Seabourn Sojourn
Isla Catalina, Dominican Republic
Arriving: 9:00 AM
Departing: 5:00 PM
Partly Sunny - 86 Degrees
Isla Catalina is just a mile and a half off the coast of mainland Dominican Republic, very near La Romana, a stop on the Amazing Amazon cruise in 2011. The island itself is just more than ten square miles of beaches, dunes, and mangroves, reaching maximum elevation of 60 feet above sea level. Isla Catalina is not in the guide books, there is no history to learn, no tours, no resorts. We have been invited to a beach party.
The Captain and Crew of the Seabourn Sojourn
invite you to this
Seabourn Signature Event
featuring
Caviar in the Surf
BBQ on the Beach
Watersports in the Bay
With Sojourn at anchor in the bay, we boarded the ship's tenders for the short ride to shore, a perfect crescent of sandy beach. In two feet of water, waves crashing at their feet, waiters dressed from neck to waist in tuxedos passed flutes of champaign and caviar with traditional garniture. The beach was lined with neat rows of chaise lounges under umbrellas. The BBQ tent was smoking with good smells, lunch almost ready. Back on the dock, watersports await: kayaking, pedle boating, wind surfing, water skiing, inner tube and banana boat rides. This is the picture they put in the brochure. This is the island paradise that sells the cruise. This is the story you tell back home.
Yes, it was very nice, and a huge effort on the part of the ship's crew to pull off. But, some of the gloss wears off between the brochure and the beach. We picked our spot and settled in on the beach, then waded into the water for some caviar. Have you ever been to feeding time at the aquarium? On a steep beach in strong waves, big people in tiny bathing suits fell all over themselves, and each other, clamoring for caviar. It was like The Biggest Loser meets Survivor, and it didn't look anything like the brochure. We got a sip and a taste, and got out of there to sign up for banana boat rides.
It's a banana blast!!! Four people straddle a long rubber banana, wearing helmets and lifejackets, holding on to a tether, while a Zodiac with a giant Yamaha outboard screams up and down the bay towing the banana on a long rope. Thumbs up for faster, thumbs down for slower, wave frantically for "Get me off this thing," and something about let go if you fall off.
It was a wild ride!!! Wooo-hooo!!! Thumbs up!!! Wooo-hooo!!! Thumbs up!!! Wooo-hooo!!! Oh shit!!! Tres was falling off, but didn't let go. The banana flipped, and everybody split. Tres couldn't remount the banana from the water, so he had to swim the rest of the way.
Back on the beach, time for BBQ. The buffet broke every rule for picnic safety: lots of mayonnaise, meat not cooked thoroughly and held below temperature, no sanitation. The mosquitos were huge, and mean. They bit through clothing violating common decency and the Geneva Convention. We ate quickly and hopped a tender back to the ship. Next time, we may stay on board and just read the brochure.
Next Stop: Fort Lauderdale
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