caydiver
Contributor
Many of the dive ops have started letting staff go and operating on skeleton staff.
Covid-19 and Cayman travel...
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Alucard
Contributor
I spoke with someone on Brac who said that their small hospital is on alert but most other places are "business as usual". It has always been challenging to get supplies on the Sister Islands so I hope that doesn't get even harder.
(Note: this message has been edited to clarify that there are NO reported cases of Covid-19 on Brac at this time).
caydiver
Contributor
The restrictions were given out on Friday afternoon to start on Monday for the most part. Tomorrow is the first day most of us expect to feel the impact and then get the next set. LC and Brac are not really going to have a big problem limiting numbers. However as tourism continues to die off those businesses in the industry will suffer trying to make payroll etc. We haven’t had time to take it in yet. What happened last week is history now. The final BA flight comes in today 
BrackaFish
Contributor
Nobody has said anything about anyone having Covid 19 here on the Brac, but there are some changes. Brac Reef resort is only serving their own guests, not visitors are their restaurant. This maybe to comply with the “not more than 50 people rule”. Other restaurants remain open. Brac Scuba Shack was running both dive boats today, but said that they have fielded some calls from people wanting to know what the future holds. Schools remain closed.
Divetech Cayman
Contributor
Some more observations:
It's been pretty calm here. If you disconnected from the internet you'd have very little to tell you something is going on. We've had a few groups of people in, and 2 of them have elected to stay an additional week, since they can work remotely, and their kid's schools have been closed. So that actually worked to our benefit as they added another week of diving. Must be nice!
Last night I went to get some take out and took a stroll around. Lone Star was packed, but there were also 2 police officers, and the manager with a counter/clicker in his hand at the entrance. Wok N Roll and the Bar next to them were picking up the slack, and both were packed. Camana Bay was a bit quieter than I'd expect for a normal Saturday, but plenty of folks there dining, and having fun. The movie theater is closed, but there's no good movies out now anyway.
I walked to Camana Bay Fosters. Pretty standard for a Saturday night. The shelves of bread, toilet paper and paper towels were light, but still there, and there were plenty of staff re-stocking as fast as they could.
We've been assured by Cayman Islands Government and Port Authority that supply ships are and will continue to come in. The worst part so far has been the lack of cruise ships are going to cripple some of the businesses that depend on their income.
Tony
It's been pretty calm here. If you disconnected from the internet you'd have very little to tell you something is going on. We've had a few groups of people in, and 2 of them have elected to stay an additional week, since they can work remotely, and their kid's schools have been closed. So that actually worked to our benefit as they added another week of diving. Must be nice!
Last night I went to get some take out and took a stroll around. Lone Star was packed, but there were also 2 police officers, and the manager with a counter/clicker in his hand at the entrance. Wok N Roll and the Bar next to them were picking up the slack, and both were packed. Camana Bay was a bit quieter than I'd expect for a normal Saturday, but plenty of folks there dining, and having fun. The movie theater is closed, but there's no good movies out now anyway.
I walked to Camana Bay Fosters. Pretty standard for a Saturday night. The shelves of bread, toilet paper and paper towels were light, but still there, and there were plenty of staff re-stocking as fast as they could.
We've been assured by Cayman Islands Government and Port Authority that supply ships are and will continue to come in. The worst part so far has been the lack of cruise ships are going to cripple some of the businesses that depend on their income.
Tony
caydiver
Contributor
We don’t do cruise ship visitors and we had have basically our calendar wiped out. We have many ops that we work with and I am totally saddened to see DMs that we’re friends and amazing at what they did be let go. We may see some venerable ops disappear. So sad. It has been really rough for those who have made a life here for decades and now have to give it up.Many lost their jobs yesterday. Here is a an up date that focuses on cruise visitors but also talks about restaurants who like many dive ops do not get day visitor business.
Tourism industry in free fall as virus paralyses travel - Cayman Compass
Tourism industry in free fall as virus paralyses travel - Cayman Compass
I live up in West Bay and the effects of the virus have not made a huge difference to life in general around here. Last night up in Macabuca the bar was open and full of people in a scene like any other Sunday evening. Their restaurant upstairs seemed to have plenty of people too and aside the conversation topic which was probably the same on every table (as it is around the world) there were no signs of anything having changed.
I had to go shopping for some general groceries over the weekend and had to pick my moments to avoid the masses that had decided the best course of action amidst this troubling global issue was to horde as much toilet paper as possible. When I went to the store later in the evening I could see the signs of mass consumerism but everything I needed was still there. The island had stocked up for the busy period of spring break and Easter and as supplies are still flowing into Cayman like normal I am so far unaware of any specific item that can no longer be found here.
Some bars, restaurants and dive operations have unfortunately been forced to close their doors and I am saddened to hear of the owners and staff who have had to endure such a blow. I imagine it won't be until the world is looking at this pandemic in the rear view mirror that they can go about starting a new job/life and the present uncertainty must be awful.
I work for Divetech and as we don't deal with the cruise ship industry at all the closing of the port has not directly affected our bookings. The majority of our customers come from the States by air and that route into the island is still very much open. Of course, like everyone else we have had a heap of cancellations but fortunately for us we still have enough people to justify sending the boat out each day.
The business continues to run and the groups on the courses and on the boats are small so not a mass playground for viruses to jump from person to person. We now wash all our masks and regs with steramine sanitizing solution but aside that the picture here is much like one of the typically quieter months like September or October.
I had to go shopping for some general groceries over the weekend and had to pick my moments to avoid the masses that had decided the best course of action amidst this troubling global issue was to horde as much toilet paper as possible. When I went to the store later in the evening I could see the signs of mass consumerism but everything I needed was still there. The island had stocked up for the busy period of spring break and Easter and as supplies are still flowing into Cayman like normal I am so far unaware of any specific item that can no longer be found here.
Some bars, restaurants and dive operations have unfortunately been forced to close their doors and I am saddened to hear of the owners and staff who have had to endure such a blow. I imagine it won't be until the world is looking at this pandemic in the rear view mirror that they can go about starting a new job/life and the present uncertainty must be awful.
I work for Divetech and as we don't deal with the cruise ship industry at all the closing of the port has not directly affected our bookings. The majority of our customers come from the States by air and that route into the island is still very much open. Of course, like everyone else we have had a heap of cancellations but fortunately for us we still have enough people to justify sending the boat out each day.
The business continues to run and the groups on the courses and on the boats are small so not a mass playground for viruses to jump from person to person. We now wash all our masks and regs with steramine sanitizing solution but aside that the picture here is much like one of the typically quieter months like September or October.
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