Saturday 6 October – St Maarten

By the time I woke and got up at 6am, we were berthed alongside. As I went up on deck, the air temp was already in the high 20s and by 8.30am was 30C. We have been the only ship in the Caribbean ports so far but on the horizon, Carnival Victory was sailing in and has berthed alongside us.

 

I got ready for my tour – Island sights and semi-submersible, and was on the dockside at 8am, only to be told I had misread the Horizon and was an hour too early!  I wandered up to the town but everything was still shut and it was so hot I returned to the ship and drank another pint of juice and water! So – off to try again! It was a good tour and worth the money. We drove right round the island, both Dutch and French parts, stopping off at a couple of spectacular view points for photos.

 

Then at Grand Case we boarded our boat. On the way out to the reef we saw Booby birds diving for fish. As we neared, we all filed down into the lower part of the hull and sat in twos with long windows on both sides as we reached the reef. There were shoals of coloured fish, turtles, star fish, beautiful pink translucent jellyfish and everywhere waving fronds of different corals.  A diver went down and held fish food to attract more fish close to us. It was magical.

 

Back on dry land we drove to Marigot (passing three chameleons sitting on a wall)  – the French capital where a Saturday market was in full swing – all manner of local fruits, sugar cane, coconut smoothies etc. as well as clothing.

 

Then back to the port where I pottered round a few of the jewellery shops, but left before temptation got the better of me. By then it was extremely hot and quite humid so lazed on deck the rest of the afternoon. Every single shady corner of the ship was packed while the open decks were empty! We sailed from St Maarten at 4.30, whereas before it had been 5.30. This is why we think we are 4 pax short tonight.  Several announcements were made and the captain waited 20 mins, before I watched the Passenger Services Manager hand their passports to the port agents and we left!  I can only imagine how they are going to feel to see Oriana in the distance. The best time of the day is around 5.30 as first sitting pax head in to change, the sun is setting and the temperature is perfect. There were flying fish near the bow and islands all around us.