Just got in from a short cruise in the Bahamas, my first time there. My wife is a Disney addict, and so what better than go on a Disney cruise. Besides,it was her birthday. So we did. We were in port twice, once in Nassau, and the other on a small island under lease to the company for its exclusive use, Castaway Cay. What was interesting to me was the delightful weather, something I didn't anticipate. After living in Florida for over 20 years I came to expect the nearby islands to be hot, tropical places. We found the opposite to be true. The constant sea breeze kept the temperatures from feeling oppressive. In truth it never got that hot, topping out at no more than 30 degrees. In fact going into the water felt cool to the touch, and I don't remembering even sweating at all during the entire cruise. Here are a few pics from Castaway Cay.
The dominant palm were coconut palms. I'm guessing these were the 'Malayan Dwarf" variety, but I'm no palm expert. There were many hundreds of them. In places Yucca alnifolia was a common companion.
Bismarkia nobilis was another common palm on the island, and has become a favored palm on the mainland too. The most obvious feature of them is their size - they are utterly massive. Everything around them feels tiny in comparison, and the silver blue coloration of the fronds is stunning as well. They really look like they are "on steroids" - the body builders of the palm world!
The day we were there afternoon storms kicked up, forcing us to board the ship a bit earlier than hoped. Here's a shot of the coastal environment as we hurried back to avoid the deluge. Lovely place.
