Blushing Brides Enjoy Destination Dresses

Your wedding can now look and feel even more perfect on the tranquil white sands of The Reef Resort.

Choose a 'destination wedding dress' designed specially by Dessy in conjunction with Sandals resorts - browse their selection of five styles created for the barefooted bride.

Now of course you will have chosen The Reef Resort for an exclusive, peaceful and natural experience but this is a nice choice for a wedding dress and at around US$499 there's no reason not to take advantage of the offers that are available to those who choose the 'more popular' large scale resorts.



One of five destination wedding dress designs to choose from at Dessy

Lenny's Close Shave

A bit of Island news to remind you that Grand Cayman really must be one of the friendliest and most caring places you'll find on this earth.

A story by Anna Wootton in the Caymanian Compass yesterday reports this warming story of how a Caymanian community rallied behind a search for an injured Bassett Hound.

"Last Monday night at around 8,40pm, Julie Allan and Jonathan Arch’s beloved Bassett Hound, Lenny, was hit by a car and dragged more than 50 feet before rolling out from under the car’s back bumper. Lenny then took himself off the road and disappeared into the bush, where he remained missing for nearly 48 hours."

According to the article, Julie Allan immediately emailed a friend of hers who works at dms, who then forwarded the email to everyone in her address book, and encouraged the recipients to do the same. In the next two days, an unexpected flood of support presented itself to Ms Allan and Mr. Arch who received over 50 emails and 30 phone calls. According to Ms Allan, “One woman was in town, and drove all the way back to East End, picked up her Bassett, and drove all the way back into town to help look for Lenny.”

Ms Allan was inspired by everyone’s involvement and kind comments, especially those of Gary Hagland, also an owner of Bassett Hounds.

(I didn't realise we had so many Bassett Hounds on the island!!! They're not indigenous )

It is thought that because Bassetts are so muscular and close to the ground the chances of a hound surviving being hit is greater than for other animals - this thought kept them going during the 2 day hunt.

Thankfully, Lenny was found at around 5pm last Wednesday, not quite 48 hours after he was first hit. He was hiding in the bushes and to everyone's surprise his injuries were slight.

The article says that Ms Allan and Mr Arch would both like to thank all of the people who responded to their email, and who came out and helped search themselves.


Photo and quotes from the Caymanian Compass

Your Voice = Your Choice

Today I'm appealing for help from our blog community.

Due to popular demand, The Reef Resort is currently creating a 'most wanted' selection of favourite Gift Experiences that will soon be available for purchase online and over the phone.


Has someone surprised you with a special treat upon arrival at the resort, or secretly organized a surprise excursion during your trip? Maybe you've thought of something during your time here that we could do to make an experience even more special... We'd love to hear from you.

Your feedback and ideas will help us directly with deciding which gift ideas work best for our guests...and it's only a matter of time before you can start dropping hints or planning a surprise for someone you care about.

Send us an email at feedback@thereef.com.ky or click on my profile and contact me direct.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Diving with a Difference - Ventus Land Spring

Scuba fanatics will be excited to read that Ocean Frontiers (The Reef's on-site Dive Operator) are still pushing the boundaries that they did ten years ago when they first set up their operation out here on the 'undiscovered' East End of Grand Cayman.
This is definitely one to look out for on future visits to The Reef.

One of the final frontiers in Cayman diving are the fresh water springs in the interior of the island. One of the largest is in the East End district on private farm land about 3 miles from the ocean and almost a mile of a trek off the beaten path! After getting permission from one of the land owners and manager for the farm land, Evelyn McLaughlin, some of the guys from Ocean Frontiers (O.F.) set the date to make this special dive in late February 2006.

Fraser Purdon, General Manager of O.F., and David Rhea a very experienced Cave diver were the two 'designated divers'- the rest of the gang (3) say they were there as the cheap mules to carry all their tanks and gear through the bush and to the entry point.

The Ventus Land Spring is a water hole for cattle and is still used today. Local legend has it that the spring is bottomless and connects through to the sea. This is certainly an interesting dive, Fraser and Dave spent over an hour exploring as much of the cave system as possible in one dive and reached a maximum depth of approx 145ft. Fraser and Dave felt they covered most of the system that could be reached by divers, but there were still some areas that need further investigation.

Ocean Frontiers say that they hope to see some development of this cave as a dive site over the next few years- but don't expect to this until the access path/road is improved :)

Investing in Cayman

Grand Cayman has always been a bit of an enigma when it comes to wondering 'how does such a small island have so much financial pull?'


If you are investing or thinking about investing in the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce is a good place for information.

Whether it's land, real-estate, a business partnership or mutual funds; investing in the Cayman Islands is almost certain to be profitable venture. Growth in population and in tourism fuels the success of investments in the islands.

Key Points About Investing In Cayman
(taken from the Chamber):

No local taxes - there is currently no income tax, non resident tax, capital gains or other similar taxes in the Cayman Islands

Stability and Security - the Cayman Islands has a stable government, sophisticated infrastructure and a strong economy based on international banking and tourism

Privacy - no reporting of income or ownership to any government agency

Investment freedom - no restrictions on investment purchases

Comprehensive - investment services and opportunities include:
Banking & Trusts
Real Estate
Mutual funds
Offshore Insurance
E-business Opportunities
Shipping Registration
Cayman Islands Stock Exchange
Company Management

For more information about investing in property here on Grand Cayman, you can talk to Lyall Watt, a realtor based within the Reef Resort who is here on the East End of the island to assist you with your real estate enquiries. Email The Reef concierge at concierge@thereef.com.ky if you'd like to set up a meeting with Lyall during your next trip to Cayman.

Cayman Carnival Time again

This week sees the arrival of the Batabano Cayman Carnival 2006 - where visitors and locals alike can witness our colourful parades of costume, music, dancing and culture.

If you're staying at The Reef this week, jump in and be a part of the action or simply watch on the side lines as the streets come alive - local bands play an array of island music to set the party to - steel bands, dance groups and school children all join in to create a magical party atmosphere.

Batabano (meaning 'Turtle tracks') was launched by the Rotary Club in 1984 and is one of the main highlights of Cayman's entertainment calendar. The event is an annual affair and is usually held after Ash Wednesday. Carnival is a communal celebration of life, as much a part of the Caribbean life as the palm trees and the beaches.

For more information on this event visit www.caymancarnival.com

Cool Refreshment - with a sting in its tail

What better way to celebrate a Wednesday than a tribute to our favourite island brew?

Stingray Beer is produced on Grand Cayman at the renowned Stingray Brewery near George Town - one of the only full-scale independent breweries in the Caribbean.

Stingray Brewery produces fine hand-crafted beers to the traditional German Purity Standard. Under this standard, the beer is made from only four high-quality ingredients: hops, malt from grain, water and yeast. No additives or preservatives are allowed.

And you won't find it anywhere else in the world...

The Reef Resort serves 'Stingray Dark' straight from the pump at Castro's Beach Bar. It's also available from The Thirsty Surfer (The Reef's in-house liquor store and internet cafe), so you can take a bit of island taste home with you as a gift or souvenir. Cool off on the beach or take a bit of unique caribbean flavour home with you - but make sure you sup on a Stingray!

Visit the Stingray website for more information about Cayman's well loved and unusual tipple.





PS/ The Reef's concierge can remind you of opening hours during your visit - for assistance at any time, simply visit the main lobby any time during your stay or call from your suite.