Mitsugirly had a JOYful cruise
Day 5 April 11, Tuesday: Harvest Caye, Belize
Today would be our day at Harvest Caye in Belize. For those that don't know what this is, it's a private area that was purchased and developed for NCL. We've been here several times and have always used it as a "free" day, although that term can be used lightly since it's not like NCL's private island Great Strirrup Cay where the food and drink are free. Here you must pay for all of that. However, there's a very large beach, plenty of chairs, and a humongous pool to use. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and they have shopping and an animal area. There are also excursions you can take from there as well (including ziplining). Usually we just hang out at the pool or the beach. We have always used it as a free "down" day and come on, who doesn't enjoy free right?
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With a busy teenager now, free was not in our cards today. Expense would be in my cards...or should I say wallet. Well actually, I booked with NCL, so it would go on my account with them and the less I seen, the better I was. Sight unseen keeps your heart beating in a regular rhythm....at least for a little bit.
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So it was 6:30am and for me, that's sleeping in. I woke the family up and the ship was docking about this time because it started rumbling and shaking. The hubby rolled over and looked at me with his bewildered stink eye this time and ask why I was shaking him like that. "It wasn't me! I promise" although the thought had crossed my mind a few times.
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We got dressed and heard the announcements to get off the ship. Oh, I see, on the day we are not ready they make the announcement. We grabbed our bag I had packed the night before and headed up to breakfast. It's not like me to be late getting off the ship...even though our tour meeting wasn't until 12:15pm, I like to make the most out of every minute in port. Let's go!
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We ate so fast that I didn't even stop to take a picture before I was done but I can guarantee is was protein packed for the day with boiled eggs, bacon and sausage.
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Since I (the ship) abruptly woke the hubby up, he managed to get 3 cups of coffee in before we were allowed to exit the ship. Yes, he was carrying a cup with him when we got down to "ding" out.
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We stopped on the dock and I seen the trolley cars running and we decided I would save my foot as much as possible today. About that time, I thought "You know what? People are always asking about things like this on the boards, so I should probably get a picture of it so they know what it looks like!" You know me, I'm a picture person and like to describe things with pictures. I mean why else do I do these reviews so picture extensive right?
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About that time, I pulled out my camera from the outside pocket the hubby was holding on his shoulder. Our beach bag will have everything we need for that day inside and there's two things I always put on the outside pocket so it's easily accessible: 1) our ship cards and 2) one of my camera's so it's easy to grab.
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YANK went the camera AND SO DID MY SHIP CARD! So what happens? My ship card came out with the camera and fell...not ONTO the deck, but straight down through the cracks of the deck and into the ocean underneath! Are you serious? What are the chances of this happening? Only to me I tell ya! If you remember the same thing happened to me in Roatan at the dive shop a few years ago when I pulled out Sakari's PADI card to show them...straight down through the slats of their platform deck of no return.
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Now what am I supposed to do? Stay on the island forever? Will I ever see my family again? Will they come visit me? UGH! We headed back up to security that just dinged us out and ask what to do. He replied, "No worries, when you come back you can just go to customer service and get another". Ok, whew!
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I consulted with the family and they said "Let's just go have a fun day and we will deal with it when we get back".
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So as promised...here's the picture of the trolley I was taking the picture of for everyone that caused my accident (which really isn't a trolley, but an over sized golf cart, but we are going to call it a trolley anyhow).
And you know me...so here's a picture of the deck that I just dropped my card through as we stood there looking dumbfounded.
I guess the only thing left to do was to get on the trolley and go have some fun. Off we went.
I kept snapping pictures along the way, trying to show just how long this dock is. It's a pretty far walk.
Welcome to Harvest Caye!
I do like that they have the spray misters when you are walking in...although I didn't break much of a sweat riding the trolley, it still felt nice and refreshing.
We have only been out to the beach, I think, once before. We usually just go to the pool. However, this time we decided we would put a little more effort into being at the beach this time around. I mean we skipped the beach in Roatan so I needed to make up for that. I was missing it.
There was plenty of seating, although we never sat once. We headed straight for the water to cool off in.
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I found the cutest little baby conch. I've never seen one so small before.
We noticed they had these floating rafts out in the water. I don't remember seeing them last time we were here. Might as well check them out. Oh Em Gee! The water was COLD! The hubby had second thoughts about this idea, but we convinced him "It's warm the further you get out. I promise" wink wink.
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We made it out to the floaty raft thing-a-ma-bob and Sakari and I climbed up on it.
Daddy finally made it! Complaints and all.
We hung out for awhile and Sakari decided she needed to be on the move again and started flipping out into the water while daddy had found his resting spot.
Meanwhile, I just took pictures of the area and watched the zipliners zoom by.
Sakari decided she was going to practice her bubble rings. She did some really good ones and she hasn't lost her touch however, I've lost my touch at capturing them and missed every one of them I took a picture of. You see? I need more beach time and missing that December vacation has really thrown me off!
After awhile, we decided to head back and over toward the beach where we could stand better. Then it was game on for throwing the water ball. I think we are pretty rusty on that too and couldn't keep it in the air longer than any other time we've played. So, we started making up other games. Each time you throw the ball and catch it, you have to take one step back. We got pretty far, to the point my arm was getting sore trying to throw it that far. lol
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Then we decided to head over to some rocks along the shore. I have never seen any place around here to snorkel and figured maybe there was something over there.
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Well, I was wrong. Not much to see there other than a few fish hiding out.