Man O’ War Cove at Charlotteville, Tobago
We traveled through the night, and by first light, the lush island of Tobago was visible on the horizon. Tobago is positioned far to the southeast of the islands of the Lesser Antilles. The motion we felt during the night was a result of being in unprotected, open Atlantic Ocean waters. By 0930 we dropped the anchor in the lovely and verdant surroundings of Man O’ War Cove, at the village of Charlotteville, Tobago.
As the ship was formally cleared in to the country of Trinidad and Tobago, Berit gave a presentation about coral reef ecology. Then it was our turn to enjoy the warm, tropical waters as we dove and swam off the wooden swim platform on the ship’s starboard side. Floating mattresses allowed a relaxing, water level view of the ship at anchor. When we got out of the water, we were offered orange juice or champagne. Some of us went straight to the sauna. Ahh… How could things be any nicer?
Rain wetted the decks as we ate lunch, and the dampness made the green hills around us look even more lush than before. Comfortable coaches took us for the 20 minute ride across the hills to the village of Speyside. From here we boarded glass bottom boats and explored Angel Reef. Some of us opted to snorkel. We all found abundant sponges, corals, parrotfishes, wrasses, tangs and trumpetfishes. Some of us watched small yellow wrasses cleaning larger ‘client’ fishes. High above us, elegant red-billed tropicbirds flew in the breeze. We returned to the dock at the Blue Water Inn, and enjoyed cool drinks while we listened to the tropical sounds of a steel drum band.
Tomorrow we will be at sea all day. As dinner finished, the anchor was lifted, and we bid farewell to Man O’ War Cove and Tobago.
We traveled through the night, and by first light, the lush island of Tobago was visible on the horizon. Tobago is positioned far to the southeast of the islands of the Lesser Antilles. The motion we felt during the night was a result of being in unprotected, open Atlantic Ocean waters. By 0930 we dropped the anchor in the lovely and verdant surroundings of Man O’ War Cove, at the village of Charlotteville, Tobago.
As the ship was formally cleared in to the country of Trinidad and Tobago, Berit gave a presentation about coral reef ecology. Then it was our turn to enjoy the warm, tropical waters as we dove and swam off the wooden swim platform on the ship’s starboard side. Floating mattresses allowed a relaxing, water level view of the ship at anchor. When we got out of the water, we were offered orange juice or champagne. Some of us went straight to the sauna. Ahh… How could things be any nicer?
Rain wetted the decks as we ate lunch, and the dampness made the green hills around us look even more lush than before. Comfortable coaches took us for the 20 minute ride across the hills to the village of Speyside. From here we boarded glass bottom boats and explored Angel Reef. Some of us opted to snorkel. We all found abundant sponges, corals, parrotfishes, wrasses, tangs and trumpetfishes. Some of us watched small yellow wrasses cleaning larger ‘client’ fishes. High above us, elegant red-billed tropicbirds flew in the breeze. We returned to the dock at the Blue Water Inn, and enjoyed cool drinks while we listened to the tropical sounds of a steel drum band.
Tomorrow we will be at sea all day. As dinner finished, the anchor was lifted, and we bid farewell to Man O’ War Cove and Tobago.
