Port time: 7-4:45
Evening attire: Semi Formal (Animator's Palate, show - Captain's Gala)
Evening Entertainment: The umBides
Drink of the Day: High Tide
This morning was not an early morning start at Barbados. We were to meet Silver Moon Catamaran at 9:00 am at the Terminal gate 2. DD9 was exhausted:
I had made a huge mistake on this port. Over a year ago, I booked Sail Calabaza - a 12 person catamaran trip to swim with the turtles. They get the highest rating in Trip Advisor and book way ahead. A week before we sailed, I was double checking my reservations with everyone and discovered I had booked them for Wednesday, not Thursday. Devastated, I emailed Gina and asked if there was anything I could do. She emailed back that they were full but she would call around and ask for me. She found Silver Moon had room. So we booked with them.
Silver moon has a 12 and 24 person cat day lunch trips. We were on the 12 person cat. Technically, our family of 4 made it 13 people but I think Gina pulled some strings so they would accept us for our heart breaking mistake. The Cat on the right is the one we were on.
It was heaven on earth. The bus picked us up at Gate 2 a little late because the Disney groups were chartered by the bus first. It was a 5 minute trip around the harbor to our Cat. I had to pay a 50% deposit via credit card the week before to secure the booking and the balance in cash that morning when we arrived at the boat.
Stacy was our female captain for the day. She took our shoes, relayed the rules and we were off! It was a gorgeous trip, beautiful weather and calm sailing. We enjoyed sitting on the tarps on the front of the cat and just relaxing.
Soon, the alcohol was served (of course) and we had ample soda, water, beer and wine available.
Our first stop was to the snorkel site for the turtles. There was one turtle hanging around. The 2 crew members on our cruise (plus the captain) got into the water with us and one guy fed the turtle and the other one helped anyone who needed assistance with snorkeling or swimming. It was amazing to be up close and personal with the gigantic sea turtle. We all got to touch him as he swam by.
After that stop, we went to another spot that had a shipwreck and again our crew members got in the water with us to snorkel around. They fed the fish. It was fantastic.
Soon, we headed off to our 3rd stop and here is where we had a fabulous lunch. The crew set it up and we jumped off the cat and swam around. The beach, I believe was privately owned but after lunch, we swam up to shore and saw the most amazing thing. A baby sea turtle coming out of the sand and heading to the water!!!!! I didn't get a photo but our sea mates did so they have promised to email it to me soon. I can't wait to upload it HERE!!! Truly a highlight of our experience.
All too soon, it was time to head back. The skies were dark to the west of us and we chatted with a lovely couple with 2 kids the whole way back. They were great and it turns out they were on the same dining rotation as us and same early seating. We saw them several times after that and chatted.
All too soon, our day came to an end. We didn't want to leave. This excursion was the highlight of all the ones we did. It got 2 thumbs up by all 4 of us.
Tonight was semi-formal night so we sort of got dressed up again. DD12 wanted a photo with pluto so we went down to see him too.
Our animations came to life on the screens later. It was fun to see.
After the dinner, we all agreed we didn't want to see the theater show tonight, some sort of local gaucho act. So we decided to brave the Aquadunk and pools, since no one was around up on deck and it was a perfect time/night. It was a fun experience but not something I'd wait for. You climb to the top of the smoke stack and get in the chute. It's closed on you and the floor drops out from under you and you fall down and through a slide for 10 seconds. I asked the attendant what the chances are of getting a wedgie and he said 99%. On my second try, he told me that I wouldn't get one if I wore a t-shirt. Thanks for telling me after the fact. . . Even DD12 tried but she didn't like it. H said it was ok. DD9 chickened out.
A storm came up with lightning so we had to get out and call it a night. And went to bed sad, knowing Friday was our last full day on board the Magic.
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