Crusan with Susan

2015-11-11 Grand Cayman:

Wed. was Grand Cayman day! Every since I went here with the kids for a land based trip back in 2001, I've been anxious to go back. The snorkeling was great and I knew there was a great place to snorkel right by where the ships tender into. I finally got back to Grand Cayman last Dec. on our girls' cruise, but we were unable to tender into Georgetown due to rough seas, so our plans for snorkeling there were foiled. But not today! It was a great day!!!
Walking from the tender dock to Paradise cafe (Marine Park).

Our ship was the one you can barely see the nose of behind the one on the left.

The cafe and marine park entrance. There is a little rental area for snorkel gear and such there, too. We had our own, but did rent a locker for $5 to lock my phone and such in while we were snorkeling. Ken does have a waterproof "wallet" and used that for our cards and money. They also had a changing room, but I didn't know that so didn't bring a change of clothes. We were even able to use their free WI-fi.

Snorkeling here was not only fantastic, but it is FREE!!! I was a little surprised when I first got in and saw all the huge (5' long or longer) tarpins hanging around there. But they were harmless and rather fun to watch.

Ken getting ready to enter.

We were directed to go out past the yellow inflatable deck to the first buoy which was "Devil's Grotto", then continue left to the 2nd buoy "Eden's Rock" and back.
It always amazes me when I see fish with large chunks out of them and seemingly doing ok.

some of the reef.

I was really excited to see this guy! First time I've been able to get a good photograph of a shark, just glad it was a nurse shark.

They are such graceful creatures! Shortly after he/she swam away, a full snorkel excursion pontoon boat showed up. I would have been ticked off if I paid for an excursion and found it was within walking distance and had free entrance! I wonder how much they paid to be taken out there?!

We vacated Eden Rock to the hundred or so new snorkelers and headed back towards Devil's Grotto where we found a very large yellow fin snapper.

one of the smaller fishies and some nice brain coral.

a large spotlight parrotfish swimming amongst some nice coral.

Another parrotfish or wrasse that I've not seen in Hawaii, but did see last April in the Caribbean.

Another large parrotfish.

Black triggerfish---just like we see in Hawaii.

Don't recall ever seeing these purplish guys before, either.

By now we'd been out there a couple hours and the inside of my mask was beading up with water. We decided to slowly head in so I could clean out my mask and put more defogger drops in it.

Another parrotfish

a school of blue tangs.

a flounder.

Right as I got close to the steps, the guy from the rental booth or restaurant decided to feed the tarpin. He thought he was doing us a favor by throwing the food towards us snorkelers. That would create a feeding frenzy right by us. I was a bit nervous at first because I've been by feeding frenzies in Hawaii and some of those fish nip pretty hard and these guys were much larger. Turns out they just went for the food and ignored us.

Scrawled filefish.

A very large Permit fish.

a butterflyfish

A flamingo dancer snail

a Sergeant Major in a tough spot. I even tried to catch him to try and free him from the ring that was cutting into him, but figured I'd probably do him more damage.

The tarpin were really remarkable, so one more picture of them as I was heading to the steps to clean my mask out.

back in the water and heading along shore---a young surgeon fish.

another parrotfish

a hogfish

Back out at Devil's Grotto, this guy swam under me---and a kid came thrashing by kicking me with his fins. Then I noticed another shark and they both swam off before I could get a picture of both of them together. Later Ken saw another nurse shark. So we know there were at least 2, but we saw one 4 different times.

By now we'd been snorkeling about 4 hours and Ken was ready to head in. So I reluctantly followed. That's when I spotted this guy.

Back on shore---a look at the ladder into the water.

The little "beach" area by the park. I believe the rental for the chairs was $5 for the day.

I had one more mission before going back to the ship---finding another pharmacy and getting some calamine lotion for my jelly fish sting (which felt amazing in the water!). So we walked back past the tender dock, around the Margaritaville to the shops behind it where the guy at the marine park said the pharmacy was and did indeed find some calamine lotion.