Ken's Voyages Around the Sun


Cayman Kayaking
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Didn't expect I'd have to worry about the sun much yesterday while snorkeling, but my forehead's got a bright red top with a curving outline across the middle, right where the mask fit on. It looks kind of silly really.

Anyway, our visit to Grand Cayman was rather short. The ship arrived around noon and we had to be back aboard by 5:30 pm. This island has no port facilities for the big cruise ships, so we had to get on a tender for the trip to and from it. Our kayaking group of 17 got a van to the other side where our guide gave us sit-on-top kayaks to use for paddling along a mangrove shore and then out in a protected bay. Nice trip.

Near the end the whole group parked the boats at an anchored diving raft in about five feet of water, and then swam or walked or floated around with masks and snorkels on. Many new fish and critters, including living conches that we picked up and looked at closely. Also a micro reef with many beautiful fish that we could see very well because the water was so shallow.

On the way back to the ship, we watched an "authentic replica" pirate ship sail by and fire its cannons at the cruise liners! (The pirate ship adventure was one of the shore excursions here.) Apparently they shoot well, because only three cruise liners remained of the six anchored here when we went ashore earlier.

No time for shopping on this island, which is a 6,000-foot tall pillar of coral rising from the sea floor. The island has 0% unemployment and no crime, and rakes in gobs of cash for cruise ship landing fees. So much so that none of the residents pay any taxes whatsoever.

As soon as everyone reboarded, they turned the ship around to get the wind right and we had our ash-spreading ceremony for Shelley's dad. Captain Ronny Borg read a poem, sprinkled the ashes into the beautiful Caribbean from a door on the first deck, and read a second poem. It was a short second funeral, but moving. Back to the cabins for a little while after that.


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Here's a sample dinner menu, the one from tonight, that includes -- get this -- a dessert that has 28 syllables in its name!

COLD APPETIZERS

  • Duo of Tuna with Cucumbers and Daikon, Coriander-Citrus Vinaigrette
  • Cantonese Style Beef Salad with Bean Sprouts and Sesame Seeds
  • Three-Berry Compote


HOT APPETIZER

  • Baked Idaho Potato with Creme Fraiche and Salmon Caviar


THE SOUP KETTLE

  • Yellow Split Pea Soup with Smoked Hocks and Scallions
  • Fish and Vegetable Minestrone, Garlic Baguette
  • Fire and Ice Melon Soup


FRESH FROM THE GARDEN

  • Mixed Crisp Lettuce with Vegetables and Bacon Bits
  • Red Beets, Radishes and Carrots in their individual Marinades


VEGETARIAN ENTREE

  • Mediterranean Style Vegetables in Tamarind Curry with Steamed White Rice and Dates


PASTA DEL GIORNO

  • Fettucine ai Funghi: Pasta Ribbons with Mushrooms, Pine Nuts and Rosemary


MAIN COURSES

  • Salmon Picatta on Sun-Dried Tomato Spaghetti
  • Red Currant -- Glazed Pork Chop with Root Vegetables and Savoy Potatoes
  • Butter flied, Grilled Leg of Lamb with Forty Cloves of Garlic Pan Jus Seasonal Vegetables and Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes


FROM THE GRILL

  • Cowboy Steak with Tobacco Onions
  • Vegetable Stir-Fry and Roast Potatoes



ALWAYS AVAILABLE

  • Grilled Chicken Breast
  • Steamed Vegetables
  • Baked Potato with condiments


FROM OUR CHEESE BOARD

  • Assortment of International Cheeses and Fruits


DESSERTS

  • Chocolate-Nougat Cake on Grand Marnier Sauce
  • Almond-Mocha Parfait
  • Apple in the Jacket with Raisins and Marzipan on French Vanilla Bean Soup Sauce, Baked in Puff Pastry Coat


FROM THE ICE CREAM PARLOR

  • Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Coffee, Butter Pecan Ice Cream
  • Pineapple, Raspberry, Orange Sherbet
  • Pear Belle Helene Ice Cream Sundae, Frozen Raspberry Yogurt, Choice of Sugar and Fat-free Ice Creams


BEVERAGES

  • Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, Assorted Teas
  • Expresso, Cappuccino



And you can have as much as you want!!!





On the way in to Grand Cayman (and several times earlier) we watched flying fish getting out of the way of the ship. They're very cool!



There's one!




The shoreline and bay where we kayaked. Lots of interesting critters in and around this area. Would be a nice place to swim daily, with a mask and snorkel on. The whole bay's less than 10 feet deep.



The "authentic replica" pirate ship fires on the M/S Norwegian Sea! Scurvey dogs!





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