Video: St Kitts

15 December

Here’s Mui’s point of view of our day on the island …

Next Up … St Thomas: America’s Caribbean

St Kitts: Memories Created Here

Wednesday, 15 December

Another great day in the Caribbean is drawing to a close. Mui is checking out Peter Gossamer, the illusionist who is performing in the Princess Theater. For me, there was no question that I’d be returning to the cabin to enjoy the cool breezes on the veranda while I blog about our day in St Kitts.

Before 1988, St Kitts was officially known as St Christopher.
(The inset shows where we played in relation to where we docked.)

Today was our third visit to St Kitts. Our first time to the island was aboard Holland America’s Maasdam in 2004. On that occasion, we hired a private guide to take us around the island. We visited Brimstone Hill Fortress, a World Heritage Site; strolled the grounds of historic Romney Manor and learned how batik cloth is made at Caribelle Batik (yes, we bought a few pieces, too); drove around the island to see the beautiful scenery from every overlook we could find; and checked out the island’s version of London’s Piccadilly Circus. When we returned to the island in 2009, we went to Cockleshell Beach, located at the tip of the Southeast Peninsula, and had a very relaxing day filled with sunshine and light breezes.

St Kitts 2004 and 2009

Let me clarify that last sentence — we enjoyed a relaxing day after the resident monkey, which we nicknamed “holy terror,” and the goat he victimized were penned up. Check out the following clip and you’ll see what I mean.

The Holy Terror — 2009

We were up around 6:30a today and off the Grand Princess shortly after the ship was cleared by the local authorities at 8:00a. Familiar with the layout of Port Zante, we had no trouble finding the taxi dispatcher. At that early hour, we had the van to ourselves, which meant paying the $8/person minimum (for 4 passengers or less) to get to South Friars Bay. No problem; we’d rather pay a bit extra than waste our time waiting around for the van to fill up.

Welcome to Basseterre, St Kitts.

When the cabbie dropped us off in front of the Shipwreck Beach Bar & Grill around 8:45a, we were greeted by Marcos. After he welcomed us, he pointed out the small reef for snorkeling (others later confirmed there wasn’t much to see), the sand-bottom swimming area, and the sandbar about 500 yards (450 m) out. Telling us that two chairs and a palapa was $10, he left us to choose our own spot. Easy enough to do … except for a threesome off Celebrity’s Millennium, we had our pick of the entire beach. By 11:00a, it was a whole different story, with all the chairs and palapas taken by happy beachgoers bent on enjoying the beautiful day.

We opt for a spot at the far end of the beach.

A beautiful day to enjoy the sand and surf.

we pay for two chairs, but We start off with four loungers,
moving from one to the other in our quest for shade.

Though the water was a little cooler than it had been at the islands that preceded St Kitts, I joined Mui multiple times for lengthy dips, even venturing out to the sandbar with him on one occasion. The rest of the time, I was ensconced in the shade of the palapa, reading Clive Cussler’s The Chase, which is quite different from the author’s Dirk Pitt adventures — though he still manages to get in a mention of his name as a character in the book, and weaves several classic automobiles into the plot.

Mui waves to me from the sandbar; yes, he’s standing up.
(the inset shows the ship’s distance from shore)

(That sailing vessel, by the way, is the Royal Clipper. Inspired by the world’s largest and fastest sailing ship, the Preussen (launched in 1902), the Royal Clipper claims to be the world’s largest full-rigged sailing ship. It sure would be fun to sail on her someday.)

We remained at the beach through lunch, ordering fish sandwiches, fries, and a couple of cold Carib Beers for our noon meal. Then, another two hours on the beach enjoying the cool breezes coming off the ocean. I don’t know if elsewhere on the island the temperatures reached the forecasted 93-96F (33-36C), but on the beach, we were quite comfortable.

The Shipwreck Beach Bar and Grill …

… serves up a tasty fish sandwich; we opted for take-out.

Around 2:30p, we packed up our bags and took one of the many cabs waiting for fares back to Basseterre. With a full load of passengers, we paid just $5/person for the ride. En route, the driver made the obligatory stops at the two overlooks on the Southeast Peninsula that offer fantastic island views. Though I already had photographs from previous trips, I couldn’t stop myself from clicking the shutter again … and again.

South Friars Bay (r) from Sir Timothy's Hill on the SE Peninsula Road.

North Frigate Bay from another overlook on the SE Peninsula Road.

Back at Port Zante, we inquired about a wi-fi hotspot and were directed to Caribe Café, located at The Sands (across the street from the port). For the price of a mango smoothie and a scoop of ice cream, we had a connection that allowed us to make a few calls to family and check email.

Caribe Café is St Kitts’ first coffeehouse.

There was no mistaking the grey clouds that were gathering overhead. As soon as the last email message was sent, we hurried back to Port Zante, hoping to beat the rain. We didn’t make it. The rain was warm, so we didn’t bother to run like so many others did. The sudden downpour did mess up my plans to take a photograph of Celebrity’s Millennium, which we sailed across the Atlantic in 2003, sharing the long pier with Grand Princess. Come to think of it, I have no photographs of the Grand in St Kitts … oh well.

I’m a sucker for murals; the scenes are from the two murals at Port Zante.

Even though it was still raining, we were able to sit on the veranda, sip our wine, and watch passengers streaming back to the two ships. A nice cool breeze, combined with the clouds overhead, made for a very comfortable late afternoon as we waited for the ship to sail.

Mui, didn't anyone tell you to empty your pockets before going swimming?

Cheers! Şerefe! Salud! Na zdorovia! Skål!

we sail away As dusk falls, leaving Windstar’s WindSurf (l) and
Celebrity’s Millennium behind.

Our table in the Da Vinci Dining Room was still occupied when we showed up for dinner around 7:15p. We would have been happy to stroll around the Promenade Deck and return later, but Franco (the dining room manager) insisted on accommodating us at a different table, even assigning our usual wait-team of Rotchana and John to serve us.

Mui: grilled calamari with shaved fennel; seasonal field greens, celery hearts, and tomato salad; roast rack of veal with glazed artichokes and mascotte potatoes.

Me: Caesar salad; hearty black bean chowder with corn; grilled tiger shrimp kebab with mango-lime relish and jasmine rice.

Dessert: New York style cheesecake; Viennese apple strudel … no, we didn’t share!

Tomorrow we’re in the US Virgin Islands. More specifically, in St Thomas. Whether we stay on the island or go to the neighboring island of St John is heavily influenced by the dock to which we’re assigned. Mui just came back from the show with the news that we’ll be at Havensight, so unless something changes in the interim, I see a ferry ride in our future.

By the way … just so you don’t think this visit to St Kitts was monkey-less …

Yes, there were green monkeys at south friars bay …

… but they were better behaved than the ones at Cockleshell Beach!

Next Up … Video: St Kitts

A Pig, a Monkey, and a Goat — All Part of Our St Kitts Beach Experience

Sunday — December 6

Dinner is over and Mui’s gone to check out tonight’s production show in the Celebrity Theater. That Mercury is going through occasional squalls isn’t stopping me from enjoying the veranda as I write today’s blog entry; the overhang is just wide enough to cover the length of the chaise lounge. We have 117 nautical miles (~135 miles/217 km) to travel before we reach our next port. Plenty of time to write about our day in St Kitts.

St Kitts is one of two islands that makes up the Federation of St Christopher and Nevis.

We were up at our usual early hour this morning. The veranda was again wet from overnight showers. I started to wipe down the furniture so we could eat on the veranda, but another passing shower had us seeking out our alternative spot on the open deck aft of the Palm Springs Pool instead. By the time we were finished with breakfast, Mercury was dockside in Basseterre, St Kitts.

The cruise ship terminal is conveniently located to downtown Basseterre.

At the industrial pier across the bay, Silversea’s Silver Cloud was gleaming white as a ray of sunshine found an opening in the clouds and spotlighted the ship for all to see. Later, when we went on deck to photograph the port, we found Ocean Village docked to our portside. This is the most number of ships with which we’ve shared a port thus far on this cruise.

Mercury shares the dock with Ocean Village.

This was our second visit to St Kitts; the first time was in 2004 (a cruise on Holland America’s Maasdam). Then, we visited Caribelle Batik, explored Brimstone Hill Fortress, and drove around the island in the company of a guide.

Brimstone Hill Fortress
(flashback to our St Kitts port call in 2004)

This time, we just wanted to have a beach day. We’d already researched beach options, but had no set plans when we disembarked the ship around 8:30a. Walking through the gate into the port facility, we checked out the dispatch map and settled on Reggae Beach at Cockleshell Bay, located at the tip of the Southeast Peninsula. Finding a cab to take us to the beach was not a problem and soon we were on the road with Austin at the wheel.

An impish green monkey running around, sipping from half empty plastic glasses — this was the scene that greeted us on arrival at the beach. “At least it’s not terrorizing the poor goat,” Austin said as he walked us to the strip of sand that stretched along the edge of the calm, aqua colored water. No sooner were the words out of his mouth that the monkey was running after the goat, pulling its tail, and jumping on its back to ride it like a demented cowboy. It was hilarious to watch. You want to see too? Click here to view a clip from the video Mui shot.

Then the monkey switched its attention to the few humans on the beach — that would be us!!! A monkey with a leg fetish? No other way to describe the animal. It didn’t matter if the legs were hairy or smooth, he was right there, trying to wrap himself around whichever leg happened to be within reach.

At this point, we started questioning our decision to come to this beach. After all, we didn’t want to spend our day shooing away a monkey that was probably a pickpocket as well. Luckily, we didn’t have to ask Austin to take us elsewhere — a staff member put both the goat and the monkey back in their pen and peace reigned once more. That Wilbur, the pig, was left out was a non-issue — he showed no inclination to move his considerable mass from the shade and snoozed in the parking lot the entire time we were there.

With the critters penned up, we turned our attention to finding the perfect spot to settle down for a day of fun in the sun and surf (pond-calm, really). In hindsight, had we arrived later, we would not have witnessed the chaos, so a word to the wise, come later in the morning if you don't want to have a monkey encounter!

Reggae Beach at Cockleshell Bay

As we were one of only two couples at the beach, we had our pick of chairs and umbrellas, and found a nice spot at the edge of the water — cost: $5/chair and $5 for an umbrella.

Plenty of chairs and umbrellas available at 9:30 in the morning.

We spent a very relaxing day. The water was calm and inviting; the scenery across the bay was pleasant; the constant light breeze kept the hot temperature tolerable. The beach is popular with cruise ship passengers, but the narrow strip of sand did not get too crowded today. Good for us; but not so good for the proprietor, of course. (Note of caution: there were a couple of women sunbathing and swimming topless, so if you are easily offended by nudity, this might not be the right beach for you.) Vendors hawking trinkets and massages (using aloe fresh from the thick, fleshy stalks they carried around with them) came by frequently, but once we said “no thank you,” they moved on to sell their services to others, leaving us to enjoy our beach experience in peace. Oh, and yes, there was a guy that came around offering photo ops with a "diapered monkey." Didn't take him up on the offer!

View of the boat pier from our spot on the beach.

Far side of Cockleshell Bay from the boat pier.

We were well attended to by Maria, a waitress from the Ukraine. She was friendly and efficient, and started a tab for us when we ordered our first round of beverages. When we ordered lunch, she brought it out to us where we were lounging on the beach. Mui had the grilled Mahi Mahi and I had the Tiger Shrimp Kabobs — both were good.

As arranged, Austin was back at 2:00p to return us to the ship. Along the way, he made a couple of stops at scenic overlooks, giving us an opportunity to take photos of the beautiful Caribbean scenery.

Scenery on the way back to Basseterre.

Friars Bay from the top of the Southeast Peninsula Road on Sir Timothy's Hill.
(Friars Bay Salt Ponds are on the right side of the photo)

Back in Basseterre, we asked Austin to drop us off at “The Circus” — not the three-ring kind with clowns, elephants, and tightrope walkers, but rather a roundabout modeled after London’s Piccadilly Circus.

The Circus is a nod to the island’s British heritage — complete with a red phone booth, no less.

It was too hot to wander around downtown, however, so after a quick photo op, we returned to the ship.

My selection of a starboard cabin has been very advantageous on this cruise. We’ve been getting the sun in the morning while we’re out and about. By the time we return to the ship, the veranda is in the shade — perfect for a veranda-bird like me. Speaking of birds, we had company this afternoon — magnificent frigatebirds and brown boobies flying overhead.

Left: Magnificent Frigatebird; Right: Brown Booby

We enjoyed the solitude of our veranda through the afternoon tea time. When Ocean Village tooted its horn in salute to St Kitts, we went up to the Sunrise Deck to see the ship off. From our vantage point, it looked like the entire passenger complement was lined up on the open decks (very few balconies on the ship). Enthusiastically waving goodbye to us, they seemed to be enjoying the Caribbean tunes “our” band was playing.

Ocean Village departs from St Kitts.

We stayed on deck long enough to watch St Kitts recede away as Mercury followed suit and sailed into the sunset.

Farewell St Kitts!

On that note, it’s time to quit blogging and go for a walk on the Promenade Deck. Tomorrow is another day; another port!

Next Up: Antigua

St Kitts

Basseterre, St Kitts — from Celebrity Today

With dormant volcanoes, pink beaches and gorgeous green hills, St Kitts is a beautiful backdrop to any Caribbean adventure. Founded in 1623 by both the French and the British, the island’s deep colonial history is reflected in the abandoned fortresses, as well as its landscaped gardens, city squares and architectural details.

Basseterre (not to be confused with Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe) is the capital of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. Situated against the irresistible setting of St Kitts’ emerald green hills and punctuated by elegant Georgian architecture, Basseterre is one of the best of the Caribbean’s small capitals.

Brief History

Basseterre was founded by the French in 1627 and served as capital of the French colony of St Christophe, which consisted of the northern and southern extremities of the island of St Kitts (the center belonged to England). In 1639, the town turned into a large, successful port, commanding Eastern Caribbean trade and colonization. It was then that Basseterre became the capital of the entire French West Indies colony, which included the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

The city was made capital of the entire island of St Kitts in 1727, following French expulsion from the island and full British control. St Kitts became a British colony shortly after America gained its independence from Great Britain, and it gained its own independence as the Federation of St Christopher and Nevis in 1983. It remains a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth and still holds on to its British roots.

Next Up: What We Did in St Kitts