Moses Kirkconnell, Deputy Premier and Minister for the Tourism and District Administration has promised the people of the Cayman Islands, sister islands, that tall ships cruises will be calling on Cayman Brac in 2014.
Mr. Kirkconnell made the disclosure in the contribution to the Throne Speech in the Legislative Assembly earlier this month.
Mr. Kirkconnell explained that the ships would route from Grand Cayman, onto Cuba then to Cayman Brac and back to Grand Cayman.
It was advised during the speech that the tall ships would bring “adventure-minded tourists to experience the unique qualities of each island”
It is thought that it will also provide employment in Cayman Brac through the transportation of the visitors on various tours, scuba and snorkelling excursions.
Tall ships can hold as many as 300 people, and as little as 12, many tall ships already cruise the Caribbean waters with trips ranging from 7 days to 1 month. Tall Ship Cruises are ideal as they are able to dock at smaller ports which are not able to accommodate large cruise ships.
In previous years, the promise of small scale cruise ships to Cayman Brac have been on the table, however there has been several concerns over the cost to build docking facilities on Cayman Brac, due to the direction the island lies. The cost would be extremely high, as the winds are predominantly from the North East of the Islands, which is where the docking station has been proposed in the past, such conditions would cause the facilities to deteriorate unless built to a superior standard, which in turn would be more expensive, than commonly used ports.
However, with tall ships already plying the Caribbean waters, it is now possible for a 30ft Tern Schooner that carries a 13ft draft and has the capacity to carry 275 passengers and 25 crew, to dock in Cayman Brac without any dredging or additional works to the present docking facility.
Should this come to fruition, it will provide a boost for the Brac’s economy.
“I am in full support of this initiative, which leverages opportunities in the cruise industry to promote experiences offered through a combined vacation including both Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac,” Mr Kirkconnell told the Legislative Assembly.
Source of Information: Cayman Net News