Royal Poinciana/Palm Modified Slims

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mark james

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My family took a SCUBA dive vacation this past summer with another family (12 total divers) to Grand Cayman. Upon departing the airport, these beautiful trees lined the street (drive on the left). I learned that they were very old Royal Poinciana Trees.

After getting back, Joe (Wood128) had some blanks for sale, so I thought a nice momento of the trip would be pens using Royal Poinciana and Palm segments. The darker segments are Black Palm (not found on this Island), but the lighter is Red Palm, which I believe is the typical coconut Palm, which would be found there. 3 down and 9 more to go.

And each pen came from single blanks - there is a wide variation in the heartwood and sapwood.


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magpens

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Absolutely lovely pens, Mark ?

Is that tree picture from your trip to Caymans ?

We spent our honeymoon on Grand Cayman in April/May 1967 ... side trips to other islands. . No diving though, just snorkeling.

Never been back since, but I am sure that tree was there then ... it is huge ... and old.

I think that pic was probably taken in Georgetown .... how far and what direction from the main Post Office ?

Oh, I re-read your post and pic might be near airport.
 
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mark james

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Hi Mal.

Yes, I took that picture this summer. If you do a Google Map search for Grand Cayman Airport, zoom in, the tree is at the western corner of Roberts Road and the airport exit drive.

Nancy and I also went there for our Honeymoon in 1984. We have been back numerous times since, and I always found those trees to be beautiful.

If you have not gotten any from Joe, I'll throw a couple in your Estate Sale box (which I promise to begin again this week).
 

magpens

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Sure, that would be very nice of you, Mark ... if you have some to spare, please.

But please don't cut yourself short.

I will check the G. C. map.

When we went to G. C. in '67, the place seemed to me just opening up for tourism.

We stayed in a couple of hotels and rented bikes. . The hotels were on a road up the west end of the island ... one was the Beach Club Colony and the other was the Royal Caymanian, or some similar name. Very lovely and memorable 2 weeks there.

Those hotels were on Seven Mile Beach, but I expect they have long gone to make room for bigger, better places.

EDIT: Just had a look at the post office .... still the same building, but oh, the changes around it !!

The one hotel is stll there - well up Seven Mile Beach beyond the Governor's Property.
 
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wood128

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Looks really great Mark. I really like the segmented bands with white veneer. My Royal Poinciana wood came from a neighbors tree that was planted many years ago too close to the back bedroom of their house. Hurricane Mathew brought it down with a large limb penetrating the family room roof. The cost of cutting the tree down was $4500 ...plus the damage to the roof. Insurance covered most of their loss . I picked up a few large limbs and about 4 huge chunks from the main trunk. It is a beautiful tree when blooming. My family visited Grand Cayman about 40 years ago , staying in one of those hotels on the beach and we rented a car , went snorkeling and charted a fishing guide to take us fishing and finding 2-3 live conchs. The guide cooked the sea food for us on a small beach. Beautiful water and I also remember a turtle farm . The downtown city was about 4 square blocks of banks.
 

OZturner

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Excellent Pens, Mark,
The variations between the Heartwood and Sapwood is Striking.
Great Selection of Hardware,
Splendid Fit and Finish.
Congratulations,
Brian.
 

greenacres2

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Great pens, as usual. Funny, i sat on the bench under that tree in early April when i was there. It wasn't flowering at the time, but it is an awesome tree. Hoping to go back about the same time next spring, but we may send the staffer we're grooming to take my place in retirement!!
earl
 
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