anyone been to Cayman Brac or Little Cayman since hurricane?

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jackiesr

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We are considering going to one of the sister islands in December. Have been assured (read up on internet sites) that those islands did not get much of the hurricane and light on the damage. There are many specials going on now--a day free at resort along with an extra day of diving. Anyone been there in the last week or so?

They are letting people fly into Grand Cayman to get to the other islands.

Thanks
 
A friend went to LCM last weekend & stayed at Pirates Point. The reefs are apparantly untouched.
 
A friend of mine works at Pirates Point. There were two whale sharks there for a few days last week. They also saw a pod of dolphin and a rather large hammerhead shark. All in one week. Wish I was there!
 
Pirate's Point is open this week and I understand there are 20 guests staying there. Likewise, Little Cayman Beach Resort opened this week with 38 guests. I will be working as divemaster/instructor with LCBR this year as soon as my work permit comes through (expected on 3 November) so I can now say "We(!)" have a new dock in place, a new dive shop, and everything is better than before the hurricane hit. Even the Booby Pond stink is gone this year! There's really very little damage on Little Cayman, though I'm spending my days cleaning up the yard while waiting on the work permit to come through.

I went out from shore Sunday and couldn't see a bit of damage on the north wall. I did find one new swim-through at Cumber's Caves I hadn't noticed before, but it could have been there all along.

This is going to be a great winter down here. I'm so excited about working at the Beach Resort this year!

Bruce
 
Bruce - where exactly is the new swim through at Cumber's Caves? We should be over soon.
 
nipi:
Bruce - where exactly is the new swim through at Cumber's Caves? We should be over soon.

Well, as I said...I'm not sure if this is one that just opened up or maybe I've missed it all this time. But when I did my DM training, I took Cumber's Caves as my map site and thought I had explored every square inch of that site! From the buoy, head straight out on a heading of NW (315 degrees). After 180', that puts you right about the old anchor, and the main swim through is just off to your right. This one was about 100' west of the main opening, and it puts you on the wall at about 70'. It's not as big as the main channel, but nobody is going to get claustrophobic going through it. I thought it was kind of cool because it's not quite so deep as the main swim-through.

To tell the truth, I know there are passages at this site that open and close with every major storm. I must have done that site 200 times by now, and yet it looks different to me every time I go down there. How can I say how much I love that place?

Bruce
 
Love it too. I don't know the new swim through. We usually go through the main tunnel & left along the wall & back up the tunnel at Bus Stop then back along the miniwall to the CCaves mooring. When we come over on a Friday on the last flight, we often do this as our night dive. Newcomers are amazed at the stars on the swim out. They're also petrified when we surface & there's no light to indicate where the jeep's parked!

Other favourites are Fisheye Fantasea & the others in that area. To do Bush Gardens & Sand Chute enter at the house just west of Salt Dock - when you jump in there's a chain at 15 ft heading out with loads of small stuff on it. To do Jigsaw Puzzle & Paradise Plunge park about 100 m. east of Salt Dock towards Sam's & walk across the bush & ironshore to get in & swim out to the markers. Go left on the wall & gradually come up into the sand flats to exit at the ledge at Salt Dock & walk back to the jeep. Great dive. Nothing beats Randy's though - one of my top 3 dives ever.

Will look you up next time we're over.
 
Just my 2 cents on this...I had to cancel my trip to the Caymans because of the Hurricane. The smaller islands, to my knowledge, are ok, but Grand Cayman got wrecked. All of the good hotels (Hyatt, Marriott) are closed until at LEAST December, but even the hotel operators are saying it will be longer. I'd go to the brac or little cayman, but I'm looking to do the tourist thing too. Oh, well...Nassau here I come.
 
Bruce,

I have heard that Reef Divers lost thirteen of thier 14 boats in the hurricanes. I hope that the numbers were skewed!!!!

I dove with RD on the Brac in May of this year and my catharsis (per Merriam-Webster's - purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension) was complete.

I'd love to hear how everyone over on the Brac at BRBR is doing.....pass along any news that you hear.

Windknot
 
Windknot:
Bruce,

I have heard that Reef Divers lost thirteen of thier 14 boats in the hurricanes. I hope that the numbers were skewed!!!!
Windknot

This sort of depends on how you define "lost"! Immediately after Ivan's winds died down, there was indeed some question of where the boats might be located. In that sense, they were "lost". Cayman Sister was later found sitting out on the highway, Island Sister was a mile away from where she had been anchored before the storm, and so on. Little Cayman Beach Resort has all three Newton 42 dive boats running now.

This past October was the best weather I have ever seen in October. Normally it is not until at least the end of October, if not the middle of November, before the rains quit and the skies clear up. But this year it has been absolutely gorgeous. The water temp is still 84F near the surface, 82 at depth. How could it be any better?

Sorry, I don't know a thing about what's happening at Brac Reef Resort. I would assume they're fully operational as well, though. And I do NOT speak for LCBR...I just work there. (If you can call being a DM work!)

Bruce
 
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