Grand Cayman

I think Grand Cayman has the most beautiful water in the world. I thought I had seen some pretty amazing crystal blue seas in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, but nothing compares to the colors of Grand Cayman’s water. It’s absolutely perfect. Brilliant blues spill into turquoise pools which meld into tranquil aquamarines. I’m trying to describe it, but it truly is indescribable!

What’s underneath the water is just as spectacular. I went on a snorkeling tour of a reef and more stingrays. Grand Cayman is a tender port for us, which means we have to dock about 200 yards from the pier and then take small water taxis to the port. I actually had to work for my tour this time as we had to muster passengers from point A to point B – well worth the extra effort though.

My tour only had 14 people and we took a boat out to the reef. Once at the reef, we got to dive in and snorkel. I think my favorite underwater discovery was a huge school of periwinkle fish that had to have numbered at least 300 if not more. It was beautiful swimming along side them and watching them maneuver through the reefs. In the middle of all the periwinkle fish was a great big rainbow colored fish. The other highlight was an eel that our guide found. I can’t remember the name of it but it begins with an M. It was at least 3 feet long if not longer. The guide fed it and eels can be rather feisty. It went after a passenger a few times and you could see its teeth grinding away just dying to bite into some flesh – pretty cool!

After the reef, we took a short ride to a sandbar where I got to swim with stingrays for the 2nd time in a week – I know it’s not fair. This time was even better than the first. The minute you got off the boat you were surrounded by stingrays and they would swim up your back and lift their wings as they swam around you. The guide assuaged all our fears about the stinger by explaining that the only way you can get stung is if you step on the stinger or grab the tail and wrestle with the stingray. He then proceeded to touch the stinger to his tongue to show us he wasn’t kidding – still not sure that I would be that bold, but hey. I got to hold and feed the rays and even kissed one on the nose. The water did get a little rough, so it was a little nerve racking bobbing up and down not knowing if I’d land on one of the rays. Oh, I also learned that stingrays are members of the shark family.

Today we were at sea and I slept the entire day. I have a cold and probably health wise should have not gone on the tour yesterday, but I can’t pass up a chance to see a new island. Tomorrow I’ll have a chance to rest and recover as well since I have in port manning. I now recommend visiting any island in the Caribbean with grand in it’s name – Grand Cayman, Grand Turk – because they truly do live up to their billing!