Beaches and Turtles

Baby Sea turtles in Grand Cayman! Wow, I never thought I would see something like that. Having visited Grand Cayman previously on a cruise ship, I knew I wanted to go back. This visit to Grand Cayman was truly a spur of the moment trip. My husband and I had a chance to visit for a week, staying in a private condo on the islands north side. The north side of the island is beautiful and quiet, which is exactly what we were looking for and since it was in September, the quieter time of year, it was extra quiet. We had the whole beach to ourselves! Breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, calm waters & a white sandy beach. It was truly a relaxing & rejuvenating getaway.

• Daily life: Every morning started with cup of coffee & sunrise, we are early risers. Followed by a morning swim and a walk to Rum Point and every evening ended with a stunning sunset, picture perfect for postcards. There were a couple days where the beach was our only destination. But others involved exploring this beautiful island and taking in the scenery.
• Rum Point, not far at all from where we were staying, had a bit of everything. Beach, entertainment, shopping, tours & activities, restaurants. The wreck bar had a great fish blt! If you go a little further past Rum point you will hit Kiabo, a fabulous restaurant with great food. And, just beyond there was Starfish Point. It looks like a little vacant park when you pull up. It doesn’t look like much but give it a chance. Get out, walk to the water, walk in and look around. First of all, you just won’t believe how clear the water is! Then you will see them, beautiful starfish. There are many tours that stop here but if you are on the island and can drive there, bring a lunch and enjoy the scenery or go back to Kiabo or Rum Point and enjoy some local cuisine. Driving on the island was my husbands job. You drive on the opposite side, so our joke was that whenever we got in the car we would yet out Left, Left!! Just as a little reminder. We took a day to do some sightseeing. The drive to George Town was beautiful. After lunch, we took the long way back driving along the Seaview Dr. We wanted to see the Blowholes. Now, this is not your typical attraction. As you drive along the road, taking in the sea views, you will notice some hand painted rustic signs that say Blowholes ahead. No fancy buildings, cobblestone sidewalks or paved parking lots. Just a road, roadside parking and a path to walk down to this spectacular site. I have to say, walking out onto the rocks was a bit intimidating. It sounds like there are sea creatures under your feet that are going to pop up and get you. The sound comes from the water rushing up against and under the rocks making a sound that makes you second guess being there. As it forces the water up through the many holes, it creates an amazing site. Get a picture as the water rushed up around you. You’ll be glad you did.

Now, the most amazing part of my vacation. Down on the beach, we noticed a hole in the sand and it was surrounded by sea shells. On one of our beach days, we were sitting under a palapa and enjoying the view. I jumped up to go get something from the house and noticed that the hole had something in it. I seriously looked reptilian so I had Mike come take a look. He said “it’s baby turtles”!! They were barely moving so we left them alone and continued to enjoy our beautiful afternoon. A little while later, Mike was in the water & I was under the palapa. I glanced over and I seen the most AMAZING thing. The baby sea turtles were coming out of the hole and making the journey to the ocean. The sand was littered with baby turtles, the size of a quarter. Their eyes appeared closed so, how they made it to the ocean was beyond me. Do they sense the water?

The next morning, Mike went down to take a quick swim. He came back and said grab the camera! There was a new nest on the beach. What a sight! Within 15 minutes the environmental agency was at the beach marking the nest. Apparently they monitor all nests! And I was told that it was a $100,000.00 fine if you mess with them!

I hope you enjoy the video. But, NO laughing! I sound like an elf!!