San Blas Islands dep. Panama – My Brother Traveler

This post is part of a series called North America

Outline 2003

CAR-03 Cruise to Caribbean and Amazon River, took 39 days.
Date of travel : Jan 21 – Feb 28, 2003

ITINERARY:

On Jan 21 early morning departure in a rented car to San Diego airport, then flight via LAX to Miami, where overnight. Following morning flight from Miami via San Juan, Porto Rico, to BARBADOS. Here a drive through the island and boarding the Cunard ship “Caronia.” Next day on Caribbean Sea.

On Jan 24 a day on CURACAO (Netherlands Antily) , morning individual sightseeing of the city Willemstad and afternoon an organized tour of the island. Next day on the Caribbean Sea.

On Jan 26 a stop at SAN BLAS ISLANDS belonging to PANAMA populated by Cuna Indians, who welcomed Christopher Columbus here and now tourists. Then we sailed into the Panama Canal through the Gatun Locks and anchored in the Gatun Lake for Indian program. Following day on the Caribbean Sea filled with interesting lectures on the ship as all sea day.

On Jan 29 most of the day on the Caribbean Sea and reachingARUBA (Netherland) late in the afternoon. Next day bus tour of the island in the morning and individual sightseeing of its capital Oranjestad in the afternoon. Then a day on the sea.
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On Feb 1 TOBAGO (TRINIDAD & TOBAGO) with an island tour visiting among other its Fort King George and remains of Fort King James. There is a Moravian Church on the island. Then another day on Caribbean Sea.

On Feb 3 Devil’s Islands (FRENCH GUIANA) (Fr) . My second visit to these 3 islands. Afternoon sailing across Equator ceremony with the Polyvoks (who have never cross Equator) suffering and the Shellbacks (who have already crossed before, like me) laughing at them. Eventually we sailed into the brownish-yellow waters of Amazon River, which is noticeable some 200 miles from the Amazon estuary.

On Feb 5 our ship was sailing against the current of Amazon River in BRAZIL. Day after we docked at the city of Santarem. AM we visited a village of Indians and PM we took a boat ride of smaller rivers and fished for piranhas. Another day on Amazon. That was followed by 2 days in the famous city of Manaus deep in the jungle with sightseeing its Opera House and seeing the confluence of the Amazon and Negro Rivers called “Meeting of the Waters.” After leaving Manaus, going down stream we docked at another Indian city called Parintins. That was followed by 2 day sailing to the estuary of Amazon River, where we had to wait several hours for the high tide to get over the sandbars forming there. Then day on the Atlantic Ocean. On Feb 14 another visit to the Devil’s Islands in French Guiana, followed by a day chasing the Lesser Antily islands.

On Feb 16 we reached GRENADA and had a sightseeing trip of the island seeing among others the Frederick’s and Matthew’s Forts. And another day on Caribbean Sea going north.

On Feb 18 our ship “Caronia” came to an island which is divided between two countries. ST. MAARTEN belongs to Netherlands Antily (Netherlands), while the other part called ST. MARTIN belongs to France. They have never carried a war against to each other on this island. A bus trip of both parts of the island. The borders are marked, but nobody is guarding them. It was my second visit to this island.

On Feb 19 we reached BRITISH VIRGIN ISLAND specifically the island of Tortola. Again AM a bus tour of the island and PM I walked its capital Road Town by myself.

On Feb 20 ST. KITTS & NAVIS. We landed at the bigger island St. Kitts and its capital Basseterre. Beside other we visited a Brimstone Hill Fortress and took a 3.5 hours narrow gage train with a guide around the whole island.

On Feb 21 ANTIGUA & BARBUDA. Here on Antigua there is quite interesting the “Nelson Dockyard” and also Moravian Churches. At last I took a dip in the ocean on Turner’s Beech. It was my second visit to this island.

On Feb 22 DOMINICA. In the morning I explored the capital Roseau by myself, while I took a bus tour of the island in the afternoon. Followed a day on the Caribbean Sea.

On Feb 24 MARTINIQUE (Fr) . My second visit to this very appealing island. In the morning I walked through its capital, Fort-de-France, and in the afternoon I took an island trip visiting the beautiful botanical gardens there and the original capital Saint Pierre destroyed by eruption of Mt. Pelee volcano in 1902, when 30 thousand people lost their lives and only one survived.

On Feb 25 ST. LUCIA. Again my second visit to this island. In AM was an island bus trip and PM I was sightseeing its capital Castries by myself.

On Feb 26 ST. VINCENT & GRENADIES. We anchored at its capital Kingstown on the far biggest island St. Vincent of this little country. I took a bus trip of the island in the morning and explored the capital by myself in the afternoon.

On Feb 27 we returned back to Barbados where we originally boarded our ship “Caronia” and we left the ship there. In the afternoon we flew via Porto Rico to Miami for overnight in a hotel. The following day morning flight from Miami to San Diego and in a rented car home to Vista, where in the afternoon on Feb 28, 2003.

Travel office: Cunard through Vantage Travel
Who took part: People from all over the world as passenger of Cunard ship “Caronia”