Topic: Seven Mile Beach
Pic of the Week: Wading in the pool
Known as wading birds, egrets are regular visitors to the Cayman Islands. Usually these birds prefer freshwater ponds, mangrove lagoons and fringing reefs.
The NCFC administration’s first year: Uneven progress on beach erosion
One year into its term, the NCFC government has advanced efforts to address beach erosion along southern Seven Mile Beach, though broader coastal management plans remain unfulfilled and major funding questions persist.
Pic of the week: Sailing into a Seven Mile Beach sunset
This image was taken on Seven Mile Beach close to Grandview condominiums. It conveys not only the beauty of our oceans, but the peaceful calm of being on the water - and a reminder that it is quite literally possible to sail off into the sunset when in the Cayman Islands.
Cable relocation signals start of Marriott beach restoration works
The Marriott beach replenishment project has commenced, with work underway to relocate the CJFS submarine cable that comes ashore where a low profile groyne that will be installed.
Pirate ahoy as Jacks Beach Bar opens on former Coral Beach site
Six years after popular beach bar Calico Jacks closed its doors for the last time, the eponymous pirate has returned to Seven Mile Beach with the opening of Jacks Beach Bar.
Recent nor’westers reshape parts of Seven Mile Beach
The recent Nor'wester has brought some sand back to the eroded southern sections of Seven Mile Beach.
Man charged with indecent exposure
A 25-year-old man has appeared in court charged with indecent exposure near Seven Mile Beach
Two more charged over tourist robbery on Seven Mile Beach
Police have charged two more men in connection with the robbery of a tourist on Seven Mile Beach earlier this month.
Two tourists robbed in less than four hours
Police are probing two robberies of tourists in the Seven Mile Beach area in less than four hours.
Nothing in government budget to address Seven Mile Beach erosion
Chances of a beach replenishment project on the severely eroded Seven Mile stretch appear to hinge on private landowners driving the plan.
Stiffer penalties and more officers planned for Public Beach
Government says that it is making plans to tackle anti-social behaviour on Seven Mile Beach and will be hiring more staff to deal with...
Safety of Cayman’s pedestrian crossings questioned
Pedestrian crossings marked by orange flashing lights should be replaced with UK and US-style "green man" traffic lights, a woman who witnessed the grim aftermath of a roads death at the weekend has said
Losing ground: Cayman facing race against time to protect and restore our beaches
From Florida to Senegal, beach nourishment projects are reshaping coastlines. For Cayman, the challenge is whether similar fixes can secure the future of Seven Mile Beach.
Court hears vendor stabbed in Seven Mile Beach ‘turf war’
An illegal beach vendor was slashed with a knife several times in front of tourists during a dispute over vending territory on Seven Mile Beach in April 2023, a Grand Court judge has heard.
Marriott’s beach restoration a key test for Seven Mile Beach
Marriott boss Hermes Cuello hopes the resort's beach restoration project can bring back business and be a blueprint for fighting erosion on Seven Mile.
Marriott gets green light to restore eroded beach
The Grand Cayman Marriott Resort has been granted permission to restore its storm-battered beach in a project that could serve as a test case for a much-wider response to erosion on Seven Mile Beach.
Compass tries out … eFoiling
Cayman Compass's Sarah Bridge tackles eFoiling, a futuristic sport that combines surfing with hoverboarding.
eFoil entrepreneur circles Grand Cayman in under four hours
Riley Grey of Cayman eFoil travelled the whole way around Grand Cayman island on a carbon-fibre motor-powered board in less than four hours
Marriott repair works cannot limit beach access says Public Lands Commission
Plans by the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort to limit public access to Seven Mile Beach while it carries out repair and related work have failed to gain the support of the Public Lands Commission.
Plan to restore eroded Marriott beach takes step forward
Plans to restore the eroded beach in front of the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort moved a step forward this week.
Green light for new beach bars on former Royal Palms and Coral Beach sites
Businessman Handel Whittaker has received the green light for his plans to renovate the former Royal Palms and Coral Beach sites on West Bay Road.
Off-site car park approval paves way for 10-storey Westin expansion
In a first for Cayman’s hotel industry, the Westin hotel on Seven Mile Beach has received planning permission for an off-site car park
Grand Hyatt dock plan in choppy water over environmental concerns
A new water-sports dock at the Grand Hyatt hotel has failed to get the DoE's green light due to concerns over its impact on marine life.
72-year-old visitor pronounced dead after being pulled from water
A 72-year-old man, visiting from the US, died on Sunday afternoon after getting into distress while swimming off Seven Mile Beach.
Erosion-impacted Marriott resort seeks to restore beach
The Grand Cayman Marriott resort is seeking approval to restore some 60-foot of beach in front of the hotel.
Hope for return of beach after Royal Palms demolition
The removal of the old Royal Palms building has led to hope for the return of a healthy beachfront along Seven Mile Beach, portions of which have been lost over time to erosion and battering by storms.
Year in Review: Southern Seven Mile Beach’s vanishing act
The warnings have been coming for years, that Grand Cayman’s crown jewel, Seven Mile Beach, is shrinking - a result of climate change, sand loss and a lack of strategic planning.
Police pepper spray suspected drug dealer on beach
Police used pepper spray to subdue a man who they arrested on suspicion of drug offences on Seven Mile Beach.
Laguna Del Mar owners to meet with DoE over seawall
Owners of Laguna Del Mar resort have been told to meet with Department of Environment staff and planning officials to discuss their application for a protective seawall in the latest stage of this long-running planning battle.
Aqua Bay’s 10-storey development receives planning approval despite objections
Owners of Aqua Bay on West Bay Road have been given the green light for a $60 million, 10-storey development on the 35-year-old site,...
Royal retreat: New-look bar will move back from eroded beachfront
The crumbling Royal Palms building on the oceanfront is slated for demolition in a redevelopment that will see the bar retreat from the water’s edge.
Seven Mile erosion poses a billion-dollar problem for Cayman
Seven Mile Beach contributes $1 billion annually to the Cayman Islands economy, according to a new report that makes the case for immediate action to replenish sand lost to erosion at the iconic attraction.
Aqua Bay renews 10-storey redevelopment effort as neighbours object
The owners of Aqua Bay have made a fresh attempt to get approval for their plans to demolish and redevelop the West Bay property.
Homeowner pledges $3 million to help save Seven Mile
A Seven Mile Beach home owner has committed US$3 million towards a fund to help save the beleaguered beach front. Turkish businessman Ergun Berksoy is encouraging other waterfront owners to follow suit and help save southern Seven Mile from erosion.
Threat of legal action in Laguna del Mar’s bid for protective seawall
Lawyers acting for the owners of the Laguna del Mar complex raised the threat of legal action against the government over its perceived failure to allow a new protective seawall to be built.
Waves swamp Cayman as Milton bears down on Florida
Hurricane Milton was hundreds of miles away from Cayman on Wednesday, tracking across the eastern Gulf of Mexico towards Florida, but it was still influencing weather conditions in the Cayman Islands. Large waves were crashing ashore on the west side of Grand Cayman
Lessons from Florida: How our neighbour deals with beach erosion
As Cayman grapples with beach erosion challenges, we look at how Florida deals with the issue and where officials could source high quality sand to replenish Seven Mile Beach in similar fashion.
Video: Southern Seven Mile now only accessible by boat
The Compass took a boat ride across previously pristine beach, now submerged under several feet of water, to document the rapidly worsening erosion problem at the southern end of Seven Mile.
Going, going, gone: Erosion reaching crisis point on Seven Mile Beach
Erosion along Seven Mile Beach following Tropical Storm Helene has worsened and expanded to the point where only a few slivers of sand remain along a mile-long stretch of once prime beach front. Bar owners, hoteliers, residents and holiday rentals are suffering a parallel erosion of their businesses, property values and quality of life.
Beach vendors given extra time to bring legal challenge
A Grand Court judge has granted a group of beach vendors, who are trying to challenge authorities over being denied licences to trade on Seven Mile Beach Park, an extension of time to allow them to bring their legal action.
Cayman’s Crystal Caves among Tripadvisor’s top 5 world attractions
Cayman's Crystal Caves has won Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice 2024 award as the fifth top attraction in the world defeating the likes of the Colosseum in Rome and Louvre Museum in Paris.
Local favorite Calico Jack’s reborn as Bonny Moon Beach Club
Calico Jack's, Cayman's once popular toes-in-the-sand staple on Seven Mile Beach, now has a new lease of life as the Bonny Moon Beach Club.
Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman opens its doors
Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman celebrated its grand opening in the Seven Mile Beach area on Thursday with an official ribbon cutting.
Aqua Bay 10-storey development: Planning board rejects ‘ill-conceived monstrosity’
A 10-storey development at the north end of Seven Mile Beach has been turned down by planners, to the delight of objectors who described the proposed building as an "ill-conceived monstrosity".
Is a 100-foot setback enough to clinch a $30M 10-storey development?
A ten-storey complex will not be as imposing as its neighbours, a developer argued in a planning meeting on Wednesday, because it is set 100 feet further back from the road.
‘Beach bond’ could fund Seven Mile replenishment
A ‘beach bond’ has been proposed as a possible solution to help fund a major sand replenishment project on Seven Mile Beach.
Heated debate over plans for 10-storey Seven Mile tower block
The redevelopment of Aqua Bay, which lies on a critical turtle nesting site at the north end of Seven Mile Beach, came before planners facing 45 letters of objection
The disappearing beach: Coastal boundary line is in the water
Along Seven Mile Beach, the line in the sand that determines property boundaries is so misleadingly measured that, in some cases, it is under several feet of water.
Special Report: Taking sand to the beach
Plans to spread more than 52,000 cubic yards of fresh sand across a severely eroded stretch of coastline on Seven Mile Beach were identified as an urgent national priority by a government task force in late 2021, according to records obtained by the Cayman Compass.
Crime spike touches Seven Mile Beach
The recent spate of robberies has impacted Cayman's prized tourist attraction Seven Mile Beach after a man was robbed at gun- and knife-point on Sunday night.
Erosion stripping Seven Mile Beach
The southern end of the world famous Seven Mile Beach was once a pristine stretch on Cayman’s biggest tourism attraction, but now most of the beloved beach in that section has disappeared.
Seaweed swamps Seven Mile Beach
Wave surges fueled by Hurricane Idalia deposited large mounds of marine algae on Cayman's prized Seven Mile Beach overnight Tuesday prompting emergency clean-up operations on Wednesday.
From WaterColours to the Westin – Seven Mile skyline keeps changing
The Westin's successful application for a new $153 million annex means there are now more than a dozen 10-storey projects up or going up in Grand Cayman.
Fishermen’s fears, as Brac braces for sargassum influx
A further influx of sargassum is expected this week along the Cayman Brac coastline, which has already been invaded by the stinky seaweed.
Man stabbed during dispute on Seven Mile Beach
One man was left with multiple stab wounds following a dispute on Seven Mile Beach on Wednesday.
Cayman shines in Trip Advisor ‘Best of the Best’ awards
The Cayman Islands makes an appearance in three of Trip Advisor's Travelers' Choice Best of the Best categories this year – best beach, best nature destination and next trending destination.
Marriott set to begin room-renovation project amid beach erosion challenges
The Grand Cayman Marriott Resort is set to begin a room-renovation project, as the hotel grapples with ongoing issues around beach erosion at the southern end of Seven Mile Beach.
Video | High wave action at Seven Mile Beach
It was surf’s up at Seven Mile Beach over the weekend, as high seas and windy weather made for ideal conditions to catch a wave.
Secluded on Seven Mile Beach
Situated centrally on Seven Mile Beach, this private villa has been tucked away on a glorious stretch of sand for decades, yet many people still don’t know of its existence.
Editorial: Public Beach symptom of longer term problems for tourism
The ‘Wild West’ scene at Public Beach is a flashpoint for much larger questions over what Cayman’s tourism product should look like.
Special report: Public Beach ‘out of control’ as vendors vie for trade
Following the resumption of cruise tourism, vendors have returned to public beach prompting complaints about unregulated trade, illicit beer sales and and a scene that creates a bad image for Cayman tourism.
As storms reshape the coastline, how can Cayman protect its beaches?
Surging seas from passing Hurricane Ian retreated and resettled to reveal a slightly altered coastline around Grand Cayman.
Interactive: The shifting sands of Seven Mile Beach
The impact of seasonal storm and wave action along Seven Mile Beach is starkly illustrated in a stunning series of aerial photographs.
Volunteers gather in attempt to make world’s longest line of sandcastles
Scores of volunteers, from toddlers to retirees, gathered on Governor’s Beach at 8am on Sunday 3 April, armed with 120 buckets and dozens of...
In video and pictures: Cayman’s calisthenics park opens
Street workouts in Cayman just stepped up a notch, thanks to the opening of a new calisthenics park at Seven Mile Beach.
Sand returns to southern Seven Mile, but for how long?
As government contemplates a multi-million dollar replenishment project to restore a large stretch of lost sand on Seven Mile Beach, nature has lent a helping hand.
Barracuda bite victim returns home, but vows she’ll be back
The woman who was injured after being bitten by a barracuda while swimming off Seven Mile Beach is expected to make a full recovery and has said she will return to Cayman again, despite her harrowing experience, a family spokesman stated.
Woman bitten by barracuda off Seven Mile Beach
The Department of Environment is warning swimmers to be aware of small baitfish in the water after an elderly woman was taken to hospital after apparently being bitten in the arm by a barracuda, likely to have been in the area feeding on the tiny fish.
Snow joke: Look what showed up on Seven Mile Beach for Christmas
Snowmen are common sights over the festive season in colder climes than Cayman's, but visitors to Seven Mile Beach on Christmas Day were treated to a rare appearance by a Caribbean snowman.
Four mile beach? Navigating the shifting sands of Cayman’s famous attraction
By walking, wading and paddle boarding, from West Bay to George Town, the Cayman Compass sought to document the shifting sands of Seven Mile Beach and found the traversable portion is now closer to four miles.
$21 million proposal to restore Seven Mile Beach
Government plans to allocate $21 million over the next two years for a project to restore a large stretch of lost sand at the southern end of Seven Mile Beach.
Dart beach access battle heard publicly in court
A hearing into an application by Dart to relocate two beach access paths to make way for an extension of its West Bay Road tunnel was heard in open court for the first time on Friday.
