slow.  After hundreds or thousands of years the stalactite and stalagmite reach each other and a column is formed.  Zeb and Soapy Duck are by a column.

Column formed by stalactites and stalagmites

We were very careful so we did not touch or damage this column or anything else in the cave.

We were not alone in our cave traveling.  Hundreds of small bats also travel in these caves.  They flit around the 98-foot cave area to reach their nests deeper in the cave.  Our guide told us the bats are not dangerous.  They prefer berries (some from the cactus) and insects over our blood.  No vampires here.  That was good to know as we entered their home.  The bats especially do not bite or eat traveling ducks!

We liked exploring caves

We ducks liked the cave, our first, and we think you would like it also.  This cave is on the southern Caribbean island of Aruba inside Arikok National Park.  Let us know if you like caves.