St. Lucia (Cruise with the Royal Clipper in the Caribbean)

In the morning we arrived in Marigot Bay on Saint Lucia.

We started directly with a longer trip that would take us by bus across the island to Soufrière, the next port of the Royal Clipper.

In a small bus, we traveled up the initially well-developed winding roads to the first viewpoint.

The vegetation here is very lush, which is due to the warm, humid weather and the soil, which is very fertile due to its volcanic origin.

The guide told us a lot about the island and life here until we arrived at the next viewpoint.

We made a longer stop at a botanical garden.

During a guided walk, the guide showed us the native and introduced plants and explained their significance in natural medicine.

At the end of the garden, we saw a small waterfall.

The next stop was in a caldera of a volcano that last erupted in the 18th century.

The entire area smelled of sulfur, and you could see steam and bubbling mud puddles.

In the past, visitors were allowed to enter this area until a guide fell into the bubbling mud up to his hips during a tour.

Some members of our group wanted to take a mud bath, but we all opted out. When we saw the muddy people who weren't quite clean even after showering, we were very glad we did.

To conclude the trip, we went for lunch at a restaurant with a beautiful view over the bay and the Pitons, the two volcanic peaks that are the landmark of Saint Lucia.

Back at the port, the others were waiting for the next excursion bus that would take them for a hike.

They hiked the “Stairway to Heaven.” After a short, strenuous ascent, they were rewarded with a beautiful view of the Pitons.

The hike leader also took regular breaks and made sure everyone was doing well.

I was feeling unwell due to a cold and therefore decided to only take a short walk through the town.

There wasn't much to see, except for a large square with a church and monument and a richly decorated Christmas tree.

When I arrived back at the pier, I just saw the tender boat leaving.

I then had to wait quite a long time, although the next tender boat was soon ready: it couldn't dock because smaller boats kept pushing in between to pick up passengers from Norwegian Cruise Line.

As we departed, two more tender boats were launched, allowing us to photograph the ship with its sails unfurled as it left the port.

In the evening, there was a Farewell Dinner for all who had booked the one-week cruise. However, we would stay on board for another week to participate in the second Caribbean route of the Royal Clipper.