On the last weekend in August, a group of 10 men climbed aboard their kayaks and completed ‘Round the Rock 2020’ – a circumnavigation of Grand Cayman.
Organisers say they hope it can become an annual event.
The group set out at 4pm on Friday, 28 Aug., from Spotts Beach towards South Sound, with what they described as “the lofty ambition” of paddling around Grand Cayman in a single weekend.
Armed with fishing rods, cameras, lots of sunscreen and steely grit, the kayakers hoped to make it to North West Point on Friday night; then cover 21 miles as far as Barefoot Beach on Saturday; and finish on Sunday with a downwind run of another 21 miles back to Spotts Beach.
“The idea seemed simple enough but proved to be quite the challenge,” said Flip du Plessis, one of the kayakers and organisers, in a press release.
The organisers said the idea of an around-the-island paddle had been incubating for several years “but 2020 proved to be the crazy year that would slingshot this idea into reality”.
“With everyone struggling through the social isolation of COVID-19 and having to stay home to protect themselves and others, the support for this adventure suddenly gained momentum when presented with a favorable weather window, and before you could say ‘blisters’, 10 guys were chomping at the bit and raring to go,” du Plessis said in the release.
The release outlined the journey the 10 men underwent during their weekend adventure.
Pushing off from Spotts Beach, the team progressed past Prospect Point to Sand Cay, “recovering one kayak and its urchin-pierced crew along the way”, and made it to North West Dock under the full moon.
The sunrise on Day 2 presented a calm ocean but this proved to be deceiving as they rounded Conch Point and faced straight into the easterly breeze. The next six miles to Rum Point “was a stark indicator of what’s to come as they were reminded of the reality that this is not [an] easy endeavour,” du Plessis said.
After making a brief stop at Stingray City to refresh and drain a leaking kayak, the troupe made it to Rum Point for a well-deserved lunch, and halfway stop on Day 2.
“The afternoon leg proved to be the toughest of the trip, going nowhere slowly into the wind until they reached Barefoot Beach just in time for the sunset. Welcomed by a militant regiment of hungry mosquitoes relief arrived in the form of Tom and Lisha Watling from Cayman Kayaks who graciously opened their home to the group for some welcome nourishment and rest,” according to the release.
Fuelled up on homemade cinnabons and strong coffee from the Watlings’ kitchen, the kayakers were ready for Day 3. With 37 miles under their belts, everyone was keen to get the show on the road for the ‘downwind’ run along the south side of the island.
Heading past the Wyndham in East End, the group waved at some pals under quarantine as they prepared to bash through the waves on the reef. At this point, they made a beeline to Bodden Town across a dead calm ocean with a slight 4 knot breeze at their backs encouraging them along.
“The monotony of paddling was broken by the sheer excitement of catching a 30 pound yellow fin tuna along the way. This bit of adrenaline was all that was needed to propel the flotilla through the washing machine chop off the ironshore at Pedro St James and into the warm cheers of the land support crew waiting on the dock at Spotts Beach,” the release stated.
Roughly 61 miles and two-and-a-half days later, the trip was complete.
“New friendships were forged, personal boundaries were broken as they realized that they are capable beyond measure and a new appreciation for this beautiful rock they call home. None of this would of course have been possible without the incredible support from the land crew, always on standby to feed and encourage them. Also a shout out to the RCIPS Air Operations Unit that came in to check on them over the course of the weekend,” du Plessis said.
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