Anyone who has set foot on the sandy shores of Little Cayman will be familiar with Pirates Point Resort, Gladys Howard, and Gay and Ed Morse.
When they talk about somewhere being a small town, it doesn’t get much more relevant than when one is talking about this Sister Island, which is only 10 miles long with an average width of one mile. Therefore, everyone knows each other, particularly when they are characters like Gladys, Gay and Ed.
All three started Pirates Point in 1988, and “built it from nothing to a TripAdvisor #1”, Gay said. It was a hugely popular vacation getaway, which is why it was a particularly devastating turn of events when COVID hit the world.
“There was such a standstill, and [uncertainty] about when [the] resort would reopen,” Gay said. “So, at our house, … waiting… I went to bed asking ‘what should I be doing?’. In the middle of the night, I basically got kicked out of bed – something woke me up – and I was ‘directed’ to open a coffee shop/retail shop.”
Despite realising that sceptics might question something akin to a voice in her ear, Gay followed her instincts.
“I have always been ‘guided’ to do things,” she said, “so, I told Ed that morning that I had been told to do a coffee shop, and he said, ‘Okay, let’s do it’.”
The dream begins
As soon as Gay had it in her mind that they were moving forward with the idea, she wasted no time.
“We rented the only place in town, next to the bank, for one year. In that year, we created the tiny, 300-square-foot space that was the start of Seahorse Boutique and Coffee Shop. We had the coffee machine and a pastry cabinet, but did not have a kitchen, so we made the pastries/cookies/breakfast sandwiches each day at home, and brought them in to sell.”
While the fledgling business took off, Gay and Ed worked on more permanent premises. They bought land, and hand-cleared it over six months in order to create natural landscaping. Plans for a building were submitted, and nine months later, it was erected and complete.
Gay was galvanised and organised, shipping in everything they needed, and collecting what they had purchased from the weekly barge. The goods were organised into different categories, and once the furniture arrived (“in about 40 boxes”, Gay said), they began piecing it together.
“Once the builder left the finished building, it took us three weeks to move everything from our house to the boutique and set it all up,” she said.
Open for business
After the last shelf had been filled and the final cup put in its proper place, it was time to welcome the public in.
“We opened the Seahorse Boutique and Coffee Shop – with a screened-in veranda for having breakfast [and] lunch – on October 30th 2021,” Gay said.
Using typical island directions, rather than the Google Maps of today, she describes Seahorse’s location as being “four telephone poles west of the airport”, adding that a lot of people don’t realise that they can go past the airport, but they can.
The team really started assembling when Dianne Sherer Fite, previously a chef at Pirates Point, came on board.
“She is an amazing chef, but pastries and baking are her forte… plus her love of people,” Gay said.
Apparently she can teach as well, as Ed is learning some baking skills from Dianne, and Gay reckons he’s got the gift.
“He is a natural. He has given up working on vehicles, boats, watermakers… and is figuring out how to bake,” Gay said.
A lady she refers to as ‘Kee Kee’ is another staff member, with an “exceptional” guest services personality, whether she is serving food or helping customers find something to buy in the boutique. The sum of the parts makes a very successful whole, if word-of-mouth is anything to go by.
“People are still finding out about us, but once they come in, they rave about the food, the experience, and the view and building itself,” said Gay, who feels that she and Ed’s 32 years of experience in the resort business have done them proud.
Everything is on the menu
Just as Little Cayman is very laid-back and relaxed, so too is the menu at Seahorse. Gay is happy for people to have their orders customised to their tastes.
“We have a menu, but totally cater to how the person wants their food made,” she said, adding that gluten-free and other items can be ordered in advance and picked up the next day.
“We have fresh salads, and build-your-own sandwiches (Cuban, Philly cheesesteak and pulled-pork are highly requested).
“For breakfast, eggs benedict is the favourite,” Gay said, confiding that “people say it is the best bene sauce they have ever had”.
She added that restaurant breakfast was a rare commodity on the island on weekdays, and so the early morning meal has “taken off” at the shop.
As far as the boutique is concerned, there’s something for everyone. Custom rashguards and T-shirts, with designs by Mike Shouten, “a dive guide from Southern Cross Club”. There are sunglasses, bathing suits, keychains, soaps and jewellery from many different local suppliers in Grand Cayman.
“Since some folks don’t go to Grand – they just come here – I am trying to rep as many artists and suppliers from [there] as possible,” Gay said.
Anyone familiar with local craftspeople will recognise some of the names she is connected with, such as honey from Otto Watler, hot sauce from Tortuga, items from 3 Girls and a Kiln, oil paintings by Amanda Craig, photos by Maggie Jackson, art by Jan Barwick and coconut husks painted by Little Cayman resident Debbi Truchan.
“I could buy it cheaper somewhere else, but I am trying to support local artists, and provide things from within the Cayman Islands,” Gay explained.
As a published author herself (‘So, You Want to Live on an Island…’), Gay is also keen to have books written by those close to home in her store.
“We… carry Tim Jackson’s books (‘Blacktip Island’ and ‘The Secret of Rosalita Flats’) and Brigitte Kassa’s book ‘From Coffee to Champagne to Coconuts’. Great read about her life’s journey.”
Little Caymankind
It seems that whatever gave Gay the idea to open Seahorse, did not steer her wrong. She has a great team, and has created a welcome addition to the island.
When asked what she loves most about running the business, there are many answers.
“It is ours, and every day – when someone comes out on to the porch and is either speechless, or says ‘Wow!’ with their mouth open – it cannot be beat. Plus, when folks leave, feeling they have had a unique experience, then our years in hospitality have paid off.
“Caymankind is definitely observed here.”
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Congratulations! Place looks very inviting. I hope I can visit soon!