Cayman Islands

Cayman Islands

Caribbean Sea
LAST UPDATED 16/08/2008
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Level of surfing

Beginner

Quality of surf

Average

Call code

1345

Net code

ky

Area

260

Coastline

160 km

Climate

tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, dry winters (November to April)

Hazards

Cyclones

Best Months

June - October

Population

45017

Currency

Cayman dollar (KYD) Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.8496 (2006)

Time Zone

ROMEO (UTC-5)

Special Requirements

surfing

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Axe Effect: Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman; 2006

The Caribbean, she is a harsh mistress. All of the islands in the Greater and Lesser Antilles share at least some aspect towards the North Atlantic and therefore are exposed to any passing fronts that generate of the East American Coast and transit the North Atlantic. These fronts often pass a good way to the north and swell decay can be a problem.

Regular windswell is a constant on the east coast of all of the island groups and hence there is almost always something to keep you occupied and off the rum for a few hours. too much wind can be a bad thing though and onshore days are very common, no matter how early in the morning you manage to peel yourself out of your cot and stumble down to the beach.

The third source of swell in the region are from passing hurricanes. Some of the strongest storm ever recorded on the planet file through here regularly. Technically the season spans June to November with early September being the peak. The ideal scenario is for the hurricane mass to pass clear of any inhabited areas and sit well offshore in the deep Carribean for a few days prior to disipating. The result is typically 3-5 days of western swell that lights up the hidden western points and reefs of the Caribbean. The persistant NE/E trade winds will gently fan these breaks all day long. It is then that some of the rarer points and breaks of The Cayman Islands come to life. Surf exploration doesent get any better than this.

what to pack

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Flashdance: A pair of very simple Moroccan flip flops called "Cabjuks"; 25 May 2007

Take a very good sunscreen with high level of protection. It is absolutely essential, as well as sunnies, hats, long sleeved shirts and long skirts for ladies to cover legs. Don’t underestimate the strength of the sun; your skin won’t forgive you. Just in case you still ignore our advice, take a lot of Aloe Vera. Repellent might be useful as well.

Better take your medicines with you (esp. anti histamine tablets), as the brands can be unfamiliar and cost more.

All the gear: a good sleeping bag and tent that are good for very low temp; special gas container u can use for heating food and water; a sturdy backpack or a cargo pack with a good daypack.

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