In The Loop Travel
  • Home
  • Destinations
    • The Americas
    • Caribbean
    • Mexico
    • Europe
    • Asia/Pacific
    • Africa
  • Fitness
  • Cruising
  • Travel Tips
  • Videos
  • Work With Us
  • My Work
  • About
  • Colorado Craft Brewery Guide
  • Media Kit
  • TBIN Influencer Network

A Catamaran Snorkel Trip: The Caribbean Cure-All 

2/7/2015

2 Comments

 
Picture
These types of excursions always start out innocently enough.

We are drawn in by the descriptions that offer so many things we enjoy.

They read something like this: catamaran ride, snorkeling, reefs, beach time, swimming, clear blue waters, lunch.

All wonderful.

And one final perk. "Beer and rum punch included."

Ah, the clincher.

What a nice package for the price, right?  And once the drinks start flowing during a warm, sunny Caribbean day, you can't help but go with the flow. The music is playing; you're meeting new friends from all over the world while kicking back on the boat; and your worries from real life dissipate.

This has played out over and over for us during our travels. Mexico, Belize, Barbados, St. Kitts, Costa Rica, Colombia.

However, it really set in for me how fantastic it can be to just sit back, relax and enjoy life's wonderful moments during our outing in St. Maarten with Tours SXM by Out Island Charters.

I travel a lot and really enjoy it, but lately I found myself always considering all the photos and videos I should be taking, what story angle I should come up with for this blog and how can I make sure I post enough content to Instagram and Facebook and Twitter to stay relevant for you Loopers. This had been wearing on me a bit.

I suppose it can be like this for a lot of people with new blogs, but I never want to lose the joy from what I do. I don't want to succumb to burnout.

So, this particular morning on our catamaran sailing around St. Maarten was a revelation.

If we live in the moment and simply embrace our experiences with gusto, then life is all good.

We jumped in with both feet during our morning with Tours SXM, by the way.

The crew was so nice and really took care of us. The snorkeling stop was at a spot with a sunken boat and helicopter serving as artificial reef. The crew drummed up fish activity by chumming the waters with bread. I don't care for this too much because the mass of snorkelers all end up crowded in the same area and the water gets cloudy. But we had a pleasant snorkel anyways and just enjoyed cooling off in the water. Back onboard I was among a group recruited to hoist the mainsail (my protests and claims of a sore shoulder were ignored as I was coaxed from my comfy spot at the front of the boat on the trampoline). 

Picture
Our beach stop brought us to Mullet Bay, and we swam ashore to enjoy a walk along the sands, bobbed afloat in the waters on our noodles and spent quite a bit of time diving off the side of the boat. Well, I belly-flopped once, and Mrs. In The Loop showed off her diving form -- insisting on going "one more time" over and over until the captain broke it to her that it was time to head back to our cruise ship. 

We had been nursing rum punches and waters during the morning, but we switched to Presidente beers -- with a Champagne toast mixed in -- for the ride back. Yes, this is ultimately a story about a good Caribbean morning buzz.

These types of experiences always seem to sneak up on us (and require an afternoon nap upon our return to the cruise ship). They also end up being some of our most memorable and fun times -- reminding me just when I needed it the most that travel is meant to be a series of smiles and laughs with fabulous like-minded people from around the world.

Thanks for reading, and always travel happy!

JR

Picture
Pulling into Mullet Bay for swimming and beach time. Michael and Otis get us set up to swim ashore.
Picture
Mullet Bay Beach is one of the top resort areas on the island.
Picture
Manuel is living the good life as a crew member on Golden Eagle III.
Subscribe today to get the latest reviews, tips and tricks to help you have your best adventure ever.

2 Comments
Shelly Schubert link
2/16/2015 02:04:40 am

I love your stories. I hope you don't mind if I post them on my Facebook page for my travel clients and friends.

Reply
JR
2/16/2015 02:18:08 am

Hi Shelly. Thanks for your kind comment. I certainly don't mind spreading the love of travel. Please consider linking back to my website somehow in your posts. Thanks so much.
Travel happy!
JR

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Africa
    AIDA Cruises
    Alaska
    Albatros Expeditions
    Alicante
    AmaWaterways
    Amber Cove
    American Queen Steamboat Company
    American Queen Voyages
    Amsterdam
    Antarctica
    Antigua
    Arctic
    Arizona
    Aruba
    Asia
    Atlas Ocean Voyages
    Australia
    Austria
    Avalon Waterways
    Backroads
    Bahamas
    Barbados
    Barcelona
    Belize
    Blue World Voyages
    Bonaire
    Bora Bora
    Brooklyn
    Budapest
    Burma
    Cabo San Lucas
    Cadiz
    California
    Cambodia
    Cancun
    Caribbean
    Carnival Cruise
    Celebrity Cruises
    Celestyal Cruises
    Christmas Markets
    Cologne
    Colombia
    Colorado
    Corfu
    Costa Rica
    Cozumel
    Craft Beer
    Croatia
    Crystal Cruises
    Cuba
    Curacao
    Dominican Republic
    Dubrovnik
    Egypt
    Emerald Cruises
    Emerald Waterways
    Europe
    Expat Life
    Explora Journeys
    Fathom Travel
    Fitness
    Florida
    Fort Lauderdale
    France
    French Polynesia
    Galapagos
    Galveston
    Germany
    Grand Cayman
    Greece
    Grenada
    Guatemala
    Halifax
    Harmony Of The Seas
    Hawaii
    High Line Park
    Hiking
    Holland America
    Hong Kong
    Houston
    Hungary
    Ibiza
    Iceland
    Isla Mujeres
    Italy
    Jim Thorpe
    Key West
    Kotor
    Labadee
    Lake Minnewaska
    Las Vegas
    Lisbon
    Lithuania
    London
    London Eye
    Maine
    Malaga
    Mexico
    Miami
    Minnesota
    Mississippi River
    Monte Carlo
    Montenegro
    Monterey
    Montreal
    Moorea
    MSC Cruises
    MSC Divina
    Netherlands
    Newfoundland
    New Jersey
    New Orleans
    New York
    New York City
    New Zealand
    North Carolina
    Norway
    Norwegian Cruise Line
    Nuremberg
    Oceania Cruises
    Oregon
    Orlando
    Panama
    Panama Canal
    Passau
    Paul Gauguin
    Paul Gauguin Cruises
    Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia
    Pickleball
    Ponant
    Portugal
    Prague
    Princess Cruises
    Puerto-rico
    Queens
    Regensburg
    Regent Seven Seas
    Rome
    Royal Caribbean
    Saint-Tropez
    San Francisco
    Santorini
    Scenic Cruises
    Scottsdale
    Seabourn
    SeaDream Yacht Club
    Sicily
    Silversea
    Sintra
    Sorrento
    Spain
    Star Clippers
    St. Maarten
    St. Thomas
    Symphony Of The Seas
    Tahiti
    Travel Gear
    Travel Tips
    Tunisia
    Turkey
    Turks And Caicos
    UnCruise
    Un-Cruise Adventures
    UnCruise Adventures
    Universal's Islands Of Adventure
    Uniworld
    Utah
    Utica
    Utica Boilermaker 15K
    Vienna
    Vietnam
    Viking Cruises
    Washington
    Windstar Cruises
    Wisconsin

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2013 | All rights reserved | Ewing, New Jersey.
Contact | About | Media Kit