Disney Caribbean Cruise - DAY THREE

Today we woke up at Grand Cayman of the Cayman Islands!  This was a tender port, which meant that we didn't pull right up to a dock.  The ship anchored a way off shore, and tender boats pulled up to the ship to take us to the dock.  It was amazing how quick everything went, especially considering the size of our ship, and so the amount of people who had to be taken ashore.

Here is a picture taken from the deck of Disney Fantasy looking out at Grand Cayman...

Here is a look back at the Fantasy as we moved away on a tender boat to go to shore...

In this picture you can see where the Aquaduck waterslide goes out over the side of the ship - pretty scary when you look down! (but so fun!)

Ready for our day on Grand Cayman!

We took a taxi and had them drop us off at Sea Grape Beach (part of Seven Mile Beach).  The water was beautiful, warm, and clear.  We brought our own snorkel gear from home, so we just hit the water and had so much fun paddling around.

Mark and Bryan found a stingray and called to me to come see it.  It was so neat to see that in the wild!  We've pet them at aquariums and seen them at zoos, but here we were seeing all these beautiful fish and other sea life in their natural habitat.  So cool!

We had fun collecting all kinds of shells and seaglass.  We would just snorkel around grabbing them out of the sand in the water below us.  I LOVE seaglass! It's kind of funny that the ocean can turn our trash into something so beautiful! 

We decided to go ahead and rent a waverunner.  

Bryan and I went out first.  He was so bummed that he couldn't drive (you had to be 16).

Once we got past the area where we had to stay slow, I took off!  I floored it and was having so much fun jumping over waves, catching air, and going as fast as I could.  But neither Bryan or I wanted to fall off (are you crazy, the ocean has sharks!), so although we were going fast, I didn't do any hard turns that would have sent us flying into the water.  We save that for when we're at the lake!  At one point we were flying over waves and we hit several big, bumpy waves which sent seawater spraying up into our faces.  Without thinking, I spit the salty water out of my mouth.  From behind me Bryan exclaimed, "Did you just spit?! You hit me in the eye!"  Sorry Bryan.  We had a blast though.

Coming back to give Mark and Colton a turn...

Some more swimming and playing in the sand...

That night our show was a magic/comedy show.  This guy was so funny.  At one point he asked for a volunteer.  We were sitting up front and Colton raised his hand high in the air.  He got picked!  Unfortunately for Mark, that meant that he by association got picked too!  The magician had Mark sit on a stool while he chatted with Colton for a minute...

He handed Colton a paper plate full of shaving cream.  Mark knew he was in for it...

The magician drew this out for quite some time.  He kept saying nothing was going to happen to Mark, but kept his funny conversation with Colton going...

Then he proceeded to lay a sheet down under Mark's stool (but nothing's going to happen - it's ok)...

Then he draped a sheet around Mark...

Then came the funny wig and goggles...LOVE the look on Colton's face...

Then a funny blue hat and red bowtie...

Then SMACK!  The magician was still talking and Colton just let Mark have it!  There was sheer joy on Colton's face.

I was in the elevator later and the group of people in there said, "Did you see that guy whose kid slapped the plate of shaving cream in his face?" I proudly proclaimed, "That's my husband!"  Yep, Mark was the talk of the ship...Honestly, that was a highlight for Colton.  He'll never forget it.  He's lucky to have a dad who is such a good sport!

Kyle was able to catch Mickey before we went to dinner...

A beautiful sunset from the deck.  Nothing but ocean and sky in sight.

Dinner tonight was at a restaurant called Animator's Palate.  They served Pacific Rim and American cuisine.  It had paintings hung everywhere of the drawings made in the process of animating different Disney movies.  It was decorated as if you are sitting in an aquarium.  It had bluish lighting and the ceiling looked like it had bubbles all over it.  There were big plasma televisions covering all the walls, with fish and sea animals from Nemo swimming in it, so it looked like you were underwater looking out at the ocean.

At one point we noticed Crush (the turtle from Nemo), was swimming through the different aquarium windows (TV screens) around the restaurant.  As he swam through one, he would reappear in the next one.  All of a sudden he stopped in front of one of the tables in the restaurant and started talking to people at the table!  He commented on the color of a guys baseball cap and asked a kid a question.  The kid was so surprised, he looked at his parents as if to say, "Is this for real?"  He answered Crush, and they proceeded to have a conversation!

Crush moved on to other tables, and eventually ended up at ours.  I put my big camera up to take a picture and he looked at me and said (in his Australian accent), "Woah!  What's with the big camera!"

Then he posed for me!  We were all completely delighted!  That was some crazy fantastic animation going on.  Even Crush's lips formed the words exactly as if he was speaking.  So cool!  He talked to our whole family, asking the kids questions and answering theirs.  Wow.  What an experience.