Wreck of the 10 Sail Monument

Grand Cayman


In 1794 a convoy of 10 British merchant ships wrecked on the reef off the East End. Local residents came to the aid of the convoy, rescuing all but eight of the passengers and crew. Legend has it that a royal prince was among the rescued, and King George was so grateful that he rewarded the islanders' bravery by forever exempting them from paying taxes and from being conscripted. (Good story, but there's no documentary evidence.)

Dedicated by Queen Elizabeth on the bicentennial of the wreck, the memorial overlooking the wreck site remembers the victims and honors the rescuers. North of here (on the opposite side of the street), you can see a couple of cannons that were salvaged from the wreck.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Grand Cayman attractions

1. Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park

5.12 MILES

Come here to see a veritable treasure trove of the island’s native species. A series of walking trails traverses the lovely landscaped gardens, which…

2. Crystal Caves

6.19 MILES

A relatively new attraction to Grand Cayman, this network of mysterious limestone caves is located deep in the island's interior. There are some 105 caves…

3. Mission House

10.7 MILES

Two blocks west of Bodden Town’s compact center is one of the island’s oldest buildings, originally built in the 1800s. Destroyed by Hurricane Ivan, the…

4. Rum Point

12.54 MILES

Swinging in hammocks and snorkeling are the main activities at this quiet beach, although the Red Sail water-sports crew also has an outlet here. Take…

5. Starfish Point

12.96 MILES

Red-cushion sea stars dot this little patch of sand and sea, which can sometimes be crystal clear and sometimes murky and yellow, depending on what the…

6. Pedro St James

13.38 MILES

The island's oldest building, this Caribbean great house was built in 1780 by one of Cayman's founding families (with enslaved people doing the heavy…

7. National Gallery of the Cayman Islands

18.83 MILES

This small-but-delightful museum offers a wonderful break from the sand and sun. The ground floor houses rotating exhibits, while the 2nd floor shows off…

8. Barkers National Park

18.99 MILES

The first national park in the Caymans, Barkers combines low scrub, dense mangroves and long, sandy beaches. There are no amenities here, or even a sign…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "cayman-islands/east-end/attractions/wreck-of-the-10-sail-monument/a/poi-sig/1441497/1331005",
      "destination": "Grand-Cayman",
      "continent": "Caribbean",
      "country": "Cayman-Islands",
      "region": "Grand-Cayman",
      "position": "superzone"
    }