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Unda di sea
published: Tuesday | July 1, 2008
Nashauna Drummond, Lifestyle Coordinator
Forget about a glass-bottom boat, the Coral Viewer is the perfect way to enjoy all the wonders that lie under the Caribbean Sea. - photos by Nashauna Drummond
REGGAE AND salsa ruled the waves when the Cuban vessel, the Coral Viewer, made one of its promotional trips off the coast of St Ann to explore the many wonders of the Caribbean Sea recently. The lower deck of the boat has been transformed into a viewing gallery, where passengers can get a close-up of underwater life in all its splendour.
Forget what you saw when you sailed on the glass-bottom boat from one of the island's many hotels, this experience brings you closer than ever to the creatures of the sea. And you don't even get wet.
The journey begins at Puerto Seco Beach in Discovery Bay, St Ann, the area where Christopher Columbus is said to have first landed on the island in 1494.
The party
One of the island's few remaining public beaches, Puerto Seco is a destination for most families on weekends and public holidays
As the dock fades in the distance, the party begins. The rocking of the boat, as it crashes through and over the waves, moves you in time with the rhythm of the sea. If you're prone to motion sickness, then this is not the ride for you as the waves get larger in the open sea.
With the latest Jamaican hits and sizzling salsa selections playing from loud speakers, passengers are encouraged to really enjoy the ride. A few large waves crash against the boat's bow, drenching the floor and leaving a salty and sticky memory behind. Slipping and sliding, the passengers, who were bent on having a good time, did not miss a beat.
Waterways of the underworld
A 45-minute trip takes you to the discovery site in front of the mammoth Spanish hotel, Gran Bahia Principe. It stood large and proud, a contrast sandwiched between the green mountains behind it and blue of the Caribbean Sea. Here, the boat circles while passengers go down to the compartment in the belly of the vessel to view the wonders of the corals up close. The viewing gallery can hold up to 43 persons (seated comfortably), facing large reinforced glass that provides an uninterrupted view of the great beyond.
Fish of every size and hue dart in every direction of the coral, oblivious to our prying eyes. A few schools glide by, following an invisible roadway. It was like watching a silent movie. Sea urchins litter the bottom of the ocean, their tentacles reaching towards us threateningly, while brain corals of varying sizes laze in nonchalance. In some areas, deep gouges wind between coral beds, separating its continuous blanket lining the seabed.
Fish food is thrown overboard to entice our scaly friends closer for a better view. Here, you might also see creatures, without scales or fins, and equipped with two legs and arms, as the more adventurous are encouraged to take a swim. It's easy to get lost in the wonders of the sea world and, as the boat bounces gently along, you forget all the stress that awaits on land.
The Gran Bahia Principe hotel marks the spot to enjoy the wonders of the sea.
published: Tuesday | July 1, 2008
Nashauna Drummond, Lifestyle Coordinator
Forget about a glass-bottom boat, the Coral Viewer is the perfect way to enjoy all the wonders that lie under the Caribbean Sea. - photos by Nashauna Drummond
REGGAE AND salsa ruled the waves when the Cuban vessel, the Coral Viewer, made one of its promotional trips off the coast of St Ann to explore the many wonders of the Caribbean Sea recently. The lower deck of the boat has been transformed into a viewing gallery, where passengers can get a close-up of underwater life in all its splendour.
Forget what you saw when you sailed on the glass-bottom boat from one of the island's many hotels, this experience brings you closer than ever to the creatures of the sea. And you don't even get wet.
The journey begins at Puerto Seco Beach in Discovery Bay, St Ann, the area where Christopher Columbus is said to have first landed on the island in 1494.
The party
One of the island's few remaining public beaches, Puerto Seco is a destination for most families on weekends and public holidays
As the dock fades in the distance, the party begins. The rocking of the boat, as it crashes through and over the waves, moves you in time with the rhythm of the sea. If you're prone to motion sickness, then this is not the ride for you as the waves get larger in the open sea.
With the latest Jamaican hits and sizzling salsa selections playing from loud speakers, passengers are encouraged to really enjoy the ride. A few large waves crash against the boat's bow, drenching the floor and leaving a salty and sticky memory behind. Slipping and sliding, the passengers, who were bent on having a good time, did not miss a beat.
Waterways of the underworld
A 45-minute trip takes you to the discovery site in front of the mammoth Spanish hotel, Gran Bahia Principe. It stood large and proud, a contrast sandwiched between the green mountains behind it and blue of the Caribbean Sea. Here, the boat circles while passengers go down to the compartment in the belly of the vessel to view the wonders of the corals up close. The viewing gallery can hold up to 43 persons (seated comfortably), facing large reinforced glass that provides an uninterrupted view of the great beyond.
Fish of every size and hue dart in every direction of the coral, oblivious to our prying eyes. A few schools glide by, following an invisible roadway. It was like watching a silent movie. Sea urchins litter the bottom of the ocean, their tentacles reaching towards us threateningly, while brain corals of varying sizes laze in nonchalance. In some areas, deep gouges wind between coral beds, separating its continuous blanket lining the seabed.
Fish food is thrown overboard to entice our scaly friends closer for a better view. Here, you might also see creatures, without scales or fins, and equipped with two legs and arms, as the more adventurous are encouraged to take a swim. It's easy to get lost in the wonders of the sea world and, as the boat bounces gently along, you forget all the stress that awaits on land.
The Gran Bahia Principe hotel marks the spot to enjoy the wonders of the sea.
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