Maiden Cay is one of the main
islets off the shore of
Port Royal Cays
The Port Royal Cays is a small group of uninhabited islands or cays off Port Royal, Jamaica, located at {{coord, 17, 55, 06.36, N, 76, 49, 11.96, W and arranged in the shape of an atoll with a diameter between 4 and 5 km, and a total area of ...
,
Jamaica. It is located in the northeast region of the
reef, just south of its sister cay,
Lime Cay
Lime Cay is the main islet off the shore of Port Royal Cays, Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba ...
.
Geography
Situated roughly 30 – 45 minutes by boat from
Port Royal
Port Royal is a village located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest city in the Caribbean, functioning as the centre of shipping and co ...
(
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...
), the islet sits within the South East Cay, which flows out into the
Caribbean Sea.
Maiden Cay measures below 300 meters in length and below 100 meters in width, measuring between 1 and 2
ha in area. The majority of Maiden Cay is shoreline, and it is
uninhabited.
Culture and history
Maiden Cay's mini-beach has served as a hotspot for recreation and socialization amongst
Kingston
Kingston may refer to:
Places
* List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated:
** Kingston, Jamaica
** Kingston upon Hull, England
** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia
** Kingston, Ontario, Canada
** Kingston upon Thames, ...
locals and tourists for decades. During Jamaica's "holiday season" (Summer and Christmas) it is common for Jamaican socialites to bring boats out to Maiden Cay, docking in a circular formation encircling the islet, and treat the main beach as a social hub.
Celebrities and people of influence can often be spotted at Maiden Cay. In January 2024, electronic dance music superstar
Diplo
Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with ...
along with
Major Lazer performed a private show in the islet. In another instance, world-record athlete
Usain Bolt was pictured enjoying festivities on the islet.
[{{Cite web , title=Usain Bolt -- Catch Me If You Can ... Crushes 3 Parties in One Day , url=https://www.tmz.com/2014/12/22/usain-bolt-kingston-party-champagne-vip-photos/ , access-date=2024-01-10 , website=TMZ , language=en]
References
Islands of Jamaica