Trip Report by Sheila Manchester

August 1996

AMAZING GRACE - Aug 8th - Sept 5th, 1996 Sheila, Quent and

Granddaughters Alicia and Rachel

Our flight from San Jose to Orlando was only interrupted

by a thunderstorm in Dallas which left us seating in the

plane on the runway for 4 hours. The children just lay down

on the floor, at our feet, and slept. I wished we were that

short. Overnight in Miami. Friday we rented a car and

drove to the Windjammer office. We were treated to a tour

of the departments and were able to meet many of the people

who work to make our trips so pleasant. We met P.R. Mike (

he is much younger than his picture), some of the booking

agents, the ships agents ( who I have only talked to by

phone) and recognized faces that we have seen for brief days

on Amazing Grace as they go about office business. Many of

the staff were at the docks getting Amazing Grace ready for

our trip. (TONY's beer.) There are parts of the office

rooms designed as if you were on one of the sailing ships

below deck. So we started or trip with a WJ tour in Miami.

Sat. we flew to Freeport and after a long discussion with

a taxi cab driver, I won, we were taken to a grocery store

and then to Amazing Grace. At boarding time we found

Captain Sturart was in command. Debra was purser and Kelly(

we had not met and this was her last cruise with WJ) as the

activities mate. Brigette is taking over for her. We knew

where to find our cabins and they were in a little alcove so

that our two cabins shared a common wall and doors right

across from each other. The first few nights Quent and I

paired off with a granddaughter until they got their sea

legs. We greeted all the old crew members and met many new

ones. Rosie, Elmo, Thomas, Andy, Lloyd, Leston, Patrick,

Nick and the list could go on and on as we saw many more

when we met the sailing fleet.

SHOES OFF and by the time I had freshened up the girls had

unpacked. Swizzles for us and punch for them. After a

unhurried buffet we went top deck and awaited our departure.

Our days at sea were very smooth water with Plana Cay and

Grand Turk having very clear water. About 85 F.

Thursday we arrived at Tortola. (There is a good article on

Tortola in the August 1996 issue of the Caribbean Travel &

Life magazine.) We opted for Brewers Bay (got a palm fond

for weaving) and found it also clear but the water was cool

82 F, for that time of the year. In fact from that point all

the way to Port of Spain the water was no warmer than 83 F.

I am sure no expert but it may be why there have not been

any really bad hurricanes in that part of the Caribbean this

year , so far. The next morning CB's three granddaughters,

Their mother Poly and father Mark joined Amazing Grace to

cruise to St. Martin where they will go onto the Polynesia

for a few days. It was wonderful for our granddaughters as

they were all about the same age. They ruled the ship for 2

days, but stilled behaved like young ladies. Our only wish

would have been for them to have been on the whole trip. No

doubt we will see them again as they grow up. We had last

seen Poly when she was still pregnant with the youngest.

Mark had been on Grace last year for a few days. Mark told

us about a great snorkel trip on Dominica.

Cooper Island and we meet TONY. He had a great seat at

the bar, on the beach. We thank him kindly for his words

about us but we rather think he may have kissed the BLARNEY

STONE on his trip home from Tortola. We also wished that we

had more time to visit but will hope to see him on future

sailing's. We enjoyed his report of his time spent so far

and looking forward to his report of the Fantome trip. The

girls were back in the water so I went to watch them and

left Quent and he to talk.

Trinidad. Port of Spain. We woke to rain and for the most of

the day there were heavy showers. I enjoy the rain and as we

had not planned anything for the day it was a good day to

rest. Carol arrived and we got them settled in. They had

flown into Port of Spain the night before and stayed at the

Holiday Inn hotel that is just at the docks. The girls

spent most of the day filling their mothers head with all

the things we had done. Mostly snorkel, beach, snorkel and

more beach. They all went into town for a walk and I took

my first nap of the trip. We were now getting reports of

some hurricanes that would get in our way of going north so

most of the new schedule was played out each day. We got

some new islands to see and new stops for us. Grenada first

and we found the Viking (water taxi man) to take us out

snorkeling. The silt from the Ocanoa(spelling) river was

clouding up the water, but we found that the drift snorkel

just off shore from the Aquarium restaurant was still clear

enough to enjoy and we then stopped at the acre of Elkhorn

coral just off Grand Anse beach and the new snorkelers

enjoyed that.

Because of the hurricane moving into the Virgin Island

area we stayed the next few days in the Grenadines. First

Mayreau, Salt Bay which had good snorkeling on both sides of

the bay. This is not a usual stop for Grace and we were

delighted to visit this island again. Water is still cool.

We may go to Dominica tomorrow.

No o o. the hurricane can not make up his mind so we will

go to Young Island at St. Vincent. It also a lovely

anchorage so I don't mind. We took a snorkel trip to the

west and north, Petite Buhaut, and it was not worth the

snorkel, but the boat trip along the coast was well worth

the trip. Today we get to Dominica. Quent and I were the

only ones to sign up for the tour to the south end of the

island. Hogs Head. It was a snorkel trip. The drive can be

recommend all by itself. Mark had told us about a dive

company that they use and it was at the end of the drive

that we got on their dive boat and off we went across the

bay for 2 hours of great snorkeling. The snorkeling was in

10ft. to more than 80 ft. This is a wall that they take

there dive customers too and it is excellent for snorkeling.

We were lucky in that there was visibility to 80 ft.

although we lost most colors about 25 ft. As there were

just the two of us we could linger over some of the best

spots. One volcanic boulder, with its top about 5 ft. below

water level was like a desert with yellow tube sponges

taking the place of cactus in one of our deserts. Along the

edge of the wall were many years of one type of coral piled

on top of the next growth of different colors and types.

Even some coral that looks like ferns unfolding in orange,

green, black, yellow etc. A must tour again.

Here we go back on schedule and to St. Barts. We walked

to Shell beach only to find that after the hurricanes of

last year it is still not up to its former self. Only about

10 ft of beach and a steep drop off in the water and very

stirred up and cloudy. A strong rip tide out to sea and

although the girls are strong swimmers I was pulled out with

my flippers on so they were not allowed into the water above

their ankles. Still the shells are there and they were able

to run, do cart wheels and get rid of some of their steam

and make as much noise as they wanted. We sailed for Virgin

Gorda, where they went to the Baths and we rested and in the

afternoon sailed for Jost Van Dyke and a lobster dinner.

Ah***. Lobster.

A day at sea the and Puerta Plata. Rest day. We tried for

Hogsty Reef but were unable to stay so went on to Castle

Cay. A lovely beach with light house but not much

snorkeling for the time we had. We now find that the second

hurricane is trying to beat us to Freeport and meet us

there. Nassau and the family goes to the straw market. We

leave early to get to Freeport and weather the fringes of

the storm there as it is turning north. Captains dinner and

so far not much heavy sea. We wake up at Freeport and spend

the day resting as there is some rain. No hurricane

arrives, just a blow of 25 to 30 mile winds. We get that

much in San Francisco Bay in the summer when we go sailing.

The hurricane has gone to the north and let us be. Our

flight home was as all air flights are. We all enjoyed

ourselves. The girls had a glorious time. The crew was

wonderful with them and took extra time to make their trip

great. To my knowledge they got in no passengers bad graces.

In fact every time I turned around one of the passengers was

giving them treats or spending time to play card games with

them. It was as if they had 80 grandparents and a crew full

of aunts and uncles. Thanks to any and all who might see

this. Sheila & Quent, Alicia and Rachel.

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