1492 Persuasive Speech

INTRODUCTION: WE ALL KNOW THE RHYME – IN 1492 COLUMBUS SAILED THE OCEAN BLUE…. WELL IN 2006 ANNA SAILED THE OCEAN BLUE TOO EXCEPT SHE SAILED IN A BIGGER BOAT WITH A BUFFET, A WARM COZY BED AND MAIDEN VOYAGE DRINKS THAT COST $8.00 BUCKS A POP!

PREVIEW: TONIGHT I CHOSE TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY TRIP TO THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN. MY FAMILY AND I TOOK A 7 DAY CARNIVAL CRUISE WHICH MADE 3 DIFFERENT STOPS, ONE IN JAMAICA, THE SECOND IN GRAND CAYMAN AND THE THIRD IN COZUMEL, MEXICO AND I WANT TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCES FROM EACH OF THEM WITH YOU TODAY.

TRANSITION 1: WE DEPARTED FROM GALVESTON TEXAS AND OUR 1ST STOP WAS IN JAMAICA. IT WAS MY FAVORITE OF ALL THE ISLANDS. IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, THE WATER WAS SUCH A PRETTY SHADE OF BLUE AND THE BEACHES
THEY WERE WHITE, ALMOST TRANSLUCENT IN A WAY. I WENT TO THE OUTDOOR GRILL AND GOT THE FAMILY SOME FOOD WHILE WE WERE THERE AND DECIDED TO TRY THE ‘JERK CHICKEN’. IT IS A CARIBBEAN FAVORITE BUT NOT MINE, WOW WAS THAT STUFF HOT. I ENDED UP GOING BACK TO THE GRILL FOR I THINK THE ONLY NON-HOT FOOD ON ITS MENU WHICH WAS A GRILLED CHEESE. I REMEMBER THE MOST FASCINATING THING TO ME WAS THAT EVERYWHERE I LOOKED ON THE BEACHES WERE SCATTERED WITH FOSSIL RELICS. IN EVERY ROCK I TURNED OVER THERE WAS A FOSSIL IN IT. IT WAS AMAZING; I DECIDED TO TAKE SOME OF THEM WITH ME THAT DAY BEFORE WE
GRAND CAYMAN REMINDED ME OF THE CLASSIC SEA SIDE TOWN, LAID BACK ATMOSPHERE, WINDY SALTY SEA AIR, THE ONLY THING MISSING WAS A LIGHTHOUSE. IT WAS A VERY PEACEFUL FEELING THERE. I HAD BOOKED AN EXCURSION WITH A PLACE CALLED CAPTAIN RON’S AND WE WENT OUT BY BOAT FIRST STOPPING AT THE BARRIER REEF AND THEN ENDING THE DAY BY SWIMMING WITH STINGRAYS. AT THE REEF ONE OF OUR GUIDES WAS AN EXCELLENT FREE DIVER AND HE ASKED US ALL TO HOP INTO THE WATER WITH HIM AND ONCE WE DID HE TOLD US ABOUT A ‘FRIENDLY’ NURSE SHARK THAT LIVED IN THE AREA HE WAS HOPING WOULD STOP BY (THANK GOD SHE DIDN’T) AND AFTER ASKING US ALL TO PUT ON OUR SNORKEL GEAR HE DOVE DOWN ABOUT 20 FT AND COAXED A HUGE MORAY EEL OUT OF ITS DEN. IT WAS A GOOD 5 FT LONG AND VERY TEMPERMENTAL, IT SCARED ME TO BE REAL HONEST. ONCE DONE THERE WE WERE ON TO THE STINGRAYS. DID YOU KNOW THAT GRAND CAYMAN HAS THE ONLY HUMAN FRIENDLY POD OF STINGRAYS IN THE WORLD? WE FED THEM AND PET THEM AND THEY SWAM RIGHT UP AGAINST US. WE WERE TOLD THAT KISSING A RAY ON THE HEAD WAS 7 YEARS GOOD LUCK. I DID IT AND SO FAR I’TS BEEN 4 YEARS AND I CAN TELL YOU THERE IS NO TRUTH TO THAT MYTH. LOL. SO AFTER ANOTHER WHOLE DAY IN THE WATER WE WERE BACK ON THE SHIP AND HEADING FOR