In the Know Traveler » Bahamas

Cruising on NCL’s Epic – Day 8, Part 3

Jenny Block — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:58:41 +0000

We lucked out and got a Town Car back from Atlantis to the Epic. They wait in the taxi line with the other taxis. So it’s luck of the draw. Eleven bucks and we were back at the ship. We raced through the Straw Market to grab a few souvenirs and the best water ice I’ve ever had in my life before getting back on board. The former is packed with handmade items form the island, lots of straw items (hence the name) and the latter is packed with flavor I haven’t found in any other incarnation of the snow cone, of which I am a very big fan.

Back on board the Epic, we got showered and changed and then the kiddo was off to Recess once again. I decided to take in the Blur Man Group show once again. It was almost as good the second time around. Not quite as exciting without the surprised. But still worth seeing again. Then I grabbed a quick bite at the ship’s Noodle Bar, which has to be the best bargain on board, let alone anywhere else. I had dumplings, spring rolls, and fried rice for $7.00 and the portions were so big, I couldn’t finish it all. Definitely good to remember.

Before I knew it, it was time to collect my daughter from the kid’s club and hit the hay. We had a big travel day ahead of us!

Jenny Block is the author of “Open: Love, Sex, and Life in an Open Marriage” (Seal Hardcover, June 2008 and Seal Paperback, March 2009), which has been nominated for a Lambda Literary Award. She writes a weekly column for the Dallas Morning News publication Quick called “Sex Talk with Jenny Block” (quickdfw.com). Jenny holds both her BA and her MA in English from Virginia Commonwealth University and taught college composition for nearly ten years. She writes for a wide variety of publications and websites, including huffingtonpost.com, yourtango.com, American Way, Veranda, the Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Voice, edgedallas.com, literarymama.com, Spirit, chow.com, and ellegirl.com.

Cruising on NCL’s Epic – Day 8, Part 2

Jenny Block — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 17:56:22 +0000

We spent every minute we had at Atlantis riding the slides again and again; checking out the aquarium exhibits; and wishing we had more time. I would certainly recommend coming for the day rather than not at all. But, if you can come and spend a few days, that clearly in the way to go. Mainly to have more time, but also to avoid the dreaded locker line where we waited a half hour for one cashier dealing with credit card after credit card (they don’t accept cash) for all the folks who needed lockers, which is pretty much everyone not staying there.

I would not have called myself an amusement park or a water park kind of girl. But I really did dig this place. My daughter and I did manage to get lost several times while there. The place is massive. But I have trouble finding my way out of a wet paper bag. So I’m sure it’s not that complicated and another few hours there and I would have been fine.

There is tons of walking to be done there, which I love. But I would highly recommend water shoes. (I am obsessed with my Five Fingers. Ugly. But brilliant.) Flip flops are not allowed on the water slides and my kiddo’s feet were on fire for most of the day.

Atlantis is like a water wonderland for kids and adults. There’s not much else going in the port of Nassau. So, this is an ideal place to spend the day if it’s on your cruise itinerary.

Cruising on NCL’s Epic – Day 8, Part 1

Jenny Block — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:52:30 +0000

At a friend’s suggestion, I decided to take my daughter to Atlantis for the day as the Epic would be docked in Nassau in the Bahamas. I could not have been happier with my decision.

Unfortunately, the ship didn’t even dock until noon. So we were already off to a late start before we even got started. And we had to return to the ship my 5:30. So I knew it was going to be tight. Then, we made the mistake of taking the water taxi and it was hot, crowded, and SLOW. Do not believe them when they tell you they have a boat leaving “now.” “Now” means whenever they have shoved as many hot, sweaty bodies onto a crowded, wooden boat.

But once we got past our transportation issue, all was well. Better than well actually. Atlantis is truly incredible. It has a water park that is beyond anything I’ve seen with vertical drops into shark tanks, water propelled “roller coaster,” river rapids, eleven swimming pools, an impressive aquarium, dolphin experiences, snorkeling, beach access, water bikes, and anything else you can imagine there.

Cruising The Epic: Pre-Trip

Jenny Block — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 08:46:36 +0000

I am headed to Miami with my junior traveler in tow to take a spin on Norwegian Cruise Line’s brand new ship, the Epic. It is a ship of massive proportions with a rock wall, water slide, “ice” rink, two bowling alleys, a variety of restaurants and theaters, as well as cabins ranging from hip studios to private villas. I’m excited to check it out for myself. Although, I admit, I’m nervous to be with so many people and am curious to see how the ship handles the crowd of people it was designed to hold.

Tomorrow night, we will fly to Miami to spend the night at the Epic Hotel, a Kimpton property (no relation, just a cool coincidence). I’ve flown in the day of a cruise before and it can be downright nerve wracking. So I’m looking forward to seeing if this plan removes some of the stress from the equation. Plus, I cannot wait to check out the Epic hotel, which I hear is waterfront, Miami chic at it’s best.

I hope you’ll follow me on the this week long trip as I report daily with photos from our Eastern Caribbean adventure to St. Martin, St. Thomas, and the Bahamas.

All-Inclusive Deals in the Bahamas

ITKT Media Partner — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:53:59 +0000

Nassau, Bahamas — Sept. 7, 2010 — Uncrowded beaches, eco-inspired lodging and blissfully tranquil surroundings may not sound like your typical all-inclusive resort experience; but travelers to The Bahamas can expect these simple pleasures in paradise on their next island getaway. Boutique resorts throughout The Bahamas are going above and beyond for travelers on a budget with all-inclusive rates and special meal plan add-ons, allowing visitors to enjoy the islands with no surprises.

From the destination’s soft adventure capital of Grand Bahama Island to the charming 120-mile-long island chain of The Abacos, travelers can experience all The Bahamas have to offer by staying at boutique properties across the islands. With all-inclusive rates starting at just $83 per night, it’s the perfect time for travelers to pack their bags, choose an exciting jaunt and come see why it’s better in The Bahamas.

Rates vary according to island and resort, and include:

Grand Bahama Island
The island currently offers its Club Grand Bahama package allowing visitors to choose from five hotels, 21 restaurants, 50 destination activities, two championship golf courses, beach parties, gaming and more at a single great price with no surprises. All-inclusive rates start at $83 per person per night for Silver level package.
• Pelican Bay at Lucaya, the island’s boutique hotel featuring an eclectic blend of Danish and Caribbean design offers a view of the harbor from its perch on the peninsula located adjacent to Port Lucaya Marketplace, the gateway to over 30 restaurants, shops, live entertainment and much more.

The Abacos
Known as the boating capital of The Bahamas, this island chain’s serendipitous layout provides a calm and warm turquoise haven for boaters and sailors.
• Green Turtle Club, just a one-hour flight from Ft. Lauderdale, offers unspoiled beaches and luxurious accommodations starting at $159 per night plus the option to purchase a Modified American Plan (MAP) for just $48 per person per day.

Acklins/Crooked Island
For a vacation that’s more about fishing, snorkeling and relaxing in ultimate seclusion, Acklins/Crooked Island with its population of just 400 residents is the place to get lost and love every minute of it.
•Tranquility on the Bay, recognized for its serene environment, offers rates starting at $140 per night plus the option to purchase an all-inclusive meal package for $65 per person per day.

Andros
Inland waterways edged with mangroves, unexplored caves and uncrowded beaches continue to lure travelers to Andros, the largest yet one of the most intimate islands in The Bahamas.
• Small Hope Bay Lodge, a dive all-inclusive resort offers eco-tours and underwater activities in one of the world’s largest barrier reefs with rates starting at $235 daily per person
•Swain’s Cay Bonefish Resort, a newly renovated all-inclusive resort that was once a private oceanfront estate, is offering rates starting at $252 per person per night

Cat Island
Cat Island’s hidden coves, uninhabited cays and high bluffs provide a year-round tropical vacation full of adventure, where thrill-seekers never grow bored.
Sammy T’s, resting amid beautiful tropical gardens with its own private beach, offers rates starting at $160 per night plus the option to purchase an all-inclusive meal plan for just $55 daily per person.
• Fernandez Bay, featuring rustic ambiance with enchanting stone beachfront villas and their signature garden showers starting at $365 per night plus the option to purchase an all-inclusive meal package for $72 per adult per day

The Exumas
A paradise best enjoyed in barefoot elegance, the tiny jewel-like islands of The Exumas exude exotic luxury and have become the choice retreat for celebs looking to own private islands, including Johnny Depp and country music couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
• Peace and Plenty, overlooking Elizabeth Harbour with nearby access to sailboat rentals, snorkeling, diving and more, this resort offers rates starting at $662 based on three-night double occupancy including breakfast and dinner daily.
• Staniel Cay Yacht Club, invites guests to soothe their body, mind and soul with small-island charm with all-inclusive rates starting at $162 daily per person.
• Hotel Higgins Landing, an award winning, adult-only eco-resort located on off-the-beaten-path Stocking Island, offering rates starting at $465 per double occupancy per night plus gourmet dinner, ground transportation, and water sports rentals such as sailboats, kayaks, and snorkeling gear.

Long Island
Dotted with quaint, friendly villages and miles of uninterrupted pink and white shoreline, this island beckons visitors with the promise of beautiful beaches, world-class bonefishing and thrilling sea escapades.
•Stella Maris, featuring villas, cottages and bungalows scattered throughout a palm grove and nestled into a panorama of tropical foliage with rates for the Sun & Sea Inclusive Package starting at $1630 per person for five-nights’ accommodation.

Life in the 700 Islands Of The Bahamas just keeps getting better. And it’s easy to see why. With world-class diving and fishing, miles of picture perfect beaches, and gorgeous turquoise water, visitors have the opportunity to do everything or nothing at all. From Exuma, Eleuthera and Abaco to exciting Nassau/Paradise Island and Grand Bahama Island, this tropical paradise is as culturally diverse as it is vibrantly beautiful. For more information on The Islands Of The Bahamas, call 1-800-Bahamas or visit www.Bahamas.com.

If you don’t know Abaco, you don’t know the Bahamas

Jenny Block — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:03:49 +0000

I’ve never been much of a Bahamas girl. Just the word itself makes me think of Spring Break and cheesy hotels. So you can imagine my surprise when I went to Abaco in the Bahamas and found myself in the most charming of beach destinations.

I stayed at the Abaco Beach Resort which offers hotel room, suites, condos, and boat slips. The marina was quite full when I was there and I liked the feel of that. I went sailing a lot as a kid and as much as I loved being out on the bay, I equally loved the time we spent at local marinas, enjoying the pools, and restaurants, and people.

That was precisely what I found at this resort too. I had a comfy room with bright linens and tile floor and enjoyed walking the property, toasting with other guests at the bar, and eating yummy seafood in their restaurant. Some nights, the staff sing during dinner, which is a real hoot!

I also had the very interesting experience of meeting a family who is away on their boat for a year with their three daughters ages 11 – 15, “home schooling” them as they go from place to place. That was the thing about the Abacos as a whole and that resort in particular. It was filled with the most interesting people, so many of which were eager to share their story.

Donning Fins in Abaco, Bahamas

Jenny Block — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:52:01 +0000

While I was in the Abacos in the Bahamas, I had the happy occasion of going snorkeling. I had to search around for a good place to get in because the water was so rough that day. However, I was in excellent hands. Award winning guide Brendal of Brendal’s Dive Center found me a calm, clear location with lots to see.

He then took me to a tiny, deserted shore where he made me a stupendous lunch of grilled fish and other fruits of the sea. Then came the best part. After lunch, I waded into the shallows and sat in the warm, blue waters. I put chunks of raw fish in between our toes and, in minutes, several rays came by to have themselves a snack.

I could not believe how strong their tiny mouths were or how smooth and silky and soft the rays felt to the touch. They let me pet them and kept coming back for more fish until I ran out. I’m anxious to go back one day. I’m a very new snorkeler and even newer diver and I would love to learn more under Brendal’s tutelage.

Mama Got a Brand New Bag…In Abaco, Bahamas

Jenny Block — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:14:51 +0000

As I was on the tiny shuttle from the tarmac to the airport I spotted it. A tiny bag with a patch that read Man-O-War Cay, Abaco Bahamas, Norman Albury Sailmakers. I spent a lot of time on a sailboat as a kid and the brightly colored canvas brought back fond memories of lazy days on the bay and long tournaments of Yatzee.

I asked the woman holding the bag where I might find one and she gave me the information of a tiny little shop in Abaco. Luckily, that was exactly where I was headed. I took a ferry from the Abaco Beach Resort where I was staying to one of the other neighboring islands called Man-O-War Cay. And could not wipe the grin off my face as I entered the shop.

From floor to ceiling – literally – the walls and shelves and corners and counter tops were covered with bags made of heavy sail canvas in a plethora of colors and right at the entrance sat two older women at ancient, industrial sewing machines sewing patches like the one I had seen on the shuttle onto the bags.

Needless to say, I bought a bunch. They weren’t cheap. But you won’t find bags like these anywhere. I use them all the time, for everything, and, whenever I do I can hear the gulls call and the water lap and feel the sun on my face. Seriously. It’s like one of those sensory memory things. And I have to tell you — no Gucci has ever done that for me!

Freediving Eleuthera, Bahamas

Jesse — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 01:24:55 +0000

Freediving is a very misunderstood type of aquatic sport, one that seems to be better known in Europe where world-class athletes descend to incredible depths of more than 300 feet. It can be risky at the professional level, cold and dark at exaggerated depths. True pros can hold their breath for an incredible eight (8!) minutes plus, and have physically transformed their minds and bodies through rigorous training regimens, diet and meditation.

I don’t do that.

In fact, I have little interest in going to depth just for the sake of the achievement (although I applaud those that risk it to reach their goals). I do, however, enjoy the challenge of freediving, essentially breath-hold diving to both experience the undersea world unencumbered with bulky gear. To do this, it is simple: gather up your snorkel gear, find a suitable reef (or open water, known as “blue water” diving), take a big breath and descend. Once down, the experience becomes that of being one with the ocean. You can move very quickly through the water, streamlined and free to twist, kick and paddle until your breath runs out. there is a certain connection to the ocean one feels when freediving; you feel part of nature rather than a visitor, just another fish cruising the depths. It is fun, easy to do and cheap, and you can do it just about anywhere there is water deep enough to “get down”.

I began freediving inadvertently, simply holding my breath as a kid when I swam. I made my parents a bit nuts I think, as I preferred to be under water doing the frog kick than learning the Australian Crawl during swim lessons; it just felt natural for me to be underwater, instead of fighting the waves and being pushed around on the surface.

Subsequently, I continued to breath-hold dive in pools, rivers and beaches, not really knowing that there was not only a term for what I was doing, but even an organized sport and specialized gear. Most of us that swim hold our breath and descend at one time or another; few realize that there are amazing discoveries waiting for those that choose to take it to the next level.

The first time I went to Eleuthera, Bahamas, I had just been certified to SCUBA dive. I passed my open-water exam, and headed to the Islands to try it in the open ocean. I love diving, and continue to do so to this day. But what I also discovered was a series if reefs just off the coast on the Atlantic side. The ocean there is very wavy, with small breakers and a strong surge. I tried to dive off the beach, but realizing that the deepest parts were no more than twenty feet, I gave up after two dives and began to snorkel. Breath-hold diving with a snorkel does take some getting used to: the snorkel fills with water as you go under, and it can take a lot of breath to blow it clear (breath you burn up holding air in your lungs as you go below). Modern snorkels are very good at clearing when you surface, making this process more tolerable. Still, it takes a bit of practice.

The other key is to learn how to clear your ears. I had the advantage of being a diver, so this was easy, but some may find it hard. Plug your nose and blow gently, until your ears “clear” or pop—similar to the sensation you get when traveling via airplane. As you go down, you clear, and the pain in your ears goes away as you equalize the pressure on both sides of your eardrum. Sounds horrible, but it is actually quite easy once you do it a few times.

The other challenge is descending. This can be done by kicking up into a pike position, allowing your legs to be overhead as you point straight down. This darts you to the bottom (or to your max depth) and then you can old position there with simple moves of your hands. Again, this is easier with practice, and you can try it in a pool or lake to get the coordination of kicking up, descending, clearing and then holding at depth.

Once there, it is amazing what you can see and do. After years of practice, I am able to hold position with minimal movement; move freely and casually through the water; stalk fish and glide up to other sea creatures quietly, with no bubbles or noise to scare them away. I have reached depths of 50-60′, and although I have little breath at that depth can still enjoy the sights and sounds of diving unimpeded.

it is a strange, wonderful feeling, and one that can be experienced in nearly any body of water at minimal cost. I have a friend that goes freediving with me when I SCUBA dive, reaching similar depths as me (although he makes a number of trips to the surface). There is a natural high that accompanies this activity, and it is a great work out. Best of all, it is very inexpensive.

The next time you go swimming, give it a try. Breath-hold diving, or freediving, can be very rewarding, and a different take on snorkeling or SCUBA diving with low costs and good health benefits. And it is fun!

Written by Jesse Siglow

Electricity in the Bahamas

Jesse — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 23:28:33 +0000

Please note that the common Caribbean electrical current is 110V AC, the same as what we use here in the United States. However, the electricity in the Bahamas is often up-and-down and not exactly “clean” current. Most power in the Caribbean comes from coal, and it does tend to surge up and down (you can often watch the lights dim and brighten). Plugs are identical to the two-pin type in North America. Appliances with three-pin plugs area also the same.

The power not only varies in quality, but nearly any storm or rain shower will short out something and the power will go off. Those that use laptops in particular will notice their power bricks getting hot to the touch—this is the electronics inside trying to bleed off an excess of energy. Yes, this can be dangerous; our recomendation is to use a surge protector at all times with any electronic appliance, and unplug anything you are not using, especially during storms.

That being said, I have never lost any equipment to a power surge, but apparently it is common.

Written by Jesse Siglow