To print this page, select "Print" from the File menu of your browser salon.com > Travel May 17, 2000 URL: http://www.salon.com/travel/food/col/wolf/2000/05/17/cayman Hey, man, it's Cayman Turtle meat, pirates and 10 sunken ships: The grand island has something for everyone. - - - - - - - - - - - - By Burt Wolf The motto on the national emblem of the Cayman Islands reads: "He Hath Founded It Upon the Seas." On the seas indeed: No point on any of the three islands -- Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman -- that compose this British crown colony is more than a few minutes' drive from the ocean. Christopher Columbus is credited with the discovery of the Caymans in 1503. In subsequent years, sailors descended on the islands for fresh water and turtle meat, of which there was plenty. Fishermen and shipbuilders soon followed, and pirates -- Sir Henry Morgan and Blackbeard, among others -- are said to have made camp there. But it wasn't long before the spot was luring tourists, and in the early 18th century, visitors began sticking around to build homes. The most popular of the islands, Grand Cayman, is divided into five districts. George Town, on the sheltered western side of the island, is the smallest and has the best port. Once the site of an enormous pigpen, the town was first called Hog Stys -- not exactly an inspiring name for a vacation spot. At some point during the early 18th century, the name was changed in honor of King George III. The pigs moved out and the people moved in. Today it is the seat of the government, the center of the nation's banking and business interests and the most populated area. And, of course, one finds the duty-free shops in this district, too. George Town is also the site of a house worth seeing. In 1935, Carroll Henderson started buying conch shells. When his collection exceeded 4,000, he began work on his dream house: conch shells anchored in 12-inch-thick concrete walls. He could set only 30 shells a day, so it took more than two years to build the place. But when it was finished, it had been made so well that, during the Second World War, the U.S. Navy used the house as a bomb-storage depot. Today, the builder's son lives there and apparently doesn't mind sightseers taking a peek. For a more traditional example of Cayman architecture, hop over to nearby West Bay, on the northwest part of the island. In the central district of Grand Cayman, called Bodden Town, you'll find Pedro's Castle, one of the oldest homes on the island. Built in 1780, it has rock walls 3 feet thick, a nice view and underground dungeons. What more could you ask for? In one of those bursts of creativity that overcome early settlers, the eastern end of Grand Cayman was named East End. It's one of the least populated parts of the island, still home to a very rural lifestyle. Tourists go to the district to see the action at the blowholes, which are openings in the top of underground coastal caves. Great plumes of sea spray are created each time a wave dives into a cave and explodes through the hole. From the nearby beach, you can see what's left of a group of British ships that foundered on the reef in 1794. The event became known as the "Wreck of the 10 Sails." The story goes that the ship in charge of navigating sent back a signal to the rest of the fleet reading, "Stay clear." The sailor who interpreted the signal understood it to say, "All clear." Ten ships were lost in the translation. The fifth district on the island is North Side. It was the last part of Grand Cayman to be settled and it has the smallest population. North Side also has the most fertile land and the island's best farms. For years, the lack of roads kept it isolated. These days access is easier, bringing the district more traffic. Plus, there's a public ferry from Seven Mile Beach, the busiest part of the island, to the tip of North Side. The ferry runs throughout the day and will deposit you on Rum Point, which is considered by many to be the most beautiful beach on the island. Rum Point got its name from a ship that wrecked on the reefs in front of it. The ship's cargo -- barrels filled with rum -- floated ashore. When residents discovered the barrels, they also got wrecked. A number of bars and restaurants on Rum Point can help you re-create the experience. About 200 yards to the west of Rum Point is one of the most interesting underwater attractions in the world: Stingray City. It offers snorkelers and scuba divers an opportunity to hang out with a couple of hundred friendly stingrays. Despite their name, stingrays rarely sting; it's only when you step on them, when they are nestled on the sandy floor, that they pose a threat. Needless to say, it's wise to tread lightly in Stingray City. Finally, Grand Cayman offers tourists an entirely one-of-a-kind experience: A visit to Hell. Sharp, rough pinnacles, known as ironshore, cover this part of the island. When one of the early British commissioners was shown this area, he said, "This must be what hell looks like." The name stuck and now the town is officially known as Hell. One of its main attractions is a post office that will stamp your cards with a postmark from Hell. So when you return home, you can tell everyone you've been to Hell and back. salon.com | May 17, 2000   - - - - - - - - - - - - About the writer Burt Wolf's column appears every Wednesday in Salon Travel & Food. For more columns, visit his archive. Wolf's television reports on travel, food and cultural history are broadcast worldwide via PBS, CNN and the Discovery Network. He also writes regularly about food and cooking equipment for Burt Wolf.com.