Adventure on the Cayman Islands

White sand, miles and miles of it. Turquoise water, green palms, red bougainvillea, blue iguanas, and a rainbow of reef fish. Hop on a plane in Miami or one of several other southeastern gateway cities and in about an hour you can be in the Cayman Islands, where all of these colours and more can be found.

It seems that I discover something brand new every time I visit the Cayman Islands. On my first visit, back in the mid-eighties, I dived a wall for the first time. I also recorded my deepest dive ever800 feet. I was in a submarine at the time, but it went into my dive log just the same. On subsequent visits I dived with schools of large, silvery tarpon and was mobbed by a gang of friendly sting rays, both firsts for me.

The Cayman Islands have seen many changes since first being sighted by Christopher Columbus in 1503. Pirates such as Blackbeard and Sir Henry Morgan hung out there for a few years. Later, Scottish fishermen settled in the islands, beginning a long period of prosperity and peace. These days, more than 500 banks and 350 insurance companies keep offices there, taking advantage of the Cayman Islands' lack of an income tax. Equally important to the economy is the burgeoning tourism industry, fuelled by the Islands' ideal tropical weather and miles of perfect beaches. With four thousand hotel and condo rooms, Grand Cayman is by far the most heavily visited of the three islands. Seven Mile Beach, a powdery white sand beach just outside Georgetown, is lined with dive resorts, expensive homes, and luxury hotels. East of Georgetown, the palm and pine shaded road winds along the coast, passes through a few small clusters of pastel coloured houses, curves north along the east end, then westward past rows of palatial vacation homes before coming to a dead end at Rum Point. The Rum Point Restaurant, one of Grand Cayman's best, is an ideal place to kick back and enjoy an ice cold tropical drink as the setting Caribbean sun spews reds and pinks and oranges across the sky and onto the rippling water of the North Sound.

The Turtle Farm, near the west end, is the world's only commercial sea turtle farm. Thousands of turtles, ranging from palm-sized hatchlings to adults weighing several hundred pounds, delight visitors of all ages. Hundreds are released annually to help replenish the Caribbean's dwindling turtle population.

The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is 65 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens set aside to preserve the island's native plant and animal life. A traditional Caymanian home, with its sandy yard and pastel colours, has been reconstructed near the main entrance. Running freely about the grounds are blue iguanas, found only on Grand Cayman, that are hatched in the park's iguana nursery.

Time travel is also possible in the Cayman Islands. If you'd like to see what Grand Cayman was like fifty years ago, take a quick hop over to the sister islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

Cayman Brac is 89 miles from Grand Cayman. This narrow, twelve-mile-long island has a handful of resorts, including three scuba diving operations, all of which cater to nature lovers. The bluffs at the island's east end, at 140 feet, is the highest point in the Cayman Islands. The northeast end of the bluffs, near a rusting lighthouse, is the best place on the island for spectacular sea views and sunrises. Cactus, agave, and red blossoming vines cover most of the white sand that ends abruptly at the precipitous edge of the cliff. Far below, topaz Caribbean waves crash against the unyielding limestone, spraying white foam high into the air.

Five miles across the channel and even farther back in time lies Little Cayman. Similar in size and shape to Cayman Brac but totally flat, Little Cayman is much less developed, with only about 120 residents. The landing strip is still unpaved, and the island's single bank is open only one day a week. There are just a few small resorts on the island, but some of them are first class.

Little Cayman's shoreline is dotted with white sand beaches unmarred by footprints. Just pick one out and you can spend an entire day without seeing another human being. You will see plenty of other life forms, however.

IGUANA CROSSING, read signs along the road. Large green iguanas are numerous, and are often seen alongside, or on the road basking in the sun.

The Booby Pond Nature Preserve, across the road from the Little Cayman Museum, is the nesting place for 3500 pairs of Re-edited booby birds. Also found here is a colony of magnificent frigate birds, the rare West Indian whistling duck, blue herons, and other wading birds.

If you want to pursue a Robinson Crusoe fantasy, with even more privacy, you can kayak or swim out to Owen Island. This 11 acre island, ringed with white sand beaches, is a perfect spot for a secluded picnic, and the snorkelling is excellent in the warm, crystal clear water.

DIVING:

GRAND CAYMAN:

There are abound fifty moored dive sites around this island. One of the most popular sites is the Aquarium, a shallow coral garden full of colourful, semi-tame reef fish. The Oro Verde, sister ship of the Pueblo, an American ship held hostage for a time by North Korea, is an intact shipwreck off Seven Mile Beach. The Balboa is broken up into several large pieces that are scattered across Georgetown Harbor. At Tarpon Alley, a large school of tarpon spends the daylight hours hanging out in an underwater canyon. There are many excellent wall dives, including Palace Pinnacles, Eagle's Nest, and Hole in the Wall. Good shore diving with easy access is also available. Some of the most popular are Eden Rock and Devil's Grotto in Georgetown, and the reef in front of Sunset House Resort.

Stingray City has debunked another of the sea's myths. While it's true that stingrays can inflict a very painful sting if you step on one, their stinger is used only in self defence. In other settings, such as in the shallow water of the North Sound where they have been fed daily for years, they are about as dangerous as a bowl of goldfish. Snorkellers and divers alike can swim with dozens of stingrays in only 2-12 feet of crystal clear water.

LITTLE CAYMAN:

Some of the Caribbean's best diving and snorkelling is found off Little Cayman. In places, the incredibly lush reef extends just a few yards from shore before plummeting into seemingly bottomless indigo depths.

Bloody Bay Wall is considered the best wall dive in the Caribbean, if not the world, by many divers. The sheer wall, covered with crimson, yellow, and purple sponges and sea fans, begins at about twenty feet and bottoms out at infinity, for all practical purposes. You can't see the bottom, but they say it's down there somewhere. Other dramatic wall dives are Sheer Wall, Donna's Delight, and Mixing Bowl. Eagle rays, manta rays, dolphins, and turtles can be encountered at any dive site at Little Cayman, so keep your eyes open.

CAYMAN BRAC:

Divers by the hundreds come here to dive the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts, a 330 foot Russian frigate sunk off the island's west end in September 1996. Vessel #356 patrolled Cuban waters until the end of the Cold War. The Cayman Islands obtained the mothballed ship for $275,000, a bargain as dive sites go, and sank it in 85 feet of water. It now sits upright on a white sand bottom, the deck guns aimed offshore as if guarding Cayman Brac from an unknown enemy.

The Kissimee is a tugboat resting on its port side on a sand bottom at about fifty feet. Corals and sponges have taken hold on the steel wreck, and it has been well populated by colourful reef fish. The walls here are nearly as good as on Little Cayman, but they start at depths of sixty feet or more. One of the best is Rock Monster, which has several coral chimneys that divers may swim through.

IF YOU GO

LOCATION: 480 miles south of Miami.

SEASONS: High season is mid December through mid April.

WEATHER: Perpetual summer, with average daytime highs of 80 degrees. July is the hottest month, with daytime temperatures in the low 90s. Wettest months are September/October.

CURRENCY: Cayman Islands dollar is fixed to US dollar. CI$1.00 = $1.25 USD.

DIVING & SNORKELLING: Underwater visibility is typically 80 feet or more, sometimes reaching an incredible 200 feet. Water temperature ranges from the high 70s to the low 80s.

GOVERNMENT: A British Crown Colony. English is the official language.

DOCUMENTS: Proof of citizenship, with a photo I.D., is required for Canadian and U.S. Citizens. A passport is preferable.

AIRLINES: In addition to Cayman Airways, the country's flag carrier, American, Delta, US AIR, and Northwest Airlines make the Cayman Islands very easy to reach. Island Air has inter-island service aboard its propeller driven Twin Otters.

LAND TRANSPORTATION: Cars, bikes, and motorcycles are readily available. Just remember to drive on the left side. Taxi fares are government regulated.

ELECTRICITY: Same as Canada and the U.S.

TIPPING: Some establishments add 10-15% gratuity to final bill.

WEB SITE: www.caymanislands.ky.