Bridgetown, Barbados – January 9, 2013
The cruise ship docked at Bridgetown, Barbados around 07:00. Once we got off the boat, we went directly to our hotel. We were all anxious to go to the beach. I remembered bobbing in the waves at St. Maarten, and I was looking forward to doing that again.
As soon as we got our swimsuits on, we all headed outside. In addition to my suit, I was wearing a t-shirt, my hat, and my prescription sunglasses. It is not unusual for me to wear my Colorado hat into the ocean. I did it at Cabo San Lucas, Palma de Mallorca, San Sebastian, and St. Maarten.
We arrived at the beach to see a combination of yellow and red warning flags. That meant the surf was a little rough at times. Hillary and I waded out into the ocean. It was very shallow…until, a wave hit. Several waves hit us. It is incredible how much power the water has. Finally, I was hit by a wave that was between six and eight feet high. I had seen it coming, so I turned my back. As soon as it hit me, I felt my sunglasses rip off of my face. I immediately dove to try to recover them; however, the surf was too strong and the water too murky. Rickin’ frackin’ cake sakers tatter bakers!! I will have to call Wal Mart to replace them.
A bit windy on the beach in Bridgetown, Barbados.That evening before dinner, we stopped in the hotel bar for a beer, the Sand Bar. We tried 10 Saints. It is one of my favorite beers on this trip.
For dinner, we decided on the Polynesian restaurant at the hotel, Wytukai. We had a sampler “feast” that allowed us to try several things. It was my first time to have this type of cuisine. I did not eat anything I did not like. We left the restaurant stuffed.
The next morning we were picked up by a driver from El Tigre Catamaran Cruises. We had made reservations for the cruise about a week ago on our first night in Barbados. We left the hotel at about 09:00 and did not return until about 15:30. On the way to the dock, the driver acted as a tour guide, pointing out the interesting sites along our route.
There were about 25 people on the boat, not counting the crew of five. Before getting on the catamaran, everyone was asked to remove their shoes. Once onboard, the drinks started flowing. They did not stop until we returned to shore.
Departing Bridgetown for our catamaran snorkeling cruise.The boat was about 60 feet long. At the front of the catamaran were two webbed areas where people could sit or lay down. The webbed areas were directly above the water. There was a covered area that could seat about 20 people. There was also a head below, so we had all the comforts of home.
Once we got into the open water, the captain turned off the motors and used the sails. We went north quite a ways.
Our captain at the helm and one of his mates.
When we stopped, we were in an area that usually has turtles. Sure enough, the loggerhead turtles were there. We were all provided snorkel masks. We had our snorkels to use that we had purchased on the Carnival ship for $5 each. Once everyone was ready, people started getting into the water. As soon as we were in the water, we could see numerous turtles. One of the crew fed them as we all looked on. At one point he held one, so we could touch the shell. That was a fun experience.
When we were in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, we stopped in a dive shop to look around. Inside I saw they had underwater cameras for sale. I inquired on a whim how much they were. The least expensive one was about $200, too much for me to consider. When I said that, the sales clerk said they did have disposable cameras for $20. The disposable cameras have the film (remember when!) for 27 exposures.
Since one is so buoyant in saltwater, I found it difficult to dive and take photos because I floated quickly back to the surface. Hopefully, some of the underwater images will come out good.
A “pirate” ship…
It was easy getting in and out of the boat. At the stern, there was a set of stairs one could use. After 30 or 40 minutes we all boarded the catamaran and continued north. We stopped at a shipwreck and reef area. There were hundreds of fish there, what a sight!
Not too long after leaving that area we were served lunch. It consisted of rice, spicy macaroni and cheese, BBQ chicken, fried flying fish, garlic bread, salad, and some mixed vegetables. It tasted good. Once lunch finished, we were able to swim or sit and relax.
We all had a great time. I would highly recommend this activity to anyone going to Barbados.
A cruise ship at dock.
