We docked at Fort Lauderdale before 7. Into La Terraza by 7.20 but all the outside tables already taken. Had our customary 3 slices of grapefruit and 2 chunks of pineapple, augmented by some rare mango, alongside our fresh O J and double espresso quickly, returning to the suite to pack up the last few items ready for the cabin change (from 523 to 712) . David went ballistic when Reception refused to put the contents of our safe into theirs- as we had been so instructed. In the end the chief of the butlers  assured us we could still enter 523 on our return

Collected our passports and disembarked by 8.30. Then a long queue to go through Immigration: just 2 men on duty, plus a faulty finger print machine. Our coach with 44 transit passengers left at 9.45, an hour late, for our trip to the Everglades– the USA's biggest tropical wetlands. "A haven of extraordinary wildlife, birds wade through its swamps, and black bears and panthers roam its wilds". This certainlyone of the worst Silverseas tour we had ever experienced!! A terrible loud mouthed guide, appealing only to the American market!.  Once at the Everglades Holiday Park - the name of the place itself should have served as a warning! - we boarded an Air boat for a 50 minute cruise, seeing, disappointingly, only a few alligators. Then a wait to see the Alligator show, which was really awful: nevertheless I did have a photo taken of me holding a baby  alligator!

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Expedition staff for this Fort Lauderdale to Halifax leg :

Lea, expadition leader; Joe Cockram; Oscar Croshaw, biologist; Marcel Lichtenstein, biologist;Bernardo Alps; Malcolm Turner; Alex Hansen; Robin Aiello; Oscar Dunn &; Peter Bergman, assistant exp. leaders; Javier Gonzalez; Lizelle Naude, programmes coordinators: Alicia Rojas, staff assistant; Denis Elterman, video. Also Brian Bailey, activity host. And Maura Jane Farrell, a guest lecturer aboard from May 3rd onwards