Diving and Snorkeling St Lucia - Day 5

Yesterday was devoted to a dive and snorkeling trip. We decided to head off and do serious work in the water. Although the day got off to a bit of a rough start in that the punctuality of vacationing Americans ran into the laid back approach to time that we generally love about the islands.

They were late--by all of maybe 5 minutes. But the dive shop didn't even open when it was supposed to open, which also caused some consternation. But in the end, all was good and we climbed aboard our dive boat and headed off for a great day of diving and snorkeling.

We headed off for our first stop which was a great location in the vicinity of the Lesleen M freighter. The really exciting thing about this tour operator, Dive Fair Helen, was they managed four very different groups nicely. The boat, although only having 12 passengers had one experienced diver, one diver doing certification dives, seven people doing and introduction to scuba, and three snorkelers. Everyone had their own guide and their own area to provide the best view of the marine life off the coast of St Lucia.


I got to dive the Lesleen M wreck. Chris, Scott, and Pennie got some really goos snorkeling right off the coast at Anse Couchon in some very clear water populated with lots of fish and corals. I actually joined them after my dive--and it was really good snorkeling. We got a great image of a cuddlefish. The wreck dive was awesome--I was the only diver and I had the divemaster all to myself. He really knew the wreck and ensured that I saw it all. I even made my first wreck penetration--we went into the superstructure and up a gangway out onto the walkways around the the aft end of the ship. The wreck is in about 65 feet of water at the bow and is 40 feet deep from the top of the superstructure. I saw a huge goliath grouper and an abundance of other fish.



From there, we were served lunch and headed off to the area which is the primer diving spot of St Lucia: Anse Chastinet. Again the charter managed the very different groups. The diving and the snorkeling was fabulous. In addition. my dive also included a tour of another dive site called Fairy Land. The corals and abundance of life was the best I have seen. The dive was varied and in some places aided by a nice current which made areas like a drift dive.



The highlight of the dive was the spotted eel I saw moving along the bottom.



The trip back to Marigot Bay on the boat was relaxing and enjoyable. At the end of the day we had had a lot of fun and seen some truly unique site.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Speaking of Paradise

One of the really cool things about the trip so far is the sunsets.

Chris and I love sunsets and we love imaging them--so I am going to share a couple of them--just because.












- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Waterfront, St Lucia

Snorkeling the St Lucian Caribbean

Day 4 was a rainy day from the stat. Passing showers made it almost impossible to plan any meaningful outdoor activity--so we decided to go snorkeling.

We rented a water taxi and headed off to a small cove (anse) just outside Marigot Bay.

And so a short 15 minute sail later and we were ready for an adventure. It was fun--the highlight of the trip was seeing a spotted eel swimming--but it was too fast for my camera.


The abundance of different corals-soft and hard are beautiful to look at and as always, not touch.

All told, we had a good hour and fifteen minutes of snorkeling and enjoyed a couple of rain showers. The really nice part was the boat entry into the water and subsequent exit made for a no sand experience.

The images from my camera need some color balancing so most of them aren't that good, yet. But this little guy was a lot of fun to look at and to enjoy.


And what else is there to say, but another day in paradise?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Interesting question from the trip so far

What common food item is this?



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Marigot Bay, St Lucia

The road, the village, the volcano and some rum for good measure

Today was immersion into St Lucia. We experienced life in two fishing villages, visited the former capitol of Soufriere, walked into a volcano and smelled the H2S (Hydrogen sulfide) and saw the super heated steam, visited a botanical garden, and arrived back at our villa hot sweaty, and ready to fall into the pool for some refreshment.


Where to begin--ok the roads. The roads are dangerous and I am glad we hired a driver. the roads are narrow, pot-holed, mountainous, and washed out in some places by the hurricane last year. I'm not sure I could even have navigated using the maps.

This image is of the Pitons--the national landmark of St Lucia. We had lunch in a restaurant right between them and the volcano is just to the left.


The volcano was dormant but had hot spots which are national treasures. We could smell the gas coming from the earth. It gave new meaning to the phrase my Dad always uses about hell, fire, and brimstone.


I had thought we might be able to get closer to the hot spots, but they had us restrained a safe distance away. This photo actually is of the mud being thrown into the air by the super heated steam. Still, the power of what was below our feet was amazing.

From the volcano, we headed off to lunch at a location between the Pitons. It was fabulous. The raw beauty is hard to imagine without seeing them in person. They are rugged and sit right on the coast--right down to the coast. We are going to be anchored between them on our first night of the sailing half of the vacation. And I am looking forward to swimming in the bay between them--something right out of a movie.

From lunch--it was off to a botanical garden. We were confronted by so many beautiful flowers and at the mid point of our tour through a falls which is part of the mineral laden water flowing from the volcano.



Chris took a multitude of flower pictures and I tried to get the falls--unsuccessfully the way I wanted to remember them.




To end the day we happened upon a rum distillery. Since there are no wineries, we decided to do a rum tasting. Decide for yourself if we had fun on the road to Soufriere and back.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sunset Last Night

We closed out day 2 with a great snorkeling adventure right in Marigot Bay. We had a great tim until the tide started to go out and the water became too murky to see much beyond about 4 feet.

I got some pictures--my underwater camera is recovered from its bd adventure last year--actually I worked with the company and they replaced it.

A nice salmon home-cooked meal topped off the evening along with the fabulous sunset from the bay.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Marigot Bay, St Lucia

Day 2 on St Lucia

Tropical paradise in the truest sense of the word. It can be a shock for those who are used to urban tourist areas or visiting a Sandal's resort, but it is truly the tropics.

We are in a villa across on the north side of Marigot Bay on the west coast and the only way to get to the side where civilization and taxis are is a water ferry.

The bay and the water are the reasons that people come here. Here I am on the water taxi with my big purchase of the day--fruit. I was a bit of a sucker.


The bay and the water are definitely worth it.




Everyone seems so nice even though we essentially have no internet connection and only sporadic service with the rest of the world--who cares?

Are we having fun and relaxing? You bet.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Oasis Marigot, Marigot Bay, St Lucia

Lunch at Marigot Bay

St Lucia

We arrived. It is awesome. We are having wifi issues which precludes sending pictures or even writing more than short snippets.

The flights all worked out even with the delays and the over an hour drive to our villa from the airport was at the same time breath taking an terrifying. The island is still recovering from hurricane Thomas which blew through during October.

The warm breeze this morning blowing across the room is fabulous.

Lay back, relax, and maybe some snorkeling this afternoon.

Sent from my iPhone

In the Air, It Begins - Day 1

This post was not made until after the trip although I wrote it as we were flying the first leg of our journey. Sometimes, things just get overlooked, I guess.

Well, we made it out of Dulles on time. Yay. So the vacation is truly underway I am writing this as we are winging our way over the US enroute to Charlotte for our connecting flight to St Lucia.


It has already been an adventure and we expect the adventure to continue for the rest of the day.

We had some fun with TSA again. Chris forgot a small can of hairspray in her purse--while it was of legal size, because she failed to pull it out separately she was subjected to additional searches which are never fun and always take more time. Im glad that I am not the only one who has fun with TSA when we travel.

It was fun to watch the airport wake up, although I wish it had been BWI.

The flying weather is so far beautiful and smooth.

I confess, I am looking forward to sitting around the private pool at our villa tonight enjoying the sultry Caribbean evening watching the sun set with traveling behind me and visions of decompressing and chilling ahead of me for the next two weeks. I am hopeful that the most stressful thing I have to do is decide which reef to snorkel or dive.

More updates to follow, I hope.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad