May 3rdin the Caymans

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We started the day with snorkeling at 1 new place: Queen’s Monument, so called because nearby was a monument to the fact that Queen Elizabeth opened that road around the top end of the island. It was a rocky entrance – we are always grateful for our TUSA boots. (For those of you who don’t know, most snorkelers strap on or slip on rubber flippers, but divers wear booties that go into heavier boots. Ours are sort of in between, and it enables us to “walk in” to snorkeling places even when there is no sand, but lots of rocks or “iron shore,” which is coral or old lava fields.)

The winds were up, but we didn’t feel too much current there, and enjoyed tooling around the heads of coral. Again there were many heathy and varied soft corals, fans, and “corky fingers.” The most interesting fish was a big porcupine fish hiding from us.

When we got out we met a local gentleman who was very friendly and fascinating – a local artist and chef (used to win all the chili cook offs and even went to Las Vegas – which was going thru a chilly time in October like 25 years ago, and he bought 6 tee-shirts and wore them all!). Then we went to do the Drift Snorkel again, and boy did we move fast! We saw at least 4 Queen conches (I think we’re allowed to take a number each day), and just one turtle. But the most exciting things: the biggest Queen Trigger fish we’ve ever seen, 4 barracudas, and a really friendly Southern Stingray. If you watch the video you’ll see him go off, turn around, and come by David so close that he almost touched him. He was not only sting-less but also tailless! ??? We also saw 3 spiny lobsters hiding – don’t know how one gets them out! Absolutely no one was at Rum Point, which is really eerie.

We came home for lunch and a rest and some paperwork that needed doing. Plus we did some tidying in preparation for our friend Jess to join us.

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