Re: Heard From An Old ASAer Today

[Bob La Londe <none@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 10/18/2018 9:29 PM, Jim Davis wrote:
 > On Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 7:23:05 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:
 >> I told him he should stop in here and say hi.  He says he's retired now.
 >>
 >> I may stop by and see him in the mid later winter.  Looking at doing a
 >> Caribbean cruise with my wife for our 25th.  Probably launch out a port
 >> in his home state rather than freeze our tushies off sailing down the
 >> eastern seaboard.
 >
 > I've traveled the Caribbean for many many years. Starting back in the
60's right up through the 2000's. We bare boat chartered at least 25/30
times. ( for the non-sailors out there that means we rented a big sail
boat and sailed it ourselves without a captain) Most of our sailing was
done in the British Virgin Islands but we also sailed from St Vincent to
Granada and back on a 10 day excursion, stopping at dozens of islands on
the way. We sailed St Martin and surrounding waters. US Virgin Islands,
Honduras Bay Islands and many other places to numerous to remember now.
Now days we just fly to an Island and rent a car. We always make it a
point to go on a sail with a private captain as a reminisce of our
sailing days. Our sailing days are over now. I don't have the speed,
agility or stamina any longer and my navigation skills are slowly
slipping from memory. It sure was a great run though. Memories and
stories up the yazoo. I also was stationed on an Island in the Bahamas
when I was in the US Navy back in the 50's and did a tremendous amount
of scuba diving, so that always was a side adventure on all of our
sailing trips. I was on the Navy spearfishing diving team competing on
Grand Bahama. Diving in the Bay Island off of Honduras and in the
Caymans is just indescribable.
 >
 > People keep telling me that ship cruses are fun but needless to say,
after sailing a 60 foot yawl with 4 to 6 sailors for all those years, I
think that ship cruising is for landlubbers and I just can't bring
myself to go on a boat trip with 5000 of my closest friends. I just have
this feeling that there is at least one out of those 5000 people that
would get in my face and either he or I would go overboard.
 >
 > Don't mean to belittle your trip Bob �� just story telling.
 >
 > The best Islands as far a people go are Grand Cayman and Barbados.
The people are just great. They know that tourism is their source of
income and treat it accordingly with respect. They are helpful, pleasant
and want you to enjoy their beautiful islands. St Thomas has turned into
strictly a tourist trap. We used to stop in Charlotte Amali to pick up
water and supplies. A couple of times we went down to where the cruse
ships come in and it was almost a mob scene when the tourists cam off
the boat. All the natives trying to sell their overprice cheap crap
souvenirs. And that was 20 years ago. Can't imagine what it's like now.
I understand that the Rastafarians have just about taken over the whole
Island. I had some friends go there to rent a villa and one night they
witnessed a gun fight with cars racing around the town. Not just hand
guns but machine guns. St Martin is pretty good. The Dutch side is where
all the shops are but the French side has the great restaurants. St
Johns in the British Virgin Islands is pretty good too but I don't think
cruise ships stop there. As a matter of fact all the islands in the BVI
are pretty good. Went to Puerto Rico once and would never go back again.
St Croix is good too but kind of small and out of the way for cruise
ships. St Vincent has a volcano on it and not too much else. The Yucatan
Peninsula has some good places. Cozumel was OK but it's a popular place
for the college kids. Oh Yeah, make sure you don't time your trip during
college break. First of all the prices skyrocket and the kids will get
on your nerves pretty quick. As much as it's advertised, Aruba and
Curacao have got no sights to see. Barren Island with hardly any
tropical looking areas. Mostly bare coral and cactus and lots of goats,
gambling, shopping, restaurants and condos
 >
 > That's about all I can think of right now. If you have an specific
questions let me know.
 >


I was to the Bahamas when I was about 3 years old.  I've got some
interesting memories.

Bumming around the docks with my mom talking to fishermen.

Looking off the Queen's tower and wanting to play with all the toy cars
and toy houses in the neighborhood below.

Playing on a log with another kid pretending it was our ship and getting
3 stitches in my forehead when he wanted me to get off his ship and he
busted me in the head with a rock.

Scalded my arm with hot coffee.

Overall it was an adventure.  Oh, and we weren't "tourists" persay.  We
were there with the carnival working.

I'd like to look off the Queen's tower again with an adult perspective.
Most of the rest of that adventure I see no need to duplicate.  LOL.