Wanted to chat to others who have dove the Cayman Islands. I have been their a few times now and really enjoyed the diving, but the Island is a little expensive. We like diving the North Wall the best, on one dive we saw 5 Reef Sharks and a Hammerhead. The dive master said it only happens at that time of year. Since then I know a few other dives who have said the same thing. Anyway Here is another scuba board for you to check out for the cCayman Islands. http://www.redbarondivers.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi
Cayman Islands
- Thread starter stingray3
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mking1
Registered
Hay Stringray3,
I agree, the Cayman Islands is a great place to dive but the shore side is a little expensive. To combat this problem, my wife and I always take the live-a-board option in place of a shore based operators. In my opinion there are several very attractive reasons to take this option.
One, on most trips we were able to dive, Little Cayman, Cayman brac as well as Grand Cayman. I dont think this is possible with a single shore based operator. Second, everything is included, food, Nitrox, etc. Third and the most important feature for me is the effortless diving, virtually 24 hours a day, within your limits of course. And the distance from the hotel to the dive site is short.
I cant give you a cost differential between the live-a-board dive boat and the shore based operators because Ive only taken the live-a-board option. In my opinion once youve experienced live-a-board diving its hard to go back to the other options.
mk
I agree, the Cayman Islands is a great place to dive but the shore side is a little expensive. To combat this problem, my wife and I always take the live-a-board option in place of a shore based operators. In my opinion there are several very attractive reasons to take this option.
One, on most trips we were able to dive, Little Cayman, Cayman brac as well as Grand Cayman. I dont think this is possible with a single shore based operator. Second, everything is included, food, Nitrox, etc. Third and the most important feature for me is the effortless diving, virtually 24 hours a day, within your limits of course. And the distance from the hotel to the dive site is short.
I cant give you a cost differential between the live-a-board dive boat and the shore based operators because Ive only taken the live-a-board option. In my opinion once youve experienced live-a-board diving its hard to go back to the other options.
mk
I've been to the island a few times and am going again for the last week of March for my buddys wedding. You think she'll be mad if we schedule a dive for that morning? 
I've never tried the liveaboard trips. If this wedding hadn't come up I was going to go to Beliez(sp?) for a trip on one through my LDS.
The price sounded about the same as staying ashore but no rental car fees and no extra fees for meals.
So far, the best place I've stayed at in Grand Cayman for diving (and for the money) is www.cobaltcoast.com. It's a bit out of the way on the northwest tip of the island a few miles east of the turtle farm.
There is a really good dive shop right on the property www.divetech.com
Cobalt offers room rates that include a 2 tank boat each day and unlimited airfills for shore diving. You can do North Wall dives by just swiming from their dock.
You don't really NEED a rental car to stay there but it's really nice to have as the buses are not good for haling gear to other dive sites. They currently have a special offer of a free rental car with the room if you stay 7 nights or more.
I've never tried the liveaboard trips. If this wedding hadn't come up I was going to go to Beliez(sp?) for a trip on one through my LDS.
The price sounded about the same as staying ashore but no rental car fees and no extra fees for meals.
So far, the best place I've stayed at in Grand Cayman for diving (and for the money) is www.cobaltcoast.com. It's a bit out of the way on the northwest tip of the island a few miles east of the turtle farm.
There is a really good dive shop right on the property www.divetech.com
Cobalt offers room rates that include a 2 tank boat each day and unlimited airfills for shore diving. You can do North Wall dives by just swiming from their dock.
You don't really NEED a rental car to stay there but it's really nice to have as the buses are not good for haling gear to other dive sites. They currently have a special offer of a free rental car with the room if you stay 7 nights or more.
smb1014
Contributor
I was in Cayman Brac in late August 2001. I stayed with Divi Tiara Resort and Dive. I had a wonderful and relaxing time there. The diving on the Brac is amazing, especially with Divi Tiara. The divemasters that I had were Mark and Heidi and if they are still there when you go, ask for them. They were fun, knowledgeable and very professional.
The Divi Resort has all the amenities that one could want in a dive resort. Now, I am not talking the Waldorf Astoria or The Plaza here. The rooms are clean and comfortable and will do the job fine after a great day of sun and fun out on the water. The staff at Divi Tiara is very friendly and helpful and will try to make your stay as comfortable as possible. The food is very good, plentiful and varied for all tastes. They probably will make something for you if you ask a couple days in advance. The menus ranged from barbeque one night to lobster tails and steak another night. Sometimes I didnt want to leave the table because the food was really good but I had to because the boat was going to leave. Make sure you try to get the all-inclusive package when you are there. Now, I dont know if I saved all that much money by doing the all-inclusive thing, but it sure did make life VERY easy.
Cayman Brac as an island is VERY quiet. If you are looking for relaxation and solitude, the Brac is much more suited for your tastes than Grand Cayman. If you are looking for nightlife, fancier restaurants, and shopping are your thing, than you might be suited on Grand Cayman than Cayman Brac. BUT, I can tell you that the diving is great on Cayman Brac and isnt crowded as far as worrying about a lot of boat traffic. From what I understand, the Brac is what Grand Cayman was like before it became all built up.
The dive operation at Divi Tiara is excellent. The divemasters are VERY knowledgeable and professional. They dont baby experienced divers but are very aware of the new divers. The great thing about Divi Dive is that when you arrive and get settled in your room there is a dive bag on your bed. All you have to do is put all the gear that you want on the boat and set up in the bag. The divemasters setup all of your gear and it is waiting for on the boat when you are ready to dive. After each dive they change your gear onto a filled tank and all you have to do is relax and get ready for your next dive. Thats worth it alone to stay there. Not too many other places do that. I mentioned to another diver is that all we have to worry about here is getting wet and sunscreen. When you are ready to leave, the divemasters rinse your gear and put it back in front of your door.
Some of the good dive sites on the Brac are East Chute/Cayman Mariner, The Fishery (great for the fish lovers, go figure); End of Island, Tarpon Reef, Greenhouse Wall/Reef, Mixing Bowl, Cumbers Cave and, OF COURSE, if you go to Cayman Brac you have to dive THE WRECK Russian Destroyer #356 M.V. Capt. Keith Tibbets. THE WRECK is an awesome dive for wreck lovers and non wreck lovers alike because it has a nice reef area on one side where you can find plenty of fish and critters. The other side is a sand flat where you will find stingrays and similar animals. In recent years the ship has broken in half. The ship is accessible at certain points and is easy to navigate in most areas. The front of the bow is in about 100 feet of water. The bow has broken off and is lying on her port side. The stern is upright and is easily accessible by beginner divers. The radar tower on the stern is about 40 feet deep. The rear gun turrets are in good shape and are a great background for photos and video. There are some large groupers that like to hang out there and are rather friendly. I happened to see two trunk fish mating out in the open while I was there. It was pretty cool to see even though they were right out in the open and a larger fish could have come along and had lunch.
If you are into wall dives, Little Cayman has some of the best around. They start at around 25 feet or so and go off into 6000 feet of total blue abyss. The good dives on Little Cayman are Hole in the Wall, Bus Stop Reef, Anchor Wall and of course, Bloody Bay Wall.
The diving conditions most days were great. There was very little current to speak of. Most days visibility was 100 feet or more. Only one day there was a bit of surge and the visibility wasnt as good as the other days. On the East Chute/Cayman Mariner dive there was a little bit of current which is actually great for that particular dive. We did a drop and drift on that dive site and it was terrific because on that dive it is like you are going up and over underwater mountains. The drift made it simple to navigate these underwater mountains. The Cayman Mariner is a small wreck, about 65ft, that has some great coral and marine life on it. It is located on sand flat and on one side you will probably see southern stingrays in the sand. The other sides are the underwater mountains.
When I was there in late August, the weather was sunny and HOT. There was very little rain and the nights were warm. At night the pool at the hotel made a great place to hang out in and sip some cold drinks. PS, If you get a chance, and want to indulge in some adult beverages, ask the bartenders to make you a Brac Sunset. After a couple of these, they will definitely have you on an island of your own.
STAY WET
The Divi Resort has all the amenities that one could want in a dive resort. Now, I am not talking the Waldorf Astoria or The Plaza here. The rooms are clean and comfortable and will do the job fine after a great day of sun and fun out on the water. The staff at Divi Tiara is very friendly and helpful and will try to make your stay as comfortable as possible. The food is very good, plentiful and varied for all tastes. They probably will make something for you if you ask a couple days in advance. The menus ranged from barbeque one night to lobster tails and steak another night. Sometimes I didnt want to leave the table because the food was really good but I had to because the boat was going to leave. Make sure you try to get the all-inclusive package when you are there. Now, I dont know if I saved all that much money by doing the all-inclusive thing, but it sure did make life VERY easy.
Cayman Brac as an island is VERY quiet. If you are looking for relaxation and solitude, the Brac is much more suited for your tastes than Grand Cayman. If you are looking for nightlife, fancier restaurants, and shopping are your thing, than you might be suited on Grand Cayman than Cayman Brac. BUT, I can tell you that the diving is great on Cayman Brac and isnt crowded as far as worrying about a lot of boat traffic. From what I understand, the Brac is what Grand Cayman was like before it became all built up.
The dive operation at Divi Tiara is excellent. The divemasters are VERY knowledgeable and professional. They dont baby experienced divers but are very aware of the new divers. The great thing about Divi Dive is that when you arrive and get settled in your room there is a dive bag on your bed. All you have to do is put all the gear that you want on the boat and set up in the bag. The divemasters setup all of your gear and it is waiting for on the boat when you are ready to dive. After each dive they change your gear onto a filled tank and all you have to do is relax and get ready for your next dive. Thats worth it alone to stay there. Not too many other places do that. I mentioned to another diver is that all we have to worry about here is getting wet and sunscreen. When you are ready to leave, the divemasters rinse your gear and put it back in front of your door.
Some of the good dive sites on the Brac are East Chute/Cayman Mariner, The Fishery (great for the fish lovers, go figure); End of Island, Tarpon Reef, Greenhouse Wall/Reef, Mixing Bowl, Cumbers Cave and, OF COURSE, if you go to Cayman Brac you have to dive THE WRECK Russian Destroyer #356 M.V. Capt. Keith Tibbets. THE WRECK is an awesome dive for wreck lovers and non wreck lovers alike because it has a nice reef area on one side where you can find plenty of fish and critters. The other side is a sand flat where you will find stingrays and similar animals. In recent years the ship has broken in half. The ship is accessible at certain points and is easy to navigate in most areas. The front of the bow is in about 100 feet of water. The bow has broken off and is lying on her port side. The stern is upright and is easily accessible by beginner divers. The radar tower on the stern is about 40 feet deep. The rear gun turrets are in good shape and are a great background for photos and video. There are some large groupers that like to hang out there and are rather friendly. I happened to see two trunk fish mating out in the open while I was there. It was pretty cool to see even though they were right out in the open and a larger fish could have come along and had lunch.
If you are into wall dives, Little Cayman has some of the best around. They start at around 25 feet or so and go off into 6000 feet of total blue abyss. The good dives on Little Cayman are Hole in the Wall, Bus Stop Reef, Anchor Wall and of course, Bloody Bay Wall.
The diving conditions most days were great. There was very little current to speak of. Most days visibility was 100 feet or more. Only one day there was a bit of surge and the visibility wasnt as good as the other days. On the East Chute/Cayman Mariner dive there was a little bit of current which is actually great for that particular dive. We did a drop and drift on that dive site and it was terrific because on that dive it is like you are going up and over underwater mountains. The drift made it simple to navigate these underwater mountains. The Cayman Mariner is a small wreck, about 65ft, that has some great coral and marine life on it. It is located on sand flat and on one side you will probably see southern stingrays in the sand. The other sides are the underwater mountains.
When I was there in late August, the weather was sunny and HOT. There was very little rain and the nights were warm. At night the pool at the hotel made a great place to hang out in and sip some cold drinks. PS, If you get a chance, and want to indulge in some adult beverages, ask the bartenders to make you a Brac Sunset. After a couple of these, they will definitely have you on an island of your own.
STAY WET
Cayman Islands are my favorite dive destination. I have made 14 trips there.
I love the North Wall, expecially Babylon dive site. I dive off DiveTech next to the Turtle Farm with every trip. Great macro photography and if you don't mind the swim there is a nice wall off there too.
My favorite diving of all is Bloody Bay wall off Little Cayman. Randy's Wall is my favorite dive site there. The Russian destroyer is a great dive off Brac, but there is some great wall diving there as well.
Great rum and conch fritters. The turtle steak is second to none.
The problem we have run into, as you said, is the expense. We will not go this year because it is becoming too expensive to stay there. Even the so-called "deals" that I am seeing in the scuba rags are not really saving you any money. It's all smoke and mirrors unfortunately.
If you can afford the expense, it is one of the best destinations.
Safe Diving,
Ron
I love the North Wall, expecially Babylon dive site. I dive off DiveTech next to the Turtle Farm with every trip. Great macro photography and if you don't mind the swim there is a nice wall off there too.
My favorite diving of all is Bloody Bay wall off Little Cayman. Randy's Wall is my favorite dive site there. The Russian destroyer is a great dive off Brac, but there is some great wall diving there as well.
Great rum and conch fritters. The turtle steak is second to none.
The problem we have run into, as you said, is the expense. We will not go this year because it is becoming too expensive to stay there. Even the so-called "deals" that I am seeing in the scuba rags are not really saving you any money. It's all smoke and mirrors unfortunately.
If you can afford the expense, it is one of the best destinations.
Safe Diving,
Ron
waterdogs
Guest
What live aboard did you use. We are looking at a trip in 2003 and have been looking at different live aboards in the carribean. We've looked at Aqua Cat for the bahamas but I believe your right with the Cayman plan, dive all three with no hassels for about the same cost or cheaper.
Let me know the good and bad for the trip.
waterdogs.
Let me know the good and bad for the trip.
waterdogs.
smb1014
Contributor
This is a post I made after my first time to Cayman Brac - Divi Tiara in August 2001. I will be going back to the Brac and Divi Tiara for my fifth time in five years. That should tell you as to what I think of it so far. Most of the information is still the same except for some of the dive masters names. I was there last year and I had Gary and Cary (yes, thats their names) the dive masters for the week I was there. Gary is very professional, personable, and knowledgeable. Top notch. Cary, the same. They are great guys who will go out of their way to make your stay memorable and relaxing.
If you can, go to Little Cayman. The reefs are amazing. They start out a little shallower than over on the Brac but the wall diving is second to none. They are just sheer cliffs that drop of into the deep blue oblivion.
Ok, the 2001 report-
"I was in Cayman Brac in late August 2001. I stayed with Divi Tiara Resort and Dive. I had a wonderful and relaxing time there. The diving on the Brac is amazing, especially with Divi Tiara. The dive masters that I had were Mark and Heidi and if they are still there when you go, ask for them. They were fun, knowledgeable and very professional.
The Divi Resort has all the amenities that one could want in a dive resort. Now, I am not talking the Waldorf Astoria or The Plaza here. The rooms are clean and comfortable and will do the job fine after a great day of sun and fun out on the water. The staff at Divi Tiara is very friendly and helpful and will try to make your stay as comfortable as possible. The food is very good, plentiful and varied for all tastes. They probably will make something for you if you ask a couple days in advance. The menus ranged from barbeque one night to lobster tails and steak another night. Sometimes I didnt want to leave the table because the food was really good but I had to because the boat was going to leave. Make sure you try to get the all-inclusive package when you are there. Now, I dont know if I saved all that much money by doing the all-inclusive thing, but it sure did make life VERY easy.
Cayman Brac as an island is VERY quiet. If you are looking for relaxation and solitude, the Brac is much more suited for your tastes than Grand Cayman. If you are looking for nightlife, fancier restaurants, and shopping are your thing, than you might be suited on Grand Cayman than Cayman Brac. BUT, I can tell you that the diving is great on Cayman Brac and isnt crowded as far as worrying about a lot of boat traffic. From what I understand, the Brac is what Grand Cayman was like before it became all built up.
The dive operation at Divi Tiara is excellent. The dive masters are VERY knowledgeable and professional. They dont baby experienced divers but are very aware of the new divers. The great thing about Divi Dive is that when you arrive and get settled in your room there is a dive bag on your bed. All you have to do is put all the gear that you want on the boat and set up in the bag. The dive masters setup all of your gear and it is waiting for on the boat when you are ready to dive. After each dive they change your gear onto a filled tank and all you have to do is relax and get ready for your next dive. Thats worth it alone to stay there. Not too many other places do that. I mentioned to another diver is that all we have to worry about here is getting wet and sunscreen. When you are ready to leave, the dive masters rinse your gear and put it back in front of your door.
Some of the good dive sites on the Brac are East Chute/Cayman Mariner, The Fishery (great for the fish lovers, go figure); End of Island, Tarpon Reef, Greenhouse Wall/Reef, Mixing Bowl, Cumbers Cave and, OF COURSE, if you go to Cayman Brac you have to dive THE WRECK Russian Destroyer #356 M.V. Capt. Keith Tibbets. THE WRECK is an awesome dive for wreck lovers and non wreck lovers alike because it has a nice reef area on one side where you can find plenty of fish and critters. The other side is a sand flat where you will find stingrays and similar animals. In recent years the ship has broken in half. The ship is accessible at certain points and is easy to navigate in most areas. The front of the bow is in about 100 feet of water. The bow has broken off and is lying on her port side. The stern is upright and is easily accessible by beginner divers. The radar tower on the stern is about 40 feet deep. The rear gun turrets are in good shape and are a great background for photos and video. There are some large groupers that like to hang out there and are rather friendly. I happened to see two trunk fish mating out in the open while I was there. It was pretty cool to see even though they were right out in the open and a larger fish could have come along and had lunch.
If you are into wall dives, Little Cayman has some of the best around. They start at around 25 feet or so and go off into 6000 feet of total blue abyss. The good dives on Little Cayman are Hole in the Wall, Bus Stop Reef, Anchor Wall and of course, Bloody Bay Wall.
The diving conditions most days were great. There was very little current to speak of. Most days visibility was 100 feet or more. Only one day there was a bit of surge and the visibility wasnt as good as the other days. On the East Chute/Cayman Mariner dive there was a little bit of current which is actually great for that particular dive. We did a drop and drift on that dive site and it was terrific because on that dive it is like you are going up and over underwater mountains. The drift made it simple to navigate these underwater mountains. The Cayman Mariner is a small wreck, about 65ft, that has some great coral and marine life on it. It is located on sand flat and on one side you will probably see southern stingrays in the sand. The other sides are the underwater mountains.
When I was there in late August, the weather was sunny and HOT. There was very little rain and the nights were warm. At night the pool at the hotel made a great place to hang out in and sip some cold drinks. PS, If you get a chance, and want to indulge in some adult beverages, ask the bartenders to make you a Brac Sunset. After a couple of these, they will definitely have you on an island of your own."
STAY WET
If you can, go to Little Cayman. The reefs are amazing. They start out a little shallower than over on the Brac but the wall diving is second to none. They are just sheer cliffs that drop of into the deep blue oblivion.
Ok, the 2001 report-
"I was in Cayman Brac in late August 2001. I stayed with Divi Tiara Resort and Dive. I had a wonderful and relaxing time there. The diving on the Brac is amazing, especially with Divi Tiara. The dive masters that I had were Mark and Heidi and if they are still there when you go, ask for them. They were fun, knowledgeable and very professional.
The Divi Resort has all the amenities that one could want in a dive resort. Now, I am not talking the Waldorf Astoria or The Plaza here. The rooms are clean and comfortable and will do the job fine after a great day of sun and fun out on the water. The staff at Divi Tiara is very friendly and helpful and will try to make your stay as comfortable as possible. The food is very good, plentiful and varied for all tastes. They probably will make something for you if you ask a couple days in advance. The menus ranged from barbeque one night to lobster tails and steak another night. Sometimes I didnt want to leave the table because the food was really good but I had to because the boat was going to leave. Make sure you try to get the all-inclusive package when you are there. Now, I dont know if I saved all that much money by doing the all-inclusive thing, but it sure did make life VERY easy.
Cayman Brac as an island is VERY quiet. If you are looking for relaxation and solitude, the Brac is much more suited for your tastes than Grand Cayman. If you are looking for nightlife, fancier restaurants, and shopping are your thing, than you might be suited on Grand Cayman than Cayman Brac. BUT, I can tell you that the diving is great on Cayman Brac and isnt crowded as far as worrying about a lot of boat traffic. From what I understand, the Brac is what Grand Cayman was like before it became all built up.
The dive operation at Divi Tiara is excellent. The dive masters are VERY knowledgeable and professional. They dont baby experienced divers but are very aware of the new divers. The great thing about Divi Dive is that when you arrive and get settled in your room there is a dive bag on your bed. All you have to do is put all the gear that you want on the boat and set up in the bag. The dive masters setup all of your gear and it is waiting for on the boat when you are ready to dive. After each dive they change your gear onto a filled tank and all you have to do is relax and get ready for your next dive. Thats worth it alone to stay there. Not too many other places do that. I mentioned to another diver is that all we have to worry about here is getting wet and sunscreen. When you are ready to leave, the dive masters rinse your gear and put it back in front of your door.
Some of the good dive sites on the Brac are East Chute/Cayman Mariner, The Fishery (great for the fish lovers, go figure); End of Island, Tarpon Reef, Greenhouse Wall/Reef, Mixing Bowl, Cumbers Cave and, OF COURSE, if you go to Cayman Brac you have to dive THE WRECK Russian Destroyer #356 M.V. Capt. Keith Tibbets. THE WRECK is an awesome dive for wreck lovers and non wreck lovers alike because it has a nice reef area on one side where you can find plenty of fish and critters. The other side is a sand flat where you will find stingrays and similar animals. In recent years the ship has broken in half. The ship is accessible at certain points and is easy to navigate in most areas. The front of the bow is in about 100 feet of water. The bow has broken off and is lying on her port side. The stern is upright and is easily accessible by beginner divers. The radar tower on the stern is about 40 feet deep. The rear gun turrets are in good shape and are a great background for photos and video. There are some large groupers that like to hang out there and are rather friendly. I happened to see two trunk fish mating out in the open while I was there. It was pretty cool to see even though they were right out in the open and a larger fish could have come along and had lunch.
If you are into wall dives, Little Cayman has some of the best around. They start at around 25 feet or so and go off into 6000 feet of total blue abyss. The good dives on Little Cayman are Hole in the Wall, Bus Stop Reef, Anchor Wall and of course, Bloody Bay Wall.
The diving conditions most days were great. There was very little current to speak of. Most days visibility was 100 feet or more. Only one day there was a bit of surge and the visibility wasnt as good as the other days. On the East Chute/Cayman Mariner dive there was a little bit of current which is actually great for that particular dive. We did a drop and drift on that dive site and it was terrific because on that dive it is like you are going up and over underwater mountains. The drift made it simple to navigate these underwater mountains. The Cayman Mariner is a small wreck, about 65ft, that has some great coral and marine life on it. It is located on sand flat and on one side you will probably see southern stingrays in the sand. The other sides are the underwater mountains.
When I was there in late August, the weather was sunny and HOT. There was very little rain and the nights were warm. At night the pool at the hotel made a great place to hang out in and sip some cold drinks. PS, If you get a chance, and want to indulge in some adult beverages, ask the bartenders to make you a Brac Sunset. After a couple of these, they will definitely have you on an island of your own."
STAY WET
florida native
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Yes, the cost top side is pretty expensive, compared to other destinations, but its not too bad. What gets me is the airfare. Its insane! I can fly to Hawaii or to Europe for LESS than what I pay to go to the Caymans. AND IM ONLY AN HOUR AND A HALF PLANE RIDE AWAY!!!!!! Oh well. The Brac and Little are still in my top 3 places!
HAHA Opportunity costs!
HAHA Opportunity costs!
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