Everything can happen in just a day on Little Cayman, and then again nothing much may happen at all. Along the way, either experience becomes something to savor. Just a short flight from Grand Cayman, this corner of the western Caribbean remains one of its quietest. For those usually in a rush to do it all, be prepared to adjust quickly to the luxuriant pace of Little Cayman time–where the speed limit is usually 25 miles per hour, and the other resident populations ranging from giant iguanas to ducks frequently have the right of way. In fact, there is never the need to rush here: this island measures just a total of ten miles long and one mile wide. The most common hand signal is probably a wave: everyone seems to know each other, or feel as if they do. Little Cayman’s allure to the outside world has been mostly in its offshore waters providing an extraordinary opportunity for a variety of sport. Nowadays, diving enthusiasts remain devotees of the island’s small intimate resorts, prominent being Southern Cross Club, with other special interest travelers discovering its possibilities on both water and land.
A mere five minutes after touchdown, and you are already past the front doors of Southern Cross Club’s bright lemon exterior. Inside, barracudas and sharks arch splendidly along the ceiling rafters around the lounge areas and bar, where a welcoming drink is on hand. This casual chic 11-unit resort with eco-conscious energy practice has a history going back nearly five decades as an outpost popular with diving enthusiasts. These days, the range of other adventure-minded traveler you also encounter here may include anyone from bird-watcher to angler to sailing enthusiast. Additionally, honeymooners and dedicated escapists from big city life have also chosen this as an idyllic hideaway.
Its location allows Southern Cross Club guests to take their pick of activity without too much planning at all. So if your idea for the morning is either diving or fishing, then it will likely begin early—around 5:30 a.m. for deep sea angling, and by 8 a.m. for morning dive outings. If you’re off to do some fishing, grab some coffee in your suite first; while divers can stop first for the lavish breakfast served up before heading to the jetty and the one of the Club’s onsite dive instructors. A diving expedition may see your launch turn toward any one of Little Cayman’s excellent sites on either the northern or southern coastlines. Just off Blossom Village, the island’s main town, is a protected marine park with top dive sites with names like Grundy Gardens, Windsock, Harlod’s Holes, Jay’s Reef, Patty’s Point, Pirate’s Reef or Preston Reef.
It is the northern coast that has long been the favored stretch for diving expeditions. Here lies Bloody Bay Wall, rated one of the best dive sites in the world. The drop begins at just 18 feet and then descends to over 1,000 feet, with clear visibility extending that can extend to 150 feet. The Wall is thick with sponges and coral and is also home to many formations—chimneys, canyons and coral arches—you may even spot the rare longsnout seahorse hereabouts. Also nearby are sites such as Nancy’s Cup of Tea, The Meadows, Marilyn’s Cut, Randy’s Gazebo, and Jackson Reef, each with its own physical attributes and range of marine life. Randy’s, for instance, is notable for its tunnels and swim-throughs, along with a natural arch. The Meadows is a place of small caverns and overhangs. Shallower sites such as Nancy’s, The Meadows and Jackson Reef are also ideal for snorkeling excursions.
Fishing expeditions take off at the break of dawn, putting you aboard an outboard motor vessel with no more than two or three other anglers to head beyond the reefs and try your hand at hooking wahoo or tuna, even blue marlin. Southern Cross’s seasoned fishing instructor/leader explains your route and how to master your fishing rod as your boat makes for open waters beyond the reefs. If a tuna comes along for you to reel in, he may even fillet it for you later back at dockside for an evening meal. While good deep sea fishing exits right offshore for gamefish, Little Cayman’s main attraction for anglers is light tackle and fly-fishing. The largest schools frequent the shallow areas of South Hole Sound near Owen Island. Bonefish can be observed in areas known as muds—patches of water where the sea looks milky from the fish churning up the bottom while feeding. Year round, depending on weather conditions, anglers can catch bonefish that may weigh between three and six pounds.
Exploring Little Cayman on foot or by bike is easy: with its flat grade, walking is a common way to get around, and Southern Cross Club always has available bikes on-hand. For more extensive exploring during the most humid months, take as much advantage as possible of the cool of the morning. One area to began a hike on the southwestern corner of the island is the mile-long Salt Rock Nature Trail: along the way, you may spot such plant life as orchids, cacti, and mahogany trees, while taking shelter amidst the flora and fauna are iguanas and blue land crabs, along with many of the regional bird species. Little Cayman has over eight miles of paved road and even the unpaved surfaces are good enough for a mountain bike. A must-see near Blossom is the 206-acre Booby Pond Nature Reserve with its Visitors Centre. From the Centre’s decks, observe the largest breeding colony of red-footed boobies, along with competing colonies of frigate birds and occasional snowy egrets, herons or ducks. The Centre also operates a small library, gift shop and coffee bar. While in the vicinity, look in also at the Little Cayman Museum, a two-room cottage that explains much of the island’s human and natural history over the centuries.
Following Little Cayman’s main road along the southern shoreline traveling north-easterly, you pass shallow ponds lined with low-growth vegetation that serves as home to various bird species. Another favorite along the way for naturists is Tarpon Lake, a brackish huge pond that also draws anglers fishing for the resident tarpon. Herons and duck perch on the observation deck nearby, while an occasional giant iguana may peer out from the roadside. You can conclude your outward journey here at Sandy Point Beach, an isolated but lovely strip of beach ideal for a picnic lunch or snorkeling and sunbathing. An alternate route will detour you toward the northern road, taking Crossover Road at the island’s midsection to continue northwesterly toward Bloody Bay Wall. Here you can stop off at the Little Cayman Research Centre, a new marine field research facility that includes a visitor center for anyone interested in the reefs and marine life of Little Cayman. For those who make it back to Southern Cross early and feel up to a little more action, take one of the Club’s kayaks for a trip over to neighboring Owen Island just offshore: here you can do more snorkeling or kayaking around its perimeter, or just spend the remaining hours basking on a fairytale islet.
Everything exists and flows in an easy proximity on Little Cayman, and often intertwined in some unexpected way. This essential aspect continues into your final moments here, awaiting the Beechcraft to return you to the cares of the wider world. Behind you sits the one-room post office and the airline office, while on the other side of the small building is the island’s sole firetruck. Along the grass runway, a white egret makes a sudden touch-down and calmly strolls around the adjacent field that serves as the local soccer pitch. The ritual is completed with the arrival of a few vehicles bearing last-minute passengers for the flight to Grand Cayman. Then, as Little Cayman sinks rapidly behind you in the low-lying morning clouds, you realize that whatever man and nature may bring to her in future, the subtle rhythm of this small haven will always endure and welcome.