GC beauty and things to do

[rddudley]

We just booked a cruise for April 2009 that goes to Cozumel and Grand Cayman. My nephew is considering going with us, but is concerned that the island is still devastated from the hurricane a few years back. He and his wife had taken a cruise to GC and said the island was completely devastated and Hell about the only thing to see. Does anyone have recent pictures to show? I'm most interested in seeing the foilage and understanding what there is to do in Grand Cayman. Is this a good vacation choice? Also, if you have any info on the status of Cozumel that would be appreciated too.

 

 

Thanks for any insight.

[drew sailbum]

If you are truly interested in finding any buildings seriously damaged from that hurricane you will have to look rather hard. There are a few, but you have to know where they are.

 

As to vegetation.... yes 150+ mph winds do tend to strip every last leaf off the trees and bushes. However, it has been more than four years and the island's vegetation recovered long ago.

[hawkshoe]

We were there in June of this year. The hurricaine did do some damage but they have come a long way in restoring things. The folliage was beautiful. Even the reefs, which I had heard had been severely damaged, were the most georgeous I have seen.

 

Cozumel was not as nice but it too had made strides in getting back to normal.

 

I don't know how to post pics here. However, if you give me you email address, I will happily send you a link to my pictures.

[bookbabe]

Cayman is far more recovered from Hurricane Ivan than New Orleans is from Katrina...especially in the tourist areas. If you are just around the main tourist attractions and hadn't been to the island before to have a comparison, you would be hard pressed to see the damage...

[blessedwith12]

For some pictures of Cozumel, you can check out the link in my signature to Nachi Cocom. We were there in March and thought it was a beautiful place.

[nolaAlive]

Cayman is far more recovered from Hurricane Ivan than New Orleans is from Katrina...especially in the tourist areas. If you are just around the main tourist attractions and hadn't been to the island before to have a comparison, you would be hard pressed to see the damage...

 

You could not be more wrong.

 

Most of the tourist areas in New Orleans were not damaged at all by Katrina or the flood and were open for business shortly after the storm.

 

The residential areas are another story, but those aren't on most tourists agendas.

[nolaAlive]

We just booked a cruise for April 2009 that goes to Cozumel and Grand Cayman. My nephew is considering going with us, but is concerned that the island is still devastated from the hurricane a few years back. He and his wife had taken a cruise to GC and said the island was completely devastated and Hell about the only thing to see. Does anyone have recent pictures to show? I'm most interested in seeing the foilage and understanding what there is to do in Grand Cayman. Is this a good vacation choice? Also, if you have any info on the status of Cozumel that would be appreciated too.

 

 

Thanks for any insight.

 

I was on one of the first cruise ships to return to grand Cayman after Ivan and the Stingray Sandbar was certainly alive and doing well.

 

Hurricane Ivan was in 2004.

 

Here are some pictures from 2005, 2006, and 2007. I will be returning again in about a month.

 

Nov07 - Cemetery Beach/Reef

 

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/valor_06/GC/gc_1.htm

 

Dec 28, 2005 - Grand Cayman

 

Marriott Courtyard 3/2005

[bookbabe]

You could not be more wrong.

 

My apologies. I was basing my statement on what I've seen on TV, which seems to lead viewers to believe that New Orleans was completely wiped out and is still in very sad shape in many areas. I'm happy to hear that New Orleans is doing as well as Cayman is...

[mrsfuzzmo]

Having been to Grand Cayman pre- Ivan and then a couple times post-Ivan, I can tell you, as a tourist, it's totally back to normal. We saw no signs of a hurricane 2 and 3 years ago. It was gorgeous as ever. As far as vegetation goes, Don't expect Grand Cayman to be lush and thick jungle like Jamaica or DR, as it is a desert Island and very flat with little "jungle" so to speak. Lots of palms, scrub, flowering bushes and the like though.

[nolaAlive]

My apologies. I was basing my statement on what I've seen on TV, which seems to lead viewers to believe that New Orleans was completely wiped out and is still in very sad shape in many areas. I'm happy to hear that New Orleans is doing as well as Cayman is...

 

No problem. The media really has done a great disservice to the city.

 

A lot of residential areas are still in sad shape, but slowly returning. The tourist and convention areas are fine.

 

For example, the American Heart Association is meeting in New Orleans next month with an expected 27,000 in attendance.

 

As for efficient and effective recovery from a major hurricane, Grand Cayman put not only New Orleans, but also Florida and all other US areas affected by hurricanes to shame. Of course, many of these areas have populations far in excess of Grand Cayman, so it should be no surprise that recovery takes longer.

 

It takes years to rebuild 100,000+ houses.

[Ren1216]

nolaAlive - Great pictures, I really enjoyed looking through them!