Chapter 840: 374: Mangrove Swamp Entrance
Chapter 840: Chapter 374: Mangrove Swamp Entrance
“Three hundred thousand US Dollars…” Riven followed behind Lin Yu’an, still somewhat in disbelief.
“Just to let us quietly go in and take some footage. This guy… is greedier than pirates from three hundred years ago.”
Lin Yu’an’s face was calm, “Although greedy, he is professional. Spending three thousand US Dollars to buy off all possible official troubles in the coming days is very cost-effective.”
The two didn’t return to the dock immediately, but instead began the second step after the “landing,” preparing for land exploration.
Captain Mike had long ago concluded through research of nautical charts and local data, “The Mouth of the Whale is located deep along the coastline of Los Haitises National Park.”
“The waters there are full of reefs and mangroves, with extremely shallow depths, making it impossible for their Polaris to approach. They must enter by land.
Samana Town does not have formal international car rental companies, only a few locally operated, somewhat chaotic rental agencies.
Lin Yu’an and Riven walked into the largest one, where all kinds of vehicles were parked in the yard, varying in age and condition.
Lin Yu’an directly bypassed the flashy SUVs and finally focused on an inconspicuous but high-chassis, rugged-tire, old Toyota Land Cruiser LC80.
This vehicle was clearly aged, with the army green paint covered in countless scratches from jungle branches. However, the legendary 4.5-liter inline-six engine under its hood was the most reliable guarantee for traversing the country’s most rugged roads.
“We’ll take this one.” Lin Yu’an pointed at the car, speaking to the shop owner.
After some bargaining, they rented this steel camel at a reasonable price, capable of taking them deep into the unknown hinterland.
Next was the supply replenishment. They did not go to the tourist supermarket but entered the busiest local market in town.
A rich, mixed aroma of various spices, tropical fruits, fishiness, and human chatter greeted them.
Lin Yu’an and Riven, standing out from the locals, weaved through the crowded stands.
They purchased a large amount of bottled water, quick energy-replenishing bananas, potent insect repellent for jungle trekking, and emergency medical supplies including snake bite medicine.
Riven also bought a few locally handwoven, wide-brimmed straw hats that provided effective sunshade.
Lin Yu’an stopped at a stand selling machetes and farming tools, picked up a Latin machete with a blade gleaming coldly, tested how it felt in his hand, and then bought two.
In the upcoming mangrove hike, this would be far more useful than any Swiss army knife.
Lin Yu’an and Riven didn’t return to the Polaris immediately; they loaded their supplies onto the off-road vehicle and went to the small bar where Mike was.
In the bar, under dim yellow lights, the air was filled with the mixed scent of rum, cigars, and sweat. Hanging on the walls were massive blue marlin specimens and well-aged nautical photographs.
They found Captain Mike drinking and bragging with a few old local fishermen.
“I’m telling you, that king mackerel weighed at least seventy pounds! It was caught by my student on his first trolling fishing trip!” Mike was boastfully recounting his exploits, and upon seeing Lin Yu’an and Riven enter, he waved them over warmly.
“Come! Sit down! Let me introduce you to Jose, the best captain in these waters and an old friend of mine. Can you believe he’s over ninety years old?”
Lin Yu’an politely nodded to the old fisherman, whose arm bore a faded tattoo and whose skin was dark and face deeply lined, and motioned to the bartender to round up another order of “Brugal” (the most famous rum in Dominica) for everyone present.
This generous gesture instantly won the favor of all the old fishermen.
With the effect of the alcohol, the conversation quickly opened up. Mike subtly steered the topic towards Los Haitises National Park.
He casually asked, “Jose, we’re here this time to take some photos of the Taíno Cave. I heard the rock mountain called the ’Mouth of the Whale’ is quite spectacular?”
“The Mouth of the Whale? Oh, yes, it’s a very old landmark.” Jose took a sip of rum, his gaze becoming a bit distant.
“But tourists like you with your fancy sailboats usually don’t go there; it’s too remote, and… that place has a bit of a spooky reputation. If you’re going, it’s best to hire a good guide.”
“We’re the best guides ourselves,” Mike said with a smile, “But I heard the tides around that bay… seem a bit unusual?”
“Unusual? More than unusual!” another fisherman chimed in, with a hint of awe on his face, “We call that place ’the Devil’s Breath’!”
“Every month, there are always a few days when at low tide, the seawater gets sucked out through some invisible underwater caves, forming a gigantic whirlpool!”
“And when the tide comes back in, it gushes out of those caves like a whale’s blowhole! Our small fishing boats wouldn’t dare go near there at such times!”
This vivid “folk legend” perfectly matched the clues on the coin!
[Time: 5:00 PM, Polaris Saloon]
When the three returned to the ship, a meeting for the operation code-named “Netherworld Ghost” formally began.
Combining the coin map, tide app data, and the invaluable information from the old fishermen, a high-resolution geological exploration map of Los Haitises National Park was spread out on the table.