From Westin Grand Cayman

Yo ho ho! Here on Grand Cayman, we love celebrating our early history with pirates. Life as we know it on this paradisiacal island began over five centuries ago when Christopher Columbus discovered two islands covered in tortoises during his fourth voyage to the new world and named them “Las Tortugas.” In 1734, the first official land grant was issued in Grand Cayman and the first permanent settlements sprouted up.

For the next several decades, the Cayman Islands became known as a stopping point for pirates, looking to find shelter and a vantage point to intercept other voyagers sailing the Caribbean Sea. Infamous captains such as Blackbeard and Henry Morgan were known to roam the waters of the Caribbean, and some believe that Blackbeard even left some of his treasure hidden in a cave off the coast of Cayman Brac.

Today, you can find traces of our swashbuckling days on all corners of the island – from pirate themed cruises, to replica pirate caves, to our annual Pirate Festival held each year in November. Of course, these days we are on the hunt for fun, not booty. If you haven’t yet, you really should come aboard our ongoing treasure hunt while you’re here. If you’re a planner, schedule your trip for November. In the Cayman Islands, winter means a low near 75 and less storms than the summer, so you’ll be able to escape the cold plaguing much of the rest of the world. More importantly, you’ll be able to attend the Cayman Islands Annual Pirates Week Festival, held each year in early November. In past years, the festival has featured a mud run, a parade complete with lots of festive floats made by local buccaneers, and a pirate invasion of the island from sea! If you miss the festival, fear not: you can still weigh anchor (set sail) on a pirate ship with Pirates of The Caymans, and watch as your crew re-enacts pirate trials, sword fights and mock-attacks on ships in port. Bon Voyage!

(Image credit: piratesweekfestival.com)

For more on this story go to: http://www.westincaymanblog.com/2014/08/arr-matey-pirates-take-on-grand-cayman.html