Christopher, Derek, Diona, Elezar, Emily, Ethan, Ian, Jessica, Libby, Tyana, Sabrina… No, it’s not the 2013 list of hurricane names. It is, however, the official roster of children living in Cocoplum. That this subject should suddenly be worth blogging about is no accident as Sabrina, born August 17th to Dalila and Aaron, happens to be my first grandchild. The blessed event got me thinking of what it’s like for a kid growing up in this little corner of the tropics.
The first thing is freedom: plenty of acreage on both beach and lagoon sides to run around, ride bikes and enjoy the water. There’s even plenty of jungle to explore and no shortage of trees to climb. The security team and other employees make for a safe environment in which everyone knows and watches out for each other.
On the practical side, the fishing in the lagoons, especially at the culverts, keeps getting better and better and even the kids too young to drop a line get to see snook, jack, sheepshead and other species of fish cavort in the clear waters. Other critters like bush rabbits, foxes, turtles and the vast variety of birds provide non-stop entertainment for the young and not so young.
Chances are that wherever the kids of Cocoplum wind up living later in life they will always remember those idyllic years when they grew up with paradise for a back yard.
Article contributed by Stewart Krohn
Photo by Dalila Vanzie Krohn