Mosaic Monday #186: Back to the Islands

 

As I continue my denial that this is the month of August, we might as well go way back to May and our trip to Grand Cayman.  (see previous posts June 5, 2022, June 12, 2022 and June 19, 2022)  One day we journeyed around the island, beginning with Smith's Barcadere, one of the most photographed beaches in the Caribbean.  Also known as Smith Cove, this historic stretch of coastline is a favorite with locals and visitors alike.  Calm, clear waters and easy beach access make it ideal for snorkeling.  Dappled shade and picnic tables round out the facilities for those who don't want to go in the water.  I filled my time taking pictures, and bird-watching.  The two videos below are a bananaquit - a member of the tanager family.  They feed on small insects and spiders, as well as fruits and nectar.  The local subspecies, Coereba flaveola sharpei, is endemic - found only in the Cayman Islands.

The other most common bird at this beach? Chickens. 

The flowers and fruit on the trees at the beach fascinated me.  I did some rudimentary investigating on the web, but the identification eluded me.  Anyone know the name of the tree(s)?  (One had pink flowers and the other yellow.  Both flowers were shaped like a hibiscus, and the leaves of the trees were identical, if that helps!)

Our next stop was Spotts Beach, known for turtle sightings.  And sure enough, we saw three different turtles.  This is the smallest.

Check out the video of the small one.  It was completely oblivious to the snorkelers awkwardly hanging above it while it snipped at the sea grass, gently rolling in the current near the shore.

Here's the medium-sized green turtle going up for air.  Isn't it marvelous how the sunlight shines through the ocean onto objects under the surface?  The water here was only about 15 feet deep.

I love the following shot with the reflection.  By the way, all these pictures were taken by Spousal Unit with his hand-held GoPro.

The largest of the three was by far the most skittish, and that's why we have only video.  Notice the two remora clinging to it or swimming nearby.  The larger animal provides protection while getting cleaned.  I can't put into words how fulfilling it was to witness three of these majestic creatures in the space of 30 minutes.

Our next stop was Kaibo Beach Bar and Grill, on the far North Side of the island.  If you look at the red numbering in the picture below, we began at 1 - our condo.  Smith's Barcadere is 2, Spott's Beach is 3 and Kaibo is 4. (You can enlarge the picture by clicking on it.)

You can take a ferry from Camana Bay to Kaibo, but you would miss all the fun of driving around the island!  

After we enjoyed drinks and appetizers at the Grill, we strolled over to Starfish Point, only a quarter mile from the restaurant.  As the name would indicate, you can always find starfish in this area.  The red cushion sea stars that frequent the shallows looking for food provide the perfect photo opportunity, while the soft sands are a great place for beachcombing and exploring.

This day, we also came across a few hermit crabs at the Point, the first we have ever seen on the island.  Caribbean hermit crab adults burrow and hide under the roots of large trees, and can be found a considerable distance inland.  I suppose these creatures, like us, were also on their beach vacation!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain time).

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