Things did not look too promising when we first walked out on the Terrace Deck en route to the Horizon Court Buffet. The Emerald Princess was just rounding the southern tip of Eleuthera, and the lighthouse, as well as the small, unconnected islets that stretch off the end of the island were clearly visible. What wasn't visible was the sun; it looked rather grey and gloomy. I was disheartened. We had big plans for the day.
We ate a quick and light breakfast in the buffet and then went back to our cabin to back for an easy beach day. I left behind my snorkel gear, though. Though I was much improved today, I did not feel well enough to want to breathe through a snorkel. We were on the very first tender to the island, and immediately left the Princess property and walked behind the fence to where the locals sell trinkets and handicrafts.
I had brought all of our gold mesh bags filled with Elite toiletries (10 of them!) and started walking down one side of the stalls and handing them to the ladies selling their wares. They were thrilled, and, as I walked back when I was done, several of them called me over and handed me small gifts in return, and gave me hugs. We left Coke tumblers from purchasing the soda package with the grandmother of a boy (now a teen) we had met years ago when he directed us back to Princess Cays on one of our rambling walks.
The coolest things I was gifted were earrings and a necklace, tiny glass dolphins filled with pink Bahamian sand. I love them!!
By the time I was finished, our group for our excursion today, with Eleuthera Tours, had started to gather. Kristel from Eleuthera Tours is the one who gave us a ride back to the ship last cruise when we had walked down to the lighthouse. She and her husband, native Bahamian Donald, offer all sorts of tours on the island. The plan for today was to ride(!!!!) the three miles down to Lighthouse Beach and then have several hours to explore, and enjoy a picnic of local Bahamian food and drink on the beach. (I think I was most excited about the ride part of all this!!)
The cost for this 5-hour tour was $90pp (www.eleutheratours.com).
I can tell you, after riding down to the southern point in a 4 wheel drive vehicle, that it was not my imagination. This is one really rough road, so rough that it took us about 30 minutes to drive the three miles. But we enjoyed the bragging rights we had when the others we were with (seven ladies all from our home state) couldn't believe we've walked it several times in the past.
It was a wonderful thing to arrive at the Caribbean beach still full of energy. G was a Pied Piper and led the others across the tidal pools and up to the lighthouse, but I took off in the exact opposite direction. I've always wanted to know what lies beyond the rocks on the northern end of the Caribbean side beach. And I love to walk on a beach when mine are the only footprints.
I walked the length of the first beach, looking all along the way for any beach treasures. This was where I had found a perfect sand dollar on my first visit; I've never been that lucky since, and wasn't today, either. Once at the end, I carefully picked my way across the rocks and tidal pools only to find another length of empty, pristine beach. From this point, I could see the very top of the Emerald Princess at anchor off Princess Cays.
I walked the full length of this beach too, loving the peace and sound of the waves crashing. The sun had come out and the water was a brilliant blue color. Somewhere along this beach I began to wonder why the heck we live where we do, in the middle of the country, when we are both so drawn to beaches, especially remote beaches. But we do, and we love it there, too.
At the end of the second beach was a rock cliff that I could have scaled if I hadn't been wearing Tevas, but I decided that was the end of my journey. I turned around and walked back to where Donald was building a fire to cook our lunch and Kristel was pouring rum punches and other beverages for the rest of the group, who had returned from exploring. I had packed my Konvertible Kite and opened it up, and it immediately caught the wind. I got so warm flying the kite in the sun that I first stood in the water, and then eventually walked out to a rock in the water and sat on it while holding the string reel. Heaven!
That kite had gotten around this winter, and had been flown as far west as Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, as far south as Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and as far east as Eleuthera in the Bahamas. What a winter we've had!!
Eventually I decided it was time to join the others in enjoying some of Kristel's rum punch and pulled a chair out to the beach. Donald had already set the several tables we were using with vinyl tablecloths and colorful plates, and decorated the tabletops with flowers, shells and coral. It was rustically beautiful and perfect for the beach location.
Around 12:30pm Donald called us to lunch. Our choices (we had made them when we reserved the excursion) were conch, fish or BBQ chicken. I chose conch and G chose the chicken and everything was served with Bahamian rice and coleslaw. Donald had caught the conch and fish last night, and Kristel made everything from scratch and it was all absolutely delicious. I was on to my second rum punch by then, and could no longer feel my lips, but, hey, I didn't have to walk back!!
At 2pm, everything was cleaned up and packed up and we began the ride back to the ship. Also not my imagination: it is a slight but steady uphill climb on the first part of the walk back. Of course, it's usually after noon by the time we start back when we walk, and the sun is generally bright and hot. Riding on the back of a 4WD truck in cushioned seats is much better.
Kristel and Donald returned us to Princess Cays around 2:30pm, and after hugs goodbye, we discovered the line for the tender back to the ship was ridiculously long right then. Not interested in standing in it, we found two nearby loungers in the shade and made ourselves comfortable. The two piece local band was still playing and the sun was shining and it was a perfect end to our perfect day on the beach. We returned to the ship on the last tender of the last day of the last cruise of our winter at sea.
Seldom early, never late. That's our cruising motto. ;-)
Once back on the ship, G showered first and went up to Skywalkers to watch our departure from the island. I joined him by 5pm and we watched as the Emerald Princess rounded the southern tip of Eleuthera and started its journey along the island's 110-mile long eastern coast. We enjoyed that view and the sunset from our dinner table in the Michelangelo Dining Room. The last supper! G shocked me by ordering tamarind salmon, and said he actually enjoyed it. We did not know until tonight that we could have been ordering the old 'always available' salmon and chicken breast even though it is no longer on the menu. I've enjoyed salmon twice a cruise on these short cruises, but, on a longer cruise, I would definitely have ordered the 'off-menu' salmon.
We took a few minutes after dinner to watch balancing act La Paire perform in the Piazza with Rocco (Mr. Six Pack) and his wife. At one point, Rocco lies flat on the floor and outstretches his arms over his head. His wife stands on his hands and he lifts her and pulls himself first to a sitting position and then to a standing position with her still standing on his outstretched arms, and then reverses that back to the floor. I simply cannot believe his strength. He must work out for hours every day.
We needed to get started with our packing by then, and skipped tonight's Voice of the Ocean to return to the cabin. G always says it will just take five minutes to pack, but that is so not true. At 10:30pm we are just finishing it up. We are using EZ Check and had our boarding passes and luggage tags delivered to our cabin about 8pm. We will set our four (grrrr) suitcases outside our cabin door tonight and not see them again until they come off the baggage carousel at our home airport. For $20pp, we think this is the best deal around when traveling with lots of luggage.
It is hard to believe that our two months on the Emerald Princess are over, and that our sixth winter at sea is behind us. G commented tonight, while packing, that he doesn't know how in the world we managed packing for our South Pacific trip. It was quite a logistical nightmare, with suitcases spread across two islands and the Pacific Princess. Coming on board the Emerald Princess and staying in the same cabin for two months has been a cakewalk in comparison. But we wouldn't change a thing about our winter. It's been the most amazing adventure of our lives.
Five years after our first winter at sea, life is still good. :-)