The Caribbean abounds in cruises. We get on ships and sail over blue waters, the skies flecked with fluffy white clouds, picturesque islands in the distance.
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| passing an island, Lesser Antilles |
When we go ashore, there are big tropical plants with intensely colored flowers to marvel at.
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| Ixora with heliconias butterfly (black stripes) |
But much of the Caribbean is very dry. Some smaller islands have no permanent water and some hillsides on other islands are virtual deserts.
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| dry hillside |
Dramatic cacti and yuccas are native here, even though they seem like ornamentals.
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| tall cactus |
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| Cacti on a ledge |
This large prickly pear (
Opuntia) has ripening fruits
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| a big prickly pear |
And here are fine-looking agaves.
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| agaves |
An impressive array of water hoarding plants just around the corner from the yacht clubs.
(Pictures from the Lesser Antilles, mainly Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands).
Comments and corrections welcome.
Seen on a cruise on
Sea Cloud II organized by
Academic Arrangements Abroad.
Kathy Keeler
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