Barbados:A turtle approaches off shore to see what we were doing so far from land. Turtles are protected by the locals around the Island with hatchlings being born each year.
Tortola, BVI: The Pelicans surround the north of this Island looking for any fish floating around the fishing boats, once seen the Pelicans dive vertically down into the water often returning out with a fish in beak.
Antigua: A group of men catch play ball in the street enjoying the shade from the heat
Bonaire: If you are ever looking for the perfect postcard Caribbean Island then Bonaire is a must visit. With its clear blue waters it never gets old to look at and swim in
St Lucia: Small fishing boats are loaded onto shore after their morning outing to look for fresh and local produce that they will then sell at the markets
St Lucia: Refuelling the Ships is a tiring job, a workman takes a break while the process is under way
Antigua: Many local food and drink stores can be found around the Island serving rum as well as local cuisine
Back in 2015 i spent the best part of 4 years round the Caribbean. On my first ship (MV Ventura) she was placed out in the Caribbean from January to April in which her home port became Barbados.
These 4 months were full of sun and rum with a hint of exploring these beautiful islands. Each Island had its own charm and reason for visiting with the same laid back attitude in common. Some of the more popular ports were Barbados, St Maarten, Tortola.
While i was working at the time on the ship i also got quite a lot of time off in each port so managed to visit these Islands on a few occasions. Some would be filled with exploring something different each time such as hiking the mountains in Dominica to Exploring the water rafting through the rainforest it has to offer while other Islands such as Barbados i was happy to be back at 'Boatyard' for a relaxing afternoon in the area i knew and was comfortable in.
Leaving these Islands at the end was unexpectedly sad. Knowing i wouldn't return to those familiar surroundings for at least a year made me miss the hospitality and friendliness of the Islanders.
