11-8-2010  Samana, Dominican Republic:

For months before our cruise, I had researched our ports and really looked forward to the Turks and Caicos. It's suppose to be a great place to snorkel and dive. There's even a 7000' wall a short distance off shore which I had mixed emotions about seeing. As it turned out, my plans for that island were foiled. Tomas decided to head straight there the day we left Ft. Lauderdale, so HAL decided we should head elsewhere. We ended up at Samana, Dominican Republic.

We were warned over and over again not to venture off on our own like we could on the other ports, so we booked a $79@ snorkel and beach excursion. I did enjoy it, although I'm surprised nobody drowned at the snorkel spot we were taken to!   There was quite a current running through there!

It was a small rock in the middle of the bay near a resort island which did look like a great place to hang out at.

I was hoping we were heading to that island, but after our turbulent snorkeling, we were taken to a different beach not far from the town of Samana.  It was also a lot calmer then where we snorkeled or even the island I had hoped we were going to.

I actually enjoyed snorkeling there much better then in the middle of the channel.

Views of the ship were pretty nice, too.

Unfortunately we only had an hour there. After about 5 hours out and about, we were back on the ship awaiting departure to our next port.