Hey!
Right now I am lying on a white sand beach of a little island called Grand Cayman. It's a British territory, and its linked to Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, the two smaller islands. It's about 87º here, and the sun is shinning brilliantly. I am staying at Grand Cayman Beach Suites, which is AMAZING. The beach is gorgeous, the water is amazing, and the food is delicious. I took a walk along the beach earlier today, and I'm so glad I didn't stay at the Ritz. It is beautiful, but so overcrowded. The beach I'm at right now is pretty uncrowded, and there is plenty of room for everyone. Here is a picture that I just took.
They also have these funny things in the water, they're like floating tables! They are awesome to swim out to and just chill in the sun! I'm so happy here. :))))
So on to the science. The reason I visited Grand Cayman is because it is a peak of an underwater ridge, which formed in the MASSIVE underwater trench, the Cayman Trough. This ridge is a product of the transform AND divergent boundary. The transform part makes the the big trench. As they are moving side by side but in opposite direction, one is a little bit lower in level, making the trench. And sense they are not perfectly aligned, there is a part that is spreading apart as well. This is the divergent boundary; it makes the ridge that the Caymans are the peak of.
Here is a picture of the Cayman Trench (Trough). Its below Cuba. The rough latitude and longitude of the boundary is: 18º N, 81º W.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/08/12/article-1043761-023F9C3900000578-381_468x474.jpg
Back in January 2010, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake hit right near the Cayman Islands. Nobody was seriously injured, but it was a scare. Grand Cayman is about 600 miles away from Haiti, where the devastating earthquake hit the week before.
I am going to go snorkel on the reef about 50 yards offshore! Apparently its amazing, its going to be so much fun!
I'll blog again soon when I arrive at my next stop.... The Himalayas!
Grace
P.S. There was an iguana just hangin' out on the bush on the deck of my hotel room! Here is a picture:
Here is a picture of the Cayman Trench (Trough). Its below Cuba. The rough latitude and longitude of the boundary is: 18º N, 81º W.
Back in January 2010, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake hit right near the Cayman Islands. Nobody was seriously injured, but it was a scare. Grand Cayman is about 600 miles away from Haiti, where the devastating earthquake hit the week before.
I am going to go snorkel on the reef about 50 yards offshore! Apparently its amazing, its going to be so much fun!
I'll blog again soon when I arrive at my next stop.... The Himalayas!
Grace
P.S. There was an iguana just hangin' out on the bush on the deck of my hotel room! Here is a picture:
This is a great blog! I love the understandable science, colorful-ness, and additions of animals from the locations you visited!
ReplyDeleteGreat Blog. I really like how you put the scientific information into your blog, so it wasn't boring. I really felt like I was there! And awesome pictures!
ReplyDeleteI really love the pictures! They make me feel as though you actually went to the Grand Cayman islands... hmmmm... I wonder if you did... :)
ReplyDelete