Arriving at Saint Martin, all on board National Geographic Explorer were greeted by the beautiful sights of golden sandy beaches and the turquoise-colored waters that lapped along Saint Martin’s coastline. Following breakfast, local tenders transferred guests and staff ashore to a small and charming landing where we assembled into groups to enjoy the morning activities. A group of approximately ten guests enjoyed a 5-mile walk around the perimeter of the island while others leisurely strolled through the island’s countryside admiring the quaint cottages, the lush vegetation and the vistas that gave us all a very good perspective on the geography of Saint Martin and the surrounding islands. Prior to boarding our tenders back to the ship, many guests enjoyed drinks, cakes, and local delicacies at the local bakery – treats that are not to be missed!
In the afternoon, the group activity included a visit to Tresco Abbey Gardens on the island of Tresco. These gardens were established over 100 years ago and include trees, shrubs, cut flowers, etc. that have been brought to the garden from all over the world. Tresco Abbey Gardens employs eight full-time staff to take care of the garden and each group was accompanied by one of the gardeners who shared with us much knowledge about the diverse flora. The gardens are a restful and beautiful place that fittingly occupy the site of a former abbey. Once back on board, National Geographic Explorer began its navigation towards Fowey in Cornwall for an early morning arrival the next day.
