Hell

Hell is a patch of ancient limestone in West Bay that has weathered into a field of black, jagged, spiky rock, blackened by algae and cyanobacteria working on the surface over a very long time. Viewing platforms look out over it. The place got the name from the look of it, and a post office next door does a steady trade in postcards stamped from Hell. The formation covers a small area of West Bay and is fenced off from the road around it.

History

The name comes from the look of the black limestone: the usual story is that someone exclaimed that this is what Hell must look like, and another says a pebble thrown into the formation echoes as if it were falling all the way down. The name stuck, and the area became a tourist stop with a red hell-themed post office sending postcards from Hell (Wikipedia, Hell, Grand Cayman).

Highlights

• The black rock field - limestone weathered into jagged spikes.
• The blackening - algae and bacteria colouring the surface.
• The viewing platforms - the decks looking out over the formation.
• The post office - the counter that stamps mail from Hell.

When to go

December to April is the dry high season. It is busiest when cruise ships are in. Midday light flattens the rock.

Practical notes

The site is small and fifteen minutes covers it. Much of the appeal is the joke rather than the geology. You cannot walk on the rock, only view it from the platforms.

Nearby

Cemetery Beach is south, and the Turtle Centre is nearby.

Key facts