Thursday, March 20, 2014

Day 141: Princess Cays

We have noticed that we both seem to be approaching this last cruise of the winter with increased intensity. I think, for the first time all winter, we're cruising like most 10-day cruisers cruise, making the most of every...everything, 'cause it's the last everything of the winter.

It's fun!

Case in point:  I had blueberry pancakes for breakfast, generally a splurge. Then we didn't dawdle packing for a beach day, and were on the second tender to Princess Cays (and thank God we made it in to Princess Cays today!!). Even there, we wasted no time, and I was snorkeling almost immediately, when the water was calm and clear as glass, while G encouraged the fish with brioche tossed from the feeding pavilion. 

Sargent major fish:

Yellow fin snappers:

Cruise friend Chrysalis provided the name of bluehead wrasse for this, one of my favorites:

After lunch of primarily grilled chicken breasts tipped in that wonderful Princess balsamic vinaigrette, G asked fruit and ice carver Jefferson if he would cut up one pineapple for us, and what a gorgeous plate of fruit it made!
 
I'm tempted to have that photo printed and eat it when I'm fruit deprived, three or so weeks after we return home. ;-)

G was also busy feeding the sandpipers.

But, mostly, we relaxed and enjoyed these views:


It was perhaps the best Princess Cays day of the winter, warm but not hot, breezy but not windy and oh-so-sunny. When I tell you we were on the second-last tender back to the ship, I guess you can tell we had one heck of a day. 

Once on the ship, we showered and dressed for dinner (since it was already so late in the afternoon) and then sat on the Promenade Deck watching as we cruised by Little San Salvador Island, where Half Moon Cay is located, and then San Salvador Island. It's especially interesting to cruise this time of year; with sunset occurring well after 7pm, there is so much more to see.

We hastened to Dinner with Darko shortly after 5pm (we. were. starved.), then took tonight's bottle of champagne out to the Terrace Deck to watch a sunset that was really so much more beautiful than it appears in these photos, and ended in the second green flash of the winter. 


G looked at me and asked, "Are you glad we've stayed on for one last cruise?"

Oh, yeah. 

Life is good. 

:-)