As much as I love Bequia and wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life there, I love the Tobago Cays even more and couldn't wait to share it with my friends. Our early morning departure was beautiful. We set a fishing line off the stern of the boat but caught nothing but sargassum weed - big yellowish thick carpets of seaweed floating on the top of the water. I have never seen it this thick, and have heard that same sentiment echoed by locals. Here's an article from Science Magazine that discusses the problem the Caribbean is having with these huge smelly masses of seaweed. Science Magazine Sargussum Seaweed
Luckily, the Tobago Cays were relatively free of seaweed and we were able to fully enjoy this group of small uninhabited islands that are protected from the Atlantic Ocean by Horseshoe Reef, which we snorkeled the minute we tied up to our mooring.
Because this is a conservation area with an area marked as a turtle sanctuary, we saw and swam with so many Hawksbill turtles! At one point we were snorkeling with 3 of them. They were obviously used to hanging out with people and only swam away after they finished munching on the sea grass or got bored with us.
And then the next morning, like it was planned for Father's Day, we woke up to a double full rainbow hovering over the Tobago Cays!
Between the double rainbow, cheeseburgers in paradise for dinner, and the Southern Cross seen later that evening, John was very pleased with his Father's Day "gifts".
In no hurry to go anywhere, we spent the day exploring the little islands that make up the keys. The views from the top of the two islands on either side of us, Baradel and Jamesby, were spectacular.
Later, Michelle and I ventured out beyond Horseshoe Reef to Petit Tabac where prior visitors to the small island created cairns, or piles of old coral pieces. We playfully added to one of the cairns with the coconut we found floating nearby, thus leaving our mark on the deserted island.
