Ken's Voyages Around the Sun

Didn't expect I'd have to worry about the sun much yesterday while snorkeling, but my forehead's got a bright red top with a curving outline across the middle, right where the mask fit on. It looks kind of silly really.

Anyway, our visit to Grand Cayman was rather short. The ship arrived around noon and we had to be back aboard by 5:30 pm. This island has no port facilities for the big cruise ships, so we had to get on a tender for the trip to and from it. Our kayaking group of 17 got a van to the other side where our guide gave us sit-on-top kayaks to use for paddling along a mangrove shore and then out in a protected bay. Nice trip.

Near the end the whole group parked the boats at an anchored diving raft in about five feet of water, and then swam or walked or floated around with masks and snorkels on. Many new fish and critters, including living conches that we picked up and looked at closely. Also a micro reef with many beautiful fish that we could see very well because the water was so shallow.

On the way back to the ship, we watched an "authentic replica" pirate ship sail by and fire its cannons at the cruise liners! (The pirate ship adventure was one of the shore excursions here.) Apparently they shoot well, because only three cruise liners remained of the six anchored here when we went ashore earlier.

No time for shopping on this island, which is a 6,000-foot tall pillar of coral rising from the sea floor. The island has 0% unemployment and no crime, and rakes in gobs of cash for cruise ship landing fees. So much so that none of the residents pay any taxes whatsoever.

As soon as everyone reboarded, they turned the ship around to get the wind right and we had our ash-spreading ceremony for Shelley's dad. Captain Ronny Borg read a poem, sprinkled the ashes into the beautiful Caribbean from a door on the first deck, and read a second poem. It was a short second funeral, but moving. Back to the cabins for a little while after that.

-----------

Here's a sample dinner menu, the one from tonight, that includes -- get this -- a dessert that has 28 syllables in its name!

COLD APPETIZERS

Duo of Tuna with Cucumbers and Daikon, Coriander-Citrus Vinaigrette
Cantonese Style Beef Salad with Bean Sprouts and Sesame Seeds
Three-Berry Compote

HOT APPETIZER

Baked Idaho Potato with Creme Fraiche and Salmon Caviar

THE SOUP KETTLE

Yellow Split Pea Soup with Smoked Hocks and Scallions
Fish and Vegetable Minestrone, Garlic Baguette
Fire and Ice Melon Soup

FRESH FROM THE GARDEN

Mixed Crisp Lettuce with Vegetables and Bacon Bits
Red Beets, Radishes and Carrots in their individual Marinades

VEGETARIAN ENTREE

Mediterranean Style Vegetables in Tamarind Curry with Steamed White Rice and Dates

PASTA DEL GIORNO

Fettucine ai Funghi: Pasta Ribbons with Mushrooms, Pine Nuts and Rosemary

MAIN COURSES

Salmon Picatta on Sun-Dried Tomato Spaghetti
Red Currant -- Glazed Pork Chop with Root Vegetables and Savoy Potatoes
Butter flied, Grilled Leg of Lamb with Forty Cloves of Garlic Pan Jus Seasonal Vegetables and Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes

FROM THE GRILL

Cowboy Steak with Tobacco Onions
Vegetable Stir-Fry and Roast Potatoes

ALWAYS AVAILABLE

Grilled Chicken Breast
Steamed Vegetables
Baked Potato with condiments

FROM OUR CHEESE BOARD

Assortment of International Cheeses and Fruits

DESSERTS

Chocolate-Nougat Cake on Grand Marnier Sauce
Almond-Mocha Parfait
Apple in the Jacket with Raisins and Marzipan on French Vanilla Bean Soup Sauce, Baked in Puff Pastry Coat

FROM THE ICE CREAM PARLOR

Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Coffee, Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Pineapple, Raspberry, Orange Sherbet
Pear Belle Helene Ice Cream Sundae, Frozen Raspberry Yogurt, Choice of Sugar and Fat-free Ice Creams

BEVERAGES

Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, Assorted Teas
Expresso, Cappuccino

And you can have as much as you want!!!

On the way in to Grand Cayman (and several times earlier) we watched flying fish getting out of the way of the ship. They're very cool!

There's one!

The shoreline and bay where we kayaked. Lots of interesting critters in and around this area. Would be a nice place to swim daily, with a mask and snorkel on. The whole bay's less than 10 feet deep.

The "authentic replica" pirate ship fires on the M/S Norwegian Sea! Scurvey dogs!

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2003-02-25 9:24 PM Cayman Kayaking Previous Entry :: Next Entry Mood: Red-Headed Share on Facebook	Didn't expect I'd have to worry about the sun much yesterday while snorkeling, but my forehead's got a bright red top with a curving outline across the middle, right where the mask fit on. It looks kind of silly really. Anyway, our visit to Grand Cayman was rather short. The ship arrived around noon and we had to be back aboard by 5:30 pm. This island has no port facilities for the big cruise ships, so we had to get on a tender for the trip to and from it. Our kayaking group of 17 got a van to the other side where our guide gave us sit-on-top kayaks to use for paddling along a mangrove shore and then out in a protected bay. Nice trip. Near the end the whole group parked the boats at an anchored diving raft in about five feet of water, and then swam or walked or floated around with masks and snorkels on. Many new fish and critters, including living conches that we picked up and looked at closely. Also a micro reef with many beautiful fish that we could see very well because the water was so shallow. On the way back to the ship, we watched an "authentic replica" pirate ship sail by and fire its cannons at the cruise liners! (The pirate ship adventure was one of the shore excursions here.) Apparently they shoot well, because only three cruise liners remained of the six anchored here when we went ashore earlier. No time for shopping on this island, which is a 6,000-foot tall pillar of coral rising from the sea floor. The island has 0% unemployment and no crime, and rakes in gobs of cash for cruise ship landing fees. So much so that none of the residents pay any taxes whatsoever. As soon as everyone reboarded, they turned the ship around to get the wind right and we had our ash-spreading ceremony for Shelley's dad. Captain Ronny Borg read a poem, sprinkled the ashes into the beautiful Caribbean from a door on the first deck, and read a second poem. It was a short second funeral, but moving. Back to the cabins for a little while after that. ----------- Here's a sample dinner menu, the one from tonight, that includes -- get this -- a dessert that has 28 syllables in its name! COLD APPETIZERS Duo of Tuna with Cucumbers and Daikon, Coriander-Citrus Vinaigrette Cantonese Style Beef Salad with Bean Sprouts and Sesame Seeds Three-Berry Compote HOT APPETIZER Baked Idaho Potato with Creme Fraiche and Salmon Caviar THE SOUP KETTLE Yellow Split Pea Soup with Smoked Hocks and Scallions Fish and Vegetable Minestrone, Garlic Baguette Fire and Ice Melon Soup FRESH FROM THE GARDEN Mixed Crisp Lettuce with Vegetables and Bacon Bits Red Beets, Radishes and Carrots in their individual Marinades VEGETARIAN ENTREE Mediterranean Style Vegetables in Tamarind Curry with Steamed White Rice and Dates PASTA DEL GIORNO Fettucine ai Funghi: Pasta Ribbons with Mushrooms, Pine Nuts and Rosemary MAIN COURSES Salmon Picatta on Sun-Dried Tomato Spaghetti Red Currant -- Glazed Pork Chop with Root Vegetables and Savoy Potatoes Butter flied, Grilled Leg of Lamb with Forty Cloves of Garlic Pan Jus Seasonal Vegetables and Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes FROM THE GRILL Cowboy Steak with Tobacco Onions Vegetable Stir-Fry and Roast Potatoes ALWAYS AVAILABLE Grilled Chicken Breast Steamed Vegetables Baked Potato with condiments FROM OUR CHEESE BOARD Assortment of International Cheeses and Fruits DESSERTS Chocolate-Nougat Cake on Grand Marnier Sauce Almond-Mocha Parfait Apple in the Jacket with Raisins and Marzipan on French Vanilla Bean Soup Sauce, Baked in Puff Pastry Coat FROM THE ICE CREAM PARLOR Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Coffee, Butter Pecan Ice Cream Pineapple, Raspberry, Orange Sherbet Pear Belle Helene Ice Cream Sundae, Frozen Raspberry Yogurt, Choice of Sugar and Fat-free Ice Creams BEVERAGES Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, Assorted Teas Expresso, Cappuccino And you can have as much as you want!!! On the way in to Grand Cayman (and several times earlier) we watched flying fish getting out of the way of the ship. They're very cool! There's one! The shoreline and bay where we kayaked. Lots of interesting critters in and around this area. Would be a nice place to swim daily, with a mask and snorkel on. The whole bay's less than 10 feet deep. The "authentic replica" pirate ship fires on the M/S Norwegian Sea! Scurvey dogs! Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top
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