Day 7 - Grand Turk

 Grand Turk

This is our last port of call before returning to Miami…. I can’t believe how fast this has gone.

The ship docked quite late today - 11am.   This dock is amazing- it’s right on the beach, literally.  Quite unique.  There is a 7000 ft drop off, just 50 yards off shore, so it was a natural spot for a cruise ship terminal.  The main island (Provo) has a delicate coral reef around it, so they couldn’t build a cruise ship dock. (They got the big airport instead).

As you walk along the dock, toward the terminal, you walk over the most gorgeous clear turquoise water I have ever seen.   The water was like crystal.  I could see long, bright blue fish flitting over the sand - just stunning.  The beach was beautiful, lined with palm trees, stretching as far as you could see, on either side of the dock..   When you walk thru the terminal, you come out in to a pretty plaza, with lots of great little shops - Piranha Joe, Diamond International, del Sol, an art gallery, etc.  All in Caribbean style buildings, painted in  those gorgeous colours I have  come to expect from this part of the world (peach, lime green, salmon, yellow, blue….)


















The others booked on a snorkeling excursion with stingrays, but I opted to take a tour of the island, which isn’t hard since it’s only 7 miles long!   Our driver,  John, was very relaxed and laid back, and related lots of personal stories to the various landmarks we passed.   He pointed out his cousin’s house… and then the much bigger house of his cousin’s ex-wife. 

This was the first island that was not wiltingly humid.  In fact, it was almost arid.  They only get 26 inches of rain a year, so no lush vegetation here.  Lots of cactus (“turks head cactus” - which is where the island’s name comes from), scrub brush, etc.  The land is coral and limestone, so not easy to grow things.  Lots of wild donkeys and cows and horses, just free grazing where they can.  Hurricane Ike decimated the island.  Over 90% of roofs blew off, and most people were without power for over 4 MONTHS!  They are a tough people though - not one life was lost!  The British navy arrived with 300 body bags when they came to help salvage post-Ike, and were shocked not to need even one!

While the other Caribbean islands supplied the world with rum, molasses, spices and sugarcane, Grand Turk had the most precious and expensive commodity of all … salt!   Their salt fields were worked pretty much up until the advent of refrigeration.   They used slaves, as well.  Quite a history in a small place.  I quite liked its tough and resilient people and land….  Not a lush paradise, but beautiful in its own right.

Did some browsing/shopping and then back to the ship for sailing, and a nap before supper.  Yummy supper….  It was formal night again, so lots of tuxes and gowns.  I had shrimp cocktail,  escargot in garlic butter, and Chateaubriand (medium rare).  Baked Alaska for dessert.

The evening show was the history of rock, from the 50s to the 80s.   I loved it, but 17-yr old David was so horrified, he practically ran from the theatre by the time they reached the 60s!  LOL!








A quick turn through the casino, and then off to bed for me.  Sea day and last day tomorrow.  (And Leslie and Davie get to see their wedding photos!)