I know it has been a while since I posted, business is at an upswing again!

This edition of Let's Tour the Caribbean will highlight the out islands of the Bahamas.  These islands are varied and range from private owned islands, big game fishing, and even a totally non alcoholic island.  There are several islands, Abacos, Bimini and the Berry islands, Eleuthera, Cat, San Salvador, The Exumas, Crooked island and the Inaguas. 

In general these small islands are not well known except by the water set. Yachting, Sailing, and Diving are the name of the game here.  Bimini features big game fishing boats and tournaments, the Berry islands are mostly privately owned by cruise ship lines.  San Salvador offers a quiet respite from your crazy life and amazing diving.  Andros is the 2nd largest island in the Caribbean but is a dry island, no alcohol here.  Eluthera, and The Exumas have wonderful harbors and slips for yacht owners.  All in all if you want to get away from it all, these islands will get you there!

Traveling to the islands, is generally by small plane, but some of them are accessible by ferry too.

For more info, check out http://www.bahamas.com/ 

The Bahamas: Spread over so much ocean, and so many different islands I will concentrate on the 2 biggies, and then move onto the out islands on the next posts. 

Grand Bahama is the northern most island, and one of the larger of the Bahamian islands.  Fairly flat with a great airport, and only 1 hour from Miami (or less). Grand Bahama offers, all inclusive resorts and great hotels, golf, scuba diving and snorkeling, a bit of gambling and a nice shopping area in Port Lucuya.  Duty free shops, a straw market and a nice marina and pavilion with excellents restaurants and bars, featuring Italian, Seafood and of course the Bahama Mama! 

Freeport also boasts a UNEXCO diving society location. (Underwater Explorers Society) Their location offers diving and swimming with dolphins, a shark encounter, and several other underwater interaction programs, a nice lunch stand, and a souviner store featuring, dive shirts, ladies wear and kids stuff.  I especially enjoyed diving with the dolphins, they are so playful and loving.  These particular dolphins are decendents of the dolphins from the movie "Cacoon" semi wild, but know where the food comes from! 

I stayed at Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach, (The Tuna) a wonderful mid range all inclusive resort, although not a luxury location quite adequate and perfect for a getaway, dive vacation, or family trip.  They offer full buffets, ala carte restaurants, kids programs, trapeeze lessons, and a full service PADI dive center with an excellent staff.  Plus a price progam that cannot be beat, the more you dive the less each dive costs!  19 dives in 14 days! 

Next is Nassau/Paradise Island, the most well known of the islands, the capital and cruise ship port.  This island boasts, miles of white sand beaches, fantastic casinos, shopping, and the newest attraction ATLANTIS, the Disneyland of the Caribbean!   A bit pricey but well worth the amenities, and for the budget minded you can stay at a neighboring hotel or resort and visit on a day pass.

A rather busy destination, but fantastic diving, nightlife and shopping.  Everyone will enjoy something about this destination, golf, horseback riding, diving, shopping....

For more info on the Bahamas go to http://www.bahamas.com/ or contact us!

The Islands of the Bahamas

Over 700 islands, 20,000 cays (keys) and 500 miles of ocean.  Blending Atlantic and Caribbean Cultures and stretching from the Florida Keys almost to Cuba. 

Bimini is the closest island, known for deep sea fishing and it's closeness to the USA.  Grand Bahama the northernmost island in the chain, Nassau for nightlife and shopping and so many more it will take me a few posts to give you the best of the Bahamas.  

The Islands of the Bahamas, offer a taste of the familiar with the flavor of the exotic.  Fast Foods restaraunts from the good old US of A is readily available, mixed with excellent upscale dining choices, and exotic Bahamian dishes, the dining is an escape itself. Scuba diving is plentiful with sites in the Atlantic and Caribbean, and operators in busy ports along with the Out Islands for peaceful locations. From Beaches vacations for families to romantic weddings, honeymooners and golfers visitors pour into the Bahamas and are greeted with open arms.   

Being spread from the Atlantic to the Caribbean the weather varies from the northern island of Grand Bahama, having more Southern US weather to the Southern Islands having true Caribbean Tropical weather.  Water temperatures likewise, cooler in the north during the winter months but nice in the south. 

More to come soon!                http://www.bahamas.com/?cmpid=pscgb

I saw this post recently on another blog... first the story up front is priceless... we have all been there!  Next, the tips are invaluable...I had to pass it on!

I have a feeling I'm going to catch a lot of heat for this post, but I have to tell you about my feelings about kids on planes.

For years, I've been traveling on planes listening to screaming, misbehaving and crying kids. I must admit something very dark; I hated kids on planes. Just the sight of them made me cringe.  I would spy them in the waiting areas and try to judge how misbehaved they'd be and what my odds were they would be sitting within one row of me or worse, next to me.

I recall one flight, I was sitting next to a man (he in the aisle and I in the middle seat - so I was already pissed) and the two little brats, er, I mean children behind us wouldn't shut up. The man next to me continued to read his Wall Street Journal as if there was nothing wrong.  As the kids bounced and yelled, he kept reading.  Then the kids started playing "go fish" as they threw their cards and proceeded to slam the tray table connected to my seat repeatedly.  All the mother did was kept repeating "Calm down, you are bothering the nice man in front of you."  (Ya think?) However, after one hundred times of saying this, I'm sure all the kids heard was "way to go, make more noise." One last slam and I turned around and said to the mother "I normally am a nice man, but the fact you continue to sit there and do nothing while your children bang on my chair is unbelievable to me."  Her response? "Sorry, but they're only children."

The slamming stopped for a few minutes and I commented to the guy sitting and reading his newspaper.  (Note: he hadn't moved and, to my amazement, was still calmly reading.) "Do you believe this?"  His response? "I've got four kids at home. This is nothing. I honestly don't hear a thing."  I couldn't believe his response and thought for a moment, he might have been their father; you know, a dad who travels with the family but acts as if he doesn't know them.

As for me at the time, I never thought I could deal with kids on a plane. That is, until my wife became pregnant with our first child. I knew, at that moment, I was going to have to grow up and get with the program.  One thing I was sure about was 90% of a child's behavior on the plane was in direct proportion to the effort put forth by the parents. Yes Mom and Dad, your children are your responsibility on planes or in hotels or anywhere else for that matter. Ignoring them in your own home is fine. However, ignoring them while they slam my tray table isn't.

Fast forward at least eighteen years. I now have two children under three years old. Both are avid flyers.  My wife and I have, over many flights, put together a list of things we do and bring to make sure we have a good flight, not only for us, but for the people around us.  It's not a foolproof plan, but it's pretty good. So, here goes.

1. Kill Germs. Airports and planes are dirty. Bring disinfectant wipes and wipe down everything around your child on the plane; arm rests, tray tables, wall, window shade - everything. Carry Purell and wipe/disinfect their hands and yours regularly. OK, germs killed.  (Paula adds...Also, if your child is ill, 1 Cancel your trip!  2. Cover there mouths when they sneeze or cough, they are too young to remember to do so, )
2. Bring extra supplies. The diaper bag has to be filled, complete with any supply that might ever be needed for any possible reason.  Extra diapers and supplies (30% more than you think you need - just in case of delays), paper towels, a cloth towel just in case you have to mop up a spill, plastic bags and ziplock baggies and an infinite supply of wipes.  Bring a little air-freshener too. Trust me, you may be used to your little-one's spit-up smell, but everyone around you won't appreciate it.
3. Keep ?em busy. Children's attention spans are short at a young age.  I plan the 15-minute activity list.  You should have one activity per 15 minutes. Keep  them busy and their less likely to aggravate you and the other people on the plane. Activities can be repeated, but only once an hour.  For us, these include: crayons on coloring books, regular hard picture book, sticker book, etch-a-sketch mini and one of those books with the special marker that reveals hidden pictures as you color.
4. Go ahead, watch TV. Here, television IS your friend. For longer flights, get a portable DVD player or something where you can play Barney, the Wiggles or whatever else you child likes.
5. Popping Ears. Infants cry during take-off and landing because their ears hurt.  So, make sure they're drinking a bottle during those times to alleviate their ear-popping pain. It has worked like a charm for both of my kids.  (Paula Adds...I think i am going to buy a pacifier to give to parents, just to help them out!)
6. Extra clothes. Bring extra clothes for the kids.and for you. Sometimes, children get sick, so plan for it. Sometimes children get sick on you which my wife learned on one flight when my son threw up on her. From then on, we've each carried an extra t-shirt with us, just in case.
7. Thou shall not kick. If your child is a fan of kicking the seat in front of them (why do they do this?), take off their shoes. One kick and it will hurt and they'll stop doing it.
8. Hear no evil. No matter how well-behaved you think your kids are, they may cry. So, as soon as the flight attendant comes around offering earphones, offer to buy a set for each of your seat-mates.  On our last Continental Airlines flight, they were being offered at $1, so I automatically bought one for the five people around us.  One man kept saying "you don't need to do that" but for a buck, it was a good insurance policy, just in case.
9. Thank you and Sorry! Sometimes your children are going to misbehave. It happens.  Yes, they are just kids (Okay? There, I said it.)  Or, they'll be sick or something just won't go as planned on the plane. You'll make a few people miserable. You won't want to, but you will. When we fly with our children, we carry a dozen gift cards (from Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks).  Most are for $10, but a few are for $50.  We use these as "thank-you" and "I'm sorry" for people that have either helped us (like the flight where my wife was flying alone with my infant daughter and flight attendant held my daughter when my wife had to use the rest-room.) On a flight that was delayed for three hours ON THE RUNWAY, our daughter spilled her drink on the man next to her.  It was just juice and she didn't mean it, but she was fidgety. He wasn't upset, but I felt I should at least pay for his dry-cleaning. He didn't want to accept anything but was pleasantly surprised at the gift-card.
10. Dads - this one is for you. Your wife has enough to deal with so help her. Help her even more than you normally would. Take turns taking your children to the bathroom. Do more than your fair share. Traveling with kids can be fun. My daughter and I love to look out the window on take-offs. We love to look at the clouds.

As you can tell, I'm a firm believer in over-parenting on flights. It's the right (and polite) thing to do. Your children and your seat-mates will thank you.  I acknowledge that things always won't go as planned, so you should plan for that as well.  It won't be easy all the time, but you have to make the effort. Traveling with children can be a great experience.

For those parents who think that ignoring their misbehaved children on the plane is okay and the rest of us should just deal with it - well, no. You deal with your kids.  At least, please, make a real effort.  We understand they're just kids, but you are the adult.

For the rest of you on the plane, including people like the anti-child-on-plane person I used to be, people traveling with kids (especially single moms) need help, so offer assistance. Every little bit helps.  You'll see how much they appreciate it.  My mother always says, "Be nice to people and they'll be nice to you."   Whoever said, "There only children first... should be scolded.... Children only learn what we teach them, and we are all teachers...

On to Diving in Bermuda... Bermuda is the Wreck diving capital, as it sits so far out in the ocean, a myriad of ships have gotten a bit too close, or been driven on the shoals and coral.  At least 400 ship and plane wrecks dot the waters around Bermuda... after all it is in the Middle of the famed BERMUDA TRIANGLE!

Generally Bermuda offers crystal clear waters and on the north and west reefs the visibility is about 100 feet. On the Souther and Eastern side, the reefs are much closer to the shore, so you only get about 80 feet... (ONLY?)
Depending on your skill level you can dive most of the wrecks although 38 of the best and safest dives are the ones offered by the dive operators.  Wrecks date back to the 15th century and include The Blache King.. an American Schooner built in 1887 and went down in 1920, The Christobel Colon ad 500' Spanish luxury liner, The Mary Celestia a 225' English paddlewheel steamer from the American Civil War, and so many more... check http://www.diveguide.com/berm-scuba.htm for a list and description of more wrecks. Bermuda's dive operators even offer a Shipwreck Certificate Program, that was created to introduce divers to 18 special shipwrecks, selected for their history, photographic qualities and locations.

Bermuda also offers wonderful snorkeling for the less adventurous, some of the wreck are less then 15' deep so a good snorkeler can explore on there own!

Although I have not had the pleasure of Diving Bermuda and working with the operators, a client just returned, and has some great tips on the shops and what they offer.  First you cannot use one operator, because of the locations of the wrecks, each shop has different offerings. Most of the shops were personable and helpful, however one was not recommended. The diving was great, but unfortunately he arrived the day after Hurricane Bill swept through so the visibility was not at its best and he could not get any photos.  Here are his reviews....
Dive Bermuda, offers 9 of the wrecks, is located on the beach st the Fairmont Southampton hotel, good accommodations with restrooms and fresh water showers, great staff, professional, helpful and safety conscious. (4 Stars)
Triangle Divers,  operates out of the Grotto Bay Resort, very enthusiastic and helpful owner, that endeavors to meet his clients requests and gives a great rundown on the dive site. Loves to go to out of the ordinary wrecks and is looking for more technical dives to offer. Currently offers at least 6 or more wrecks. (5 Stars)
Fanta Sea Divers, Offers 7 of the wrecks and operates out of a store in Hamilton near the ferry terminal. Works well with divers and is relaxed and less structured but still safety conscious. (4 Stars)
Blue Water Divers, Operates out of a small shop near Somerset Bridge, seemed unconcerned about the divers or accommodating them. (1 star)

If you are interested in more information or diving Bermuda... contact us!

http://www.bermudatourism.com/diving.pdf

Ok, lets move on to the individual islands...

Bermuda is first although it really is not in the Caribbean, for all intents and purposes, it is usally included in the region.  Bermuda is actually several islands connect with causeways and bridges forming an hook.   It lies 650 miles east of N. Carolina and enjoys weather much like the Southern coastal USA.  Only 12 miles wide and 24 miles from end to end.. this small island is perfect for walking, and mopeds! (No rental cars allowed) You can buy a bus/ferry pass to save you money and get around easily!   Warm in the summer, rainy in the spring and cooler in the fall and winter.  Pink sand beaches and Wreck diving are the draws here. 

A British Territory and the first independent British State in the area, the island is very much British influenced.  From Cricket to High Tea the traditions are deep seated.  Americans must slow down and relax here... to just ask a question is considered rude,,, preface it with a greeting always!  Dress is much more conservative then other Caribbean Islands, although Bermuda shorts are always acceptable.  Accomodations range from All Inclusive Resorts to small B & B's, Inns and Apartments.

Enjoy nightlife, botanical gardens, museums, and public demonstrations from colonial times...and of course Diving!  Next post will hightlight dive shops and wreck.... see ya.

http://www.bermudatourism.com/index.aspx

Wow, I just attended a presentation on The new Scrub Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands... the first new resort in the area in 15 years. 

This place is amazing, 4 beaches, PADI dive center, gourmet restaurants, marina, guest rooms, suites and villas... Truly an luxurious spot to be... In fact I want to live there!

Offering a Grand Opening special at 50% off!  book now through 12/15,,, travel 1/3-4/10, 2010.  Check out the photos, and the link... http://scrubisland.com/

The Caribbean is rich in history and culture, originally inhabited by several tribes of indigenous peoples, including the Caribs, Arawak and Lucyan tribes.  The Caribs were a warrior tribe that still has a reservation on Dominica.  On that historical day in 1492, things started to change.  When Christopher Columbus, stumbled upon the West Indies, some say it was San Salvador in the Bahamas he first sighted, but his first landing was at The Dominican Republic. 

The next 200 years, were a colonization period, with tribes being wiped out, and several nations warring over most of the islands, Spain, France, Britain and Denmark, all have left there marks on the islands.  To this day each nation has certain islands that are independent territories or commonwealths.  Pirate raids, and settlements sprang up and tales abound.  Along the lines of the United States history, slavery forever changed the face of these islands.  With several islands being used as first stops for the slave trade, and as slaves in the sugar cane fields, and the distillation of rum.  As history evolved, slavery was abolished and the African people became forever part of the rich culture that now abounds in the islands.

Today, the tourism industry is number one in the region, with several Cruise lines having itineraries throughout the Caribbean. All Inclusive resorts abound and Dive travel is some of the best in the world.

For more in depth historical information check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Caribbean
http://caribbean-guide.info/past.and.present/culture/