After leaving the Carnival dock in Miami, the first port of call will be Cozumel, Mexicio. The partly cloudy east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula and the resort island of Cozumel are apparent in this southwest-looking, low-oblique photograph. Cozumel Island, a popular tourist and resort area 24 miles (39 kilometers) long and 7 miles (11 kilometers) wide, is noted for its beautiful beaches and spectacular coral reefs. Point Molas is visible at the northeast tip of the island. Expansion of roads and clearings for homes, golf courses, and other recreational features are discernible. Cozumel and the Yucatán Peninsula are susceptible to hurricanes from July through mid-October. Hurricane Gilbert in 1987 was the last major hurricane to hit the area.
We have a great crew working hard to make this Free Republic Network cruise the greatest voyage since the Mayflower!
MinuteGal/Leni is the skipper and doubles as Bahama Mama, your cruise info-babe.
Bob J is the purser who handles the cruise fund-raising aspect which will benefit the educational and chapter-building efforts of FRN.
Dittomom flawlessly ran the great cruise contest ably assisted by first-mates Slip 18 and Molly Pitcher. Dittomom helps keeps the cruise threads running smoothly and posts some great graphics and comments! She's such a stalwart supporter of freeper events!
Doughty One is our Cruise Webmaster. He set up all the complicated cruise threads, graphics and links. He continually monitors them for changes and continuity. His handiwork and many talents are obvious to all.
Diotima is our Programs chairman and will set up great programs for freeper meetings on a couple mornings we're at sea. She's also responsible for the sailing-night freeper cocktail party/mixer. We know THAT will be a great fun event!
Gene McDonald (Seeking the Truth) is developing the personalized keepsake name-tags we'll all have aboard ship. He's also handling our registration incentive prizes along with Abner, our own American Flag Balloon aeronaut freeperette.
Strela, ably assisted by The Shrew, is insuring that each cruise "welcome bag" will be chock full of goodies. Strela is also in charge of the freeper Beach Party to be held on the world-famous Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. He also wants to get together a group for an exciting half-day, deep-sea game-fishing expedition in Cozumel. Freepmail him if your interested.
Luis Gonzalez is pitching in to set up an arrangement for a Miami hotel for early-bird-arriving cruisers to stay the night before sailing and to have dinner and maybe a little bash together in the lounge at night. Luis knows the Miami territory and we'll post his findings as soon as all details are in.
Thanks are due also to the many freepers who share their comments and pix on the cruise threads.
Also to the donors who are making many things possible and who will be publicly and thankfully recognized after the cruise.
There are great freepers you'll want to meet on this cruise.....the faces and personalities behind many well-known screen names.
Mingle with the brave, the bold, the witty, the intelligent, the handsome, the conservative, the patriotic freepers on this once-in-a lifetime event. Register this minute, if not sooner!
Leni