Small Gourd on the Beaches of Panama: The Black Calabash
A walk along the remote living beach in front of our eco resort is nothing short of fascinating. Because our tides are so dramatic and the crowds are most certainly not, your brain will hone in on all the new and weird things that it has never seen before. Take this here little gourd-like thing. They are all over the beach and beckon a good, solid stick to bat it into the ocean.
The only problem is that when hit, it explodes into a burst of the foulest rotten fart-smelling particle cloud that you are forced to endure hoping the wind is pointing in the opposite direction (or go ahead...pitch it to your little brother). Introducing...the black calabash. Not to be mistaken for the huge green gourds you see lining the roadways, the black calabash is a small tropical tree that, like most of us, enjoys life on the beach where the water is warm, moisture reliable, and the sand so mighty fine.
This little guy is named for the prolific fruit it bears. The fruit is an ovular shape that is green when young but turns black when mature. Inside the hard outer shell is a dense, spongy, creamy, juicy white pulp surrounding the seeds. It is edible but not delicious and not commonly consumed by humans but animals dig it for sure.
A remote eco resort with few people around doesn't scream drama by any means but nature here makes up for that in our tidal changes. With an average shift of about 9ft, many of our guests simply enjoy watching the tide come and go and these here little fruits enjoy riding those tides. Dispersed by floating along, they venture far and wide to beaches all around the world and when you see one, you might think about what many of us have - how to use it.
The way we have fun with these little gourds that fit in the palm of your hand, is as a treasure chest for our kids programs. When hollowed out, dried, and the funky smell gone, they are really fun to paint and decorate. The perfect vessel for kids to deposit the badges they earned learning from their adventure books.
Treasure chest, treat for the monkeys, musical instrument, beautiful little piece of art, or future tree in search of a coastal home, the black calabash is just one of the many treasures that make Morrillo Beach Eco Resort such a spectacular place. Come sit beneath its shade with a good book and watch the tides roll in while the kids play barefoot in the sand.
Paradise awaits.
Your Friends in Morrillo,
Cari and Ryan Mackey
Owners & hosts
Comments