Greetings to all members of the community, how are you? When I read that for the #KISS Blogging Ideas 44 was proposed to talk about an unforgettable experience in nature, I couldn't help but think back to that vacation when my family decided to go to a beach on Margarita Island known for having a lot of guacucos, which is precisely why it’s called Guacuco Beach. The intention was that some relatives from Italy who were visiting us could experience the experience of collecting guacucos, something I hadn't done up to that point either, I was quite excited, so much I didn't even care that I probably wouldn't eat the dish they would make with them because they don't look appetizing to a child. I don't think anyone can judge me for it either, I mean, after all, guacucos are a kind of small clam with a slimy appearance that not many kids would be dying to try. I remember they had been talking about preparing them in a sauce to go with pasta, but don't ask me for the recipe.

I consider that one of the best experiences you can have in this life around nature are those in which we come in contact with its greatness and are able to appreciate firsthand how beautiful it can be. This experience became a turning point in my life, where I really understood that sometimes the beauty of nature is overshadowed by the actions of human beings who do not respect what it offers us, not wanting to give the deserved importance to something that gives life to all of us in many ways. In several of the photos you can see the amount of garbage that was in that part of the beach where we were, a contamination so great that I had not had contact with. I had honestly never expected that an area known for being one of the best places to get guacucos would be so unclean, considering that there you are extracting products from nature, you get food... I think it's crazy to dirty any space, but to treat a natural space that is sharing its goodness with you in this way is even worse.

There are people who extract guacucos for subsistence and are accustomed to practices that damage the natural areas. This construction seen in the photo is a sort of rudimentary kitchen made to cook the guacucos extracted on the site, this is closely linked to the fact that the guacucos must be kept fresh in its salt water so they do not die, so their transfer can become somewhat complicated for those who want to take economic advantage on a large scale and do not have the necessary resources, which is why they prefer to cook them right there on the beach so they do not go to waste. I firmly believe that people have the right to try to improve their quality of life but not by damaging the spaces that nature offers us, being humble is not an excuse to litter the beaches with garbage and contaminate spaces where the highest priority should be nature. It was there where I understood the selfishness of human beings, who feel comfortable with their harmful actions, without motivating themselves to look for better alternatives, because this was not the only construction we saw, there were many more along the beach.

Why was it unforgettable?

The feeling of being in the sea taking resources from nature is something I will never forget because it was the first real experience I had of this type actively participating in the collection. We spent a couple of hours searching for guacucos a few meters away from the shore, I vividly remember the excitement of finding them in the sand and placing them in the buckets, laughing when I lost some as a result of the waves but got them seconds later. Thinking about it makes me want to go back there, now with my little cousin who I know has not had the opportunity to do something like that and probably will like it as much as I do because she loves the beach. The only thing I would change is that I would go prepared to collect the garbage I can, in this way contributing to repair some of the damage we humans cause. This has not been possible because I had not traveled to Margarita Island for a long time and when I traveled recently my family was not able to travel to this place, not to mention that crime has increased, it is dangerous to be there even if you are accompanied by many people.

Having had this experience was like seeing two sides of the same coin, on one side nature giving us the possibility to enjoy its spaces and providing its richness, while on the other side is the human being damaging it. Without a doubt, it made me reinforce what my parents taught me when they told me not to throw garbage in the street, internalizing the idea that change has to start with ourselves and that we should always respect nature. That is why even though the best part of this adventure was collecting the guacucos, whenever I remember it, it is impossible for me to leave aside the discomfort I felt when I saw the high levels of contamination of the place, since the learning came from the two factors, without taking into account the garbage that surrounded us, it would not have been possible to appreciate in the same way this gift that nature was giving us in the form of guacucos. This first approach made me learn to appreciate the little things in life related to nature such as sunsets, clouds and animals, even if it is a small insect.

Thank you very much for reading, I hope you are well and we can meet at the next opportunity.

The images are mine, taken with my parents' camera.