Long before we had even arrived in Barbados, it was always our intention to go swimming with turtles. We had heard that the island was renowned for their abundance in green turtles and since we all shared a common fascination with these magnificent creatures, this was an opportunity we could not pass up.
After researching online for the various ways we could achieve this, I came across a blog which recommended going on a semi-private catamaran with a luxury charter called Seaduced. They promised exceptional service, relaxation and you guessed it… luxury.
I was sold! So after managing to convince the rest of the group to depart from $175 each (I think I used the line – this is a once in a lifetime experience – which always works btw) we had booked ourselves onto the catamaran!
...and we were not disappointed!Â
Our first class treatment began first thing in the morning, when we were picked up directly from our hotel at 9.15am and taken to the harbour (just outside of Bridgetown), to the Catamaran. As we were led down the dock, we were all giddy and full of excitement, especially to see which boat we would be spending the next 4 hours on.
Lo and behold, we were presented with this beautiful, stylish and expensive luxurious yacht which made us feel like we were a list celebrities; we shouldn’t have expected any less really! Unfortunately, I must have been so consumed in its beauty that I didnt actually take any pictures of the yacht (an excuse to go back don’t you think?).
From there, we were greeted by our lovely crew who helped us onto the boat and provided us with a fruit platter, some fresh banana bread, and a welcome drink of our choosing. I opted for passion fruit and rum (when in Barbados and all..), the first drink of many.
As we booked a semi-private charter, we were sharing the boat with 8 other people (12 in total). This was not a problem at all; there was plenty of space on the yacht to relax and walk around without it feeling too crowded, and the experience was still very personal. One of their greatest touches was the crew learning what each of us were drinking. Once you had finished one drink, before you knew it, you had been swiftly handed a top up without even having to move!
The crew outlined how our half day would pan out; we set sail up the west coast for an hour or so before reaching our first stop at one of their chosen reefs. They provided complimentary snorkelling equipment and towels so we really did not have to think of anything! A member of the crew joined us as we disembarked from the yacht and made our way along the reef, pointing out the colourful sea life and coral. I had never really swam in water where there was so much to see so this was an amazing experience.
We hopped back onto the boat and set sail again, this time with the aim of spotting some turtles! What was particularly special was that there were hardly any other boats around so it really did feel like we were the only ones around.
In order to attract the turtles closer, we all entered the water with one of the crew who had a bag of turtle food. Suddenly out of nowhere, about 4 or 5 turtles started swimming around us. It was an absolutely breathtaking experience watching these majestic creatures glide past you and we managed to capture some on camera!
After we did not think this day could get any better, there was a chef on board who cooked us a delicious Bajan lunch, consisting of grilled chicken, steak and mahi mahi, complete with salad, roast potatoes and broccoli slaw. The chef even managed to persuade me to try the mahi mahi despite not being a fish eater; and yes, it was darn good! I only hope he wasn’t too insulted when my boyfriend asked if he could have it with some hot sauce *face palm*.
Before we knew it, it was time to head back down the coast as our boat day was coming to an end, bellys full and very merry! Hands down, this has to be one of the best days of my life and I could not thank Seaduced enough for making it so special.
Find out what else we got up to in Barbados!.