The Cayman Islands, are British Overseas Territory covering  264-square-kilometre (102-square-mile). They comprise of 3 islands in the western Caribbean Sea. The island we have visited on a couple of occasions is Grand Cayman. It is the largest island and well known for its beach resorts and varied scuba diving and snorkelling sites.  The 2nd largest Cayman Island is Cayman Brac which is a popular place for deep-sea fishing excursions. Little Cayman, the smallest island, has interesting diverse wildlife, including endangered iguanas to seabirds such as red-footed boobies. The capital is George Town, on Grand Cayman.

Grand Cayman, the largest and most populous island, is about 22 miles (35 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) across at its widest, with a total area of 76 square miles (197 square km). 

We arrived by Princess cruise ship and tendered in to shore and embarked on our ships tour of the island. 

Our tour included a sightseeing trip around George Town.

We then visited the Turtle farm at Boatswain’s Beach. At this eco-sensitive attraction, there are 100 round pools containing turtles at different developmental stages. There are small baby turtles, a 600-pound giant turtle, and everything in between. All the turtles have been raised at the farm with the hope of increasing the population and preventing them from being hunted to extinction…….the sign at the Centre says …’ The Cayman Turtle Centre maintains a small population of Kemp’s Ridley’s, the most endangered sea turtle. In 1980, in response to fears that this critically endangered species could disappear completely from the wild and to ensure genetic preservation, yearlings were brought from Mexico to here to start a breeding colony. In 1984 the Cayman Turtle Centre became the first place in the world to successfully breed captive reared Kemp’s Ridley’s. In April 1999, 110 Kemp’s were sent back to Mexico to continue the cooperative research project which started in 1979’.

We had such fun learning about the turtles and we were taught how to hold them and how they really like their neck stroked…it was a very special couple of hours.

There were also some very photogenic lizards basking in the heat of the sun.

Our tour continued along Seven Mile Beach. The beautiful Seven Mile Beach lies along the Caribbean Sea and has white, soft sand and gentle waves. There are plenty of places to hire a sun-lounger and parasols and indulge in a nice cool drink. 

Our next stop was Hell. Hell is at the top of most visitors’ itineraries. Hell is where you can see the beautiful volcanic like spike rock formations.  This is what Hell says about the rock formations …..”The sharp grey coloured pinnacled surface of the Caymen formation dolostone referred to as phytokarst, ………..This erosion has left an eerie and desolate looking landscape that earned this location its highly appropriate name. “

There is also the famous post office from where you can mail a letter back home post marked from Hell…….which of course we did…however only 3 of the 5 we posted arrived in England and we had been home 4 weeks before they turned up !!!!!!

John spoilt me here and bought me a gold pendant with a circular ball of the dolostone in the middle. 

One of the islands delicacies is the famed rum cake, we stopped at the Tortuga Rum Cake Company for a tasty morsel.

What a wonderful visit to an interesting Island we had, had…

Our next trip to the Caymen Islands we decided to revisit the Turtle Centre and this time we went across the road to the Dolphin Sanctuary. All the dolphins have been  rescued and due to their medical needs they are very used to human interaction.  To fund their keep and further rescues they run Dolphin Experiences…. We were given life jackets and had been told to wear swimming costumes and swim shoes. We stood up to our chests  on a ledge in a very large area of water. There was a mother and calf and the mother came and greeted us all by shaking our hands, rising out of the water to a raised hand, kissing us and rubbing our cheeks. After our individual experience the mother returned to the other end of the area and proceeded to teach her calf how to leap and twist and turn out of the water…it was an amazing sight.

Another wonderful experience on Grand Cayman Island….we were sad to leave but it was only ‘au revoir’…until the next time.