On Ports of Call

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Being our first stop on the trip, Grand Cayman holds a special place in our hearts. We tendered into the port at Georgetown early in the morning and met up with our excursion group just inside the waiting area. We booked the “Rays, Reef, and Rum Point” excursion with NativeWay Watersports, which was a nice blend of activity and relaxation. Our trip started off with a bus ride on the northwestern portion of the island to the marina where our boat for the day was waiting. There were about twenty other people on the boat with us, and after a thirty minute ride out into the bay, we found ourselves at Stingray City which is rather aptly named. There, boats (full of people) congregate near a sandbar where Stingrays come to be fed and play with the willing. And it’s no lie, they flock to this location and have for nearly eight years. They are very much like curious puppies (large ones, at that), swimming up against your legs and wondering where their treats are. We spent a good bit of time in the water with the rays, having our pictures taken, feeding them squid, and snorkeling around with them. After our time with the rays, we got back on the boat for a short ride over the barrier reef where we snorkeled. Once everyone was through with snorkeling, we placed our orders for lunch (we both went with the catches of the day, me with a blackened Mahi Mahi sandwich and cliff with the Grouper fish n’ chips) and took off for Rum Point Beach. This was a quaint little oasis where we had about an hour and a half to eat, relax, explore, and take pictures. Unfortunately we lost some time on our trip back to the marina and didn’t have anhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gify time to spend shopping back at port before having to catch the last tender to the ship. But no complaints here!

Cozumel, Mexico

Our excursion for the day was the “Royal Dolphin Swim” at Dolphin Discovery which is located in the island’s Chankanaab National Park. Can I just say how excited we were about this? Okay, well, we were. Upon arriving, we caught a taxi to Chankanaab and were greeted kindly by everyone there. It probably didn’t hurt that we were all smiles and giggles as we watched the dolphins swimming and jumping around in the discovery area. After “suiting” up and watching an informational video, we joined our group and our trainer out in the water. Our dolphins were named Shadia and Scarlet and it took me about ten minutes to stop denying the fact that they were real live dolphins with me in the water and not some animatronic creatures. Cliff and I were the first volunteers for our round of activities with the dolphins (did I mention we were excited?) and spent the next hour just engrossed in our time with the dolphins. We each got a foot push, a dorsal pull, two kisses, a hug, a handshake, and some free time swimming and playing with them in the water. And I think I can speak for both of us when I say there is absolutely no feeling in the world like gliding through the water with your arms outstretched as two dolphins push their noses into the arches of your feet. Amazing. Add to that awesome experience (we bought the video!) some time spent relaxing and snorkeling in Chankanaab, and you’d think our day was just about perfect. To top it off, we caught a taxi back downtown and landed at Pancho’s Backyard where we enjoyed a lunch of fresh-made guacamole, salsa, tortilla chips, fajitas, peach margaritas, and good conversation with two couples seated behind us who were from Goodlettsville! YUM. And wouldn’t you know, this time we did have time for shopping though we only had $10 left for this port by the time we made it to the shops.

Belize City, Belize

I have been wanting to go to Belize for a long time. I mean, like since circa 1995 or so. So, we’re talking about thirteen years of expectation being built up about this country. Why Belize, you ask? Well, because of the reef (the second largest in the world, second to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia) AND the rainforest. We had to pick just one on this visit though (we can always go back for the other), so we booked the Cave-Tubing excursion with Major Tom which entailed a drive through Belize City and the Belizian countryside, a hike through the rainforest, a thirty-minute ride down the river through large cave systems, and a tasty lunch of authentic Belizian food. The company we went with were the first to do cave-tubing there in Belize nearly sixteen years ago and are really great at what they do, including equipping the trip with really great tour guides who give you all the information you could ever want to know about Belize on the way out to the rainforest. It’s a fascinating country in terms of the nationalities found there, the blending of cultures, and the history of the nation. Interestingly, lunch was a plate heaped with curried chicken, rice and beans made in coconut cream, and coleslaw – which was SO very good. We also really enjoyed the pace and breadth of this trip apart from our other excursions because we felt like we saw so much of Belize (though we just barely scratched the surface). Often times, we remarked on the similarities between Belize and our memories of Africa and for that reason, I felt really comfortable there. Even the market in Belize was quite vibrant and we partook in shopping, in enjoying one of the proudest creations of the country, and in listening to some fine Garifuna music.

Isla Roatan, Honduras

After a couple of busy days, we were looking forward to a relaxing beach day at Fins n’ Flippers here in Roatan. F&F is located on a small island off the coast of the larger island and our admission fee covered our boat ride over and all-day access to the beach. The location has only been operating for a couple of years and so the facilities are incredibly clean and very nice. It consists of a clubhouse, a gift shop, big restrooms, a café, a pool, a row of lounge chairs out by the ocean, and a pier leading out to the reef just beyond the beach. For the first hour we were the only people there, so we took turns using our rented snorkel gear, exploring what are supposedly some of the best waters to snorkel and scuba these days. We read, took pictures, and before you know it, it was time to grab a quick lunch at the café before heading back to do some shopping and get back on the boat. For lunch, we ordered Fundidos (a Honduran style fondue consisting of beans, cheese, and deep fried tortilla chips), a quesadilla (probably the best tasting either of us have ever had), and two local beers (one of each kind, for our collection). That was, by far, the best meal of the whole trip and we both agree on that wholeheartedly. So with full bellies, we caught the boat back to the town, did some shopping, and got back on the boat. And that, well... That was that.


I can’t pick a favorite, and so far neither has Cliff. But I am so happy with this itinerary and would suggest it to anyone without any hesitations. There are a variety of activities one can do at each place, as well as a whole lot of beach-bumming if that’s your fancy.

The beauty of all of the ports are unmatched and I found them to have unique, endearing qualities that makes each one stand out as wonderful. A good pick for sure!