Greg J. Hipius'
Online Photo Gallery
Caribbean Cruise -
July,
2005:
Hell (Grand Cayman)
On our trip around Grand Cayman, after the Stingray City stop and viewing some of the hurricane damage from Hurricane Ivan, we stopped at Hell. This particular attraction is a field of very strange, tall growths; an early explorer to the site said it looks like Hell must look, and the name stuck. Now, there is a small area to view the field, and an adjacent gift shop featuring all sorts of amusing hell merchandise, all run by a very funny older gentleman who wears a halloween devil costume and greets people at the register with phrases like "Who in hell is next?" and "How in hell are you?" The post office for the area is, in fact, Hell, so postcards sent from there are postmarked "Hell." Pam and I prepared several in advance to mail while we were there.
I was fairly disappointed that the not-too-enthusiastic guide driving our tour bus told us we had only 15 minutes firm to view the field and visit the shop (and he repeatedly threatened to leave anyone not back in the time limit, and almost did with both my Dad and another group). We were pretty rushed in viewing the field and grabbing photos, so I only got a few, as well as one with an amusing, conveniently positioned statue of a devil.
For those interested in the science of the place, the formations are actually the ancient remains of a dried out coral reef that formed when the island was once submerged, and then dried out into its current state after the land rose to its current elevation above sea level.
