Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman***
When I was experimenting with Google Blogger back in March, I posted a link to an article from the Miami Herald (since deleted) and numerous comments about Key West from readers. This one, with a reference to the Cayman Islands, didn't catch my eye at the time.
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I RESIDED IN KW FROM 1980-2000. MY FIRST 32 YEARS WERE SPENT IN MICHIGAN, WHERE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WERE MUCH BETTER. EACH YEAR SOME OF THE CHARM AND UNIQUE FLAVOR SEEMED TO DISAPPEAR, REPLACED BY GARISH MILLION DOLLAR PROPERTIES. IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT THE KEYS SHOULD LOOK LIKE, TAKE A TRIP TO THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.
As it turned out, we stopped there on a cruise at the end of March, first time back there since 1971! Wow, talk about changes. We really didn't get out of Georgetown, just a short trip up to the Seven Mile Beach (see picture above). Five, count 'em five cruise ships hovered offshore, kept in place by their bow thrusters and GPS navigational systems. My guess is that close to 12,000 people disembarked that day.
Granted, the islands are still recovering from a hurricane two years ago, and granted, we didn't get to go over to the other side of the island. But it sure had changed from the last time I was there. No more can they call it Britain's Forgotten Colony.
I'm just glad I got to check it out before mass tourism put it's whammy on it. On the plus side, it looks as if the water quality is still good, and they seem to have saved their reef, from what I heard. But if Georgetown is what the above poster was talking about, I'm not so sure.... I mean, how many beers can you afford at $8 a pop?
3 comments:
We were there about a month ago, and the whole place, around the beaches anyway, smelled like untreated sewage. My husband said that it might have been rotting sea weed, but I didn't see any seaweed on the beach, but the smell was horrible. And you couldn't leave anything without the risk of bums ripping it off. So much for what happens with too many people on a small island.
We were there too. Click on the picture get a better look at that beach. I thought we were back at Coney Island, not cayman island LOL
Jeff Staten Island NY
Reviewing this, and thinking about what it was like compared to 1971, new insights: It's a dump. Mass tourism has ruined it. Unfortunately there wasn't much anyone could have done about it.
I wonder if the same will happen in Key West--it will if a few big shots don't work out a master plan.
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