Month: July 2017

We had a meal out just after we first arrived here and I ordered the Cayman style coconut fish it was delicious. Unfortunately I have not been able to find it since. So I decided to give it a go myself, turned out to be quite straightforward.

I used swai, a relatively cheap white fish, rolled it in flower, then egg and finally desiccated coconut and shallow fried it… like I said easy. I served it with coconut rice, a green salad, guacamole made with fresh local avocado and a simple salsa. It was really yummy!

Well boys week is over. I packed Adam back on the plane. But not without a little drama I might add. First his flight was cancelled. But worry not the airline had a later flight it just meant flying to somewhere slightly further west in the States than he had initially planned. He took off after the short delay only to get caught in a storm and then have his connecting flight delayed. He was then diverted again and had to make an extra connection somewhere… I am told he eventually got home but it sounds like it was a bit of trek.

In the meantime I tidied up the house and got down to some school work. I had three days to myself before Vic and the kids got back so I put them to good use getting the shopping in; changing the beds; cleaning and going to work.

Monday arrived and I collected my brood from the airport.

Shattered but happy to be home. We had a couple of easy days as they got over their adventures and found their feet once again before John, Natalie and Chloe arrived.

I’ve known John since my first day at university and he is James’s Godfather and I am his daughter Chloe’s Godfather. I think that makes them God-cousins or something… Anyway we are close and I have missed them while we have been here especially my Chloe (John not so much…).

As an aside here we are when Chloe was just new! A day out in Rock Cornwall. I have lost track of how many times we visited this beautiful little spot.

True to form John had spent months researching places to eat. His objective was to eat ‘authentic and local‘, you have to say this in a deep authoritarian slightly posh voice to get the full effect. So we did.

The Heritage Kitchen in West Bay and The Big Tree Bar-b-que were our favourites serving unpretentious high quality local food like rice and beans, fried fresh caught fish and jerk meat. Simple food cooked well. He was very pleased with his discoveries and obviously at having introduced us to local fare that we otherwise would never have found on our own.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it is the same food we serve everyday in the school canteen or that he did not get the chance to try a proper fish fry or swanky but he seemed happy none the less.

We took our guests sight-seeing but on the whole we had a happy week on the beach relaxing and spent the evenings cooking. John is a really good cook so it was a chance to get him to teach me some really nice vegetarian recipes for when Tamsin visits at Christmas…

We spent most of the ten days in or on the water in one form or another either at Smith’s Cove; chasing sea turtles at Spotts; snorkelling the wreck up on Seven Mile Beach; Natalie and I diving; canoeing in the mangroves or lunching at Hemmingways.

We did head over to Kaibo for the beach bar-b-que and had a wonderful evening under the stars where Chloe, despite being horrified that we grown ups all got up and danced, joined in the dancing!

A few months ago, at a loss what to get Chloe for her 16th birthday, I promised that when she came to visit I would take her for her first dive. It was time to make good. I extended the invitation to James, Poppy and Victoria who all said they would like to go too! So we all headed over to Sunset House where they all spent a couple of hours in the pool before heading out to sea for their collective maiden dive!

I tagged along to watch and see how they got on and to generally share the experience.

It was like watching ducklings. The four of them waddling around with tanks strapped to their backs it was hilarious! I half expected one of them to turn turtle at any minute and lay there on the floor with their legs kicking feebly in the air. But no they all managed to get to the sea.

I don’t mind saying being responsible for sending your children and god-daughter on their first dives is a little nerve-wracking. You know one of those things that sounds cool when you suggest it but as they all sink out of sight beneath the waves you re-evaluate!

I followed along on the surface. Given they were only going down to 40 feet they were close enough that in the event of a calamity I could reach them.

From above watching the poor dive instructor with the group it was like watching him trying to herd cats (or cat-fish at least). As he tried to keep the group together and they shot off hither and yon distracted by all the shiny fish! Unlike herding cats on land under water they can go up and down as well adding whole new dimensions to trying wrangle them!

As it turned out they had a blast. 

When they all surfaced safely 45 minutes later they were babbling happily, as high as kites with the excitement of what they had just experienced! They all loved it.

Status as the cool Godfather firmly intact! 

James and Poppy have asked to do their PADI qualifications on the back of it.

Oh and Poppy turned 12! So we took her out for lunch at Al Frescos. Poppy loves the lasagna there…

We saw John, Natalie and Chloe off on Sunday it was great seeing them!

This week Castaways began drifting back from their various adventures…

We headed up the island to Tiki Beach and the Red Sail Sports where we rented a couple of Wave Runners. The chaps gave us a quick ‘safety briefing‘ which was more about keeping other people alive as opposed to us.

He pointed out three large buoys about 1/2 a mile from the beach. One marking the north end of the jet ski run, one the middle and the other the southern end about 1 and a 1/2 miles apart. Three miles in total, running from the top end of 7 Mile Beach down to the Westin Hotel.

We climbed onto our boats and at five miles an hour headed out from the beach to the appointed area. Once out in the designated channel we opened up the throttles.

The things moved like rockets. Torpedoes. Totally mad just zooming along inches above the surface of the water the slightest waves sending the wave runners jumping into the air.

I clung on each time the machine jumped it nearly threw me off. It was everything I could do to hang on.

I was not so much riding as hanging on for dear life. Griping the handlebars just held the throttle down causing the machine to go faster and faster. The wave-runner shot over the water at 25mph, 35mph until we hit 45mph. 

The three mile course took a little over four minutes to cover, running out of road, I managed to force myself to let go of the the throttle.  I eased it back and managed to slow down! It was a total act of will it went against all instinct.

After a couple more wild runs I relaxed enough to be a bit more in control. Turning was a case of leaning to one side or another rather than steering. Steering just led to wild overstear!

By the end of the half hour we were racing each other, zig-zagging across each others’ wakes to catch waves and jump, skidding into turns and spinning around doing doughnuts!

It was great fun hurtling along Seven Mile Beach, completely crazy, I spent the whole time giggling like an idiot.

When we finished our legs were like jelly and they ached so much from hanging on! We hobbled around like old farts for the rest of the week.

For Adam’s final dive of the week we went to Sunset House and swam out to meet Amphitrite. The fish on the Reef were amazing some of the best we have seen all week.

We had a spot of lunch and headed for a walk around Camana Bay. Where we headed up the observation tower for a view of the whole island.

James, Poppy and I have had a great week out of Grand Cayman. Although we are without Matthew and we are missing him. 

Don’t feel too sorry for him though as he has a friend with him who is visiting from the Uk. They are probably having a right old knees up! They have been diving, jet skiing, eating out and going to the pub. 

The photos are of the church where my sister got married (inside and outside), my beautiful sister and handsome new brother in law, George, Poppy and my nieces Alice and little Daisy. The other bridesmaid photo also has the three youngest bridesmaids, Poppy, Alice and cousin Vienna. 

We arrived into Heathrow on Tuesday at midday after an 11 hour flight. 

We were picked up by friends who live near Heathrow (thanks Debbie and John) and spent a couple of hours with them and Stephanie at their house. 

We then dashed off to Cyprus on Wednesday morning at 5am to get to Cyprus for my sister’s wedding. There was a villa party that evening followed by the Wedding the next day. It was a traditional Greek wedding. It was translated into English too. 

Then we went to the beach on Friday, Water World Aqua Park on Saturday followed by a lovely evening meal at the restaurant where the wedding venue was, courtesy of George, my new brother in law (thanks George, very kind of you) then we went home (to my mum and dad’s house in Bournemouth) on Sunday. 

We got back early hours of Monday morning. We have done one trip to Tescos and brought lots of bargains (everything is soooo expensive in Grand Cayman) to take back. We have met friends in Bournemouth yesterday, it was great to catch up. I am meeting a friend for lunch today. 

We travel back to London on Saturday evening to stay with my aunt near Richmond before leaving for Heathrow on Monday morning as we have friends coming to see us in Grand Cayman on 13th July. 

We are having coffee with one of James’ friends in London (we are squeezing that one in between his friend’s and our busy schedules on Sunday) and meeting Poppy’s old school friends in Richmond on Sunday. Sorry to our Ford and Wilkinson families in London and all our ‘London’ friends but as we are without transport and only in the UK for such a short time we are finding catching up with all of you a bit tricky. 

I know this is a busy time of year so we’ll just have to keep using Facebook to catch up. We are also sorry that we can’t catch up with the Read family in Cornwall.

 However if anyone who live nearby Richmond thinks they might be about and be able to pop to Richmond on Sunday evening then we will be there.

Love to you all. X Victoria.

Adam and I set off to the north of the island and Over the Edge for a coffee and Jonny cakes this morning. The resturant is a shack built out over the sea on stilts and it is just idyllic We sat watching the world go by when a Magnificent Frigatebird csme to visit

Hovering alongside the deck, just hanging in the air, close enough that I could have reached out and touched it, was an enormous bird. The aptly named Magnificent Frigatebirds. These birds are huge seabirds that just sit on the breeze and hover effortlessly, they look like pterodactyls. 

To give you an idea of her size her wingspan was easily over six feet.

An American tourist stood next to me watching it hover by the deck and asked what bird it was I turned and realised the whole clientele and staff of the resultant had all stopped what they were doing just mesmerised as the Frigatebird danced on the wind for us. Just stunning.

We headed back along the east side of the island sightseeing, 

We paused to look at the concrete animals and a giant carved tiki man. As we drove along we tried to guess which house was Iggy Pop’s. 

We parked up at the top of the bluff, I think just about the highest point of the island sitting 40 to 50 feet above the sea, and drank in the view.

We spotted a sign saying Kite Beach so we parked up and headed down the rough path to find a wide beach. We unpacked my trusty kite, I carry it in the car for just such occasions and we spent a quiet twenty minutes flying her. 

At Colliers Road we drove into the interior and back.

We parked up at the monument of the Wreck of the 10 Sails and explored the memorial garden.

The Wreck of the Ten Sail was a historic shipwreck event that occurred off the East End of Grand Cayman on 8 February 1794. Ten ships that were part of a convoy on its way from Jamaica to the United States and Britain wrecked on the surrounding reef. While local residents braved the stormy waters and successfully rescued the ships’ crews and passengers, eight people from the convoy died.

Heading back west we stopped at Eagle Rays for a coffee and then drove home.

A quick change and off to Seven Mile Beach where we rented two wave runners (jet skis) and spent a mad half hour zooming up and down the beach at 42mph! Completely mad and such fun just rocketing over the water. My arms and legs ached with the effort of just holding on for dear life. 

Prawn curry for tea and then quiz night at the pub. The second night in a row. The team we were in won on both nights so with immediate effect I am retiring from quizzing so I can quit at the top of my game!

Boys’ Week and another fun packed couple of days. On Monday we headed up the island to Captain Marvin’s and out to Stingray City, it was a bit choppy but none-the-less a cracking day on a boat in North Sound. snorkeling and swimming with the rays, what more can you ask for?

We rounded off the day at Al Fresco in West Bay a couple of cold beers and dinner before heading back to Sunset House to watch the night divers entering the water.

It was very funny watching their lights playing on the water surface as they swam below, two clearly became lost and had to turn back to the shore!

Not sure I am ready for it yet but it’s definately on the list! (Sorry Mum but yep).

Tuesday we went diving at Eden Rock and then for a spot of snorkelling on a wreck just off Seven Mile Beach. 

Lots of caves fissures and tunnels to explore a great little dive near the shore. Plenty of fish to be seen including the now ubiquitous tarpon, swimming with these prehistoric monsters is a joy. They are totally unfazed by having divers around them as they swim through the caves and cracks or just hang in the water. 

The wreck snorkel was lovely, again loads of fish and crystal clear waters but to add a little interest today there was a really strong rip running along parallel to the shoreline. At times we had to work hard not to get swept away! Even with fins on it was very hard going.

As we returned back to the safety of the sea pool a little harbour wth its own channel to the sea, that we had used to enter the wreck site a family (mum, dad and teenager) were swimming out of the channel. I stopped them and told them about the rip, I said I thought they should go back but they were determined and knew better, they were not even wearing flippers! 

Judging by the lobster red sun burns mum and dad were sporting I reckoned they were off the cruise ship for the day. I tried again to dissuade them but stil no. So I explained to them that if they could not get back to let the rip carry them along the beach and swim diagonally across it in the direction of flow towards the shore and try to exit at the set of steps a couple of hundred meters further past the wreck or if they missed that onto the beach about quarter of a mile away.

Gruffly dad acknowledge that I had spoken but clearly he did not believe me and with no further comment pushed on and down the channel followed by his wife and daughter who both shrugged looking a bit sheepish.

Adam and I got out of the water and watched them reach the end of the channel where they were immediately in trouble. The rip caught them. They fought it for a couple of minutes before it just washed them away they bobbed helplessly along like corks swept along towards the wreck! They just about avoided smashing into the boat itself washing through its superstructure and beyond. They shot past the steps and then obviously my words of advice began to sink in and instead of trying to swim against the rip they started swimming diagonally across the rip but with the flow. We watched the three of them stagger out onto the beach.

It took them a while to recover before they trudged back up the beach to where their stuff was and where we sat on our deck chairs. 

They reached their stuff and slumped down visibly shaken.

“How was the swim?” I asked cheerfully.

Dad looked at me no longer quite so cocksure and with real sincerity just said ‘thank you, we were in real trouble your advice was right’. 

“Well,” I said sagely, “you had about another 1/2 a mile before the rip turns away from the shore and out over deeper water where it eventually slacks off but it’s a long swim back and it is scary if you don’t know these waters”.

They just sat there open mouthed and stared out to sea the cogs turning in their heads wondering what might have happened had they not bumped into us. After a short while they gathered their belongings together and trudged off each saying thank you as they passed.  All of them just a little paler and with just a touch more respect for the sea.

In truth they would have been OK even without my advice as is closer to a mile before the rip turns out to sea and they would have passed five or six exit points. As it travels along the coast the rip eases making getting out less difficult but it’s still tiering and very scary. It’s panic that kills.

Oh the mask? A slight mishap while chasing a huge tarpon… fish and diver both fine, mask not so much… the dangers of full contact sports. How we laughed.

Victoria and the kids are away and it’s the last week of term. School has been hectic with leaving ceremonies and the end of term organisation. I took the opportunity with the family away to head into work early and stay late in an effort to try to catch up with myself! In the meantime my sister in law got married in Cyprus, the kids and Victoria are having a great time, it looks wonderful!

However the consolation is that my oldest friend Adam flew out to keep me company! We have known each other since Primary School, in Malaysia. The wife and kids are away… my oldest bud is here and schools out it must be…

BOYS WEEK! 

So he arrived Thursday evening. I picked him up from the airport and we headed straight to my Book Club, the British Expatriate Educationalists Reading Society, or B.E.E.R.S. (pure coincidence honest). B.E.E.R. has its home at Grand Old House and the bar staff were ready for us as usual pouring  out our drinks as they saw us walking down the drive. It would only be more perfect if they played the cheers tune for our arrival… I might just work on that. In the meantime live jazz will have to do.  The head of the bar staff is even called Sam, Samantha. 

Here we are discussing our book, obviously, Robert Harris – The Conclave, a light but fast passed political thriller about the selection of a pope.  Well we are going into the holidays we wanted something for the beach.

Friday. I had to work but afterwards Adam and I whizzed over to Eden Rock for a dive when I got home. His first in the Caribbean and clear water. It was a bit of a novelty for him not having to wear a dry suit. A stunning first dive, we swam through caves and found huge tarpon hovering in a shoal 30ft down stunning and a bit spooky.

Saturday we went snorkelling at Spotts and saw wild sea turtles, which was nice. We toured the Island and went to Hell. We then made rendang and Clive popped round and joined us to watch the lions game on catch up, which was very nice. 

Sunday it was up very early and out the door by 6:45am. One of our friends is leaving the island and heading back to Canada so we, the lads from book club, took him for a two tank dive up at the East End and a spot of lunch. 

We jumped of the boat and swam over the ‘Northwall’ and descended to 40ft. At this depth there is less colour, the warm reds and yellows of sunlight filtered out by the water above, the world turns green then to hues of blue. We moved down through a fissure in the coral called Spilt Rock emerging to hover at about 85ft down  just hanging in the water above the deepest blue there is.

We could see the wall stretching down for 100ft before it disappeared into the gloom, 4000ft of water the sea just dropping away beneath us darker and darker blue until it faded to black and the near endless crushing depth of the Cayman Trench. 

Imagine standing a quarter of the way up Everest and looking down. Just breath taking.  

We clung to that cliff face, insignificant ungainly creatures, dangling above the vertigo inducing drop.  We took turns to swim out over the fathomless inky depths before swimming, quickly,  back to comforting solidness of the cliff face. None of us were brave enough to go more than about 30ft from the Wall, to be out there above the abyss, so we just hung there in awe the void stretching away below.

As we looked down into that deep blue timeless darkness it whispered to us. It sang a silent siren’s song, it beckoned, it called, pulled, wanting to hold us in its dark embrace. 

But our imaginations conjured up long forgotten memories of teeth and tentacles. As the dark reached out to us it triggered the primal fear we all have of the dark, the depths and the unknown. A defence mechanism as old as time, a gift from our earliest days. And we recognised the dark for what it really is. Cold lonely death far from the light. Endless starless night. 

The Void. The Abyss.

It is the dark we dread and as we looked apon it we could feel it watching us back with millions of unseen eyes, we could feel the pressure, it’s presence.  

Today I stared into the face of one of my horrors, a horror we all have inside us and I came away knowing that the thing we fear is real and we are truly, completely justified in being scared of it! 

That crushing dark is only 1/4 of a mile from my bed. It’s there every time I go swimming just a few hundred feet away, closer in some places. When diving near the shore it waits, endlessly patient, just beyond sight. It surrounds us here, it’s in the National song, ‘merging to darkest blue’, its very existence evident in the colour of the sea’s surface around the island, a daily reminder.

I’ve seen the real deep and it is amazing terrifying! Truly the stuff of nightmares and oh so beautiful. But I did it and I did it again 45 minutes later! 

Brave? No just stipidly currious and dumb stubborn. 

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

It seemed an appropriate way to send one of the gang off!