Sir Francis Drake, on his 1585–86 voyage to the Spanish Main, stopped at Grand Cayman with a fleet of 23 ships. A journal from this voyage includes a colourful description of the crew’s activities in the Cayman Islands: 

… the xxij [22] of Aprill wee fell with an Ile that had no people in hit. There wee fownde strawnge kindes of beastes & killed more than xx [20] Alligatos … There weare Crocadiles which did Incounter & fighte with us, they live bothe in the sea & on lande. Wee tooke divers & made verie good meate of them; some of the same weare ten foote in lenghte. Also wee killed … a great number of Turtles of huge bignes which served us for verie good meate. This Ilande is a verie Desert & wildernesse & so full of woodes as hit can growe. We thought to have watered there but could finde none. Wee staid there ij [2] Daies & set the woodes on fire & soe departed.

Finding no good source of fresh water, Drake sailed on to continue his rampage through the Caribbean. While the exact location of Drake’s landing is unknown, his description of turtles and the sandy beach suggests he landed on the western shores of Grand Cayman.