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"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes. " -- Marcel Proust

112--The Cayman Islands: I'll Be Brac @ Site News     Jan 13 2003 - 19:05 PST cherie writes: Scirocco’s new “crew count” is up to four! Our newest sailor is named Mike, and we’re having a great time showing him the ropes (LINES)! Mike is a 26 year-old dive instructor that just happens to have some free time before he gets put away for four years. He goes into the Army (Military Intelligence) in April. We’re currently in Cayman Brac, a little freckle on the map about 85 miles away from Grand Cayman. Brac is the perfect location for anyone who wants to escape, dive all day, and then stretch out in a hammock and watch the sun melt into the horizon. The diving in Brac is pristine and perfectly preserved. People fly from around the globe to explore the miracles submerged under the tourquiose blanket of the Caribbean Sea. The locals call this area “the underwater Grand Canyon.” They don’t have much else to do in Brac except watch birds and explore caves. The island has the same number of roads as dive shops (two) and also the same number of restaurants (though we’ve only been able to find one!) The real reason we stopped in Brac was to see Capt. Keith Tibbetts. Tibbetts is not a man, she’s a ship! Capt. Keith Tibetts is a Russian Cold-War frigate complete with massive gun turrets! She’s sunk off the shallow coast of Brac in 45 to 85 feet of water so clear you’d think you could drink it. It is the only Russian warship in the Western Hemisphere. Greg, Tom, Mike and I explored the ship, darned in our scuba gear, penetrating the 330 foot monster and floating around inside its jagged innards. The ship rests on a bed of snowy white sand where thousands of curious garden eels keep the Tibbetts under their careful watch. Although we discovered plenty of coral and marine life--Mike and I found something else that aroused our interest near Tibbetts. It was resting in 74 feet of ocean. A bicycle! It was a little rusty, but Mike and I kicked off our fins and went for an underwater ride! All four of us were surprised and enchanted by this little speck of paradise in the Cayman Islands. If Arnold were here he’d say: “I’ll be Brac.” Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (0) | write comment| views: 4839    | rated: 0.0    printer-friendly version   Cayman Brac is the perfect place to waste time. Mike gave up being a dive instructor to become one of Scirocco's crew. This one is a fixer-upper. Proof that Caymanians don't drive on the "right" side of the road. Silly signs dot the docks of the dive shops on Cayman Brac. Scary sign? It wouldn't be "punishment" if you had to sit on this bench, and think about what you did wrong. Greg, Mike and Tom. This type of shark only bites docks and piers. Brac is the Cayman Island you want to go to if you want to be alone. Liesel, just one of the helpful staff at "Reef Divers," one of the two dive-shops on Brac. Captain Chris from "Reef Divers" filling the air tanks. A woman's work is never done! "Montanan" lost its engine and its mast and had to be rescued by the staff of "Reef Divers." *Photo by Tom. Haven't you always wished you could live in an egg by the sea? (What an egg-celent view!) *Photo by Tom. Mike and Cherie heading out for a sunset dive! *Photo by Tom. Scirocco in Cayman Brac. Mike and Cherie (in the dinghy) talking to the owners of the mast-less "Montanan". *Photo by Tom. Sunset in Cayman Brac. Does the sun seem bigger here, or your problems just seem smaller? *Photo by Tom. Scirocco at sunset. *Photo by Tom.