I’m thrilled to announce that my knee is finally better! Yes, the same knee that has been causing me trouble for the past six months is now feeling great. Who would have thought that all it took was a tumble down the stairs on the ship to bring about this unexpected improvement? And just to clarify, alcohol was not the primary factor in my fall.
Friday on Grand Turk Island marked another day where we arrived in port late morning, following yet another rough night at sea. Our room had a mysterious element in the ceiling that swayed with the ship’s movement, making sleep incredibly challenging. Coupled with my lingering cold, it was quite a restless night.
After breakfast, we made our way to the theater area, anticipating a swift exit for our snorkeling tour. However, it took some time for the authorities to grant clearance for us to disembark, causing our tour to start later than scheduled. Once off the ship, though, everything was well-organized, and finding our tour group was a breeze.
The water surrounding Grand Turk Island was a mesmerizing greenish-blue, crystal clear and inviting. Our first stop was swimming with the vibrant tropical fish around a coral reef. I regretted not having a waterproof case for my 360 camera – the underwater world was teeming with beautiful, colorful fish.
Our next adventure involved conch hunting, something I hadn’t experienced before. Conchs are essentially giant snails. After diving for a few, we gutted them and had some close encounters with stingrays – they were everywhere, gracefully swimming around us. Legend has it that kissing a stingray brings seven years of good luck, so Joanne bravely puckered up for the encounter, and yes, there’s photographic evidence!
The stingrays felt surprisingly soft and slimy, and the experience was unforgettable. Reluctantly, we bid farewell to the stingrays and boarded the boat, enjoying rum punch as we made our way back to the ship area. Once back, we had some time to enjoy the ocean and splurge on overpriced food and drinks.
After a couple of hours, we returned to the ship to depart from the port and head north back to Miami. Saturday would be a day at sea before our final docking, marking the end of our incredible journey.
