Gorda Cay was first settled in 1783. Gorda used to have an
airstrip that was used by bootleggers in the 1930’s and later by drug runners. The
beach where Tom Hanks met Daryl Hannah in Splash was on Gorda Cay, and much of
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl was filmed here, too. In 1997,
the Disney Cruise Line purchased a 99-year lease of the island from the Bahamian
government. Disney spent the next 18 months and over $25 million to make this
the perfect cruise destination. They dredged 50,000 truckloads of sand from the
ocean floor to build pristine beaches, and renamed the island “Castaway Cay.” I
should mention there are two very similar English words meaning “small island.”
Key is used more in the US and Cay is more common in the Caribbean. They’re
both pronounced “KEE.” Neither has anything to do with Quay (wharf), or that
thing you use to open locks.
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