Position: 19°39’N, 80°05’W – Little Cayman
Our unpredictable schedule makes it difficult for friends
and family to meet us along our adventure but one was not to be
dissuaded. It has been a reunion planned for months, with many changes along
the way. First it was Hawaii, then Panama, then Cuba, even Miami but
finally, last weekend, we picked up our german friend Monika at Grand Cayman
airport.
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| Keeping it simple at Little Cayman airport |
The Skipper took her through usual safety briefing and showed
her ropes. Monika listened at first and then started to ask questions, very much
like the First Mate did when she was at the same early learning stage - Why do
you do it that way? Have you thought of doing it another way? Would it not be
better to do it this way? For the first time, it dawned on him just how and why
the two of them are such good friends! By Day Two, the Skipper had resigned
himself to Ashling becoming a ‘German Boat’ for the duration of Monika’s vacation.
Monika also learned to preface her questions with “That’s an interesting
technique”, a signal that a suggestion was on the way. With what looked
like an interesting two weeks ahead, we stocked up in Georgetown and set sail
for the island of Little Cayman.
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| Meeting the locals |
Little Cayman is a little island (surprise, surprise!)
located about 100 miles north-east of Grand Cayman. The 200 people living there
are well outnumbered by iguanas, large prehistoric-looking lizards who sit so
still in the sun that they look like statues, and then scamper away when you
come close. Tourism is the main source of income for the island so everything
is tailored to give visitors all they need for the perfect island holiday. The
pace of life is slow and relaxed, and everyone knows everybody – five minutes
after asking the lady in the dive shop for directions to the Customs Officer, he
had heard we were looking for him and pulled up beside us on the road to give
us a lift!
We stayed for a few days to snorkel in the clear water,
relax in the beach hammocks and take a bike ride around the island. One of the
island’s proudest sites is the Booby Pond Nature Reserve. The Cayman Islands
are a popular stop for thousands of migratory birds on their annual journey north.
In particular Little Cayman is home to one of the largest breeding colony of
red boobies - of the bird variety, no offence intended to any local sunburned ladies
- in the world. The white heads of the young chicks looked like little bits of
cotton wool among the trees and the skies came alive at sunset, when
Mummy-birds and Daddy-birds returned with dinner, dodging the nasty frigate
birds who lay in wait to steal the catch of the day.
Wonderful. Looks like you are having a great time!
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