Easter campers didn’t let the occasional downpour spoil the holiday weekend, with beaches across Cayman packed with people catching up with family over food, fishing, football and closely-contested games of dominos.
From Smith Barcadere in George Town to Barkers in West Bay, Governors Beach to Rum Point, East End and anywhere you could pitch a tent, Cayman’s campers were out in force to enjoy the long weekend under canvas.
One of the largest family groups coming together for the seasonal holiday was the Ramoons, with around 40 family members soaking up the sunshine on the beach by South Sound Dock as they have done for the past four or more decades.
The extended Ramoon party spanned four generations, from the elder members of the family, now in their eighties, to the youngest members, four-month-old Dante and eight-month-old Theo.
“We’ve been coming here for as long as I remember,” said Anthony Ramoon, who turns 55 this year. “The environment has changed over the years. There was none of the developments behind us and all of this used to be just poinciana trees and mangroves.”
Makeshift tents
Camping was also a more rough and ready affair in earlier days, he recalled.
“We didn’t have tarpaulin or tents, so it was a case of cutting a space in the trees and making makeshift shacks and huts, and sleeping on sheets of cardboard,” he said. “It was a lot more makeshift in those days.”
While the environment might have changed, the tradition is still a much-cherished one by the family.
“It’s great because the children get more exposed to nature, it’s a way of getting them off their phones, and it’s a time for the whole extended family, that doesn’t necessarily see each other on a regular basis, to get together,” said Ramoon.
Relaxing with family
The family brings some food with them, including chicken and Cayman-style beef, and catches fresh fish, such as snapper and barracuda, from the sea just feet away, checking first whether the barracuda is safe to eat by seeing if ants will eat it first.
Family memories from down the years include the occasional mishap, such as a tent blowing away, as well as recollections of being visited by a friendly dolphin and seeing the occasional shark pass by.
With the younger generations being part of the tradition almost from birth, it seems likely that this is a Caymanian tradition which will endure for years more to come.
Related Videos
