Magical Port Adventures - part 1

Like so many other 7-night cruises out there, our sailing on the Disney Magic through the Western Caribbean included stops in ports of call.  Our itinerary included stops in Grand Cayman, Costa Maya and Cozumel.   This entry will share some information about our stop in Grand Cayman. 

Grand Cayman is the largest of the three islands that make up the Cayman Islands, which is still a British territory.  

Geographically, it is south of the western end of Cuba, approximately 1,092 miles southeast of Galveston, TX.  The island itself is about 22 miles long, and about 8 miles wide at its’ widest point.  It goes no higher than 60 feet above sea level. 

Yet, Grand Cayman, is home to hell on earth… literally – there is a place called Hell, on the island.  It is a place about the size of half of a soccer field, filled with black limestone formations.  It is ugly, yes, but nothing too exciting, though it certainly is a highlight of many tours, with a post office right onsite where guests can send cards or letters home “from hell.” 

Our tour took us to the Cayman Islands Turtle Farm, which raises turtles for meat, as well as introduction into the wild.  We were able to each hold a turtle, and touch several others.  It was a fun, yet sad place too.  We did get to see a hatchling working its’ way up out of the dirt in the glassed-enclosure hatchery.  That was pretty neat by itself. 

The island is surrounded by some beautifully pristine waters, with such incredibly beautiful hues.  Surrounding the island are many wonderful places for scuba diving and snorkeling.  We took a tour on a boat out to “Stingray City”, which was about a 15-20 minute boat ride out to the area, made up of 3-5 foot sandbars where there is an abundance of southern stingrays that guests can interact with.  

We had a very nice time playing with the stingrays, and getting some cool underwater photos of each other.  The waters were so beautiful, and so very comfortable.  The temperatures were fabulous – my lovely bride was initially afraid that they might be too cold to swim in at that time of year. 

Overall, neither of us were terribly impressed by Grand Cayman.  It has some lovely areas, and to be sure, some gorgeous beaches and ocean panoramas, but the port was dirty and ugly, and left a bad impression from beginning to end.  The people there were very friendly, but the overall experience just wasn’t what we had hoped it might be.  Perhaps if we go to Grand Cayman again on a future cruise, we will simply enjoy the beach instead of attempting a “port adventure” tour. 

Next time when we look at our port adventures – Costa Maya, Mexico.

Until next time,