MITSUGIRLYS FREEDOM OF THE SEAS REVIEW & PICTORIAL
Day 6: St Lucia
APRIL 24: ST LUCIA 9-6PM
We looked out of our extra large room windows and Sakari immediately said "there's the volcanos!" I'm not sure if we were actually sailing by the pitons or not, but it sure looked like it. She was super excited!
We headed off to breakfast and I threw caution to the wind and decided to get waffles with whipped topping this time. They were yummy but I put way too much "topping" on it this time.
I "think" this is the St Lucia port...if it's not, then here's a random picture of one of the ports. LOL (This is what happens when you switch cameras back and forth and the other camera didn't have the date saved on it).
So here we are...the big day in St Lucia. We absolutely loved St Lucia the last time we were here. We had booked a tour with Spencer Ambrose to go to the Pitons last time and it has some AMAZING snorkeling there! Like amazing! This place holds a special place in our heart because this is the place that our little mermaid, Sakari, decided that she wanted to become a scuba diver. The last time we were here, they had several divers there that day and she watched them from above and tried to dive down to where they were at and insisted that this is what she wanted to learn to do. We immediately came home to check into diving for a child her age, at the time she was 8 years old, and found that they had a class for 8-10 year old's. She started taking monthly classes and she was the first at our scuba shop to "graduate" and become Master PADI Seal certified. She continued to take classes monthly, repeating the course, just because she loved it so much. We started diving at one port each cruise after that. She couldn't wait to get back and tell her instructor and the class where she had dove and what she had seen on each dive. When we were on Spring Break last year her class was moving on to become Junior open water certified and she did not get to do it. She has not went back since then and I believe they do not have enough kids to continue with the children's PADI course at this time. I've tried reaching out to them to continue letting her dive with the class with no response. So, we just continue to dive once each cruise instead.
Now Spencer Ambrose loved some of the pictures that I had taken with them last time we went and reached out to me about using some of my pictures on his website for advertising. We bartered for a reduced rate when we returned and he obliged. Sakari is actually pictured on his website with her monofin. (I really wished she had her mermaid tail on that day) So, when we booked this cruise, going to St Lucia, I immediately knew what I was going to do!!!
Last time we went to the pitons for a full beach day at Jalousie Beach. I tried to talk the hubby and Kendra into doing the mud bath (I had seen pictures online of others doing it and it looked like so much fun). No way-no how was he doing it he said. Well guess what...yes way-yes how he WAS going to do it this time and that's what I was booking! LOL Kia had previously done the mud baths and enjoyed it so she decided she was just going to go to the beach at Jalousie and snorkel instead (which is what we did last time) and meet us there.
We were off the ship right away and headed for the port to find Spencer's tour.
The port here is very small and it's very quick to get out. We met Spencers daughter "She-She" to check in. We waited for awhile for everyone to arrive and check in. Then She-she came around to collect everyone's money. Spencer requires you to put a $10 pp deposit down when booking. So, we had put down $30 for us (and later added Shayla to the tour). Well, at the last moment, Billy and the kids decided they didn't want to come. So, it was just Kendra with us. I believe she had put a deposit down on all 4 of them ($40). So things got confusing somehow and She-she was trying to charge me some outrageous amount and I reminded her that we had the discount, which was significant, and then she was trying to add Kendra on to that. We kinda went back and forth and I couldn't understand that if there was 4 of us total, with the deposits already paid, plus the reduced amount for us (which was a certain dollar amount, not a percentage), then adding Kendra onto that...how could it be that Kendra was actually paying MORE for herself than what the normal cost was? Plus you get a discount (I think $5) for being a returning customer. In the end, Kendra ended up paying full price for her (and obviously she had lost her deposit she had put down on ALL of them, including herself) because of the confusion I suppose.
We headed out to their boat, which is a very short walk from the port. It's just right down the sidewalk.
Looking back, this is how close it is.
We got on the boat and found seats. This boat was PACKED! Like there were NO seats left, which makes me wonder how the heck would this have worked out if Billy and 3 other kids were with us like they were supposed to be???
Everyone look this way and smile...even those that are not with us or know us. LOL
Now I hadn't even been in water yet with my camera and it was already fogging up! What the heck!
Away we went...
Now I have seen plenty of questions about how rough is the boat ride there. Well, I took a video. Everyone has to remember that sea conditions change all the time and you can never be sure if the ride is going to be smooth or bumpy. You are on a speed boat...so...I thought (both times we have went) that it was a fairly smooth ride. I did see a recent review/comment about this tour and how someone said the word "St Lucia" is a dirty word in their house just because of the speedboat ride there and how bad it was and they never want to return again. So, no one can ever predict what it's going to be like. This was just our ride and day...pretty darn smooth if you ask me.
We got to the area that you could see the pitons.
Then we pulled up to the bat cave. You could hear and see them in the crack...
Then the smell of sulphur...you know it instantly. It's such a distinct smell and you know you are by the volcano's.
This would be the area that we watched everyone on our last tour get off to go to the mud baths while we continued on. Well, not this time...we are GOING TO THE MUD BATHS!!!
It's the little town of Soufriere .
We all piled out of the boat...except for Kia and the kids. They were going on to the beach.
Our van ride to the mud baths...
Our driver told us...this is where you are going...
To get into the mud baths, you have to purchase a ticket. This is included in the price of the tour (which is why this tour cost a little more than just the beach tour).
$10 for each adult and $5 for kids.
The little area outside the springs and mud baths
We did have a guy that followed us asking us to buy stuff and we told him that we didn't carry any money on us (which was true) and we only had our towels. He said "you left your things in the van and when you return from the mud baths, you can get it and buy stuff". LOL
Headed down to the mud baths...we were so excited.
Oh my word!!! It was SO CROWDED!!!
So Sheshe was our tour guide for the mud baths today. We put our things in some little cubby holes they had and headed over to the baths.
We were at the top bath. Sheshe said "now they are hot". I LOVE hot water and take scalding hot baths/showers and the hubby can't stand it like that. He says I come out looking like a lobster.
We attempted to get in. OH EM GEE that was HOT!!! Now FYI, the top bath is the hottest coming down off the mountain from the volcano. There are several baths and each gets cooler and cooler. Now when I say cooler, I'm not talking cooler as in bath water...they are still super hot, but more tolerable.
Now I don't know what I pictured, but this wasn't it. I thought "MUD" "BATHS" and thought the baths were the mud and you get in them and cover yourself with mud. Well, that's not the case. These are man-made square "baths" and they are black water from the volcano and people getting in them with the mud, and there are steps going down (about 5 each bath) and of course you can't see them. I was so scared thinking I was going to fall or break something...because that's how I roll on vacations. LOL
Well, Kendra and I got our feet and eventually our legs in the water and we just couldn't do it. It was just too hot! It was already hot outside and this wasn't going to work.
We headed down to the second bath and attempted it again. There were other people in it, so this one had to be better.
Well Kendra and I made it...the hubby and Sakari...they were a little slower at it.
Now Sheshe said that you have to get wet (and I'm just assuming the heat of the volcano water opens your pores up like when doing a facial) and then you do the mud. The mud is supposed to be good for your skin. It helps exfoliate and remove dead skin...making it soft, and the minerals (like the sulfur, zinc and magnesium) is also good. Sheshe stated "It make you look 10 years younger". Of course I inquired where could I buy some to take home with me. 😀 It also detoxifies the body: helps with sunburns, eczema, arthritis, sore joints and so on. The hubby ended up just taking the water and splashing it all over his body to wet it and I believe Sakari eventually got "most" of her body in.
Then we headed back out for the mud portion of it.
Now remember I said this is not what I pictured for the mud baths? Well this is why...they have buckets of mud (2 different types) and you get out of the water and apply the mud to your body. 😲 Um ok. I thought you sit in it somewhere. This was going to take some effort.
As you can see, Sakari dug right in and was enjoying this. She came out looking like she swam in mud at least.
Big sis helping her out.
We were applying the lighter colored mud at this point. Kendra was getting serious about looking 10 years younger and went for the face. (Kendra has her dads skin obviously...I think she has more wrinkles at 30 years old than I do at 53, especially around her mouth and above her lip).
Time for a little of the black mud now. This is where it gets creative and fun.
Kendra was putting on her "socks" 🤣
Then later a pair of "gloves".
Once we were done, it was picture time of our creations.
Sakari did my face and gave me a mustache and beard.
Sakari had to get a hold of daddy too. She put her dogs name on him (Loki).
We were a hot mess I tell ya! Sakari was enjoying it so much that she just kept putting more and more on.
Now it was time to let it dry. We stood there...not knowing what to do at this point. haha
Then it was time to get back in the pool of scalding hot water.
Here was the sign they had. I can guarantee it's not just 100 degrees in the water. We get in Kendra's hot tub, which is set to 104 degrees with no problems.
We decided in order for us all to make it in the pool, we'd have to go down a few baths lower. I think we ended up in the fourth bath. It was still very hot, but tolerable.
Now I just wanted to say that when we first got there and was getting in the top bath, Sheshe said "you can't take your camera in there and I'll hold it and take pictures for you". Um...I can guarantee that handing my camera off to someone doesn't sit well with me because she will probably snap a few pictures and be done. You all know me, I'm going to snap a picture at every angel and using multiple settings until I get the perfect picture. Well, when looking at the pictures, I barely had any. Just a few. I'm not sure why she said you're not "allowed" to take the camera in there. I mean it's my camera and responsibility if something happens and it's on me.
So, when we went to go wash the mud off...I took my camera in with me and got in real quick before she got down there. So, if I wasn't "allowed" to have it in there, she's gonna have to come in the water with me to get it back. lol
You can't get this angle and picture from standing up above with my camera. You have no idea that the water is flowing from each bath to the other...unless you are down in there like I was. 😉
We decided to wash off the mud (as we were supposed to) but keep it on our faces. I mean that's really where we needed to be 10 years younger...well, some of us. LOL Our skin was so smooth and exfoliated now. But our faces were still very tight! It was almost hard to smile.
At some point I decided to hand my camera back to Sheshe so that we could get a group picture and don't you know it turned out blurry or foggy or something. You see the picture I took above (and others) and the minute I give the camera to someone else...this is what I get. My camera knows my touch. hehe
After the water flows out of the baths, it goes down the hill
Of course there HAS to be that one group that does the unique (why didn't we think of this? Oh that's right, because I would have probably broke something).
Sliding from one bath to the other...
Sakari decided to apply a little more mud after washing off. She's now a two-face...
This is the little hut that you keep your things in. They did have showers as well.
Back to the van we went and off to the next event. Now our group was split up into two groups. Some of us went to the mud baths and others went to the volcanos. We all met back up to continue on to the next event...the waterfalls.