Dive ops near Rum Point?

[mbs]

Posting for a friend/newly certified diver! He is going to Grand Cayman next week and staying in a place at Rum Point. What are his options for dive ops? Someone recommended Sunset House, but that seems like a real schlepp. Anything recommended closer?
Thanks!

 

[KathyV]

Ocean Frontiers at Compass Point and Red Sail Tortuga at Morritt's are dive ops on the East End - so it is a bit of a drive from Rum Point but not much traffic and they are much, much closer than Sunset House. Plus the traffic heading into George Town and Seven Mile Beach during rush hours can be bad - so he is much better off diving on the East End - and there is excellent diving on the East End, too!

There's another op called White Sand Diving at the Wyndham Reef Resort, also on the East End near Morritt's. I haven't dived with them and I've read mixed reviews, but perhaps others can better advise you.

I know that Red Sail has a small shop or kiosk at the Rum Point Club but I think that they mostly sign people up for stingray city trips and watersports. He would probably be better off making arrangements directly with one of the dive ops on the East End that are mentioned above.

He will need to rent a car and drive on the left, but that is necessary in any case since he is staying on the North side at Rum Point - and again - there isn't a lot of traffic on the North side and East End as compared to George Town or Seven Mile Beach.

I recommend either downloading google maps of the island before arriving - so he doesn't use up cellular data - or we prefer to bring a Garmin GPS and car charger with us because Cayman is included in Garmin's North American Maps. It's pretty easy to navigate around the north side and east end - but getting there from the airport is a gauntlet of roundabouts and confusing, poorly marked roads.

 

[mbs]

Thanks @KathyV !! I was a little surprised that a local shop suggested he use Sunset House. I suspect it was the only shop they knew of. He also mentioned a little concern on driving on the other side so it makes sense to stay away from the more congested areas.

 

[KathyV]

Thanks @KathyV !! I was a little surprised that a local shop suggested he use Sunset House. I suspect it was the only shop they knew of. He also mentioned a little concern on driving on the other side so it makes sense to stay away from the more congested areas.

I am not a fan of driving on the left and navigating the roundabouts. I've done it but it isn't my favorite thing, but luckily for me my husband actually enjoys it!

We usually pick up the rental car at the airport and drive to our accommodations and all around the island during our stay, and then we drop the car off at the airport before heading home - or over to one of the sister islands. If your friend is concerned about driving on the left and finding his way (a very sensible view in my opinion!) he might want to arrange transportation to/from Rum Point and rent a car after he gets to Rum Point - where there is less traffic and fewer roads; it can be quite busy and congested around the airport, and there are lots of roundabouts until you get to the area around Bodden Town.

But it would be ridiculously expensive to take a taxi from the airport to Rum Point and back. There are ferries that run during the day from Camana Bay to Rum Point, so taking a cab from the airport to the dock at Camana Bay and getting on a ferry might be an option?

There are also vans and tour bus groups that provide transport cheaper than private taxicabs, I think? I don't know much about them but I've seen them loading up at the airport - so that might be an option.

He should talk to the rental agent/manager for his accommodations and ask about options for getting to Rum Point. Or he can just rent a car at the airport and follow the map and drive carefully - lots of people do it - including my better half!

 

[Damselfish]

Totally agree, use one of the East end ops. Sunset House makes little sense from his location, unless he wanted to go there for a day and shore dive/hang out. Call soon, Ocean Frontiers at least might get filled up.

 

[mbs]

Think any one of them may be more suitable for new divers? Red Sail/Tortuga looks like a pretty big operation on Grand Cayman...

 

[KathyV]

Think any one of them may be more suitable for new divers? Red Sail/Tortuga looks like a pretty big operation on Grand Cayman...

Red Sail is a big operation, but they use big boats for their operation on 7MB/West Bay so they are not cattle boats, and their Tortuga Club dive op on the East End is a slightly smaller op; we have dived with them (both East and West) and didn't have any complaints.

A lot of people really love Ocean Frontiers and I think that they are the most highly regarded, popular dive op on the East End - we have also dived with them and found them to be excellent. Sometimes they are booked up and that is why we initially decided to give Tortuga a try.

I think he would be fine with either group, and Red Sail Tortuga is a little closer to Rum Point so it might be an easier drive, but I believe that Tortuga only offers 2-tank dives in the morning and 1-tank dives in the afternoon. While Ocean Frontiers offers 2-tanks both in the morning and afternoon, and the afternoon option might be a little easier for your friend since he will have to drive to the East End.

Check them both out to decide what sounds best, but he shouldn't delay too long because they might book up, especially the highly popular Ocean Frontiers, as @Damselfish has advised.

White Sand is a smaller op (6 or 8 divers?) so that might be desirable for a new diver - but I haven't dived with them yet so cannot give an opinion.

In general, most Grand Cayman dive ops are just fine, there is too much competition for a bad op to last very long.

 

[tkaelin]

Think any one of them may be more suitable for new divers?

I think OF would be fine for new divers. Just have them communicate with OF beforehand about experience, preferences etc. They usually have 2-3 boats going out in the morning and will try to place divers based upon experience and preferences. They typically will have a boat with some students and/or some younger divers and/or less experienced divers. No experience with Red Sail.

 

[Damselfish]

Red Sail is a big op, but the Tortuga branch on the East End is a 2 boat shop that seems pretty removed from the larger parts of the Red Sail operation. It appears they now offer a dive trip departing directly from Rum Point, which may be a recent or seasonal addition - at least it wasn't on their web site last I looked a couple months ago. It doesn't say if that is once a week, daily or what but might obviously be of interest if they're staying at Rum Point.

I'm sure either OF or Tortuga would be fine, both have good reps. White Sands may be too, but no one seems to know much about them. Tortuga has long had a rep as being less suited to experienced divers than OF, but I have no personal experience with Tortuga. Tortuga does mention all their morning wall dives being instructor led, with an option to be guided or do your own thing for the other dives. That's something many divers would be unhappy with, but new divers would probably be happy with. (OF states unguided diving is allowed.)

 

[tkaelin]

I did see this past June Red Sail on the EE advertised PM 1 tank boat dives to a shallower location for $50.00 Almost took them up on it.