I hop on a shuttle boat and head into George Town, the capital city. George Town is as touristy as it gets, replete with a Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville and Hard Rock Cafe. Its enough to make me gag, but I did not come here to hang out with the parrotheads.
The emerald green and deep blues of the water are as breathtaking as the beautiful beaches, and my purpose here is decidedly liquid in nature.
I've booked a tour on a submarine that will take me down one hundred feet below the surface to a coral reef.
There are three Cayman Islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. The islands are actually the peaks of an underwater mountain range, and the choral reef is actually located near the top of the mountain range.
As luck would have it I have the best seat in the house. Each of us has our own porthole, but I am also seated directly behind the "driver" (pilot?), so I can also look out through the "windshield".
As we descend I am awed by the blueness that surrounds us and the underwater moonscape before me. The Sea of Tranquility may be on the moon, but this place invokes that term.
The beautiful shapes of the gently swaying choral and the serene movement of the various fish immediately elevates my conciusness to a deeper plane. The gentle rhythm of this magical place is transcendant and I am deeply moved.
I could stay here for days marveling at the beauty before me and the sense of peace it exudes.
We would be warm
Below the storm
In our little hideaway
Beneath the waves
What a privelige to have such a rareified experience. You can see more pictures of the Cayman Islands here
