The second port call on our seven-day Western Caribbean cruise brought us to George Town, Grand Cayman. We spent the morning wandering the capital city of the Caymans, known as the home to hundreds of major international banks and insurance companies. But the Caymans are also famous for gorgeous stretches of sand and plenty of diving and snorkeling sites. After a few hours of looking into shops selling diamonds and tanzanite jewelry, watches, t-shirts, crystal and knick-knacks, we stopped for a pleasant seaside lunch of conch fritters and fried calamari. The adjacent public marine park provided a preview of what we hoped to see later on our snorkeling excursion. The remarkably clear water shimmered in half a dozen shades of blue, and large tarpon flaunting iridescent green scales swarmed along the shoreside rocks, hoping to nab food scraps tossed by passersby.

Shortly thereafter we were welcomed aboard a boat referred to as a semi-submersible, which boasted a row of windows along either side of the boat just below the waterline. Each of the 15 or so passengers took a seat on a bench next to the viewing portals. There was plenty of headroom, and with so few guests on this large vessel, we could easily move from one side to the other to view the underwater sights. Our guide pointed out and identified a variety of tropical fish and coral while relaying a bit of the early history of the Caymans. I was amazed at the variety of sealife found within the confines of the bay bordering George Town.

After a 30-minute cruise, our boat settled over a reef and we climbed up on deck to don our snorkeling gear and join the fish we’d observed. The crew were extraordinarily patient and encouraging to those who, like my husband, had never snorkeled before and weren’t particularly strong swimmers. All of us spent 30 minutes or more floating gently above the coral, pleased to be able to identify the creatures we’d seen earlier and which had no fear of we humans. Just when the water was beginning to feel a little too cool, we were called in to climb back aboard. Our cruise back to the dock took us past a few shipwrecks (surprisingly close to shore) and gave us a final opportunity to glimpse the colorful residents of the bay.

Our group agreed this was a wonderful introduction to the Caribbean waters, its residents and, for some, a first try at snorkeling. What a great start to the cruise!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor