To the top of the Seri Pilá

On Thursday January 24, 2013 we went for a nature walk to the Seri Pilá (Mountain of the pillar). We had a special guest with us this time, André van Proosdij, the author of Arnoldo's Zakflora (pocket flora) for Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. He is born in Curaçao but lives currently in the Netherlands. As you can guess his interest is the plant world of Curaçao. 

The Seri Pilá is located in the Great Santa Martha plantation. The mountain is just over 100 meters high. On top there is at least one pillar, the Kadaster triangulation point DP46. But that can not be the pillar that gave this mountain its name, so we hope to find something else on this mountain.

We were allowed to park our cars in the yard of a lady that lives close to our starting point. From there we walked through a 'rooi' (natural water channel); soon we saw some construction to the left of the rooi and we went investigating this. It appeared to be a house with a roof that was never completed. The roof was completely gone, only the nails were proof there had been a roof on this building. Only a few poles and a part of the roof construction was left. Close-by we found a modern deep well and a bit further a large square well. Both were no longer operational although both still contained water. We proceeded along the rooi till close to the border with the San Juan plantation. There we went uphill through the dense scrub. We had hoped for a path but couldn't find it so we had to clear a path ourselves. We stayed close to the wall that represents the border between the plantation of San Juan and the plantation of Grand Santa Martha. We had to stay on the Santa Martha side because during a previous walk in the area we got a complaint from the owner of the San Juan plantation that we were not allowed to be on his property.
We followed the border wall till we reached a sub-top at 56 meters. After a resting pause we continued in a direction a bit to the East of the top of the Seri Pilá. A reasonably easy task especially when we found a path. That was apparently the path that we had hoped to find at the start of the walk. From there is was easy to reach the top of the Seri Pilá. Along the road we found a lot of Kibrahacha's, a kind of tree that shows bright yellow flowers after a period of rain. At the moment there are already closed buds so apparently the bloom will start shortly. We also saw a typical Divi Divi, a tree well-known from Aruba, that bends because of the steady wind from the North-East. Not as wide-spread as in Aruba and certainly not in the typical bent shape.
At the top of the Seri Pilá we found a Kadaster measuring point without the normal identification and we found the expected triangulation point. That was positioned next to the stone wall.
There François, Fred, Dirk and I waited for the others to reach this point. Taking pictures of all the flowers and plants along the path took the others a lot of time. When they arrived we got an explanation from André about some of the plants that he found.
When everyone was recovered we went back along the path to find out where it started. That appeared to be close to the point where we entered the rooi. We missed it because it was a short distance before the point where we started. Good to know for a next visit.

• The walked track (red) on the kadasterkaart of 1993 The walked track (red) on the kadasterkaart of 1993
• After parking the cars making acquintance with André van Proosdij (second from left) After parking the cars making acquintance with André van Proosdij (second from left)
• Carel in a characteristic pose Carel in a characteristic pose
• A beautiful Brasia (Dyewood of Brasilwood) A beautiful Brasia (Dyewood of Brasilwood)
• Here a rastafari is living; opposite this gate our track starts Here a rastafari is living; opposite this gate our track starts
• The photographers are quite busy (Michèle, Carel en André) The photographers are quite busy (Michèle, Carel en André)
• François standing next to the remnants of a building François standing next to the remnants of a building
• looking through the former roof looking through the former roof
• Dirk standing next to a deepwell Dirk standing next to a deepwell
• Everyone looking at the large square well Everyone looking at the large square well
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• At the bottom still water is standing At the bottom still water is standing
• A strange almost square structure; no idea what the purpose of this has been A strange almost square structure; no idea what the purpose of this has been
• The inside of the structure with stucco The inside of the structure with stucco
• André and Dirk talking with each other next to a Candle Cactus André and Dirk talking with each other next to a Candle Cactus
• The lower jaw of a pig The lower jaw of a pig
• It is quite busy in the termite nest It is quite busy in the termite nest
• Three large gourds in the Calabsh tree Three large gourds in the Calabsh tree
• Dry stone wall; the borderline between San Juan and Grand Santa Martha Dry stone wall; the borderline between San Juan and Grand Santa Martha
• Turk's cap cactus (Melocactus) on the wall Turk's cap cactus (Melocactus) on the wall
• A strong opponent on the path; A Prickly pear A strong opponent on the path; A Prickly pear
• Looking back over the wall from the sub top at 45 meters height Looking back over the wall from the sub top at 45 meters height
• François walking on the dry stone wall François walking on the dry stone wall
• Vista on the San Juan bay Vista on the San Juan bay
• In the distance the top(to the right)of the Seri Pilá (Mountain of the Pillar) In the distance the top(to the right)of the Seri Pilá (Mountain of the Pillar)
• A first artifact, the bottom of a Spanish pot or jar A first artifact, the bottom of a Spanish pot or jar
• The exterior is glazed The exterior is glazed
• A small cellar bottle A small cellar bottle
• A lot of Ball moss in this tree A lot of Ball moss in this tree
• Three parts of a bottle Three parts of a bottle
• The Divi Divi in its characteristic bent shape The Divi Divi in its characteristic bent shape
• Finally we found the path Finally we found the path
• A small tree trunk with moss A small tree trunk with moss
• A Kadaster's measuring point; remarkable because no identification is present A Kadaster's measuring point; remarkable because no identification is present
• A dry stone wall on the top of the Seri Pilá A dry stone wall on the top of the Seri Pilá
• The Kadaster's triangulation point DP46 The Kadaster's triangulation point DP46
• The triangulation point is very close to the dry wall The triangulation point is very close to the dry wall
• Een Prickle pear with an offshoot Een Prickle pear with an offshoot
• Also on the disk next to the prickle a new segment is starting Also on the disk next to the prickle a new segment is starting
• Fred, our stylite, has to sit on top of each pillar Fred, our stylite, has to sit on top of each pillar
• François and Dirk are taking a rest on the dry stone wall François and Dirk are taking a rest on the dry stone wall
• The flower of the Wabi (Acacia tortuosa, Cossie) looks a lot like a Mimosa flower The flower of the Wabi (Acacia tortuosa, Cossie) looks a lot like a Mimosa flower
• André tries to mimic Fred as a stylite André tries to mimic Fred as a stylite
• Fred and Dirk sitting on the tree trunk of a Kibrahacha (Yellow Poui, Tabebuia billbergii) Fred and Dirk sitting on the tree trunk of a Kibrahacha (Yellow Poui, Tabebuia billbergii)
• The closed buds of the Kibrahacha The closed buds of the Kibrahacha
• The Kibrahacha has a roset of 5 leaves The Kibrahacha has a roset of 5 leaves
• Michèle, André and Fred Michèle, André and Fred
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