How GRAND is Cayman?

Grand Cayman is the largest of the Cayman Islands. With approximately 76 square miles it dwarfs Cayman Brac's 14, and Little Cayman's 10. Though Cayman Brac has a 140 foot high bluff, making it the tallest. With the airport and cruise terminal in Georgetown on Grand Cayman, it is the entrance for most tourists.
On Grand Cayman, the west end of the island is the most developed around the capital. Downtown Georgetown resembles most Caribbean capitals. Lots of shops offering duty free good, local handicrafts and souvenirs. Jewelry, alcohol and watches predominate for the duty free goods. Rum cakes is a specialty of the island and worth a visit to one of the many shops. Free samples are provided along with a shot of local rum. Just do not make it an all you can eat buffet, there are others waiting.
When discovered by Columbus in 1503 on this 4th voyage to the New World, the islands were populated by turtles and was named Las Tortugas. In the 1530s the name Largartos was used meaning alligator or large lizard. This eventually changed to Cayman, the local Indian name for the reptiles. The proliferation of turtles made it a popular stop for ships to gather meat for their crews.
After being depleted, the ships searched elsewhere for a new supply. Currently on Grand Cayman there is a large turtle farm. While some of the turtles are sold for meat, most are released to the wild to replace the native stock, to great success. Caymans and blue iguanas area also raised there.
One popular destination for tourists is an area of black limestone rock called Hell. The origin of the name is lost to history, but has stuck. Many shops in the area offer postcards, t-shirts and souvenirs from Hell.
Since it is a Caribbean Island, it is ringed with stretches of beautiful beaches. The most famous is 7 mile beach, not far from Georgetown and the airport. Along this fantastic stretch of sand are most of the large hotels and resorts. It is a great place to snorkel and just catch some sun.
The Cayman Trench is a popular scuba diving spot. The shallow water drops off to a maximum of over 25,000 feet, making for a spectacular setting for wall diving. For people that do not scuba, there are several submarine rides that offer a view of the undersea world. Another area for water recreation is Stingray Bay where the gentle creatures interact with bathers.
My visit to Grand Cayman was about a Celebrity cruise. The government in the past has turned away gay cruises and there is little alternative lifestyle on the island, so if you are looking for a full on gay vacation, Grand Cayman is not a good choice. But as a stop on a cruise it is a nice port of call. So if you want to try the Caribbean on a Celebrity cruise, or any of the other major lines, contact Damron Vacations and get the wheels rolling. Do not forget that starting in June, 2009, a passport will be required for all re-entries into the United States. Up until then a birth certificate was all that was needed.