12/04/2010 Eastern MAGIC - CHIP 'N' DALE'S CRUISIN' NUTS

[plutojudy]

First time, we booked sea and see....sea was cancelled...rough seas. Second time we booked a beach trip also cancelled due to rough seas so we just used water taxi to town then went back to ship for lunch, after lunch we took taxi to French side. So to answer your question, I guess we don't have a favorite. Sorry. We may try again for the beach.

 

[dato63]

I've got our excursions booked already. However, I have just been 2nd guessing myself - a norm for me it seems.

For St. Martins I booked a private tour with a guide named Bernard. He is suppose to take us to the beach, shopping, and a tour which includes the airport that the airplanes come down so close - Maho Airpot (I think that is what it was called). I didn't see anything on the list we all wanted to do, so hoped this would work. Bernard said he would find us a beach spot where DH could rent jet skis - something he wants to do. I had hoped to fit in the butterfly farm, but the feedback I got from cruise critic, it didn't sound like there would be enough time.

For St. Thomas we have a sail/snorkel day trip booked. This one I'm really looking forward to. My DDs are really hoping to see sea turtles.

 

[taswira]

My DDs are really hoping to see sea turtles.

I have turtles in my backyard pond/lake, only I guess they are "lake turtles" - LOL. Sometimes one makes its way to the street. Does anyone know what THIS is? He was at least 4' long and a bit freaky looking.

Excursions: I have always wandered about on my own, but am maybe considering doing at least one excursion on this cruise. Not sure yet.

 

[dato63]

My word Shari, that is freaky looking. You saw that in your yard? I'm not turtle expert at all, but have never seen one with that kind of nose.

 

[Magic3forme]

Shari: that is the ugliest turtle or whatever I have ever seen.

I am not sure what excursions to book if any. I am worried the water wont be warm enough for me... so that would rule out snorkeling etc . I am a water snob, I dont do well in warm water.....it has be like bath water!!
I want to ride the gondola this time in St Thomas.

last time we just went to the beach across from the ship in St Maarten, John and I ventured out on our own in St Thomas. the kids stayed on the ship.

 

[taswira]

My word Shari, that is freaky looking. You saw that in your yard? I'm not turtle expert at all, but have never seen one with that kind of nose.

He was at the end of the driveway when I was pulling out one day. There are lots of them in the lake behind the house, but they are not all that ugly. They come up on the bank and in the yard to sun themselves (because there are no fences), but sometimes they wander to the street to try to cross and get to another lake or pond. This guy was in my way. Turtles are protected here of course. Huge fine for hitting one. We are supposed to try to move them back towards the water if they are in the street, but this one was too big to lift! Not to mention I did not really want to touch him!

Excursions: I love being ON the water, but not in it. I don't swim. I did as a child until a drunk friend of my dad's threw me off a boat in the middle of a bay . . at night. I was about 8 years old. My short life passed in front of me. Never quite got over it. So now any water activities for me are ON it, not in it.

 

[tinkluvr12]

My 12 year old son, the amazingly accurate walking zoological encyclopedia says it is a Florida Soft-Shell Turtle. They live in shallow water preferably with sandy banks. Most of the time you will not even know they live in your pond. They bury themselves in the bank and use their nose as a snorkel. He knew all of this without a book I don't know how he does it. He says it eats fish and small crustaceans. He says be cautious they can really bite. Under that fleshy flap that looks like a little elephant trunk they have a large beak. He says they are pretty cool. Hope that helps

Also... Congrats to everyone. We are less than a year away!!! Can you tell I'm just a little excited about that?

 

[taswira]

Cool! Thanks! The only thing is that I thought Florida soft-shell turtles only grow to about 25". This guy was about 4 feet! A man in the neighborhood who volunteers over at the turtle center said this one was probably a mutant of some sort - lol. All I know is, he was BIG and SCARY for a turtle! Our water does have sandy banks but with grass, is about 9' deep in a normal season, full of big wide-mouth bass and "normal" turtles (plus an occasional small alligator). I was once a zookeeper and even handled venomous snakes, but I did not care to try to handle this turtle!

When I'm on the Magic next month with my mom, I'm going to try to talk people into making their onboard booking for our Cruisin' Nuts cruise.

 

[Donald_Quackers]

Keep recruiting Taswira! Maybe we can take over the ship (in a good way, of course)!

 

[taswira]

Keep recruiting Taswira! Maybe we can take over the ship (in a good way, of course)!

That's the plan!

 

[tinkluvr12]

The only thing is that I thought Florida soft-shell turtles only grow to about 25". This guy was about 4 feet!

Colin said it had to be a female and definitely an unusually large one. His Audubon book says the females can get to 36". He said yours needs Weight Watchers or something!

 

[taswira]

I agree with Colin - It probably was a female . . Too much ATTITUDE! And I think I agree with my neighbor that it's a mutant turtle!

Is anyone here buying cruise-related Christmas gifts?

 

[taswira]

I added the Disney Cruise Line Holidays at Sea video to our Cruisin' Nuts website (and some of our forums).

Check it out HERE.

 

[plutojudy]

I agree with Colin - It probably was a female . . Too much ATTITUDE! And I think I agree with my neighbor that it's a mutant turtle!

Is anyone here buying cruise-related Christmas gifts?

I bought some FE gifts for the cruise. Nothing else cruise related.

 

[plutojudy]

Here in Chicagoland "It Is Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas". It's snowing and cold. But we are less than a year away from our cruise.
Shari, that is the ugliest turtle I ever saw.

 

[Magic3forme]

Our fe is hanging in my closet.. my son is periodically putting gifts in it for his sisters!!

it is pouring again here in Atlanta.... we actually saw snow on Sat morning.
supposed to be 65 tomorrow, then back down to 44... bummer...I was ready to pull back out my flip flops!

 

[plutojudy]

Our fe is hanging in my closet.. my son is periodically putting gifts in it for his sisters!!

it is pouring again here in Atlanta.... we actually saw snow on Sat morning.
supposed to be 65 tomorrow, then back down to 44... bummer...I was ready to pull back out my flip flops!

Around here, we hear cries of "Free The Piggies". Our piggies get tired of being confined in socks and shoes, day after day......for months on end. It is a long time until we can get flip flops out again.

 

[dato63]

We actually got snow here in Houston on Friday. Very odd for us to get snow. It dropped down to 26 degrees. Brrrrrr.

 

[Magic3forme]

Gabby my 6th grader still is not wearing socks when she wears her crocs... her friends and her are still wearing flip flops!! crazy!! ahhh to be young again!!!

it is different living in the South for Xmas (our first year) .... listening to Christmas songs about Winter Wonderland etc .... it doesnt have the same affect ~~

 

[taswira]

it is different living in the South for Xmas (our first year) .... listening to Christmas songs about Winter Wonderland etc .... it doesnt have the same affect ~~

So true. Today at my "other home" in Idaho, as I write this it is 13 degrees and says "Feels like zero." Usually I am wishing I could be there. Right now - currently 78, feels like 81 here - I am having second thoughts - lol. But every time it rains here (and it's forecast nearly every day) I'd rather be in Idaho where there are mountains and SNOW and I can imagine reindeer flying over with a sleigh. Any white Christmas here will be artificial!