Atlantic Odyssey 2025: Charleston

Getting a chance to visit Charleston S.C. again is always worthwhile. It was 2012 when our hero and his dear sidekick last visited this unique city. At that time, they drove into town in a rental car they had picked up in Miami. During that road trip  they also spent a few nights in each of Savannah, Georgia, Hilton Head Island, Georgia and Wilmington, North Carolina. Of all these places are noteworthy but Charleston has the most to offer.

The MS Vista cruised past Fort Sumter at about noon on April 26, 2025. She was on her way to tie up at a dock on the Cooper River, not far from where the beautiful Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge crosses over it. The passage back to the mainland from Bermuda, had been under warm, sunny skies and on very calm seas. (Gym believes April is a very good time to ge out on the Atlantic Ocean). The ship would remain tied up in Charleston for 48 hours. The dynamic duo had two full days to spend time in and around this alluring 355 year-old city. 

Almost immediately after docking, our adventurers were off on a tour of the Boone Hall Plantation. They  drove out of the dockyards and up on to US-17, crossed the Cooper River and entered the suburban town of Mount Pleasant. They passed through the town and turned left off the highway onto Long Point Road. Minutes later the tour bus turned right onto Oak Avenue. They had arrived at a property that Clark Gable, Patrick Swayze and Ryan Gosling all had in common. The Boone Hall Plantation was the setting for the movie Gone With the Wind, the TV mini-series North and South and the movie The Notebook. It is also a wonderful open air museum, working farm and event centre. It was a must-see for Gym and his missus. The highlight was the tour of the mansion which was incredible but the eight slave cabins set back from Oak Avenue are also well worth a visit. There are other exhibits in outbuildings that are in close proximity to the mansion that include nice washroom facilities, a food and beverage establishment and places to sit in shade and wonder what it must have been like living in the Antebellum Period.  

The next day, they took a shuttle about a mile past the dockyards and enjoyed a Gym-guided tour of Old Charleston. They started at the U.S. Customs House and then perused the covered stalls along Market Street. Gullah baskets were on display in several stalls and if one has room in his/her luggage they should acquire one or two. At the intersection of Market and Meeting Streets our travellers toured the Planters Inn one of the many excellent boutique hotels in town. It was here that Gym and his dear wife made their basecamp in 2012. They then meandered a little farther along Market Street before turning south to eventually enter the area known as South Broad. Many fine examples of well preserved antebellum homes are on display in this area. Passing a realty office at one point along the way, Mrs. G noticed the starting price for these properties was about $3 million. They would bisect South Broad all the way to White Point Garden on the waterfront. There the homes increased in size and those overlooking the park were the creme della creme. The Battery that pounded Fort Sumpter in 1861 to start the Civil War was under renovation but they strolled under the oak trees where dozens of pirates were hanged in 1718. These poor guys were buried in the marsh on the other side of the sea wall. Later, they grabbed an iced coffee and strolled past the extraordinary fountains in Waterfront Pier Park and then completed their loop on East Bay Street to the Market Street. 

The fine weather continued to persist the whole time of their stay in South Carolina. Spring is the perfect time to visit. At just before noon on April 28th, the Vista turned around and slipped out past the Morris Island Lighthouse and into the Atlantic. Mrs. G kept a lookout for fat merchantmen from Deck 14 as Mr. Gym exercised the boarding party on the pool deck. 

Fort Sumter

US 17 on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

Oak Avenue leading into Boone Hall Plantation

Boone Hall Mansion is something else, especially on
the inside

One of the eight slave cabins that lie behind the oaks 
along Oak Avenue. Each cabin has a different exhibit 
about Gullah culture and/or the institution of slavery.

The beautiful grounds that surround the mansion

Outbuildings near the mansion that contain
a market, restaurant and clean restrooms

A typical house along King Street with a
long 2-storey porch

Lots of vibrant colours in South Broad

The bigger shacks overlooking the Harbour
near the Battery

White Point Garden

Fountains at Waterfront Park

East Battery Street

Waterfront Park

The U.S. Customs House at East Bay and Market

Atlantic Odyssey 2025: Bermuda

 The 2025 visit to Bermuda differed in many ways from the first time our adventurers were introduced to this island.  In 2016 they arrived from the east, on the heels of Hurricane Nicole. The seas were very choppy and as their's was the first ship to dock after the hurricane,  Mr. G had expected to find devastation. That was not the case though and the ship's passengers were more rattled than the locals who were calmly sweeping up the last bits of palm frond that littered the streets. 

On April 23, 2025, the MS Vista  pulled into the old Royal Naval Dock Yard, from the west. She had cruised in on flat seas and under blue skies. The Captain steered into a spot behind a big Norwegian Cruise Line ship and parallel-parked the Vista like it was a Smartcar. They would overnight there and the crew would have a chance to go to the karaoke bar that night. The passengers would dine on the ship and have most of the next day to explore the island.

On April 24, Gym and his lovely sidekick chose to employ a fifth-generation Bermudian guide named Aeon, to show them around. They jumped in his black van and were entertained all morning by his enlightening discourse on all things Bermudian. Some of the high-lights of his narrative are captured below:

- In 2016, Gym learned that by law, the colourful buildings on the island were built with reinforced concrete sides and limestone roofs. This is why they withstand hurricanes so well. Aeon provided a few more tidbits in that regard. The island which has no fresh water streams, rivers or ponds, collects all of its drinking, bathing and washing water off the roofs of its buildings. All roofs must be re-surfaced every two years with an impermeable coating of a lime-based whitewash, keeping them in pristine shape. The rain flows off these roofs and into cisterns below each building and many locals do not even treat it before filling up their water bottles. 

-You can paint your Bermudian house whatever colour you want but it has to be different than all the other houses on your street. The resultant appearance is a bunch of skittles, capped by brilliant white roofs. This brightens things up on the island quite a bit.

-The massive Fairmont Southhampton Resort which sits on one of the highest points in Bermuda, on 100 acres of pristine grounds, is currently undergoing a $500 million renovation. It may become a much sought after vacation spot for all of the ACCOR hotel enthusiasts. It is very close to Bermuda's best pink sand beach at Horseshoe Bay.

- Aeon told us Bermuda's reefs are not susceptible to bleaching due to the island's northerly location and cooler water. This is a hopeful sign that Bermuda's reefs may survive the major threats to other reefs worldwide by global warming.

Aeon dropped the dynamic duo off in Hamilton for 45 minutes to find our hero some flip-flops so he could fit in with the pool deck crowd. Later Aeon returned then to the ship which would set sail later that day for Charleston. 

Bermuda has a great vibe, there are lots of great bars and restaurants and everything is very neat and tidy.

Brilliant white, limestone roofs of the
Bermuda buildings

This is the spot where Elizabeth II always came
to look over Bermuda on the many occasions she visited

Gibb's Hill Lighthouse on the highest point in Bermuda
was built in 1846 and is the largest cast iron
lighthouse still in existence

A beautiful view of the land looking towards the
 Fairmont (right background)

Commissioner's House overlooking the docks

EV rentals on Bermuda are perfect for their narrow roads

Horseshoe Bay with it's pink sand beach and
Mrs. Gym shooting a video

Horseshoe Bay is really a spectacular place

Atlantic Odyssey 2025: The Florida Current (updated with pictures)

Everything had unfolded like magic that morning on April 19th.  At noon on that Easter Saturday, our hero and his lovely sidekick successfully checked out of the hotel, cabbed it over to Dodge Island and found the Oceania Vista waiting for them behind Terminal J. Once there, they handed their luggage to the porters and quickly negotiated the port security and the Oceania check-in desk. Soon after, following a nice lunch, the dynamic duo found their 150 pounds of luggage in front of their assigned stateroom on Deck 12. Mrs. Gym then took charge and expertly unpacked and stowed everything away. Thus, the 2025 Atlantic Odyssey had begun. 

Author's Note: Kudos to Mrs. G here.  The skill with which she takes charge of the luggage, a thankless and mundane, yet paramount part of every trip is much appreciated by her dear husband.

The adventurers would now spend the next 45 days on the at sea, aboard the Vista, Oceania's newest vessel and its first 'Allura Class' ship. Having sailed on all of Oceania's vessels, Gym and his dear wife were soon to agree that this new boat is the creme de la creme. It is similar in size to the Marina and Riviera but much nicer. It is somehow roomier than those other two 1200-passenger ships and the interior and exterior design is fresher and more functional. Both Mr. and Mrs. G are happy with this product that they believe they have contributed much capital to over the years.

This odyssey would eventually see the Vista on a heading to cross the vast Atlantic Ocean. However, first it would head south to Key West and then begin a shake out run along the Florida Current, through the Bahamas and out to Bermuda for a couple of days before returning to North America at Charleston and heading back to Miami again on May 1, 2025. At that point, the poorest performing passengers will be let go and replaced with better, more lively, seafaring privateer-types. After successfully completing that first loop, the Vista would leave Miami again and head back towards the Old World. Vista would stop again in Bermuda and then cross the vast ocean to touch down in the Azores before continuing on to mainland Europe. On the TransAtlantic crossing, Gym hopes that there will be plenty of fat merchant vessels for him and his boarding party to plunder.

At the time of writing, we have already visited Key West and Freeport, Bahamas. Key West was really fun for our hero but not so fun for his lovely bride who was bedridden with a cruel 24-hour bug of some type. While in Key West, Gym checked out the house that Ernest Hemingway lived in while he wrote 70% of his novels. For 19 bucks one can get a guide who will show you around the place. Gym enjoyed that immensely. Then he strolled in a big loop around town, a very walkable historic place with many 19th century mansions and pretty tree-lined streets. Freeport, Bahamas was basically a container and transhipment port with taxis that could take you to various points-of-interest on the island. As Gyms lovely bride was still recovering from her illness it was decided that they would just get off to wander around the open-air mall next to where Vista was parked and return to the ship for a nice nap. They had visited the island a couple of times before anyways.

Last night Vista road the Florida Current around the Bahamas and then turned onto an easterly heading for Bermuda. April 22 is a full day at sea and Vista will arrive in Hamilton on the 23rd, unless Gym and his boarding party have been busy plundering Spanish Galleons.

So far the adventurers have enjoyed fair seas and nice warm temperatures.

  

MS Vista

Key West

Enest Hemingway's Bathroom

A bird feeder in Hemingway yard made 
of a urinal from Sloppy Joe's Place

A Picture from the second floor of the house
with a glimpse of the pool

Greta Garbo the cat on Heminway's bedroom.
There are several dozen cats on the property 
descended from Ernest Hemingway times.

A photo of Hemingway (on the right) and his fishing
and drinking buddy Sloppy Joe

Key West also boasts the Little White House which 
has been used by several U.S. Presidents as a retreat

A typical Key West mansion from the 19th Century

Freeport

The uninspiring view from Vista of Freeport Harbour

Chocolate Easter Ant

Easter Chocolate Creations

The outdoor mall in Freeport

Atlantic Odyssey 2025: Miami (updated with pictures)

 

Marriott Biscayne Bay from the Venetian Way

 It was with some trepidation that Gym had to begin this ocean cruise in Miami. Before Trump, there would have been no worries. Recently though, it has become a bit of an unsettling prospect, to travel across the 49th Parallel. Gym had heard stories of Canadians being detained for brandishing a Canuck driver's license, on routine traffic stops. Google it, it's real! And if truth be told, Gym had promised himself that he would avoid America while Trump was in charge. However, this cruise had been booked for two years. Mrs. G had started planning for this adventure during the much more harmonious Biden Administration and embarking out of the terminal on Dodge Island was not considered a drawback at that time.

Gym needn't have worried. The passage down to south Florida was incident-free and everyone was very friendly in Atlanta, where the adventurers had to change planes. They were processed through U.S. Customs and by the TSA without a hitch. As the luggage was thrown onto the conveyor belt to be carried away to the waiting Delta 757 for the second leg of the trip, Gym felt better. 

Once they touched down in south Florida, all tensions subsided as they had arrived in Miami, a city of immigrants, a place where almost everyone is welcome. Gym had booked the Marriott Biscayne Bay and they would spend one night there before boarding the Oceania Vista on April 19th. 

Musings about downtown Miami:

- The taxi drivers in Miami are normally the first Floridians that you interact with when you head to your hotel from the airport. These guys all tend to be personality-plus. Gym enjoyed meeting Luis who hailed from Uruguay. Gym and Luis  agreed on the currant state of US politics. 

- The Marriott Biscayne Bay is a nice clean place with some excellent staff. The rooms are nothing special though, they are clean and modern but not worth the nightly rate until you consider in the fantastic views you get from this waterfront property. 

- Walking around downtown Miami is safe and very worthwhile. In spite of a plethora of newer high-rise condos, there are numerous green spaces where this neighbourhood's locals are out strolling, jogging and riding bikes. Within a few blocks of the Marriott, there is Margaret Pace Park, Maurice Ferre Park and the Bayfront Park and outdoor mall. This part of Miami is full of mostly younger, Latino middle-class families that enjoy spending time in these green spaces.

- La Canita Cuban Restaurant is a good bet. Gym had the fish of the day and his boss devoured delicious beef empanadas. Gym Rates it 5/5. 

An interesting condo in downtown Miami

Biscayne Bay from Marriot Hotel room

La Canita Restaurant

A French Bulldog likeness in the park

A farmers market near the Marriott

Atlantic Odyssey - Spring 2025

 

The author’s favourite subscriber and her 'kitty’.

Preface to Another Sea Voyage

This blog began in 2011 and over the past 14 years, I have published over 282 stories of various trips around the world. We have visited over 70 countries on these adventures. The first series of posts began in March, 2011 when we embarked on what we thought would be the most epic sea voyage of our lives. Fourteen years later, we are about to set sail again on another ultra-long sea voyage. And just like that one that started it all, we will be at sea for 45 days, visiting multiple seaports in 9 countries. 

We have been very fortunate to have done all this traveling  When we started the blog we were both working full-time and now we are retired. We are in good health and hope we have many years to be able to continue to travel. Hopefully we will post many more stories as the years go by.

Please note that every entry to date has been written from a third person's perspective. It was done this way to be cheeky and add some light touches to the narrative. My given name is James but my siblings address cards to me as 'Gym', so we use that nickname throughout the blog. I am of course also the author, narrator, editor and photographer and as such, I apologize for using the wrong pronouns sometimes. Mrs. Gym aka Mrs. G aka 'the boss', is my beautiful sidekick, wife and boss. I also wish to recognize her as a backup editor and photographer. 

We start the next adventure in Miami, a place we have been to many times. Stay tuned for the Atlantic Odessey - Spring 2025.

Mr. Gym