12-4-17 Barbados:

Things didn't quite go as expected here.  In the past, we would get off the ship and find a car taxi to take us to Folkestone and it was really easy and fast.  This time, there were no car taxis, just large vans.  So, of course, they insist on filling the van before they leave.  Which, in turn, means we didn't get to choose the exact time we wanted him to pick us up.  We wanted to stay until 3, but we were the only ones going to Folkestone and the ones going to town got priority for pick up time of 3.  So 2:45 it was.  On the flip side, the fare was a lot cheaper!  Before we paid $27@/person rt, this time it was $14@/person rt----although he tried to charge us more---to which we told him we saw the price on the sign and I had a picture of it.

We waited around a good half hour for the van to get stuffed full, then were on our way.  Everyone else got off in town or the beach by town.  Folkestone was about 15 miles or so north of the port.  Noone seems to know about it, which surprises me.  It's a beautiful place and great for snorkeling.  There are even lots of amenities there: restrooms, outdoor shower, little store, life guard, chair and umbrella rental, walkway to more beaches and restaurants, even a pretty very old church by the entrance to the park.   Here is the little entrance to Folkestone Marine Preserve with the walkway barely showing.

looking north towards where a catamaran seems to take snorkelers.

our first little buddy to greet us---a spotted trunk fish

just like before, this place had lots and lots of parrotfish

and hogfish

and blue tangs

and trumpetfish

another lighter blue tang

banded butterflyfish

a purplish hogfish.

another of the many types of parrotfish---princess parrotfish

I believe this is a striped parrotfish.  I see a lot of them in the Caribbean but have never seen in Hawaii

juvenile yellowtail damselfish

a little bicolor damselfish trying to hide from me---along with a couple blue stripe snappers and banded butterflyfish

some of the healthy coral at the preserve

a scorpion fish

looking back towards the little beach

looking out to sea

a leather back jack

we happened upon an area pretty far out that was crystal clear and really beautiful.  I was disappointed that the photos didn't show it that way.  Guess the depth made it so blue in the photos.

another parrotfish

more of the area that was so clear and white.

lots of pretty coral

and pretty fish

still out in that crystal clear area.  We tried to find it again later, but I guess the lighting conditions weren't the same.  Only bad part about this area is there were a lot of little jelly fish.  After the encounter I had with a jelly fish in Key West on the last cruise, I wasn't going to assume these guys couldn't sting!  I did get some stings, but not any that bothered me too much.

lots of variety of coral there

more little chromis

even came upon a new little guy----whitespotted filefish

striped parrotfish

a pair of hogfish

trumpetfish

redlipped parrotfish

orangespot file fish

lots of shallow areas

golden belly damselfish

large lizardfish

flounder

school of yellow tail snappers

a really large flat coral

magnificant snake eel

just another view of the eel

red banded parrotfish

 chub---missing part of it's face

trumpetfish with it's disguised yellow coloring

male spotlight parrotfish

more white spot filefish dancing in a circle

female spotlight parrotfish

I don't remember seeing these white spot file fish before, so i took a lot of pictures of them

a dead baby turtle

About 2 we decided it was time to get out, shower, change, and wait for our taxi.  I still had enough time to go check out the old church before the taxi showed up.

flowers by the church

inside the church

folk art like painting in the church

more pretty flowers

and more

a gargoyle

neat looking church

Back to the beach to wait for the taxi.  There was this sign there.  Good to know where the lifeguarded beaches are.

still had time to walk north on the coastal walkway

really nice resort just north of Folkestone

heading back

back in the port shops.  Nice to see some Christmas decorations.  I guess HAL doesn't decorate for Christmas anymore?

everyone trying to get on the free internet there.  We weren't too successful

Back on the ship we were too late for the Lido buffet lunch, so we had our Dive in meal.  So nice having choices!

Must not have had much of a sunset today.  Didn't even have any pictures of it.
We did go to the On Stage Tonight show: Craig Richard---a night of music you won't forget.  I really enjoyed it.  Ken was less then impressed.  Maybe he doesn't like saxophone music.

We also went to the Poolside Movie: Battle of the Sexes--the true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.

not much in the way of "O" activities again.  Guess they go out and enjoy the ports, too.  Only thing they did was open the O Shops.

Inspiration card of the day:
Then you're true to who you are and what your spirit is telling you to do, that truth will indeed set you free.