Day 10 – Saturday, March 8, 2025 – Bridgetown, Barbados

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Day 10 – Saturday, March 8, 2025 – Bridgetown, Barbados

We all met up for breakfast and then we all went and checked out some other cabins on the boat and decided what we wanted to book for our trip next year. Mine and John’s cabin, while greatly located, was quite a bit smaller than the one on the Star Flyer, so we knew we wanted something just a little bigger. Catherine talked with Muslim, who is head over housekeeping, and kindly arranged to show us the different cabins with the different price levels.

We disembarked at 9:30 am and then met up with the driver at 10 am, who then took us to St. Nicholas Abbey. “It was built in 1658 and is one of the oldest surviving plantations. It is over 400 acres of sugar cane fields, tropical gullies, mahogany forests and formal gardens. The mansion is of the Jacobean style and features elegant curvilinear gables and ornamental detail, including four cornerstone chimneys and fireplaces in two of the upstairs bedrooms.” We were only allowed to see a few of the rooms at the lower level, but they were beautifully done with original pieces of furniture. We were then taken out to the courtyard and got to experience two tasting of the local rum they make and can only be bought there. John, of course, bought a bottle. They had a little café there as well, so we all had a little snack and then headed back to the van. Our driver, Ryan, kindly waited for us as we did the tour. The original plan was to take a tour of Mount Gay Rum distillery, but they were not open. John and I toured it 17 years ago when we came to Barbados the first time.

Ryan dropped us off at the Savannah Beach Club Hotel, where we stayed the first part of our trip, and were greeted with the traditional rum punch drink. Catherine and Scott’s room was ready and mine and John’s and Marguerite and Joe’s was not, so we hung out with Catherine and Scott. Joe had a bottle of Mount Gay rum, so we got a couple ginger ales and juices from the shop and had drinks and chatted. We have decided to have a monthly get-together via Zoom and we all choose a cocktail and have drinks together!

Everyone freshened up, met for dinner and enjoyed the breeze. We made it an early night as Marguerite and Joe are leaving tomorrow so we will meet up for breakfast in the morning.

Total Nautical Miles Sailed – 515.2

Looking down at the breakfast buffet! Our last meal on the ship…..until next time!
The boys!
Bye Royal Clipper, we’ll see you next year! Hello again Barbados!
This was a chair that basically did everything for the man who sat in it, lol! Taken from the St. Nicholas Abbey website: “The Burlington Gentleman’s Chair, manufactured in 1935 by Foot & Co. (a manufacturer of hospital equipment during WWI), defined modern relaxation of the time. Described in advertisements as the ‘ideal easy chair’, it could be transformed into a semi or full length couch with the push of a few buttons. Featuring adjustable tables, a book holder, reading lamp, backrest and footrest, it was a common spot for impromptu napping. The chair could be easily wheeled into another room for the duration of the nap.”
The sandbox tree is an evergreen tree with a huge, spiny trunk. Common names for it is also “monkey no-climb” because of the spines, and the “dynamite tree” because of the explosive sound it makes when its ripen fruit splits into segments. We heard this coming out from the bathroom and wondered what it was; it was loud! It can grow up to 100 ft and the leaves can grow up to 2 feet wide. When ripe, the pods catapult the seeds up to 300 ft. Fisherman used to use the sap from the tree to poison fish and the Caribs made arrow poison from its sap.
From what John and I could tell, these birds looked like rose-ringed parakeets, or ring-necks. We used to have one many years ago.
The good stuff!
The rums St. Nicholas offers. John really liked the white rum so he bought a bottle. You can only buy the rum on the estate and nowhere else.
Yes, Scott took a picture of the men’s room, lol!
They had this on display in the main house so, of course, a picture had to be taken.
Another beautiful sunset in Barbados!
I look like I’ve had too much to drink. That was not the case, I think Marguerite just got my bad side, lol!
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