Caribbean

Stingrays in Antigua

December 9, 2018 By John Keatley Leave a Comment

Kicking off two days of adventure on the island of Antigua, our first stop was to visit Stingray City for the opportunity to jump into the ocean and see them up close. After a short boat ride to a floating dock, we climbed out of the boat and down the ladder into the shallows on a sandbar.

Stingray City Antigua — Sandy is surprised by a stingray as soon as she gets off the ladder

Since there are coral reefs along the north side of the island, we didn’t have to worry about waves. There is only the floating dock and a ring of buoys to mark the spot. No fences, screens, or anything else to keep the stingrays in that spot. So why are there here? Regular feedings. When there’s no tourists to feed them, the guides from Stingray City still come out for a visit and bring them food to keep them coming back to this spot.

I’ve petted a stingray before, of course. I saw plenty of them in my youth in the Indian River Lagoon, and on later trips while visiting the Bahamas. But this experience was a first. I had never just stood in the ocean with stingrays swimming all around, bumping and rubbing past us as they swam by. And at three to four feet across, these were much larger stingrays than I had ever been around!

Antigua stingrays — It was pretty amazing to be in the ocean with stingrays this big. And we are glad we had a waterproof camera with us!

With a little help and encouragement from our guides, Sandy was one of the first to hold a stingray. Now, these are not trained animals. They haven’t been kept in any kind of enclosure to help them recognize some trainer or particular human. These are wild marine creatures that have adapted to people being around them. They’ve learned that when there are people in the water, that means they will be fed. “See people, get squid” is a pretty easy concept. It’s not something we’d want to try at home, however, with alligators and crocodiles sharing the same waters with stingrays.

The folks at Stingray City provided us with masks and snorkels if we wanted to snorkel with the stingrays or across the reefs. It was enough to just stand there and watch them swim past, but a few people did snorkel. They also provided buckets of squid for us to feed the stingrays, and instructions on how to share the ocean safely with these beautiful creatures.

If I hadn’t been on their tour, with people who’ve spent years around these unique creatures, being surrounded and circled by a dozen stingrays of this size would have been really intimidating. We had one lady from England in our group who was extremely nervous about getting in the water, especially after seeing how large the stingrays were. While it took quite a bit of coaxing, we eventually got her to join us and smile for the camera.

Before boarding the boat for the return trip, I was talking to one of our guides. He pointed out why we had been taught the “stingray shuffle,” something all Floridians know about. When resting, the stingrays lay along the bottom of the ocean, covering themselves with sand. Only their eyes and tail remain visible. If you step on one, their first reaction is to flip up their tail and strike you with a painful sting, something you don’t want to have happen. By shuffling your feet, you’ll bump into the edge of the stingray and it will swim away, instead.

stingray in ocean Antigua — Seeing the barbs on a stingray up close gave me a new respect for them. Never touch the tail!

Visiting Stingray City in Antigua was a fascinating family-friendly activity that anyone interested in marine life can try. Learn more about the facility on their website.

Antigua Awakens

November 12, 2018 By Sandra Friend 1 Comment

At sunrise, the tradewinds riffle across a sea of leafy green cascading down the headland at Long Bay. The forest reverberates with melodious but unfamiliar birdsong. I spy a hummingbird neatly inspecting each flower of an acacia tree while deftly avoiding the pipe organ cacti below. A trio of pelicans wheels past.

Tropical forest Pineapple Beach Club — The glow of sunrise illuminates the tropical forest

The chatter of birds and the strum of the waves are my only companions at sunrise as I sit on a hand-hewn burled wood bench and contemplate the new day at the aptly named “Relaxation Station.”

Relaxation Station at Pineapple Beach Club

Surprisingly, I am the only one taking advantage of this perfect perch, a front row seat to sunrise, surrounded by nature, atop a hill that’s the quietest corner of Pineapple Beach Club, an all-inclusive resort in Antigua.

Pineapple Beach Club — The beach is quiet early in the morning

Perhaps beachgoers don’t rise with dawn. The light seeping through our curtains and the warbles through the screen caught my attention, drawing me outside. We found the hilltop yesterday, since the stairs are just past our room.

I’d never thought I’d feel satisfied with an all-inclusive resort, a foreign concept to me. The idea of a cruise ship on land springs to mind, complete with the temptation of tours coupled with a constant flow of libations, hydrations, and snacks. But like a cruise ship, there is a gift that comes with being in one place, walking everywhere, not having to think too hard.

Time.

For most vacationers here, that’s the allure, albeit unspoken. They’ll talk about the free flowing rum punch, the endless buffets, the difficult choice of whether to swim in the sea or splash in the pools. But rarely do you hear them speak of time.

Pool at Pineapple Beach Club — One of several pools at Pineapple Beach Club

And yet. There are those like myself – mainly women, I note – who slip off to a quiet corner of the property with a novel or a notebook in hand, eager to embrace this foreign thing in their lives, an unscheduled block of time. They are adrift from their workaday routines, the pressure of a job, the hours spent commuting, and the need to clean up after everyone. Even better, they don’t need to make dinner.

Simply bliss.

As I sit atop this rocky headland, listening to the scurry of a mongoose in the underbrush, watching the rising sun illuminate the tangled fibers of the cacti downslope, knowing that my day will unspool with a parade of new sights and experiences while we tour the island, I’m grateful to have this little corner of Antigua to myself this morning. It awakens my senses to Caribbean sensibilities. It gives me a chance to recharge.

Sunrise at Pineapple Beach Club — In awe of an Antiguan sunrise

And even though for us, it’s a working trip, isn’t that what a vacation is for?

Island Triathlon on Half Moon Cay

July 27, 2018 By John Keatley 2 Comments

While cruising the Caribbean on the Nieuw Amsterdam, our first port of call was the private island of the Holland America Line, Half Moon Cay. It was an ideal day for an island triathlon: bike, paddle, and sail.

Most people hit the beach when they land on Half Moon Cay, the private island in the Bahamas that Holland America Line purchased as a destination for its Caribbean cruises. I signed up for a bike tour and kayak tour.

Half Moon Cay beach — Most people head straight for the beach at Half Moon Cay

I didn’t expect to ride a bike to get to the kayaks. The island is not a sandbar as some others I have been to on Caribbean cruises. It’s 2,400 acres, of which only 50 acres are developed. The rest is a tropical forest.

Biking Half Moon Cay — We biked on narrow lanes through the tropical forest

Our ride wasn’t bright jerseys and multi-speed “go fast” bicycles. It was an island-style bike ride on a single speed beach cruiser. The only rules: we had to wear a helmet, and ride single file. On the wrong side of the road! In the Bahamas they drive on the right (or wrong) side of the road, something they picked up after all those years of being a British colony.

Bikes Half Moon Cay — The colorful bikes we chose from

The only traffic we encountered were golf cart sized service vehicles, doing an unbelievably good job of keeping the island looking perfect. I believe that other than at the beach or the natural areas, everything is raked and groomed. Daily.

Our first stop was a deserted beach with a beautiful view of our cruise ship. White sand beaches, brilliant blue water, palm trees, and the Nieuw Amsterdam, the ship that brought us to paradise. Did I mention the hammock?

I took a short walk to the stables. Wouldn’t you expect a stable full of horses on your private island? For the horsey set, here is a rare opportunity to ride a horse along an empty beach and into the surf.

Stables on Half Moon Cay — A visit to the stables on Half Moon Cay

Our next stop was the tiny marina where Jet Skis and kayaks were waiting. My fellow cyclists and I chose the slower and quieter method of travel. As we hugged the shoreline as we paddled, we watched as two Jet Skis zipped off in the other direction.

Having an odd number of people in our group, my paddling companions were in a pair of tandem kayaks, while I was on a single sit-on-top. That gave me the ability to circle and cut in-between them to record their adventures on my water proof camera, an Olympus Stylus.

Kayak Half Moon Cay — Kayaking in the clear Caribbean waters of Half Moon Cay

Being the only one in the flotilla with a camera yet again, I was thinking here I am on another great adventure with no pictures of myself. Just then, I noticed a group of people on the shore. Looking closely I spotted a lady in a Tilley hat. I paddled closer. It was Sandy! She was on the nature and history hike. Camera in hand, she snapped away. Now I have proof of my kayaking adventure in the Bahamas.

Kayaking Half Moon Cay — I often take photos on kayak trips, but rarely end up in any

Paddling Half Moon Cay — Paddling back to our put-in

After paddling back to the put-in, we returned to our bikes. On the ride back, we stopped briefly to see Stingray Cove before returning to our starting point. Part two of my island triathlon completed.

Stingray Cove Half Moon Cay — Watching people at Stingray Cove

When Sandy returned from her tour, we walked to the beach cabana. She noticed the Hobie Cat sailboats sitting in the sand along the beach. “Why don’t you take out one of those and I’ll get some pictures from the beach,” she said.

You don’t have to ask me twice if I want to go sailing. Growing up along the Intracoastal Waterway, I’ve been sailing since I was twelve.

Hobie Cat at Half Moon Cay, Bahamas — Sailing a Hobie Cat at Half Moon Cay. Easy to sail.

This catamaran was like no other Hobie I had ever sailed before. Nothing like the sleek fast boats where our goal was to go as fast as we could flying a hull, finding that perfect balance of speed where the upwind hull could be lifted out of the water and you were moving very fast with only a single hull in the water.

Hobie Cat Half Moon Cay — You’re rarely on the level when sailing and shooting at the same time

About thirteen feet long, this boat could be easily handled by one person and was large enough to take a couple of friends along with you. Compared to my old “go fast” sailing days, this was like sailing a recliner. With only a single sail and a mainsheet (the rope used to adjust the sail) and no boom to hit your head on, it was simple sailing, something that anybody could learn to do.

Sailing Half Moon Cay — Enjoying the quiet offshore

With a little wind, I was quickly crossing back and forth between the beach and our cruise ship, enjoying the the peace and quiet. I could hear only the sounds of the wind and the water, and a little island music from the shore.

What a great way to end my island triathlon. I had a wonderful time sailing in the turquoise blue waters of the Bahamas, and Sandy got some great photos. My favorite is currently my screensaver.

Half Moon Cay Hobie Cat — My favorite of the photos of my sail at Half Moon Cay

Next time you are on a beautiful island for a day, think beyond the beach. Try my island triathlon. Paddle around in a kayak, bicycle back to the beach, and go for a sail.

Exploring Virgin Gorda

March 12, 2012 By Sandra Friend Leave a Comment

Sitting against a massive granite boulder in the shade of a coconut palm, I watched sailboats drift by on sapphire blue waters. A foot-long rainbow striped lizard slipped past, dark scales against the bright white sand. Savoring the sea breeze, I have found my paradise: Virgin Gorda.

Into the Baths

On the ferry from Tortola, I could see the boulders in the distance: bigger than the sailboats at anchor, dominating the shoreline in a playful jumble. An anomaly in the Caribbean, these glistening white granite monuments signal a distant outpouring of volcanic forces into the sea.

Visitors come from afar to snorkel the crystalline reef-dotted waters, to enjoy secluded beaches at the Baths, a National Park protecting the fragile ecosystem along the boulder-strewn shore. On the trail less traveled, a green valley stretched before me, the tops of immense boulders peeping out of a jumble of tropical vegetation. Beneath the flaming red flamboyant trees, thick, squat flowering cacti clings to rocks; thin, pipe-stemmed cacti rises in delicate sprays.

The trail led down, down, down to a stunning finish: Devil’s Bay, framed by sea grapes and boulders, shimmered with a play of colors only seen in the Caribbean Sea.

Ladder in the Baths — A trail leads through the boulder jumble of the Baths

Following the trail into the Baths – where aqua shoes and a bathing suit are appropriate hiking gear – I discovered a maze between boulders bigger than houses. The trail dipped into glittering grottoes awash in blue waters, clambered up and over boulders on narrow boardwalks, squeezed through low passageways, and splashed through long corridors of knee-deep water.

Ropes and ladders proved handy aids on some of the climbs. In the water, crabs scuttled; granite slabs served as home for brilliant purple and green blooms of algae. At trail’s end: a beachside bar, set amid coconut palms and giant boulders.

Relaxing at Fischer’s Cove

Fischer’s Cove Beach Hotel provided a delightful base camp

My accommodations – discovered and arranged over the Internet – turned out to be an unexpected delight. Virgin Gorda is a millionaires’ playground, with classic resorts: Little Dix Bay, Biras Creek, Bitter End. I chose simpler fare: Fischer’s Cove Beach Hotel, an intimate resort splashed in shades of lilac, pink, and aqua.

According to the locals, Fischer’s Cove is the “poor man’s Little Dix.” Salt-tinged trade winds flowed through the shuttered windows of my airy room. In the open air lobby, I sat in a rocking chair, watching the sunset. A tiny green lizard paused along the railing: perhaps one of the island’s miniature iguanas, smallest in the world. Waves caressed the coral-strewn shore. I felt relaxed, energized.

Exploring by Taxi

The next morning, I set out on a taxi tour to see the rest of the island. My driver, Mr. Huggins, doubled as dinner chef at Fischer’s Cove – I’d enjoyed his excellent presentation of conch, plantain, and jonnycakes.

First stop: Coppermine Point. Once a thriving Spanish copper mine, the point is dominated by the ruins of later Cornish smelting works. Glints of malachite, azurite, and chrysocolla shine from the rocks. A drive through the Valley gave me a sweeping view of Spanish Town, the main concentrated settlement on the island.

Boulders aren’t limited to the Baths. This is the interior of Virgin Gorda

I discovered the well-paved main road makes it worth renting a car. Only ten miles long, much of the island is lush parkland criss-crossed by hiking trails, and there are plenty of scenic pulloffs along the road. Most tempting are the central beaches: secluded and pristine, with crystal-clear water.

From Gorda Peak (1,331 feet) I could see the entire sweep of the island, back to the Baths. A volcanic cone peeked out of the sea beyond: from the ferry, the small island’s shape had been indistinct. Perhaps the source of the granite boulders? From the peak, the island curved below my feet: the verdant hills of North Sound, and its exclusive resorts. Beyond, a smattering of islands: including Necker Island, the private paradise of Sir Richard Branson.

Lush mountains with hiking trails, intriguing wildlife, beautiful beaches, coral reefs with tropical fish, colorful copper minerals, massive rocks, and rum. This is paradise!

Visiting Virgin Gorda

Unless you’re sailing in, Virgin Gorda is reached by taking a ferryboat from Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Reserve your stay on the island in advance, as rooms are limited. Fischer’s Cove is one of the less expensive of the island hotels.

When wandering the trails of Virgin Gorda, be aware that some Caribbean plants, such as the manchineel tree, are poisonous and will harm your skin if brushed against.

Into the Baths

Relaxing at Fischer’s Cove

Exploring by Taxi

Visiting Virgin Gorda

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