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Cayman Geography
The three Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac)
are actually the tops of submerged mountains in a range called the Cayman
Ridge. This ridge extends into the Sierra Maestra range lying off
southeastern Cuba and the Misteriosa Bank near Belize. Between the Cayman
Islands and Jamaica lies the deepest part of the Caribbean, the Cayman
Trough, which is over four miles deep. South of Cayman is the Bartlett
Deep, where depths of over 18,000 feet have been recorded.
Grand Cayman, the largest of the three islands, lies 150 miles south of
Cuba and about 180 miles north and west of Jamaica. The Island is 22 miles
long and 4 miles wide, and is totally surrounded by coral reefs. This
unusual formation has created the famous Cayman Walls, a mecca of divers
throughout the world. The drop-off begins as close as 30 yards offshore,
to a depth of over 6000 feet.
Because of the porous limestone rock, none of the Cayman Islands have
rivers or streams. This lack of runoff from the land means that visibility
in the ocean around Cayman is exceptional, often more than 120 feet. The
low profile of the Island contributes to the perfect year-around tropical
weather, constant breezes, and calm, clear, warm water. Trees, bushes and
vines grow luxuriantly, including coconut palms, thatch palms, seagrape,
and Australian pines (casuarinas).
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Cayman Weather
The Cayman Islands lie between 19 and 20 degrees north latitude in the
far western Caribbean and are cooled by the trade winds. It's always
summer in Cayman: temperature ranges from about 70 to 85 degrees
Fahrenheit, with the hottest period in July and August and the coolest in
February. The ocean is warm all year round, with temperatures ranging from
79 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit and no thermoclines.
Annual rainfall is about 46 inches. It rains more during the period
from May to October than during the rest of the year, and March and April
are the driest months. (This means that May to October is the low season
for tourism in Cayman. But the diving is good -- and you get a real break
on the price of accommodation.)
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Cayman Time
The Cayman Islands remain on Eastern Standard Time all year, without
changing to Daylight Savings Time in April. Cayman is 5 hours behind
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Cayman Currency
The Cayman Islands (C.I.) dollar is worth $1.20 U.S. Another way of
saying this: $1 U.S. = 80 cents C.I. If you have U.S. currency, you can
use it freely in Cayman. You will get change back in C.I. currency, but
the stores give the same exchange rate for cash as the banks do. In many
establishments, you can use the major credit cards (not the Discover
Card). Travellers' cheques are widely accepted; in fact, the bank exchange
for U.S. travellers' cheques is better than for U.S. cash. ATMs accepting
VISA and Mastercard with a Cirrus affiliation are located at the Cayman
National Bank and at the airport.
Grand Cayman
Environment
Since 1986, Cayman's Marine Parks and Marine Conservation laws have
protected the underwater environment. Visitors are forbidden to use
spearguns or to collect or disturb the marine life. (Except for areas
designated for conservation, Caymanians are licensed to fish, harvest
conch and catch lobster in season.)
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Cayman Culture
Grand Cayman has a resident population of about 37,000. The people of
Cayman have a very high standard of living and education; a very low crime
rate; modern infrastructure, communications and medical facilities; a
thriving offshore banking sector; and a friendly and efficient tourist
industry based on a protected marine ecology. Street and beach vendors are
forbidden by law. In contrast to some other Caribbean destinations, this
is a very clean, safe, and relaxing place to spend your vacation.
While the Cayman Islands are a British Crown Colony, the culture of the
island is its own unique blend of Caribbean (particularly Jamaican),
English, and U.S. influences. You must drive on the left, but you can pay
for anything in U.S. dollars. Measures are in imperial (pints, quarts,
gallons, inches, feet, and miles), and temperature is in Fahrenheit.
English as spoken in Cayman combines broad Caribbean vowels with its
own special lilt. People say "Yeah, mon!" for emphasis; the name of the
island is "Grand CayMAN"; the sales clerk will ask, "Can I help?" instead
of "Can I help you?"; and in many quarters the respectful practice
persists of calling people "Mr. Bill" and "Miss Nancy" to take the
impertinence out of using first names. You'll be charmed, not baffled.
Travel to Cayman
There are about 70 flights each week between Miami and Grand Cayman,
via Delta, American, US Airways, and Cayman Airways, and about 30 flights
from other destinations. British Airways runs three flights a week from
London, and Air Jamaica runs a regular service from Kingston and Montego
Bay.
Entry to Cayman
U.S., British and Canadian citizens, and citizens of British Dependent
Territories, do not require passports, but must show proof of citizenship
(passport or birth certificate and current photo ID). Visitors from all
other countries require a passport and either a return or an ongoing
ticket. When you pass Immigration in Cayman, you are given a pink slip
that serves as a tourist identification card. You must keep this slip and
present it at the airport when you leave for home.
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Cayman
Transportation
You can rent cars, vans, Jeeps, and scooters. There are more than a
dozen rental firms to choose from, including Andy's, Budget, Coco/Avis,
Hertz, Just Jeeps, Marshall's, and Thrifty's. Private taxis are widely
available. There is also a limited van/bus-service along the main west-end
roads.
Grand Cayman Dining
The restaurants of Grand Cayman represent almost all the fine cuisines
of the world. But you can also find Cayman-style fish (featuring a spicy
tomato and onion sauce); Jamaican beef patties; hearty red-bean soup; jerk
pork; conch chowder or conch fritters; Caymanian "heavy cake" (a
combination of coconut milk and cassava flavoured with sweet spices); and
a delectable, down-home dish called "run-down", consisting of fish or salt
beef and "bread kind" (potato, yam, breadfruit, or cassava) in a hearty
coconut broth. Feeling adventurous? Try a turtle steak (a time-honoured
Caymanian delicacy) -- and, in an indirect way, help out one of your
favourite sea-creatures. The Cayman Islands Turtle Farm raises and
releases green sea turtles, a species that once inhabited Cayman waters in
enormous numbers. As Cayman has no income tax, and consequently little
public revenue to operate conservation programs, the Turtle Farm raises
money by selling some of the turtles for meat. (In fact, this rich,
beef-like meat must have seemed like manna from heaven to those
scurvy-ridden old-time sailors and pirates.)
Whatever your choice of cuisine (see
Peter's Tips for Peter's own personal recommendations),
taste that great Island brew, Stingray Beer. And save room for the famous
Cayman rum cake.
Cayman dining can be a costly, if delicious, experience. For
value-minded condo-dwellers with a kitchen of their own, the supermarkets,
bakeries and liquor stores of Grand Cayman provide an extremely wide range
of high-quality ingredients -- just about anything you can find at
home.
Grand Cayman
Sightseeing
The following are only a few of the many interesting places to see in
Grand Cayman.
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Cayman Turtle Farm (Boatswain's Beach):
Don't miss a tour of Boatswain's Beach the new Cayman Turtle
Farm. You'll see the turtles in all stages of development, from little
hand-sized flappers, to helmet-sized adolescents, to big breeders the
dimensions of a good-sized coffee table that weigh hundreds of pounds.
You'll hear what a turtle's life is like, and how the Farm intervenes
and releases turtles to the wild to ensure their increase. The Turtle
Farm gift shop is a good place for souvenirs too, especially postcards
and T-shirts with a turtle theme.
Hell:
The village of Hell is named after the fiendishly jagged, black
limestone rock that covers the area. Drop in and visit the Official
Cayman Islands Government Hell Post Office. Mail your pals a postcard
with a HELL postmark!
Rum Point:
Take the ferry or drive around to Rum Point and look at the North
Sound from a more easterly perspective. Check out the lovely homes in
Cayman Kai.
Snorkeling from Shore:
Snorkel at Cemetery Reef in West Bay, or at Eden Rock south of George
Town. Also don't forget delightful Smith's Cove in South
Sound.
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Blowholes:
Drive about half an hour along the south road that travels the length
of the island to East End, until you reach the Blowholes, a spot where
the force of the sea drives spume up through holes in the limestone
"ironshore". An impressive sight. If the refreshment stand across the
road is open, sit under the tent and drink a fresh coconut.
Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Garden:
Walk a nature-trail and see many of the trees, plants and ecosystems
native to the Cayman Islands.
East End:
Drive to the quiet end of the island and capture a feeling of how
Cayman used to be. Enjoy the vistas from the bluffs along the east-coast
road.
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