Jamaica Part 4

Thursday we finally made it on our snorkeling excursion.  We went out at 11 am and had a pretty good time.  The waves were smaller than on Wednesday (when we skipped to go sailing) but they still tossed us around pretty good.  We saw some beautiful fish, but were spoiled having snorkeled in the Cayman Islands several years back on a cruise.  There, it was like snorkeling in a fish tank, here we had to hunt for the fish a little more.  We also had to do a lot more swimming, due to the waves.  As much as we enjoyed getting the opportunity to snorkel again, we decided that the sailing was much more exciting, so we checked the snorkeling box and decided not to try that again.

After lunch we were back out on the Hobie cat for another hour or so of sailing.  Again, we had a blast as the wind had picked up pretty good.

We also got our first afternoon shower on Thursday which cooled things off.  Once the rain was over, we headed down to the beach to watch the waves come in and float in the water.

 We ended up spending some time with another couple, from Canada, who was also down there taking pictures.  They had watched two weddings earlier in the day and had learned some of the photographer's secrets, so we had fun playing photographer for each other.

Friday was our last day at the resort.  We spent the morning attending the Jamaican fair.  We learned to talk a little Patois, their native language.  They all speak and write in English but since their country was populated by the natives, the French, the Spanish, the African slaves, and the English, they have a spoken language that is a combination of all of those (but it is not a written language).

We also learned how to make a hat from palm leaves (from the coconut tree).

And here I am with my completed hat.  It will dry and eventually turn brown but will last for many years.  It is much more solid feeling and comfortable that I thought it would be.

We also watched some people make baskets but decided we didn't want to do that.  And R watched a Jamaican cooking class during part of the time I was weaving my hat.

After lunch we were super excited because the wind was blowing hard and one of the guys from water sports was going to take us out on one of the larger Hobie Cats.  He was going to sail out, I was going to sail us back, and then he was going to let us go on our own.  Just as we were pulling the Hobie Cat to the water, there was a flash of lightening up the beach and in 30 minutes we were in the middle of a strong storm.

R was thrilled.  He hoped that at some point we would have a serious rain storm because he wanted to lounge on our patio and listen to the rain.  He got his wish.  It poured for 2 hours.

Once again, we ventured down to the beach after the storm to enjoy our last float in the ocean.

 After the storm, the wind always dies down and it becomes cooler and less humid outside.  We enjoyed one more beautiful sunset on the beach.

 Then we ate one last delicious dinner at Feathers Restaurant before we had to pack and be ready to leave in the morning.

Saturday morning we loaded the bus at 8am to begin our travel home.  We had enjoyed a wonderful vacation.  It felt like a honeymoon.  We were sad to go but happy to be coming home and excited to see our kids.  Here is our last picture, right before we boarded the bus.