Monday May 6, 2024
GRAND CAYMAN ISLAND
We got on our tenders and headed into Georgetown, Grand Cayman. Darryl, Adam, Maggie and I were going on an ocean Kayaking tour while everyone else went to see the stingrays or go shopping.
We took a bus to the Kayaks and then paddled down a canal full of Mangroves to the open water. It was quite beautiful, peaceful and fun.
In the Mangroves we say the oysters growing all around the roots, small fish, and baby barracudas along with other wildlife.
The oysters grow all over the roots of the mangrove trees.
All through the Mangroves we saw hundreds of Mangrove Jellyfish, commonly called "Upside-down" or "Cassiopeia" Jellyfish. These creatures like the warm, muddy, shallow waters of the saline wetlands. We still saw the jellyfish in the open water, but we also saw some jumping fish, some rather large fish, barracudas and even starfish.
It was very shallow in this part of the ocean that there was plenty of sea life in the sea grass and on the sandbars.
If you can enlarge this photo enough, you will see that Adam is paddling backwards. He paddle that way the entire way back to the island where we started.
Our guide shows us an upside down Jellyfish ..
he shows us how you can hold it and not get stung, then asks if anyone wants to hold it. Only 1 person volunteered.
It was cool and slimy, but otherwise, pretty neat to hold.
As we were leaving to head back to town this guy came out to tell us goodbye.
While we were busy Kayaking, most of the rest of our group went to the Stingray Garden to pet the stingrays. Where the Stingrays were very, very friendly. The family loved it!
Jesse, Clancy, Tyree and Kelly meet the rays and below, Annabelle is sooooo excited!!
Reagan gets a friendly "Stingray Hello" while
Cali and Alan getting ready for some fun.
Annabelle (you can only see her hair), Reagan, Alan, Parker and Tyree get stingray kisses. (I can read Miss Parker's mind,... "ewwwwwww".
Ryan, Skye, Reagan, Parker, Tyree, Jesse, Clancy and Kelly.
Hello girls!
Parker doesn't seem so sure about this..
Look at those handsome guys, Alan and Gideon.
The whole Platt family and Avery.
Rod and Jethro get some stingray hugs.
Hello Jethro.
Hillary, is it slimy?
Gabriel isn't so sure about this.
These stingrays seem starved for affection.
Jake and Ezra get a hug.
Marian and Avery getting some squid ready for the stingrays.
Ooooh.... Look what Hillary found. A beautiful conch.
The main attractions!
You look a little chilly Avery.
Gabriel liked the refreshments on the boat.
Rod, Marian, Ezra, Gabriel and Jethro.
Jake and his boys.
I think all in all (except for Hillary's little injury on the boat and having to go to the infirmary on the ship and have the cut/slice in her foot glued back together and bandaged) it was a very successful Monday!
🪇🪇🪇🪇🪇
CARIBBEAN NIGHT IN THE DINING ROOM
No, we're not done.
Tonight was Caribbean night in the dining room, so we donned our best Caribbean glad rags...
and set out to enjoy the fun and food.
We clapped and cheered the wait staff as they entertained us and joined the crowd in twirling our Napkins to show our appreciation.
We danced the Macarena and YMCA with the waiters and waitresses...
Ate some delicious food and had a wonderful time. And boy...
Did we ever sleep good this night!
