Snorkeling report

Thanks to 2004's horrific hit from Hurricane Ivan, Grand Cayman's reefs aren't what they were, the locals told me. But while the reef has lost its soft corals and its color, the fish are still plentiful: triggers, rays, parrotfish, angels, Bermuda chubb.

Four ships were in port, which meant shops, reefs, Stingray City were all crowded. Though we had only about 30 people on our reef-and-wreck shore excursion, we shared the reef with a couple of other snorkeling boats plus a pair of glass-bottom boats. A little crowded, but still worthwhile despite a thundering downpour.

Caribbean port areas seem much the same; to see much that's unique to each place, you need to get away from the Duty Free jewelry shops. Fellow cruisers Rhona and Larry Kalkstein of Marco Island did just that. They walked just a few blocks from the main shopping area, ate lunch in a local restaurant and had a great time, they reported...and didn't see another tourist.