From Islands

The Free Tour You Can’t Miss on Cayman Brac

Every visitor to Cayman Brac is welcome to a free guided tour of the island courtesy of Nature Cayman. Thanks to the warm, affable Keino St. Aubyn Daley, every tour is different, and always comes with a surprise. It may be the 25 million-year-old caves and brown booby sightings that fill up the day. Or it could be a morning snorkel and a stop at a Bracker’s home for fried fish, fritters, and a few stories. It’s choose-your-own-adventure, with a side of Caymankindness.

I don’t know where my name came from. There’s a game in Las Vegas called keno. I’ve heard from some Filipino friends that my name means “mouse.” I’m a pretty big rat if you ask me.

I’ve been working with nature tourism since 2008. I used to be a mechanic. At first I was petrified to talk to people. Then I realized it’s not about me. It’s about showing off my island. And then came the realization that I get paid to show off my home. That’s pretty cool.

What’s so special about Cayman Brac is everybody here is like a little big family. Every day we’re driving around honking our horn or blinking our lights – just hailing people. We know everybody. Sure, we’re all Caymanians, but Brackers are a special breed.

You know how you’re not family to certain people, but those people still make you feel welcome, loved, and warm and fuzzy on the inside? That’s Caymankind.

My favorite spots to show off are the lighthouse and Long Beach. Just sit down and watch the waves crash against the bluff. At the lighthouse, there’s a cool breeze and no noise whatsoever.

Cayman Brac has a cave system that’s 25 million years old. There are more than 100 caves here, and we’re still discovering them. This cave was discovered only five years ago. It’s called Nanny’s Cave. At first they were going to call it Chandelier Cave because of all the stalactites and stalagmites. It looks like chandeliers on the ceiling. But nanny is a friendly Caymanian term. That’s what the guy said to his work friend when he was on the excavator. He said, “Nanny, I found a cave.”

Visitors are always amazed by the color of the water. One lady was on a dive boat – she must’ve been from the middle of the U.S. She said the water is so beautiful and colorful that she wanted to collect some in a vase. Of course she dipped it in the ocean and the water was clear.

[Laughs.]

On my tour you’ll see wildlife. Plenty of fish when you’re snorkeling or diving, brown boobies and other types of birds, and maybe some iguanas. For some strange reason, I can never find them when I’m on tour. But when I’m off, they’re all over the place.

When I take a vacation I stay here. There’s a lot to do. If you have it all here, why go anyplace else, you know?

IMAGE: Keino St. Aubyn Daley Zach Stovall

For more on this story go to: http://www.islands.com/free-tour-you-cant-miss-cayman-brac