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About
80 miles northeast of Grand Cayman, and just five
miles away from Cayman Brac, Little Cayman is the smallest
and most serene of the Cayman Islands. It is only 10 miles
long and a mile wide, and rises only 40 feet above sea level.
The small airport runway is grass and gravel, and nothing
larger than a turbo-prop lands there. With a population of
less than 120 year-round residents, and a scattering of hotels,
condos and dive operators,
the activities of people seem to take a back seat to the rhythms
of nature. In fact, the activities of people revolve around
nature, with birdwatching, hiking, fishing and, of course,
diving, the primary focus. Even so, you will not be deprived
of creature comforts here. Restaurants run from the fine to
the quaint, there are sports bars, television, modern phone
service and e-mail.
Little
Cayman is famous for its wall diving. The prime examples are
found at Bloody Bay Marine Park, on the northwest coast, which
encompasses Bloody Bay and Jackson's Bay and the multitude
of breathtaking wall sites in them. Less-often visited by
divers than many sites off Grand Cayman, Little Cayman diving
is pristine and dramatic. Huge sponges in riotous colors compete
with Black Coral and sea fans for space along the walls, and
swim-throughs, canyons and tunnels break up the terrain. Reef
life includes myriad
tropicals, and pelagics, such as sharks, turtles and Eagle
Rays.
The
natural experiences of Little Cayman can be relaxing or thrilling,
as you choose, and there are just enough amenities to make
you feel at home. There is nowhere better to get away
from it all.
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