Description of Figure/Doll

Link to higher resolution images at ClipPix

Cayman Islands

Location: Caribbean

Capital: George Town

Main language: English

Currency: Cayman Islands dollar

Figure/Doll

Construction: cloth, straw

Height in Centimeters: 30

Height in Inches: 12

Cayman Island Attractions: Swim with Stingrays and Visit Turtle Farm

Reading Level: 5.30

My name is Nelson. I am 12 years of. My family and I live on Grand Cayman. It is the largest of the three Cayman Islands. We are located south of Florida and Cuba.

My parents work in the tourist industry.  Dad drives a boat for a “Swim with the Stingrays” adventure.  Each day he takes boatloads of people out on the ocean. Sometimes he takes me along to help. First, we go to the sandbar where the stingrays gather.  Then each person gets a snorkel, mask, and fins.  After instructions on how to snorkel, they get into the water. Imagine being in the ocean and touching a stingray!  It’s really quite amazing – even for me.

My mom works at a very different tourist attraction— the Cayman Turtle Centre.  Our national symbol is the Green Sea Turtle. It’s even on our flag. Sea turtles are very important to us. For years, turtle stew and other dishes were a part of our diet. Then the turtles almost disappeared. They were being hunted and sold for meat. About 30 years ago, turtle farms started raising the turtles. The farms protect the turtles so they can multiply.

Now, over 500,000 tourists visit the Cayman Turtle Centre each year. My mother’s job is to tell the visitors about the turtles.  She explains that they can grow to over 400 pounds and live for 50 years. When they are full grown, turtles have few enemies. However, it is difficult for baby turtles to survive in the wild. Mom likes to tell visitors that the giant turtles are no longer endangered. The turtle farms have raised many baby turtles and released them to the ocean.