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Interesting Facts
- For most, mere mention of the Cayman Islands conjures up images of pristine beaches, crystal-clear water, grass huts, sunbathers, and saltwater fishing. For those who roam in financial circles, however, the islands mean one thing: international banking. The country's offshore banking industry dates back to the late 1960s, and the number of independent financial entities now numbers approximately 700, making the Cayman Islands the banking heart and soul of the Caribbean.
- What's in a name? "Cayman" is derived from "caymanas," a Spanish-Carib word meaning crocodiles. Evidently, "eager" representatives of the islands' reptilian contingency greeted early exploration parties led by Christopher Columbus and Sir Francis Drake. For the next 300 or so years, Sunday crocodile shoots were a favorite pastime among the island's bourgeois residents.
- "Excuse me, but what road do I need to take to get to Stingray City?" Locals have tons of fun with those who ask this question. Actually, Stingray City, located in the middle of the North Sound, is accessible only by boat.
- The "Birth of Democracy" in the Cayman Islands came about on 5 December 1831, when representatives from each island gathered at Pedro St. James Castle to decide what type of government the island would have. They resolved that representatives from five districts would be elected to serve in a legislative assembly. Four years later, the Caymanian legislature voted to emancipate all slaves on the island.
- Is it the turtle, the flower, the bird, or the palm? Actually, the Cayman Islands have three official national symbols: the wild banana orchid, Cayman parrot, and silver thatch palm. Sir Turtle, whose swashbuckling mug you'll find just about everywhere in the Cayman Islands, was adopted as the country's unofficial symbol.
- During the 18th century, the Cayman Islands developed a reputation as being a hideaway for pirates. Such fearsome figures as Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, Neal Walker, and Henry Morgan (whose name and rank appear in liquor stores all over the world) were reported to have occupied the island at one time or another. Today, many island tour companies include stops at the pirate caves near Bodden Town.
- Cayman Brac, perhaps the most dramatic of the three islands, sits about 89 miles east of Grand Cayman. The island owes its name to the limestone brac, or ridge, that runs from the east to the west coast. The brac dominates the island's geography, sculpting deep crevices and caves into the landscape and serving as the nesting ground for myriad species of tropical birds. The waters around Cayman Brac are popular with divers and snorkelers.
- "Somebody went to hell, and all I got was this lousy postcard!" Motor tours of the island usually include stops at a tiny seaside village on the northwest side of the island. The ironically-named Hell has its own post office and one of the most picturesque shorelines on the island.
- Going to "the Caymans"? Well, you may be, but don't tell locals that. In the Cayman Islands, only tourists refer to the islands collectively. Instead, it is better to refer to each island individually: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman.
- In 1503, during his last voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus discovered Little Cayman and Cayman Brac after a storm knocked his ship off course. The explorer named the two small islands the Tortugas due to the large number of sea turtles his ship encountered in surrounding waters. Although the islands have been known as the Caymans since the 16th century, the name "Tortuga" lives on as one of the West Indies' most renowned brands of rum.
