The Windward Islands
of the West Indies were the destinations for Wind Surf's southbound itinerary out of Barbados January 11-18, 2009.
A Barbados tote bag
conveys the bright cheerful mood of the St. Lawrence Gap area, where we stayed for three days.
This delightful
small hotel was our home for two days before and one day after our cruise on Wind Surf.
Darla and David Trotman
own and operate Sandy Ground, and reside on the premises. Their property is artistically designed and appointed.
Darla's paintings
add to the enjoyment of guests.
Sunset at Dover Beach,
a five-minute walk from Sandy Ground.
Full moon
on Barbados.
Our Silver Moon
excursion included snorkeling with turtles and fish, followed by a fine lunch while seeing the west coast of Barbados.
Relaxing day
on Silver Moon.
We board Wind Surf
early afternoon on Sunday, January 11.
Wind Surf
docked in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The reception angels
on Wind Surf, always ready to help with unfailing competence and gracious smiles.
View from portholes
of our cabin. Mr. Peacock, my Travel Mascot, perches on our windowsill, watchful for our safety and good times.
Wind Surf's lounge,
where passengers gather before dinner each evening for information about our next day's port and activities.
The casino,
adjacent to the Lounge.
Holly Weberg,
Wind Surf's Hotel Manager, hosted dinner for ten of us in "Degrees", one of the specialty restaurants on Wind Surf.
Bequia (BECK-way)
was once the area's most important whaling station. Port Elizabeth, on Admiralty Bay, is a charming town.
In times past,
Bequia was a hand-made wooden boat center. Its harbor is colorful and charming.
A lovely walkway
along Port Elizabeth's waterfront.
This cheerful threesome
were our crew for today's catamaran trip. High winds gave us a rough ride.
Enjoying the sail
from Bequia to Mustique, and places in between.
Fascinating
rock formations and shorelines seen along the westernmost tip of the island.
Shoreline near Moonhole.
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Wind Surf at anchor
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Mayreau (MY-roh)
is the smallest of the inhabited islands of the Grenadines. There are no cars; transport is by foot or by boat.
The skipper
of our catamaran. Wind Surf is anchored in background.
Sailing away to the
Tobago Cays, a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of five small uninhabited islands with amazing shoreline and colors
Approaching
our snorkel spot.
Inflatables
took people to shore for beaching and swimming; snorkelers went into the water from the catamaran.
The water color
was incredible here.
Back to shore,
then by tender back to Wind Surf.
Wind Surf's sister ship,
Club Med 2, was nearby this day and waited for us to set sail so we could sail in tandem for a bit. Fun to experience!
Club Med 2
sails off after dusk in a blur of light and movement.
Pigeon Island
is no longer an island, rather is a peninsula, having been joined to the island by a causeway.
Pigeon Island
has been a National Park since 1979.
After anchoring
at Pigeon Island, we set off on our catamaran excursion to Soufriere.
The Pitons,
towering 2500' above the sea, are a dramatic sight as we approach Soufriere.
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Downtown Soufriere.
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Near Soufriere
is Sulphur Springs, billed as the "the world's only drive-in volcano". Pictured here is our helpful guide.
Volcanic steam vents.
Imagine the scent of sulphur.
Boiling volcanic mud.
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People bathe here
in the hot springs.
Our next stop is
Morne Coubaril Estate, a historic plantation where cocoa, coconut, manioc and citrus are grown and processed.
These buildings
are a recreation of farm workers housing.
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Many steps
of processing cocoa pods into chocolate sticks take place in this building.
Cocoa pods
are colorful and much larger than I'd imagined.
Our guide explains
how cocoa beans are fermented, dried on racks in the sun, oiled, polished, crushed, then formed into chocolate sticks.
A demonstration
of dancing on the cocoa beans to polish them.
Large trays/shelves
roll out from the building to allow the cocoa beans to dry in the sun, then are rolled back inside.
Bus ride, anyone?
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The plantation house.
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Lovely view
from the estate through the trees down to the town and harbor of Soufriere.
Rush hour in Soufriere,
as we head back from the plantation to our catamaran.
Steep cliffs
along St. Lucia's west coast.
Small caves
and azure water near our snorkel/swim stop.
Dominica
(Dahm-in-EEK-uh), lush and mountainous, has high agricultural production.
Cabrits National Park
is the site of Fort Shirley, an 18th Century British garrison.
Whimsy in Portsmouth.
This small town is home to Ross University School of Medicine, which has graduated 6500 doctors since opening in 1978.
Wayne's taxi tour
of the north part of Dominica offered views of Wind Surf at anchor and the peninsula that is Cabrits National Park.
Various crops are grown
in this rugged terrain. Here, bananas are bagged to prevent over-ripening and for protection from birds.
Coffee beans
on the tree. Resident farmers here carry a machete as standard equipment.
Napping dogs,
lovely poinsettias.
A school in Pennville,
where our taxi driver/guide, Wayne McLawence, had grown up. The girl in the foreground is one of his nieces.
Wayne points out
the cemetery, which has a fine view.
Grapefruit harvest!
Wayne gathers grapefruit for us on land adjacent to his childhood home.
Lush agricultural land.
Breadfruit grows in abundance.
A glorious end
to a lovely day.
2004's Hurricane Ivan
hit Grenada (Gren-AY-duh) very hard, destroying much of St. George's. Rebuilding is ongoing.
Grenada's sparkling new
visitor center. Downtown St. George's was a lively place, with busy street markets a couple blocks up from the port.
Annandale Falls,
where young men cannonball into the pool, hoping for tips.
Down he plunges!
.
Mother and infant
enjoy the cool pool.
The Visitors Center
at the Grand Etang Lake.
The Grand Etang
is a dormant water-filled volcanic crater.
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Grand Etang National
Park Visitors Center tells the stories of its ecosystems.
Grenada flag.
Locals expressed gratitude to the U.S. for its help in the past.
Fort Frederick,
high above St. George's. These boys were flying kites, which were too high to show in the photo.
At the Fort.
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View from the Fort.
Queen Mary 2 anchored, Wind Surf docked.
A closer look.
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School's out for today.
All students wore uniforms in all places we visited.
Sunset on Grenada.
Memorable because I saw THE GREEN FLASH -- clearly, unequivocally!!!
Tobago (Tuh-BAY-go)
is a peaceful tropical island with little development.
A short but steep
bus ride took us from Charlotteville to Speyside, to Blue Waters Inn for our glass bottom boat and snorkel trip.
Views from
Blue Waters Inn toward Goat Island and Bird of Paradise Island. Rain showers were with us this day.
View from
Blue Waters Inn.
One of our boats,
old, funky, fun -- and well named!
Good snorkeling here.
.
Back to
the fishing village of Charlotteville.
From Charlotteville,
we walk first up this trail, then down long stairways to Pirate's Bay Beach.
Down the stairs.
Many stairs! Wet!! Muddy!!! Slick!!!!
Pirate's Bay Beach
was a treat. Good snorkeling. Nice chat with the guy sitting in the chair, who was selling coconuts and oranges.
Going back
up the stairs. Many stairs! Still wet!! Still muddy!!! Still slick!!!!
Tendering back to
Wind Surf, after a fine day on Tobago.
Our last night
on Wind Surf. Captain Mark Boylin introduces the chef and his crew who did such a great job in the kitchen.
More thank-yous
and applause for the fine crew of Wind Surf.
Back to Barbados
for one more day and night before flying home on Monday January 19.
Our last breakfast
on Wind Surf, in The Veranda.
Back on shore,
we're met by Cameron Reid and his assistant Colin, who provide us with a grand tour of Barbados.
Gorgeous views
along the east coast of Barbados.
The Bathsheba area
is known for its striking rock formations.
A closer view
of the rock formations.
A popular spot for
surfing, the Bathsheba area has hosted numerous surfing competitions.
An interesting stop
on our island tour with Cameron and Colin.
The English influence
is evident in many aspects of life here, including architecture and names of places and people.
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Lovely woodwork.
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I'd love to hear
this organ!
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Cute little fella!
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Cabbage palm
on the church grounds.
Grand views
from the church grounds.
East Point Lighthouse,
on Ragged Point, is in the far-distant center of this photo.
The Lion at Gun Hill.
This large coral stone lion was carved in 1868 by Captain Henry Wilkinson with the assistance of four military laborers.
Back to Sandy Ground
for another overnight before heading home.
Our last sunset
on Barbados.
In the air again,
after a wonderful, wondrous trip in the Southern Caribbean.