Turtle Hatchlings!

Tis the season for turtle hatchlings! Every year the Silver Sand's expansive beach is home to several turtle nests through out the nesting season (May-ish till November-ish). The Department of Environment has procedures in place to ensure these little baby turtles have every chance of making it in the big blue sea. Once the eggs in the nest hatch, usually at night, the turtles scurry to the ocean and are taken away with the tide. Some of the babies get confused with which direction to go in and are found the next day on the property, and some never make it out of the nest. The DOE will come and dig up the nest and help the little ones that were a bit slow out of their shells. These little confused turtles will spend the next day in a bucket resting in a quiet dark place, waiting for the next night to be released by a friendly human turtle sitter. These 11 turtles pictured below all safely made it into the water.

Please note, most of the photos are in black and white because the babies are sensitive to the bright white light or flashlights. They are meant to hatch at night under the cover of darkness to avoid being picked off by birds and other predators. When releasing them, a red light is used so they can be monitored as they scurry into the water and don't go wandering off the wrong way. The red light will protect the turtle's night vision and cut down on their confusion ensuring they get to where they are supposed to go.

Good luck baby turtles!

Photos by: Heather Holt Photography

Cayman Crystal Caves

Cayman Crystal Caves are Grand Cayman's newest and a very unique addition to the island's tourist attractions. The caves are located on the Northside of the island and once you enter the caves you will be guided through 3 different caves that are currently open to the public.

This is a great activity if you want to adventure around the island. From Silver Sands it will take about 1 hour by car to access the site. Pack snacks and water as the tour is about 1.5 hours and is all outside so in the summer months it can be quite warm. After the tour don't forget to stop at Over the Edge for a sea side lunch and cold drink.

The guides are all Caymanian and very knowledgeable about the local history, flora and fauna. The above photo is Cayman's national flower, the Banana Orchid. Below our guide demonstrates how to weave the island's national tree, the Silver Thatch Palm, into a material that used to be used in basket making, hats, and other useful tools.

The Lake Cave was my personal favorite for obvious reasons, it was the largest, had the most features and of course the lake! 

And of course all caves need their resident bats, these guys were great, they love hanging out, or above, with the tourists!

Years and years of water drops and mineral collection have made some pretty impressive formations in these caves.

The main feature! The lake in the Lake Cave. It was professionally lit by an international specialist and it has 3 different settings highlighting the different areas of the cave.

Photography by: Heather Holt Photography

Anyone want to take the kayaks out?

There are so many awesome things to keep you busy on the Silver Sands beach, kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkling in the sea, floating in the pool, walking on the beach... and that is just a step out your front door, there is also a whole island to explore!

Photography by: www.heatherholt.com

Summer Storms = Epic Sunsets

Don't let Cayman's rainy season put you off coming to stay here at Silver Sands! Not only do we have great deals like our Summer Splash, but this is the season for some AWESOME sunsets. The passing storms are generally brief but the clouds and moisture in the air make for some breath taking sunsets and atmospheric conditions. The sunsets below were taken at Smiths Barcadere, a little beach just south of Georgetown. A nice little public beach area with great snorkling, twin beaches, and lots of shade. 

Below is a different day but too pretty not to share!

Photography by: Heather Holt Photography

Yoga with a World Class View

Want to maintain your fitness levels, and also your blissed out vacation relaxation during your stay here at Silver Sands? Why not try a private yoga lesson in the gazebo or in a location of your choice on our beautiful grounds... with a world class view. Try it for the first time or have a more advanced class, the wonderful teacher Chantelle can accommodate groups of all sizes and levels.

cooper.chantelle@gmail.com or give her a call on +1-345-926-9642

Summer Splash at Silver Sands 2016

May 1st – Aug 31st

Stay 5 Pay for 4!!

Come spend your summer days enjoying our amazing beach and relaxing to the gentle Caribbean Sea lapping on the shores of the white sand on 7-Mile. Check out the Silver Sands website for more details.

Land Crab Season is in Full Scuttle

The Cayman land crab is a common sight at Silver Sands and around Cayman between May and August. Once the first rains start to come marking the rainy season, the crabs come out of their underground burrows and start scuttling around the island. Since they go to the sea to breed they are usually never too far from the water. These animals range from tiny baby size and can get up to a fairly large crustaceans with pincers to match! They reach maturity at the age of about 4-5 years, and can live up to 10 years. 

Unfortunately these guys are up against may obstacles here in Cayman, between the road and largely going unnoticed by motorists at night, all the building on the island and the crab's loss of habitat, and the locals taste for these guys, to see a large one like this guys pictured here, is becoming a more and more rare sight.

The Cayman Compass posted an interesting article you can learn more about how these guys are being studied here in Cayman, and the Department of Environment has an interesting write up on the life cycle and habits of these indigenous creatures.

These guys are younger crabs that tend to be more colorful. They are both giving the warning sign to keep away. When they feel threatened they put their claws up for their enemy to see how fierce they are. 

Photography by Heather Holt