Back to work | March 25, 2013

Position: 19°35'N, 81°37'W – Governors Harbour, Grand Cayman

What a difference a month makes! Our first week in Grand Cayman, we couldn’t switch off. But now we’ve adapted to island-mode and it’s hard to get back to work. So much for our fears of never again adapting to life on dry land.

 

With another six months to go and another ocean yet to cross, there’s still plenty for us to do. The Skipper is always mulling over an issue on board or the logistics of our next passage. The First Mate is always looking out for supplies (any excuse to go shopping!) or quizzing the Skipper on the weeks and months ahead. I imagine it’s like couples who work together - we have to make a concerted effort not to talk about boat stuff on a day off. 

Having Monika on board helped with this as her holiday became our holiday too. Back in Grand Cayman she marched us off the boat every morning to sit on the beach, snorkel the reef or hit the shops. We stopped thinking and talking about the boat, and started to see the island as a real tourist does. In hindsight, we needed it as there will be plenty to keep us busy in the weeks and months ahead. 

Well rested and recharged, Monika's holiday came to an end and ours did too. She flew back to Switzerland on Saturday and after a final,relaxing weekend for us on land, it's back to 'work' to prepare for our next seaward journey – Grand Cayman to the USA.

We will be sad to leave Grand Cayman and will miss the wonderful people we have met here. This small island has been a real home away from home for the past month, due in no small part to the hospitality of our friends Cara and Justin. Their door has always been open, their guest room always ready for us when we arrived every Friday, like college-students coming home with empty stomachs and full bags of laundry.

They and their friends have made us feel so welcome, helping us to find whatever we needed and showing us the best that Cayman has to offer. It has made our stay here so very different to the other islands we have visited, where we were just another two anonymous tourists looking for information, directions and most importantly, friends. We couldn't have wished for a better experience and wonder what we'll do without them when we arrive in a new city and country next week.