Glider's Ruminations: Pat and Diane's Fantasia Snorkel Cruise, Freeport Bahamas

These were taken in Freeport. We were met by Pat at the cruise terminal. Our reservations said we should take a cab to Count Basie Square (Port Lucaya) but the gals at the cruise terminal wouldn't have it and called Pat and told him he had us (along with a couple dozen others) waiting for him. We got up early and got off the boat as soon as they'd let us off at around 8:15AM because we wanted to get over to Port Lucaya by 9:15AM or so but ended up waiting around for quite a while. I think they want you early because they know things don't always go according to plan. Anyway, after waiting about an hour, Pat scooped us up along with the others and put us on the large bus (a real parlor coach - you know, Greyhound size) and we rode to Port Lucaya with the rest. We had pre-paid $65 bucks each for the snorkeling cruise and paid the extra $10 (each) for the round trip bus ride at their ticket booth in Port Lucaya. We'd already ridden out and they gave us a ticket for the return trip. The buses return on the hour and half hour from Port Lucaya back to Freeport Harbor. It's during the bus rides that you get your briefing on the Bahamas by the bus drivers. It's a fun ride. I booked the snorkel cruise with Expedia early on but later found Pat and Diane's website. I would say that weather can have an effect on the snorkel adventure and if you book with them online, you only pay when you show up, which means you won't have to cancel and ask for a refund if you can't go (my understanding). I don't really know if it would have been cheaper, etc. to go that route. I thought they did a good job of giving us a nice outing and we saw tons of tropical fish and coral and the crew, the boat, the equipment (they provide masks and snorkels) was just fine. We didn't try the slide but after the slide on the cruise ship, it would have been pale. My stomach got pretty twisted up on the cruise ship slide. What a hoot. I separated my underwater camera's battery from the camera and didn't use it, so there aren't any underwater pictures, of which I could have shoot several hundred. I did just want to snorkel and look and we probably had about 90 minutes in the water, which was probably plenty to see everything that was at the anchor site. I have snorkeled in the Cayman islands and I would say this is close to that. Clear water and lots of fish and coral, especially here at the anchor site, where they show up and feed them every day. If you want to check out their website, here it is:

http://www.snorkelingbahamas.com/

Apparently they have more than one boat/trip type and this boat followed us out and back and apparently did the same thing we did but on a smaller boat. In fact there were several boats anchored at the reef while we snorkeled with others snorkeling around the area but not in the same spot.

Es Mi Esposa, eh?

Big boat, pretty smooth, no one got sea sick but everybody had sea legs by the time we got to Freeport.

Yes, that's me. I had on water resistant biking shorts with pockets and a water proof pouch for my wallet and money and had it tied off to my belt and in the pocket while I snorkeled. It worked pretty good.