Grand Cayman

( click on collage to see pictures better)

Grand Cayman was our second stop on the cruise (after a day at sea).

For our excursion on this island we did the ever-so-popular String Ray Swim/Snorkel. We went way out in the middle of the ocean and the water all of the sudden became crystal blue. We stopped our large boat and anchored in this Sand Bar (literally in the MIDDLE of the ocean). We got out and all of the sudden saw these large grey masses gliding below us. After a quick safety lesson (we didn't want any "Steve Erwin's") and with the fish food out the large String rays came out to play!

These are such interesting creatures, they are like the gliding vacuums of the sea. We would hold some raw squid in our hands like an ice cream cone and these rays would come right up and SUCK it out. Chris even got a little bit of like a hickey from the ray sucking! We also got to pet them (just like lil puppy dogs) and take pictures with them- which my mom still has. It was pretty neat. I learned that the Female Rays are MUCH larger than the males and that their stingers are actually in the middle of their tail, not the end... who knew? After this we went snorkeling a little way off. This was much better snorkeling than in Key West with lots of variety of fish and coral.

After some lunch in the rowdy Jimmy Buffett Margarittaville (which had it's very own WATERSLIDE), Chris and I took a stroll to the Havaiana's store (the Brazilian Flip Flops) and got ourselves a pair. Overall it was a great stop, just wish we would have had some more time to explore the island.