The sail in early this morning was beautiful. The hillsides were completely covered by lush green vegetation which formed magnificent layers of colors. The royal and coconut palms provided the height, while mahogany, cedar, and pine trees added volume and depth to the space just below the palm fronds. Smaller trees of wild olives and ficus added yet another layer and additional texture to the hillsides. Various types of orchids, plumeria, yellow iris, zinnia, ginger, and spider flowers provided the final touch of vibrant color at ground level to complete the beautiful Caribbean canvas.
Although we didn't see any during our day here, we were told there are iguanas, lizards, turtles, American crocodiles, woodpeckers, parrots, egrets, frigates, ducks and flamingos on the island.
This port was a last minute substitute because we weren't able to get into the original port due to rough seas, and we were planning on using the tenders to access the pier. So, unfortunately, there were no activities or tours planned for us here. Bob and I decided to get off the ship and explore the town on our own. Oh my goodness, street vendors were everywhere and they were quite aggressive!!! We must have had 25 people trying to talk us into a taxi or bicycle tour of the island. There were a number of booths set up along the beach walkway selling their wares (probably mostly made in China) and it was tough to get by them without being physically forced into their booth :)! However, we stuck to the plan and bought only one port souvenir magnet. We walked a little way down the street but there was absolutely NOTHING to see!!! There were a few small stores but most of them were closed. The town doesn't have any real charm and we were quite disappointed with the surroundings.
In the afternoon Bob decided to take a small boat out to go whale watching and get some photos. I decided to return to the ship and read my book, which is absolutely fantastic. He had a good time and got some great shots of the humpback whales. The only down side was that it was a small boat and the waves were fairly large so they occasionally obscured the view of the whales. One of the passengers actually told Bob to sit down (can you imagine trying to tell BOB to sit down - no way. Then you KNOW he will remain standing for the rest of the time)!!!! Luckily, one of the crew members noticed his big camera and invited him to join the captain on the top deck!! Of course, Bob was thrilled and he got some GREAT photos. No more nasty passengers to deal with up there. Of course, when the ride ended they all wanted to know where he had been the entire time. He just smiled as he climbed down the topside ladder and joined everyone else to leave the boat :).
Our ship sailed early this evening and we enjoyed the beautiful foliage on the way out to sea. Tomorrow, we're in Grand Turk. Another new adventure for us.
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