For a totally predictable fourth year in a row we are planning a dive trip to Grand Cayman Island in the summer.
We will be going in August, again. That provides the best chance of good conditions for diving. Details of the first two trips are included on separate pages of this site and last year's is coming soon.
Fireball has been known to give me grief because I would rather take a group of folks on these outings instead of just going alone. Good times seem better to me when I have folks to share them with; and to share the memories. So we are usually happy to include friends, family, and new friends in these excursions. If you are interested, contact me.
Although we haven't purchased the tickets yet, we plan to fly down on American Airlines. The fare usually bottoms out mid-February. I'm hoping; they've been creeping up recently.
I've made reservations with Neptune's Divers for Ruth, Heidi and me. We plan to dive the mornings of Wednesday through Saturday and Monday through Wednesday whith the Sunday off for rest. That schedule worked out quite well last year. Keith and the gang keep me out of trouble.
We stay at Sunshine Suites. The staff is great, the rooms very nice, and... location, location, location! Just thinking of being there makes me sigh. Just across the street and down the beach is the Royal Palms. Take a look at their webcam.
Car rental is arranged through Andy's. They pull the rear seat out of a minivan for us to accomodate the wheelchair. There would be room for us to share with one or two people, or they have reasonable rates for a separate car.
Grand Cayman is one of the more upscale dive destinations we have visited. Restuarants can be pretty pricey. There are options available which are quite economical and still very enjoyable.
It is always a pleasure to eat at the Sunshine Grill right by the hotel pool. That's me in my chair at poolside. They actually built a ramp so I could go inside. The food is varieed and always tasty and satisfying, as well as reasonably priced.
Anyone who knows me will not be surprised that I found Fidel Murphy's Irish Pub. Ummmmm... Guinness! And the food is very affordable. Their world famous Irish Stew was a dissappointment, the only one I've had there. The shepherd's pie and roast beef dinners are excellent and reasonably priced. Pub grub is great. Heidi liked their grouper. We'll eat there at least twice during our stay.
Tim Buc Tuu was recommended by the folks at Sunshine Suites. It's a little hole-in-the-wall diner with Tazine style cooking that originated in Morocco. The place isn't really wheelchair accessible, so Heidi and I will often stop there after diving and pick up a carry-out order of jerked chicken fried rice. A single order will be enough to fill up both of us. Heidi says their fish is really good, too
One of Ruth's favorites is Casanova's Italian Restuarant. It reminds us of the former Italian Fisherman in Key Largo, inside seating and seaside seating on decks overlooking the harbor. Sunset is a real treat to cap off dinner. The price can be a little higher than some of our other haunts, but the venue is just splendid.
Last year we invited the crew and their family to join us for dinner Thursday evening at The Grand Old House. They offer a pasta bar where you order the pasta and sauce of your choice and they prep it right there in front of you. Thursday nights were half price! Jorge suggested we look for specials like that and he was quite right. The facility is even nicer than Casanova's with seaside seating. And it also houses the Austrian Embassy! We had a wonderful time and hope to return this year.
Just down the road from Sunshine Suites is Foster's IGA Food Fair. Heidi and I stock up on lunch meats and other sandwich fixings, bottled water, soda and such. She walks and I roll down for our shopping forays. They also have prepped foods, fruits and bakery goods, and a hot table with lunch or dinner choices to carry out. We made a few trips there during our stay.
