Category Archives: Caribbean

Mark Rogers, Special for USA TODAY 8:02 a.m. ET March 25, 2017

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During TCIs annual Conch Festival, local chefs outdo themselves dishing up conch prepared in inventive ways.(Photo: Turks & Caicos Tourist Board)

I grew up with a pink and cream conch shell on the living room mantel, and would hold it to my ear to listen to the sound of surf reverberating in the shell, pure magic. Little did I know as a kid that the conch especially in the Turks & Caicos Islands had so much more to offer.

First, for those who might not be familiar, conch (pronounced conk) is a sea snail that over the years has been a culinary staple of the Turks & Caicos Islands and is served throughout the Caribbean. Conch factors so much in the local culture that a conch shell is featured on the TCI flag.

Any visitor to TCI will have ample opportunity to try conch, in a variety of preparations. If youre looking for a snack on the run, conch fritters accompanied by a local hot sauce and a cold beer hits the spot. For something light, theres conch ceviche (locals call it conch salad), which is fresh conch cooked in lime. Other easy-to-find dishes are conch chowder, stewed conch, cracked (fried) conchand curried conch.

Conch is one of the best sources of protein in nature, said Karel Rodney, general manager of popular TCI eatery Da Conch Shack. Conch eats the algae off of the turtle grass that is abundant on the banks surrounding the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Local chefs on TCI outdo themselves with inventive takes on conch during the annual Conch Festival, which takes place during the last weekend of November, in the Blue Hills area of Providenciales, TCIs third-largest island and the largest in population. The festival is right on the beach, with chefs serving up everything from conch wontons to conch sushi as they compete for the honors of best dish.

The best way to get your bearings is a visit to the Caicos Conch Farm on Providenciales, open for tours to small groups Monday through Saturday. The farm is situated seaside, and a glimpse of conch cultivation competes with views of the startling blue sea and a wide expanse of Caribbean sky. This is the only commercial conch farm in the world and has been in operation since 1984. During the tour, visitors learn about the biology of the sea creature, as well as techniques used in cultivating the Caribbean Queen Conch, the variety raised at the farm (their tagline is Caribbean Queens fit for a King). The Conch Farm is a low-key experience, but an informative one, and will add some context to a visitors next serving of conch.

One of the best places to try conch is the toes-in-the-sand eatery Da Conch Shack, which often finds itself on lists of the worlds best beach bars. Da Conch Shack is located on Blue Hills Beach and has local divers on tap who gather ultra-fresh conch daily from the ocean pens in front of the eatery that supply the kitchen. In addition to all of the common varieties of conch, Da Conch Shack also offers a "Pirate's Pot," a preparation of local conch, lobster, fishand shrimp in a bracing ginger broth.

Guests can try a pistol" from a conch, a part resembling a translucent straw. Pistols are thought to have aphrodisiacal properties," said Rodney. Pistols are mild, tasting faintly of the ocean, and are usually washed down with our house rum-based shot, the Conchknocker."

Conch also pairs well with champagne; high-rollers opt for cracked conch and Dom, adds Rodney.

There are several ways to enjoy TCIs affinity for conch without a knife and fork in your hand. The Snorkel and Conch Cruise offered by Caicos Dream Tours takes passengers out on a catamaran for a snorkeling tour of a coral reef. The four-hour cruise departs twice a day, seven days a week. The trip is topped off with a beach picnic at Half Moon Bay, where passengers dine on conch ceviche prepared with super-fresh conch gathered during the excursion. Departure times are 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., from Grace Bay Beach.

The Race for the Conch Eco-Sea Swim is an open-water swim that takes place each July on Providenciales at Grace Bay. The race attracts hardy locals and international competitors alike. At the trumpeting of a conch shell horn, swimmers compete in a variety of races: a 1/2 Mile, 1 Mile, and a 2.4 Mile ironman swim.

One of the best occasions to sample conch, accompanied by the islands signature ripsaw music, is TCIs Island Fish Fry, held every Thursday night at Bight Park in Providenciales. In addition to conch, there are many other island dishes offered, everything from peas and rice to festival, a kind of deep-fried, not-too-sweet cruller. The island Fish Fry culminates in a junkanoo, a parade with colorful costumes and rhythmic music.

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Island delicacy: Conched out in the Caribbean - USA Today - USA TODAY

The Caribbean Community has lost an icon in the community.

Percess Mattison has recently passed on, and we would like to acknowledge her contributions in Jamaica and the Philadelphia area, where she wore many hats.

Mattison was well-known for the hats that she made. She was the administrative secretary at the New Testament Church of God as well as for the Philadelphia Westside Church of God Congregations. Her church roles included pianist, ladies choir director and member of the Prison Ministry.

Mattison recently addressed the graduating class of West Philadelphia High School on Racism in the Church. She was an active member of the Jamaica Progressive League, and was a supporter of the Caribbean Festival Committee and Team Jamaica Bickle.

In Jamaica she served on a board at the University College of the West Indies, coordinated events with the Jamaica Federation of Women and played the guitar for the Jamaican government-sponsored National Dance Theatre Company. She given lectures, conducted workshops and addressed topics regarding Jamaican Folklore.

She will be missed. Our condolences to her family.

See the article here:

Caribbean Currents Memorial: Percess Mattison - The Philadelphia Tribune

Due largely to the incredible rise of its middle class and its love of traveling the world, the China market has been touted as one of the major growth opportunities for the global cruise liner industry. Not only has the country lived up to expectations so far, but it looks set to continue growing at a rapid rate for the foreseeable future. As one of the world's leading cruise liners, we believe Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL) is in a strong position to profit.

For a good number of years now China has been the focus of many international businesses that are looking to capitalize on a growing economy filled with consumers who enjoy the luxuries in life. With China's middle class and affluent class continuing its incredible rise, it's no surprise to see luxury retailers scrapping it out for supremacy in the world's second-largest economy. But these retailers are certainly not the only ones looking to capitalize on the emerging middle class.

As China's middle class has grown, so too has its love of traveling. One area of the travel market that has benefited has been the cruise liners industry. An ever-increasing number of Chinese tourists are opting for cruising, so much so that the world's biggest cruise liners have adjusted their business models accordingly to accommodate this lucrative market. Two recent examples of this include Royal Caribbean's decision to remove South Korean sites from certain cruises due to a political row between it and China, and the company's plan to build China-centric ships.

Is it worth it? We think so. According to the company's most recent 10K, Asia-Pacific provided approximately 15% of global cruise guests in 2016. Thanks largely to Chinese growth, the number of global cruise guests from the Asia-Pacific region has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 25% from 2012 to 2016. Impressively, we feel confident this level of growth can continue for some time to come. One only needs to look at the estimated market penetration to see this.

Source: Company 10K

As of last year, just 0.09% of the Asia-Pacific market had been penetrated. Whilst we don't necessarily expect to see it ever reach the same level of penetration as North America, we do believe there is reason to believe it could grow beyond 0.3% in the next decade. That is roughly equivalent to 13 million passengers, almost in line with North America's passenger numbers. As official forecasts by the Chinese Ministry of Tourism predict that there will be 4.5 million cruise liner passengers in China by 2020, we don't think it is too far-fetched to believe that the whole region could provide 13 million passengers by 2027.

But Royal Caribbean will only profit if it can capture this growth. It's all well and good simply saying the industry will grow, but there's a little more to it than simply docking in and shouting all aboard. We think the company's decision to build China-centric ships will prove to be a fantastic one. We feel these ships will attract increasing numbers of passengers, and then maximize their spending once on board.

So is it time to invest? We think that the long-term tailwinds from Chinese tourism mean Royal Caribbean is a great long-term investment option. Especially with our view that oil prices will remain subdued for a good number of years. Being a cruise liner, the company does of course consume a large amount of fuel. This year, for example, according to its 10K, Royal Caribbean expects to consume 1,332,000 metric tons of fuel at a cost $704 million. As a result, an oil price that stays lower for longer means fatter margins and increased profitability. Although OPEC aims to cut production to tackle the oil surplus and boost prices, we agree with the view that prices will remain in or around the $50 a barrel for the foreseeable future. Whilst we are skeptical that OPEC and Russia will fully comply with its output cut promises, the main reason for subdued prices, in our opinion, is rising production in the United States. In February, domestic stockpiles recorded their ninth consecutive month of supply rises to reach 8.2 million barrels.

Because of this, we feel Royal Caribbean will hit the top end of its earnings guidance range of between $6.90 and $7.10 per share. Based on this and our opinion that an earnings multiple of 16 is fair, we have a 12-month target price of $113.60 for the cruise liner giant. Should its share price reach this level it will mean a return in excess of 15%, or 17% including its 2% annual dividend. Although rising tensions in the Asia-Pacific region is a risk worth considering, we believe that an investment in Royal Caribbean provides investors with a compelling risk/reward at the current share price.

Disclosure: I am/we are long RCL.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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We think Royal Caribbean is positioned perfectly to profit. - Seeking Alpha

Spicy double soup with Tonkotsu broth (a 36-hour pork bone broth), Dashi broth (made with skipjack tuna and seaweed), house made Thai bird chili paste, Chasu pork, whole Shoyu egg, scallions and a ginger tare. 16 March 2017(Photo: David R. Lutman/Special to The CJ)Buy Photo

Spice up your weekend with Asian street food or Caribbean cuisine. Or, stay at home with a few new recipes from the Courier-Journal.

Either way, there's plenty to eat around Louisville this weekend.

If you're still looking for options, check out last week's dining suggestions.

Mirin is serving up delicious dishes on Frankfort Avenue. Rachel Aretakis/Wochit

Hope you're in the mood for Asian street foodbecause, this week, we've got lots of recommendations at Mirin at 2011 Frankfort Avenue. Try some spicy ramen or a bahn mi sandwich and you won't be disappointed. Read the review here.

Curried chicken at Naila's Caribbean Cuisine is spiced with curry, Marsala wine, onions, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper, "and a good hand," says Chef Naila Seow. A similarly spiced dipping sauce is seen at right.(Photo: David R. Lutman/Special to The CJ)

Turn up the heat this weekend with a few family favorites fromNailas Caribbean Cuisine at 1370 Veterans Parkway in Clarksville. The family restaurant is serving up spicy Carribean food and we've got three recipes you can try at home: macaroni pie, fry bake and curry chicken. Get them here.

La Chasse has launched a new spring cocktail menu.(Photo: Dan Dry, provided by La Chasse)

Spring is in the air at La Chasse, which recently rolled out a new cocktail menu with flavors such as berries, florals and springlikeherbs. Grab a refreshing cocktail at 1359 Bardstown Road. Read more here.

Our bracket-style beer competition, Malt Madness, is down to eight beers and you can have a hand in which is named best in the region. Vote here.

Red Hog's garlic herb sausage atop cheesy parsnip mash garnished with Italian parsley(Photo: David R. Lutman/Special to The CJ)

This week, reporter Jere Downs dives into the world of parsnips. And we've got two recipes from Red Hog that incorporate the sweet and tasty veggie: cheesy parsnip mash with garlic herb sausage and smoked bass and parsnip chowder. Get the recipes and read more about the veggie here.

Pho Ba Luu's Jessica Machwill host a Saigon street fooddemonstration class at Cooking atthe Cottage 93739 Lexington Road, from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, March 25. Cost: $50.

610 Magnoliawill host James Beard nominee Ian Boden of The Shack in Staunton, Virginia, for a five-course dinnerwith Edward Lee on Tuesday, March 28. Cost is $70 plus optional wine pairings and tax and tip. Read more here.

Rachel Aretakis can be reached at 502-582-7132 or raretakis@courier-journal.com.

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Spice up your weekend with these dining picks - The Courier-Journal

Nearly 300 religious officials from the Bahamas, Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and St. Maarten have asked President Trump to end U.S. efforts in support of LGBT and intersex rights abroad. (Photo by Bryce Edwards; courtesy Flickr)

The 289 ministers who are from the Bahamas, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana made the request in a letter they sent to President Trump on Jan. 31.

We write to you as concerned Christian ministers and churches from the Caribbean region (including the Bahamas) who hope and pray that the United States, under your leadership, will once again cast a light from The City upon a Hill of which your American forefathers and President Ronald Reagan so frequently spoke, reads the letter. Sadly, during recent years, that City has too often cast shadows instead of light.

We refer specifically to the policies of the U.S. State Department and other government agencies involved in foreign policy that have undertaken to coerce our countries into accepting a mistaken version of marriage, it continues.

The letter specifically notes the appointment of Randy Berry as the special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBT and intersex rights in 2015 was central to the promotion of same-sex marriage in American foreign policy. It also questions then-Secretary of State Hillary Clintons 2011 speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council in which she said gay rights are human rights.

We have our rights by virtue of being human beings and not by anything else not our ethnicity, not our religion, not our race, not our tribe and certainly not our sexual orientation, reads the letter.

The letter also points out to Trump that several of your government agencies are using executive orders to foist transgender confusion through the bathroom issue on your public schools by threatening the loss of federal funds.

Please understand that this same kind of coercion is being used against our countries to force us to fall in line with the entire same-sex agenda, it reads.

The Obama administration last year advised public schools that Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972 requires them to allow trans students to use bathrooms consistent with their gender identity. Trump rescinded this guidance on Feb. 22.

The promotion of LGBT and intersex rights abroad was a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy during Obamas second term. The promotion of marriage rights for same-sex couples internationally was never a publicly articulated part of this strategy.

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination, a Guyanese advocacy group known by the acronym SASOD, has received grants through the Global Equality Fund, a public-private partnership the State Department manages with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Officials at the U.S. Embassy in the Guyanese capital of Georgetown also meet with SASOD staffers and support their efforts.

Dennis and Judy Shepard met with LGBT rights advocates, parents and officials at the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago in 2014. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has also supported HIV/AIDS programs in the country.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. St. Maarten recognizes same-sex marriages that are performed in the Netherlands.

Steven Anderson, who was deported from Botswana last September, traveled to Guyana earlier this year. The anti-LGBT pastor from Arizona who has said gays and lesbians should be killed and described the victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Fla., as disgusting homosexuals, claims a hotel in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, cancelled his reservation earlier this month.

Activists in the region with whom the Washington Blade spoke on Wednesday criticized the pastors who wrote to Trump.

Its appalling that they are pandering to President Trump a head of state who has demonstrated nothing but prejudice and intolerance towards entire communities, immigrants and Muslims especially, said SASOD Managing Director Joel Simpson.

Erin Greene, an LGBT and intersex rights advocate in the Bahamas, agreed.

The statement and petition is a desperate move by a once powerful structure in Caribbean societies, she told the Blade. The Christian church was once the center of Caribbean societies, and now, these pastors are grasping to retain power and relevance as they are being stripped of their influence in policy making and national development.

In fact, they would be fulfilling their Christian mandate by denouncing the exportation of anti-LGBTI hate speech to the region, and asking President Trump to focus on foreign policy initiatives that prevent the spread the of U.S.-based religious terrorism in the Caribbean, Latin America and the Global South, added Greene.

Bahamas Transgender Intersex United President Alexus DMarco echoed Greenes criticism while defending Obama, Clinton and Berrys appointment.

It is inconceivable that these Christian reverend gentlemen and gentle ladies could not find the love of Christ in the hearts, DMarco told the Blade.

Neither the White House nor the State Department returned the Blades requests for comment.

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Caribbean pastors ask US to stop promoting LGBT rights abroad - Washington Blade

By David Jacobson, Temblor

See earthquakes in the British Virgin Islands

In a journal article published earlier this week, researchers at the University of Washington, USGS, and several other institutions outlined evidence of extreme waves in the British Virgin Islands. The evidence for this coastal inundation are brain corals scattered up to one third of a mile inland from the northern coastline of the island of Anegada.

In order to get over 200 brain corals, which in some instances are several meters in diameter, so far inland, inundation would not only have to be extreme, but violent enough to detach living corals from a Caribbean reef. The scientists have two theories, a rare tsunami or an unusual hurricane. The tsunami source would likely be the distant Puerto Rico Trench, which lies 120 km north of the island. While this trench sits on the boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates, where large earthquakes are possible, no documented tsunamis have even been generated here. Having said that, there are other potential sites along the plate boundary where active faulting could generate a destructive tsunami.

So, does the fact that no tsunami has ever been recorded discount the possibility that one occurred in pre-Columbus (1492) times? Not necessarily. While it can be extremely difficult to prove that clasts were displaced by tsunamis, the argument often hinges on the idea that storm waves are not capable of transporting exceptionally large clasts so far inland. And, in the case of Anegada, no modeled hurricane storm surge or historical hurricane has resulted in inundation that matches the extent of the displaced brain coral. The reason behind this is the deep water just off the northern coast, and a fringing reef, both of which help dissipate energy. It is important to note however, that these characteristics do not have the same effect on tsunamis, which are in fact aided by deep water because less energy is extracted. While this would appear to suggest that a tsunami is the only possible explanation for the displaced coral, in 2013, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines generated tsunami-like surges, in what can be described as an unusual event. This is why the Brian Atwater and his team believe the culprit is either a tsunami or an unusual hurricane. It should be noted that the effect of tsunami-like surges similar to those seen in the Philippines have not been modeled for Anegada.

Despite this lack of modelling, the scientists believe that the burden of proof rests more with an unusual storm than with a locally-sourced tsunami. This is likely due to the lack of evidence of past tsunamis and the regularly-occurring hurricanes which hit the Caribbean. Regardless of the exact cause, the findings by Brian Atwater and his team help bring scientists a little bit closer to determining if large local-sourced tsunamis are possible in the Caribbean. Additionally, people in the British Virgin Islands believe that the more evidence they have of large destructive waves, the better their public outreach efforts will do.

References Brian F. Atwater, Uri S. ten Brink, Anna Lisa Cescon, Nathalie Feuillet, Zamara Fuentes, Robert B. Halley, Carlos Nuez, Eduard G. Reinhardt, Jean H. Roger, Yuki Sawai, Michaela Spiske, Martitia P. Tuttle, Yong Wei and Jennifer Weil-Accardo, Extreme waves in the British Virgin Islands during the last centuries before 1500 CE, Geosphere(2017), DOI: 10.1130/GES01356.1 Link

USGS Press Release Enormous Caribbean Waves Before 1492 Link

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Evidence for pre-Columbian tsunamis in the Caribbean? - temblor

Over 60 teams from the Caribbean, U.S., Canada and Europe will race in the 44th St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR) on March 24 to 26 at St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

This three-day regatta known as the Crown Jewel of Caribbean Yacht Racing will be prefaced by the 2nd Round the Rocks Race on March 23, which features a circumnavigation of the 19-square-mile neighboring U.S. Virgin Island of St. John.

Back for its third year is Robert and Libby Alexanders Gunboat 60 Fault Tolerant, joining an impressive class of five offshore catamarans. We love the courses sailing around the islands and the entry list should make for some great competition, notes Robert, who adds that hes especially looking forward to competing with former Boston University college sailing teammates as crew along with his wife and some of her former teammates from Tulane.

Flow, another Gunboat 60, owned by Stephen Cucchiaro from Boston MA, beat Fault Tolerant to win this class in the 2016 STIR and Flow will be back to defend its title. Fujin, a Bieker 53 built by St. Croix, US Virgin Islands-based Gold Coast Yachts, will certainly be an entry to watch. The catamaran, owned by Greg Slyngstad from Sammamish, Washington won the Offshore Multihull class at the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta earlier this month.

The CSA Spinnaker Class has attracted several past winners with even hotter boats and teams. Doug Baker of Huntington Beach, CA, who topped this class last year aboard the chartered J/122 El Ocaso, will be back on his Andrews 70, Runaway, with several Americas Cup crew aboard. Last years second place finisher, St. Thomas Peter Corr, is also back aboard his King 40, Blitz, with the same professional Aussie, New Zealand, UK and US crew who are raring to race.

We all enjoyed the boat last year and did quite well with podium finishes in all 4 regattas we raced in, notes Corr. The boat is light and fast with a carbon fiber rig. It takes 10 to race her. Were looking forward to very competitive racing with great wind and sea, beautiful weather.

Another class entry poised for the podium is Touch2Play Racing, a J/88 Canadas Rob Butler brought down after enjoying racing in STIR last year aboard his same-named VXOne. Butler has enlisted Jeff Johnstone, president of Newport, RI-headquartered J-Boats, to crew with him for STIR.

In the CSA Non-Spinnaker class, Martin van Breems, president of the Sound Sailing Center in Norwalk, CT, will be back for his 16th STIR with a charter of center members and students as crew aboard the VAr 37, Varuna. We outfitted the VAr 37 for the Newport-Bermuda Race last year and managed a podium finish despite blowing out our only asymmetrical sail, says van Breems. With a self tacking headsail, we are pretty fast upwind if its over 15 knots, a reasonable bet! Im an inventor of marine hardware, and our boat always has some interesting stuff on it I am testing, including an innovative batten system for the headsail.

One-design classes are highighted this year with the C&C 30s. I have never raced a boat in the Caribbean and wanted to cross this off my bucket list, says Sandra Askew, from Cottonwood Heights, UT, who will be sailing her C&C 30, Flying Jenny. We are still working out the kinks to get faster. For me the boat is special because it is easy to sail and really gets going fast for a 30-footer, especially downwind. Hopefully by us, Themis, Nemis and possibly Dont Panic sailing, we can generate interest in the class.

The St. Thomas Yacht Clubs homegrown fleet of IC24s, a modification of a J/24, will be out in force. I think the IC24 class will see a lot more boats this year since the Club has started their new sailing school and have Dave Franzel in charge of the class now, says St. Thomas Mike Findlay, who races his Huron Girl.

The Virgin Islands commemorates this year its Transfer Centennial, or the 100th year anniversary of the U.S. purchasing the island from Denmark. On Friday (Mar. 31), for the race to the Charlotte Amalie harbor, all STIR race boats will fly the U.S. Virgin Islands flag and will individually sail along the waterfront in an ongoing Centennial Salute after finishing the days first race.

In addition, STIR organizers welcome two Danish Royal Navy sailing ships, the THYRA and SVANEN, which will be participating in both the Round the Rocks and STIR. The ships are 60-foot Bermuda rigged international open-ocean racers which are used as cadet training ships for future Danish Royal Naval officers.

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Source: Carol Bareuther

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Crown Jewel of Caribbean Yacht Racing >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News - Scuttlebutt Sailing News

As cruise regions come and go; some falling out of favour while others take the spotlight, there is a constant: theCaribbean. Its not difficult to see why. The weather, is, of course, a major factor. A Caribbean cruise comes with the promise of tropical heat and sunshine a big draw particularly in the peak-season winter months.

Then there is the Caribbeans geographical make up -- seemingly tailor-made for cruising, with the islands spaced to allow passengers to arrive at a new port on a new island most mornings. And importantly, a cruise is the best way to see several islands in a single trip. Independent inter-island travel in the Caribbean usually means flying which can be pricey and a hassle. A cruise is likely to work out far cheaper, and more relaxing, with no need for constant packing and unpacking.

One of the prime draws of the Caribbean is relaxing on a beach, and at virtually every port of call you can do just that. A major selling point of some cruise companies is a day at their own hassle-free beach. But most islands also offer a big selection of things to see and do. For one thing, woven into the fabric of many Caribbean islands is a rich and complex colonial heritage. Your cruise may visit islands with strong British, Hispanic, Gallic and Dutch cultures or influences allowing you to immerse yourself in Spanish colonial cities such as Havana or San Juan, visit plantation houses on Barbados and Georgian Nelsons Dockyard on Antigua, dine on French-Creole cuisine in Martinique, and admire the Dutch colonial architecture of Curaaos Willemstad.

In terms of activities, one day you could be snorkelling with stingrays off Grand Cayman, on another climbing waterfalls in Jamaica, or zip-lining overSt Lucias rainforest canopy, river tubing in Dominica, or kayaking alongGrenadas indented coast. The wide choice of non-cultural excursions makes the Caribbean ideal cruise territory for families.

Here is my selection of this year's best Caribbean cruises. All prices include flights unless otherwise stated. Prices for family cruises are based on a family of four sharing the cheapest suitable cabin.

Viking Cruises new ocean trips to the Caribbean started this winter, with an 11-day, roundtrip West Indies Explorer itinerary from San Juan on the Viking Star, a smallish vessel (holds 930 passengers) with an attractive, cleancut Scandinavian interior design. The itinerary is unusual in that the ship docks overnight in the old city of San Juan at its most atmospheric at night and visits an island every day: Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados, Guadeloupe, St Kitts, St Maart, St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. At each port one excursion is included in the cruise fare. From 2,690 per person departing in January, 2018 (0800 319 6660; vikingcruises.co.uk).

If you do wish to spend more time in port in the Caribbean, Azamara Club Cruises places emphasis on destination immersion, with longer stays in ports, especially in the evenings. A largely off the beaten track West Indies Hideaway Voyage on the mid-sized Azamara Quest stays docked until 9pm or 11pm at Guadeloupe, Nevis, St Barts and St Maarten, for example. On chic St Barts, an Insider Access tour visits a luxury cosmetics house, and theres a complimentary Azamazing Evening featuring modern dance and opera. From 1,382 per person departing Miami on March 10 2017 and excluding flights (0844 493 4016; azamaraclubcruises.co.uk).

You are unlikely to have a more memorable time at sea in the Caribbean than on the magnificent Sea Cloud II. Noble Caledonia is chartering the three-masted barque (which has 23 sails) in February and early March 2018 for Barbados to Antigua voyages (or vice versa). The itinerary visits 13 islands, including little-frequented gems such as Bequia and volcanically active Montserrat (at many stops you need to take a tender to get ashore). The voyages theme is the golden age of the Royal Navy (1750-1815): a historian provides lectures and insights, and sights include Nelson-related places on Nevis, where the admiral met and married Fanny Nisbet. A 13-night cruise costs from 7,295 per person including excursions (020 7752 0000; noble-caledonia.co.uk).

Celebrity Cruises runs Chef s Market Discoveries excursions on the Caribbean islands of Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia and St Maarten (from $199/160 per person). Passengers accompany a chef from the ship on a visit to a market, sample local food in a restaurant and, back on board, get a tour of the ships galley and dine on island-inspired dishes. On Antigua, you can also book an excursion that visits the home of alocal chef for a cookery lesson and meal. A seven-night round-trip Southern Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Summit costs from 1,739 per person departing April 1 2017. From San Juan the ships stops at Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia and St Maarten.

Seabourn offers explorations of the uncommon Caribbean aboard its luxurious vessels. A Caribbean In-Depth itinerary on Seabourn Odyssey (450 passengers) takes a meandering route, round-trip from Barbados. Tenders are used to get ashore to smaller islands rarely visited by other cruise ships. These include Mayreau and Bequia in the idyllic Grenadines and the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla, which can lay claim to some of the finest beaches in the region. Excursions are unusual too, ranging from Seabourns popular Caviar in the Surf beach barbecue, to kayaking through the mangroves in Guadeloupe. A 14-day Exotic Caribbean In-Depth itinerary departing on April 1 2017 costs from 5,399 per person (0843 373 2000; seabourn.com).

Disney Cruise Line is arguably the best option for a Caribbean cruise for families with younger children. Besides the numerous Disney characters to befriend on board passengers can expect highquality shows and entertainment and stimulating kids clubs. There are cruises that visit Castaway Cay, Disneys private island playground in the Bahamas; and you can sail from Port Canaveral, just an hours drive from Walt Disney World (cruise/stay packages possible). On sailings from Port Canaveral on Disney Fantasy there is a Star Wars Day at Sea think Jedi training sessions and a Star Wars-themed deck party with fireworks. A seven-night western Caribbean cruise on Disney Fantasy, visiting Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica and Castaway Cay, costs from 1,749 per person departing January 6 2018 (0800 169 0742; disneyholidays. co.uk).

Royal Caribbeans Harmony of the Seas began sailing the Caribbean this winter. Able to carry 6,780 passengers, it is the worlds biggest cruise ship. Family fun comes in the form of Ultimate Abyss (the 10-storey drop makes it the tallest slide at sea), a trio of water slides, a surf simulator and zip wire, a fairground carousel, climbing wall, ice rink and much else besides. Sailings are from Fort Lauderdale year round on seven-night itineraries, most stopping at Royal Caribbeans private beach resort of Labadee in Haiti, likely to be the favourite port of call for families. A seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise calling at St Maarten, San Juan and Labadee costs from 1,787 per person departing August 26 2017 (0844 493 4005; royalcaribbean.co.uk).

For a keenly priced cruise with a fun-filled American ambience, consider Carnival. Entertainment on Carnival Vista, the newest ship in the fleet, includes the first Imax theatre at sea, SkyRide (a pedalpowered aerial bike) and a Dr Seuss-themed library. The 24-hour Family Harbour Lounge is equipped with board and video games. The ship operates out of Miami year round, making it convenient for a summer holiday break. A six-night western Caribbean cruise visiting Jamaicas Ocho Rios, plus Grand Cayman and Cozumel on the Yucatan Peninsula, costs from 1,499 per person (999 children) through Virgin Holidays Cruises. Departs on August 18 2017 and includes two nights b&b in South Beach, Miami (0344 488 3084; virginholidayscruises.co.uk).

Hikes through rainforest-draped interiors are possible on a number of Caribbean islands, but with limited time ashore this can be tricky to arrange yourself. Ramblers Cruise & Walk programme features walks (rated generally moderate in difficulty) on several islands which are led by a local guide in each port. A two-week trip from Barbados on Fred Olsens mid-sized ship, Braemar, visits nine of the Lesser Antilles. Walking highlights include the Millet Trail on St Lucia (a prime spot for sighting rare parrots), the Valley of the Giants rainforest on St Kitts and a climb up Signal Hill on Antigua for panoramic views. A 16-night Islands of the Caribbean holiday costs from 4,195 per person, including walks and departing December 20 2017 (01707 386767; ramblersholidays.co.uk/cruise-and-walk).

With British cruisers firmly in mind Thomson is a good bet for affordable cruiseand-stay packages. The company uses its own ships and charter flights and offers a choice of Caribbean departure ports Barbados, Jamaica and, new for winter 2017/18, La Romana in the Dominican Republic. A Coral Islands itinerary from La Romana on the mid-sized Thomson Celebration takes in some of the loveliest parts of the eastern Caribbean, stopping at rainforest-coated Dominica and the sophisticated Gallic outpost of Martinique, plus the British Virgin Islands, St Kitts and Barbados. A 14-night holiday combining a sevennight cruise with a weeks all-inclusive stay at the new, upmarket Sensatori Resort Punta Cana costs from 2,105 per person departing on December 13 2017 (0871 230 2800; thomson.co.uk/cruise).

Norwegian Escape, the newest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet operates Caribbean cruises year round, from Miami. With over two dozen places to drink and eat on board, including a brew pub, a stylish wine bar and Jimmy Buffetts Margaritaville at Sea, plus good Broadway-style shows, the ship is a good option for those whose priority is having fun in contemporary surroundings. A (light-on-sightseeing) seven-night western Caribbean cruise stops at the Yucatn in Mexico, Honduras and Harvest Caye Norwegians new resort-style port in Belize, which has a private white-sand beach and a shallow lagoon for watersports and manatee viewing. The Western Caribbean cruise including two nights at a four-star hotel in Miami (nine nights total) costs from 1,499 per person departing on August 31 2017 booked through Iglu Cruise (020 3553 2592; iglucruise.com).

If you want a longer Caribbean cruise consider a no-fly voyage that incorporates transatlantic sea crossings instead. Saga Cruises, rated Best Small Cruise Line by readers in the most recent Telegraph Travel Awards, is offering a 32-night Murder Mystery in the Caribbean cruise in January 2018, round-trip from Southampton. As well as 20 days at sea on the intimate, 720-passenger Saga Sapphire, the ship visits eight Caribbean islands, including Guadeloupe, setting for the BBC TV series Death in Paradise, where passengers can tour locations used for filming. Talks continue on board, where there is a murder mystery evening. Saga includes home-to-port transfers, tipping and selected drinks in its cruise fare. From 5,621 per person, departing on January 21 2018 (0800 505030; saga. co.uk/cruises).

Star Clippers offers Cubanfocused itineraries on the 170-passenger Star Flyer, a graceful, fully rigged tall ship fitted with teak decks and mahogany rails. The cruises run Havana to Cienfuegos, or vice versa for winter 2017/2018; on-board overnight stays have been added in the cities at the start and end. En route you stop at several islands in the Canarreos archipelago off Cubas south-west coast for swimming, watersports and barbecue lunches on idyllic beaches; on the Isla de la Juventud you can also visit a chilling former prison complex where Fidel Castro was held in the Fifties. The trips also encompass the Cayman Islands. Ten nights from Havana to Cienfuegos in January 2018 costs from 2,085 per person, excluding flights (0845 200 6145; starclippers.co.uk).

For a more mainstream and affordable Cuban cruise, consider Celestyal Cruises. The 1,200-passenger Celestyal Crystal is now operating out of Havana year-round. After a night moored at Cubas capital, the ship sails to idyllic Punta Frances beach on Isla de la Juventud, then Cienfuegos. From here there is an excursion to Trinidad, one of Cubas most attractive colonial towns, before the ship heads to Jamaica for a day at Montego Bay. Santiago de Cuba, the countrys musically rich second city, is the final stop, before a day at sea returning to Havana along the islands north coast. A weeks trip in late June 2017 costs from 2,079 per person, including four additional nights in a hotel in Havana booked through The Holiday Place (020 7625 0660; holidayplace.co.uk).

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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Tuesday March 21, 2017 Regardless of where you live in the Caribbean or anywhere else for that matter , youll hear complaints about the cost of living at some point or the other.

But according to a list compiled by Bruce Northam for Thrillist, one Eastern Caribbean island is one of nine incredible countries where someone interested in visiting for an extended period or relocating could get by on US$1,000 per month.

Grenada was named in a list that also included Armenia, Bolivia, Fiji, Laos, Montenegro, Nepal, Nicaragua and Zimbabwe.

Heres what was said about the Spice Isle:

What youll save on:Exotic spices. Fresh and way cheaper than Trader Joes (the nutmeg on Grenadas flag is telling).

Why here?Youll find plenty of splendid beaches and nice places to crash on this West Indies paradise. GMT (Grenada Maybe Time) slips away from you as the locals songlike accent often needs translating. Keep in mind that this is the Caribbean and to navigate affordably youll have to go more native than you might prefer. Keeping the peace is Grenadians attachment to British colonial law one must bow to a picture of the queen when entering a court. And if you swear, its not hard to land there. Locals call this a church state because cursing within earshot of a cop can warrant an arrest. At least you dont need any language but English to get around just fine.

Grande Anse Beach, Grenada

Local joints play upbeat soca music, which gets Grenadians up and bouncing. They call itwining, pronounced why-ning, and its a carnal dance demonstration: couples swiveling for hours, rarely making eye contact with one another. No doubt youll also encounter some of the 5,000-plus international students enrolled in the medical school, perhaps on the dance floor.

Affordable adventure:Hike jungles, laze on beaches, and just mingle. Dig on the national dish called oil down, getting its name from the coconut milk oil residue that infuses the one-pot stew of breadfruit, callaloo, okra, cabbage, fish, dumplings, turmeric, and whatever else is on hand. A lively traffic circle near Grand Anse Beach borders a makeshift outdoor marketplace sarcastically named Wall Street because the strip-mall parking area is bookended by banks. Along with being a mini-bus hub, the circle attracts locals who gather to buy open-air-grilled meat and drink beverages sold from ice chests in pickup beds. At night, cars blare music, creating instant parties.

If you need a hedonistic binge:Youll soon hear distant calypso music filling the barbecued night air. Thats your cue to follow the sound of steel drums and behold this West Indies invention listening music that doubles as delivery for satire and political commentary. You can hire a cabbie wholl take you wherever you want to go for the night, all night, for about $20.

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Release Date: March 20, 2017

Geologists have discovered evidence that unusual seas detached living corals from a Caribbean reef and scattered them far inland, as boulders, during the last centuries before Columbus arrived. The new findings will reinforce precautions against coastal hazards, Caribbean tsunami specialists said.

The coral boulders were found in the British Virgin Islands at Anegadaa low-lying island named by Columbus in 1493 and located behind a coral reef that faces the Puerto Rico Trench. One of the geologists, Brian Atwater of the U.S. Geological Survey said, We were astonished to find over 200 coral boulders scattered as much as one-third of a mile inland from the islands trenchward shore. He added, Some are entire colonies of brain coral a few feet in diameter. All were likely emplaced during a sea flood sometime between the years 1200 and 1480.

A brain coral boulder eight feet in diameter stands 750 feet inland in the British Virgin Islands. Geologists say that the coral was brought ashore, probably alive, by an unusual tsunami or storm between the years 1200 and 1480.(Credit: Brian F. Atwater, U.S. Geological Survey. Public domain.)

The geologists blame either a rare tsunami or an unusual hurricane. They point to dormant tsunami sources in the Puerto Rico Trench, where tectonic plates meet 100 miles north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. But they also note that a tropical cyclone can produce tsunami-like surges, as happened in the Philippines in 2013.

The findings on Anegada bring scientists a step closer to discovering whether faults in the Puerto Rico Trench produce large earthquakes and associated tsunamis. Tsunamis generated along smaller faults took lives in the Virgin Islands in 1867 and in Puerto Rico in 1918. No tsunami from the trench itself is known from written records going back to 1530.

Sharleen DaBreo, the Director of the Department of Disaster Management in the British Virgin Islands, said the findings support the BVIs public education and outreach efforts. She said that with regards to the possibility of a Puerto Rico Trench tsunami, The more evidence we have of tsunamis in the region, the easier it will be to boost public awareness. As it stands, Caribbean tsunamis are so rare that some people may downplay tsunami hazards, even on low-lying shores that face the Puerto Rico Trench.

For Elizabeth Vanacore of the Puerto Rico Seismic Network, the findings serve as a reminder to use a felt earthquake as a timely cue to evacuate coastal areas. A tsunami generated during an earthquake in the Puerto Rico Trench would reach our nearest shores in less than 30 minutes, Dr. Vanacore said, For many years we have advised people along the coast to respond immediately upon feeling a strong or long-lasting earthquake, by going to high ground or at least inland.

Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, who leads the Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, added that a Puerto Rico Trench tsunami could spread into much of the Caribbean and could reach the U.S. Atlantic seaboard as well. Tsunami warning centers are continuously monitoring earthquakes throughout the Caribbean, she said. The centers would alert government officials and the public in the case of any tsunami event.

The geologists compared the coral boulders of 1200 to 1480 with traces of other unusual seas at Anegada, including modern hurricanes up to category 4, and a tsunami that crossed the Atlantic in 1755. They concluded that whether from tsunami or storm, the waves that deposited those corals far outran any others at Anegada in the past 2,000 years or more.

Ms. von Hillebrandt-Andrade related this extended history to a recent lesson from Japan. When anticipating natural hazards, she said, its important to know what happened many centuries into the past. The 2011 tsunami was probably bigger than any other Japanese tsunami since the year 869.

The research paper, Extreme waves in the British Virgin Islands during the last centuries before 1500 CE, was published today in Geosphere, a peer-reviewed journal of the Geological Society of America. The paper contains 45 pages of color photographs and maps. It is available online without charge.

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Enormous Caribbean Waves Before 1492 - USGS - United States Geological Survey (press release)