Tag: snorkeling

Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis

Sunday, November 3, 2024

We had our last snorkeling excursion scheduled today, so we started the day with a room service breakfast. It was interesting to note that even though the United States observed the end of Daylight Savings Time, the ship’s time didn’t change because the islands don’t change.

We left the room at 9:00 a.m. to get off the ship and meet up with our tour operator. I was happy to finally see some golf carts in use for people who needed assistance walking down the pier.

The HAL tour description: St Kitts Snorkel Adventure – 3 hours

ABOUT THE EXCURSION: Enchanting, impressive and breathtaking — that’s a snorkel safari along the pristine Southeast Peninsula of St Kitts.

At Port Zante Marina, you will board a snorkel boat. Your snorkel stops will be at Shitten’s Bay and Ballast Bay — both teeming with tropical fish and coral life. Turtles, eagle rays, stingrays, schools of saltwater chub, snapper, angel, parrot fish, squirrel fish and sand sharks are usually seen.

Take time to explore the many virgin reefs and the extensive soft corals, fans and sponges that make up the reef life.

Notes: Non-alcoholic drinks and water are provided. Wear your swimsuit under your clothing; bring a towel, reef-safe/biodegradable sunscreen, light clothing to act as a full cover-up for further protection from the sun, and a hat. Swim at your own risk. Guests with a heart condition, epilepsy, diabetes or asthma are not allowed to participate. Waiver must be signed and medical conditions disclosed. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed. All snorkel gear is provided. Life vests must be worn. Maximum weight is 300 lbs.

We’ve been on this snorkeling excursion twice before and always had a great experience. We were looking forward to today.

The tour operator walked us to the Marina where we boarded the snorkel boat. It was smaller than ones we have been on in the past. I noticed that the boat information focused on deep sea fishing and that they had two poles set up in the back so I don’t think snorkeling is its main purpose.

The sun was still out at the first snorkel stop and we had a pleasant 45 minutes there even though the water was not the clearest.

However, at the next stop, the water was extremely murky to the point you really couldn’t see the bottom. In fact, something popped the side of my head, and I never saw what it was. Very disconcerting.

Chuck and I quickly gave up and swam back to the boat. Soon, the clouds gathered, and the rain started coming down hard. I was already wet, but the rain stung so I crowded up under the awning with others who had abandoned the snorkeling. A few hardy souls stayed out in the water swimming around.

One woman (the same one who swam to the wrong boat in an earlier excursion) had another mishap today. As she was trying to climb the ladder back in the boat, she dropped one of her fins that she had borrowed from the tour company. It sank. A crew member tried to retrieve it, but the water was too murky to see where it went.

As we motored back to the ship, we were served so-so rum punch, and they didn’t play any music. One crew member took one of the poles and caught a fish. I assumed it would be his meal that evening since he didn’t throw it back.

Because the first stop was okay and the crew was professional, if not fun, I will be generous and call this excursion a tie. Our final snorkeling tally on the “great – meh – poor” scale: 1 – 2 – 2.

Back at the ship, we opted for a Dive-In lunch and then a nap.

We started our evening in the Casino and then went to enjoy our Pinnacle meal that was compliments of the Casino. We each had the filet mignon and lobster tail along with our usual appetizers. We took the cheese plate dessert back to the room.

Afterwards, we went to Antwan Towner’s second show “Thought Seer” which focused on his skill as a mentalist. We really enjoyed the show and some of his routines really made you go “how did he do that?”

We finished the evening dancing to the last set of the Rolling Stone Lounge Band.

Tomorrow: Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

Saint George, Grenada

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Because we had an early excursion, we started our day with a room service breakfast. It was soon time to gather our snorkel gear and head out to meet our tour operator. This was our first time in Grenada.

One thing I have noticed on this trip is that there have not been any shuttles, pedal carts, or golf carts to help people get from the ship to the port area. And some of these piers have been very long. With the heat and humidity we’ve had, I know it has been a struggle for some.

We plodded down the pier until we came to the Shore Excursion representative in the port area. He told us to wait over in the shade and a tour operator would be with us “shortly.” We watched a woman in a jacket, skirt and high heels try to get a very large group of HAL passengers organized to go on an island tour.

I don’t think all the busses or vans had arrived. They were also having trouble with their scanning equipment to scan the tour tickets. Our ship was the first one for Grenada for this cruising season and the tour operators just didn’t seem to have their act together.

To add to the confusion, the Calypso Band in the plaza was playing with great enthusiasm but not a great amount of talent. Loud does not always equal good.

The lady in the high heels (how she was able to negotiate that rough pavement on 3-inch heels, I’ll never know) finally came over to our group and lead us to our catamaran. More plodding. We were 30 minutes later leaving than our schedule indicated.

Our HAL tour description: Isle of Spice Snorkeling – 2.75 hours

ABOUT THE EXCURSION: Travel along Grenada’s picturesque coastline aboard Star Wind 5 — a spacious, 60-foot catamaran sloop designed and built specifically for day charters in these waters.

Your day begins with a short walk to the boat, just steps away from the cruise terminal. Hop aboard for a journey that will showcase the picturesque island and all the beauty that Grenada has to offer, above and below the water’s surface.

From historic St George’s Harbor, you will sail north along Grenada’s west coast to Molinere Sculpture Park. Spend some time snorkeling in the breathtaking underwater world of the Caribbean.

Further south is one of Grenada’s beautiful white-sand beaches, where you’ll swim or simply relax and enjoy paradise. Eventually, Star Wind 5 will make its way back to the port in St George’s.

Notes: Minimum age is 8 years. Beverages are provided throughout, including rum punch, fruit punch and soft drinks. The boat has a shade awning that covers roughly two-thirds of the boat while at anchor. You must walk in ankle-deep water to (dis)embark the boat. Wear aqua shoes. Wear your swimsuit under your clothing; bring a towel, reef-safe/biodegradable sunscreen, light clothing to act as a full cover-up for further protection from the sun, and a hat. Swim at your own risk. Snorkel and mask are provided. Do not drink alcohol before snorkeling. Guests with a heart condition, epilepsy, diabetes or asthma are not allowed to participate in snorkeling. Waiver must be signed and medical conditions disclosed.

There was plenty of seating on the catamaran. We saw many of the same faces that were on our Aruba snorkel excursion. I had hoped that the Captain would unfurl the sails but instead he just used the motor to take us to the sculpture park.

I was looking forward to seeing the underwater sculptures. I thought they would all be near where we entered the water. However, a crew member had to come in the water with us and lead the group around to the various sculptures which were scattered about in a large area. I am not fond of that type of snorkeling. I like to be able to snorkel at my own pace as long as I know where the boundaries are.

The water was warm but not very clear and very deep so, at times, it was hard to make out the sculptures. I believe divers would have a better experience. And, since I managed to jump in the water without my camera, you will just have to go to the official website and view its photos. They are much better than the ones I would have taken anyway.

What I didn’t see much of was fish. I’m sure they were swimming around the sculptures, but the water was just too deep and hazy to make them out.

Once we were back on the boat, we motored back past the ship to a nice beach area. During the ride to the beach, they served local beer and rum punch (made me wince so one was plenty). We spent the time like we did in Aruba – bobbing and talking. Once our time was up, it was a short ride back to the port area and more plodding back to the ship.

It was an okay excursion. They tried hard. I would call it a tie. Our snorkeling excursions to date: 1 – 1 – 2.

We were able to have a late Lido lunch and then a nap until it was time to get ready for the evening.

We met up with the couple from Las Vegas for pre-dinner drinks and to hear about their day. They were part of that large group that went on the Island Tour. Said it was hot and very hilly.

We opted to eat in the Lido tonight and we both went to the Asian section for our dinner. We both had the ribs and the shrimp masala. I had the noodles while Chuck chose the fried rice.

We played in the Casino and then went to the World Stage to see the Magician/Mentalist Antwan Towner show called “Evening of Curiosities.” We thought he was very good and funny.

We finished the night with two sets of the Rolling Stone Band.

Tomorrow: Barbados

Travel Trivia: Grenada

Grenada is known as the “Island of Spice” because it produces nutmeg and mace crops, as well as some other spice.

Origin of name: it is probable that the name Grenada comes from the Spanish city of Granada, which means “pomegranate.”

The Grenada dove, which is a critically endangered species, is the national bird of Grenada.

Grenada boasts the oldest functioning water-propelled distillery in the Caribbean – River Antoine Rum Distillery.

There is a lake in Grenada, Grand Etang, which is said to be a bottomless lake because nobody has been able to find its bottom with SONAR. The lake was formed over a dormant volcano.

Oranjestad, Aruba

Monday, October 28, 2024

Another long port day today: All Aboard is 10:30 p.m.

Our room service breakfast was delivered at 7:15. We were ready to meet the tour operators for our snorkeling excursion at 9:00.

The HAL excursion description: Catamaran, Snorkel and Beach Getaway – 3.5 hours

ABOUT THE EXCURSION: View Aruba’s beautiful beaches and resort hotels while relaxing on the open decks of a sailing catamaran specially designed and built for day cruises.

The catamaran moors at the west point of the island, and ladders provide easy access to the water for 50 minutes of swimming and snorkeling in the crystal-clear water teeming with tropical fish.

Continue to Pelican Marina and experience Aruba’s famous Palm Beach. Here on the white-sand beach, the crew serves unlimited drinks. Relax on a lounge chair or take a walk along the beach.

More adventurous guests may want to try one of the many watersport activities (at your own expense) or try your luck in one of the casinos within walking distance.

Sail back to the cruise terminal, enjoying tropical cocktails and entertaining Caribbean music.

Guests wishing to stay at the beach independently are welcome to do so but must make their own way back to the ship.

Notes: Snorkel equipment and instruction are provided. Wear your swimsuit under your clothing; bring a towel, reef-safe/biodegradable sunscreen, light clothing to act as a full cover-up for further protection from the sun, and a hat. Swim at your own risk. Guests who are pregnant or have a respiratory, heart, back or neck condition or epilepsy are not allowed to participate. Waiver must be signed and medical conditions disclosed. Participants must be able to enter and exit the vessel on their own and must be able to swim to snorkel.

The day was sunny and not very windy, so I had high hopes for a good experience today. There were several people on this snorkel and seating was tight on the catamaran until they got underway, unfurled the sails, and opened up the bow for people.

We sailed to almost the lighthouse where there was a calm bay. The water was much warmer than Bermuda, so I was fine in my neoprene shirt. We swam toward the rocky shore as the fish were more plentiful there. We were having so much fun that the 50 minutes passed quickly, and we were surprised when we heard the boat horn blow. It was a long swim back to the boat.

Everyone was back on board except one man’s wife. They kept scanning the water and then realized she was swimming away from another boat toward our boat. She wasn’t making much progress and had to signal for help.

A crew member jumped in with a life ring and swam toward her. With her life jacket and the ring, she was able to just float and kick while the crew member pulled her to our boat. She was embarrassed to say that when she heard the horn she swam to the wrong boat and didn’t realize it until she got on it. She just tired out trying to get to the right boat. I’m just glad she had on a life vest.

Our next destination was a beach area. The crew ramped up the music and started serving Aruba Aribas. They were very potent and tasted great.

The catamaran was able to get close to the beach, so we were able to climb down easily. They advised that we could go shopping in the surrounding stores but, unlike the tour description, told us we should not sign up for any of the other activities: jet skiing, parasailing, etc. as we would not have enough time (unless we intended to stay at the beach and take a taxi back to the ship).

We spent the time bobbing in the water and talking with others on the excursion as the crew kept bringing the drinks from the boat.

Sadly, it was soon time to head back to the ship. As we were sailing back, the Aruba Coast Guard pulled up alongside of us and boarded. That shut down the music and the good times. It appeared all they did was check the Captain’s paperwork. I guess everything was in order as they disembarked and pulled away. Music and good times started up again.

If you are in Aruba and interested in snorkeling or a catamaran sail, I would highly recommend Pelican Adventures. I hope HAL continues to contract with them.

We got back at 1:00 in time for a Lido lunch and a long nap.

Refreshed after the nap, we looked at the menu for the main dining room and decided we would rather have dinner in the Lido. They have many of the same menu items and you can wear shorts. Shorts are not allowed in the main dining room or the specialty restaurants at dinner time.

We stopped again at the Billboard on Board bar to chat with the couple from Las Vegas about their day. We were surprised when the Casino opened around 5:30. Typically, the ship casino can’t open when in port, especially if the port offers gambling too. We didn’t ask questions. We just enjoyed an almost empty casino with our choice of machines.

We finally wandered up to the Lido. I went to the salad bar and Chuck got some jerk chicken and vegetables. I failed to get any photos.

We then headed to the World Stage for the show. The performer was Jeff Taveggia and his show was called “Juggling and Other Bad Habits.” We both thought he was very good.

By the time the show was over, the Casino had opened their table games, so Chuck headed that way. The Rolling Stone Band had the night off. I headed to the room and sat on the balcony watching the lights of Aruba until I got sleepy.

Snorkeling luck update: 1 – 2

Tomorrow: Sea Day

Bonaire

Monday, March 13, 2023

We were ready by 6:00 so we were going to go the Pinnacle Grill bar before our dinner reservation at 7:00. We should have looked at the ship map – there is no Pinnacle Grill bar on the Rotterdam. The Ocean Bar is directly across from the Pinnacle Grill, so we went there.

The Pinnacle Grill restaurant is available on all of the Holland America ships. I had the shrimp cocktail, surf and turf, and asparagus. Chuck had the crab cakes, beef tenderloin with lobster dumplings. We had to skip dessert as we were just too full. As always, the meal was fabulous.

We went to the BB King lounge to listen to the band and dance but there were no seats available. However, we did see Wasama – our favorite waitress from our South Pacific cruise on the Zuiderdam. She was the one who recognized us first. We were so surprised. She said she would be on the Rotterdam until the first of September.

We were able to dance one dance in the Rock and Roll lounge. We then went to another show of the Alans in Cahoots on the main stage. We both said that the magic routine was more entertaining than the mentalist part tonight. It was getting late, and we had a snorkeling excursion in Bonaire so we called it a night.

We had another room service breakfast. I got our gear ready for our day of snorkeling.

We took a HAL tour called the No-Name Beach Water-Taxi. The brochure description is “There is no better way to visit Klein Bonaire (Little Bonaire) than by water taxi.

Enjoy a relaxed and quiet boat ride to the famous shores of No-Name Beach on Klein Bonaire, just 30 minutes away.

The water taxi is equipped with an easy on/off ramp that lowers directly onto the sand making it ideal for all ages.

This uninhabited island is a protected area and one of the most important turtle nesting grounds in the Caribbean region. With its long sandy white beach it is ideal for swimming, sunning and beachcombing.

Snorkel in the world famous Bonaire Marine Park and take in the abundance of fish life and corals and, if you are lucky, you may spot a turtle.

Notes: If you wish to snorkel, bring your own equipment or you can rent it on board the water taxi. (Limited number of sets available for rent.) No snorkel or swim guide is provided. One soft drink per person will be served on Klein Bonaire. Wear your swimsuit under your clothing; bring a towel, sunscreen and a hat. Shade is limited; please dress accordingly. There are no restrooms on the island.

We have taken 2 catamaran snorkeling tours before in Bonaire. We always talked about taking a water taxi to the small island nearby to do a drift snorkel. You can find the water taxi place in town and go over there at your leisure. However, this tour picked us up right at the Rotterdam, so I thought that was a good compromise- go to the island but no hassle finding the water taxi in town.

Thought they would drop us off and come back at 2:00 to get us. Description said we would get a soft drink. I was a little concerned about leaving our stuff while we were snorkeling because the island is a national park open to anyone.

But 2 members of the water taxi company stayed on the beach at one of the two huts, and everyone left their stuff there. We were directed to walk along the shoreline to the point that you could get in to snorkel at the best reef point.

It was a difficult walk to get to the entry point. The path started out fine with hard packed sand. But eventually it became very rocky and slippery. The tide was coming in, so you had to brace yourself as the water rushed around your ankles. Then you could take a few steps before it came back. You did not want to step off the rocks and twist an ankle. You also did not want to cut your feet on the broken shells.

I had hoped to walk the path several times to do drift snorkels while we were there. But I was happy to make it the first time unscathed, so I didn’t press my luck with any more.

The snorkel drift was slow and easy not taking much swimming effort. I think I would have been better off if I had just worn my swim shoes and left my fins at the hut. The drift current was enough that I didn’t really have to use the fins to get me from Point A to Point B.

There were a lot of fish to see. However, I thought the reef looked rough. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bonaire doesn’t shut down the park to help the reef.

Instead of doing another drift, we just bobbed around in the water at the beach. The beach area was very nice, but it had a sharp drop-off into the water. Made it difficult climbing back up to the beach. There were several people that fell over in the waves and rolled around in the sand before they could crawl up on the beach (unfortunately, me included – it wasn’t pretty).

Before the fall. I managed to hang on to the hat and glasses.

We were served one glass of our choice of Rum punch or fruit juice. They also had plenty of water available. At 2:00, our water taxi was back, and I was anxious to get the salt and sand washed off with a nice cool shower.

By the time we got back to the ship and got the sand rinsed off of us, the Lido was closed so we went to the New York Deli and Pizza place for a sandwich.

I’m glad that we finally got to go over to Klein Bonaire, but I don’t think we will snorkel over there again if we ever come back. I’d rather do another catamaran snorkel.

Travel Trivia

Kralendijk, Bonaire

Kralendijk is an alteration of the Dutch word Koralendijk, which means “coral dike.”

Fort Oranje was built in 1639 to defend Bonaire’s main harbor.

On May 10, 1940, 461 Dutch and German citizens were transported to Bonaire and interned in a camp just south of the fort. After World War II, this camp was converted into a hotel, which is now the Divi Bonaire.

The town of Kralendijk is a result of a merger of five villages: Antriol (Entrejol), Nikiboko, Noord Saliña, Playa, and Tera Kora.

Windsock Beach lies at the western end of the landing strip of the Flamingo International Airport.