Tucked into the ‘nosebleed’ section of Atlantis’ marina (we have yet to measure the walk to the marina office or the actual resort beyond, but from the burn of my legs after 5 or 6 trips back and forth yesterday, I’d say it’s a haul-plus 1 mile), I’m being blinded by the light reflecting off of the three massive decks of a 200-something foot yacht as it slowly creeps out of the harbor. Such is life in this place. So much opulence to ogle in the marina, and so much amusing people-watching just about everywhere else. After sailing in virtual solitude for almost thirty hours, the contrast here was head-spinning to start. We went from quiet moments in the cockpit as we made great way with 10-15 kts on a broad reach to thousands of cruise ship passengers vying for machines and tables in the casino. Eyes on sticks, all of us.
Our passage was logistically uneventful (as we like them) but perfect weather for sailing, and we made great time. Violet slept for half of it – apparently the ‘anti-gravity’ chamber of the V berth in the swells is not a bother for that one- but per usual we did a lot of reading, eating and napping. Three of my favorites things to do in any locale, but put them on a boat and BOOM! Heaven.
We’ll spend a few nights here to maximize water park/resort adventuring, and we’re already off to a good start. While it rained yesterday the kids ran this way and that and managed to take care of the plan of attack that they all chattered about on the crossing. Underway, they kept listing names of slides and ‘rides’ and what order they were going to do them. (The fact that they can remember these slides’ names and whips and turns in detail from last year and yet still forget to not leave their clothes on the floor instead of putting them where they belong blows the mind, really, but I digress..) Andy, Susanne and I meanwhile rolled umbrellas together and made as dry of an oasis as we could for keeping our drinks out of the rain. Pro tip: the more you drink, the less the rain matters.
Though our bodies ached with exhaustion from the late watch hours of the passage and the multiple dock walks, we couldn’t resist the pull of activity on a Saturday night at Atlantis, so after dinner we walked in once more. After the kids dropped [their own, thankfully] cash at the $1 billion dollars-a-pound candy store, we met a junkanoo parade coming through the marina village. We then wandered some more, and happened upon an arcade for the kids, which is a great babysitter for anyone else living in the sticks who doesn’t yet know of this option. Well worth the extra push, and we’ve all slept like rocks (V still ‘rocking’ it), which will gear us up for a fun-filled Sunday, no doubt.
