Tag Archives: photography

We left Port Elizabeth behind, but we would be back later that day after a beachside lunch. But for now we had places to go and things to do, so we headed west along the Bequia coastline. Along the way we passed some pretty impressive yachts:

Our next sight was quite unique. It’s called Moonhole, and it has a fun history. It’s a 30-acre/12-ha site upon which a private rental community was founded in the 1960s. Several of the buildings along the shoreline were ravaged by a hurricane and remain abandoned. Currently Moonhole contains eleven privately owned homes and several rentals that go for a good chunk of change.

If you are curious as to how this site acquired the Moonhole moniker, the answer lies in the image below. The original Moonhole house was home to Tom and Gladdie Johnston, who built this impressive structure in the shadow of a huge natural volcanic arch. During certain times of the year moonlight streams through the arch and glistens on the waters below:

It was near Moonhole where we weighed anchor to allow some to venture off the catamaran for a snorkeling adventure. Yes, those who partook reported the waters were on the chilly side:

Did I mention that it was chilly? Our intrepid adventurers didn’t last too long in those waters. Within perhaps half an hour to forty-five minutes all were back aboard. It was time to head back east for lunch along the beach near Port Elizabeth. Strict social distancing rules applied. We had to maintain distance from the locals, head straight from the catamaran to the dining venue, and then straight back. No detours. So, we beached the catamaran in Lower Bay just long enough to disembark, which involved wading a short distance.

Then the catamaran anchored offshore:

Time to snap a quick panorama of Lower Bay with Port Elizabeth in the distance:

Then head off to an island lunch consisting of beans and rice, cabbage salad, plantains, mac and cheese, fried fish, and grilled chicken with an island hot sauce if you dare:

Most people found the lunch a bit lacking, but I enjoyed it. Of course I had to accompany that with a local beer:

After lunch it was back aboard and a quick swing by Port Elizabeth before heading back to Saint Vincent:.

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

In late February Ursula and I boarded a series of flights that took us from El Paso to Dallas, to Miami, to Barbados. Once in Barbados we headed to the hotel as it was late, and we had a ship to catch the next day. That ship was Royal Caribbean’s ship Grandeur of the Seas, and it would take us on a fourteen-day journey to many destinations that Ursula and I had yet to visit in the Southern Caribbean. Our first stop would be in the Grenadines on the island country of Saint Vincent. Here, Covid protocols were quite strict. No one was allowed off ship unless they were part of a tour, so off we went on a catamaran adventure that would take us to another nearby island.

The tour was arranged through the ship, as personally booked tours did not meet the disembarkation requirements. We would have to remain with the group at all times, even at our ultimate destination.

The catamaran was quite the treat — spacious, airy, and fairly stable on the approximately ten-mile/16-kilometer crossing. It did get a bit rough at one point, but nobody lost breakfast.

Looking back during our departure I managed to snag a few images of Saint Vincent at the port of Kingstown:

And, thus, we were off to the nearby island of Bequia. with our wonderful tour guide doing a marvelous job of keeping us informed the entire way.

Our first destination was Port Elizabeth, where we would remain offshore for pandemic restrictions. Here are the views that awaited us:

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)