Sunday,
March 12, 2017
High tide in
the pool today! It was fun, like body-surfing! I couldn’t swim laps, though,
for fear of riding the surf right into the pool wall! I was only in for a
little over ½ hour, but my body felt like 3 times that much! Whew!! Chuck took a video, but I don't think you can view it here - must see my Power Point slide show.
Good day – did well at Chinese Mah Jongg, too. Didn’t win, but my score was definitely up there!
Good day – did well at Chinese Mah Jongg, too. Didn’t win, but my score was definitely up there!
Monday,
March 13, 2017
A VERY
special day – even if I did have to get up really early. We took the “Ultimate
Ship’s Tour” with only 8 other specially chosen passengers.
First stop,
the Medical Center. Thankfully, we hadn’t been beyond the reception desk prior
to this. The med center is really quite large with 6 treatment rooms including
one ICU/Trauma room. They can do just about everything needed short of life or
limb saving procedures (surgery, CTs, MRIs). We even got to see the morgue –
well, not the inside, just the stainless steel refrig door. The doc wouldn’t
say if it was occupied or not!
Next stop,
back stage at the Princess Theater. Then to the galley, down into the bowels
where all the real work gets done, laundry, supply storage, print shop, photo
shop, engine control room and FINALLY where we really wanted to go – THE BRIDGE!!
That was very interesting since it has been over a decade since either of us
was on a yacht bridge. My how technology has changed! They DO still have a
magnetic compass and “some” paper charts, also a sextant, but those relics have
been made redundant by electronics. Even those have changed since we have had
occasion to use them. No more big ship’s wheel! On the extremely rare occasions
that the ship must be hand steered, the wheel is about 10” diameter.
Tuesday,
March 14, 2017
Barbados
Finally in
de Islands, Mon!
We arrived
in Bridgetown, Barbados late morning. How pretty are the waters here (not
technically the Caribbean yet). And the air smelled so good.
Our
excursion took us on an island drive and to visit two rum distilleries,
FourSquare and Mount Gay. Our tour began at 11:30 – too early to have lunch
first – big mistake. We tasted several different rums and saw the distillation
process at both plants. Though the ambiance at FourSquare was nicer, the rum at
Mt Gay was better. They ARE the oldest distillery on the island where rum was
invented, after all. Of course I bought some!!
Wednesday,
March 15, 2017
Martinique
We arrived
in Fort-de-France early this morning and REALLY felt as though we had arrived
in the Caribbean. Our excursion today was a catamaran ride along the coast to
Les Anse where we spent some time on the beach and in the water and some time
cruising around looking for sea turtles – found quite a few. This trip was
somewhat disappointing as we were told it would be a sailing catamaran and that
we would be seeing brilliant sea gardens, coral reefs and colorful sea life while
snorkeling. The outing was enjoyable but on a power driven catamaran with glass
bottom hulls. The swimming was refreshing, but no snorkeling, coral reefs and
the only colorful marine life was the Sargent Majors who came after the bread
crumbs thrown in by our deck hand at the “Bat Cave”. That was pretty
interesting, the bat cave, that is. Well the Sargent Majors also. Our captain and mate were identical twins named William and Willie! I was pleased to be able to communicate somewhat with them in my grade school French!!
Bat Cave-Martinique
Tomorrow is
Antigua. I probably won’t write about that visit. We aren’t taking an excursion
as we have both been there before. Will probably just go ashore for lunch &
shopping.
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