Mike in the Wild

On my first cruise out of San Juan in nearly a decade, I revisited mostly familiar islands—Barbados, Saint Lucia, Antigua, Saint Kitts—each still delivering its own distinct charms. But it was Tortola, the lone newcomer on the itinerary, that I most anticipated. I’d explored Saint Thomas and Saint John in the U.S. Virgin Islands before, but the British Virgin Islands had always remained just out of reach—lush silhouettes rising beyond turquoise channels, a short ferry ride from shores I already knew. Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and a scatter of smaller islets sit tightly grouped with their American neighbors in what many call the Caribbean’s most beautiful seascape. Tortola also promised some of the trip’s best snorkeling, so I booked an afternoon excursion to one reef-rich islet. Still, I wanted a feel for the island itself. So first thing after our cruise ship arrived, I hopped into a shared open-air taxi and crossed the island to Cane Garden Bay Beach, several miles from t...

We should have listened more carefully as we settled into our seats for our circumnavigation boat tour of Antigua.  But I was distracted—rattled by last-minute changes to the meeting spot, the start time, and a tense standoff over the condition of my American cash.  Yes, I knew there were supposed to be no rips in the bills I used to pay for the trip.  I just hadn’t noticed one when my husband and I pooled our money in our stateroom that morning.  So I missed the moment when the captain asked the group a question that would soon matter very much: Does anyone have back problems? Our friend Jackie had joined us on a seven-day Caribbean cruise out of San Juan.  For months, we’d planned excursions on each of the five islands we’d visit.  Jackie and I both love snorkeling, and she’s fond of recounting her kayaking adventures in Costa Rica and zip-lining triumphs in Roatan.  The tour I found sounded tailor-made for her: Adventure Antigua’s Extreme Circumnavi...

On my first visit to the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia in almost ten years, it was easy to decide what to do on my cruise ship's nine-hour stop: find a Saint Lucia amazon.  The island is the only place this parrot lives, where only fifty years ago it faced near extinction due to habitat loss and hunting.  Even with a robust recovery in its population, Saint Lucia's national bird still only roams a small portion of its historic range - so I hired a guide to guarantee I found it. While most of my fellow passengers scattered towards thermal springs, beaches, gardens, and the majestic volcanic spires called the Pitons, my husband and I met Nestor on a busy street outside the cruise port in Castries.  In addition, two other birders from the ship also piled into our guide's well-worn 4Runner.  We made our way out of Saint Lucia's capital and largest city as lines of heavy traffic streamed in for work and school.  The mountainous landscape was mostly forested ...