Any Brac news?

[chibracdiver]

BG, I own the 4 bedroom unit at Carib Sands and I went down two weeks after Paloma to lend a hand. I had contacted immigration prior to flying down and had no problem as I am a property owner. I spent five days helping around the island and since then have let some Brakkers use the unit at no cost. I spoke directly with Moses and told him if they needed the condo they were free to use it. We were very lucky and sustained very minimal damage. I stayed in the unit myself as Jeff hooked me up to a generator and I was able to get three lights, one in the kitchen, one in the bathroom and one in the bedroom. Cold showers and warm Diet Coke were the norm. I was saddened by all the damage and heard all the horror stories about the insurance companies.

That being said, I know Craig at InDepth has been going out with divers for some time. I will be on island in two weeks, and staying at a house on the south side that received very little damage and that owner has been renting for a few months. There are accommodations to be had and the island is and has been accepting visitors for awhile. For those wanting to go Brac, it might be "officially closed" but the reality is the island is open and now more than ever, divers should try to get down there and spread around some $$$.

 

[BracGypsy]

Since you made such a kind offer: Do you know if Sue Smartt's Cayman Cottage
is authorized yet?

Many thanks.

I just ask Sue about that yesterday. She said she just got authorized 4 days ago. Seems a few people have. She has a very cute place too!

Please feel free to ask questions anytime. I will try to get the answers.

BracGypsy...

 

[BracGypsy]

chibracdiver

Yes you are right, the Brac has been excepting tourist and vistors for quite sometime. As I had stated in one of my earlier postings here. Anyone coming here who has a home here can come here with no problem, BUT any person who doesn't have a home here would need a written letter by a homeowner in-which they would be staying.

ALSO (out of the country) New work permit holders are having to do the same thing. There are a lot of new construction workers here from Grand Cayman, and other countries. All of them had to get letters from homeowners as to where they would be staying too! My husband has a Construction company here, and a Real Estate comp, we hired a work permit holder out of the States to come here and when he landed in Grand Cayman he had to show a letter from us' to immigration telling them where he would be staying while he is here. It's almost the same thing with visitors here, they would just need a faxed letter from the homeowner to show immigration in Grand Cayman. But according to the News Paper and the Government the Brac is truly officially closed.... All we have to do now is weed though all the red tape with the Government. And that's a job all in it's own.

Craig at InDepth Watersports is really doing a great job. Get with him on your next booking. He is working his butt off, being he has the only dive boats going out right now.

Hey when you get here in two weeks' stop by Brac Reef Resort on Friday nights.... My husband and I M.C. the Karaoke night there. We have blast, lot's of locals show up. Well some of the vocals aren't all that great, but we sure have lot's fun fun. I am sure if anyone here who has been to Karaoke know both my husband and myself...

See ya there.

BracGypsy...

PS.... Please make sure you check with that homeowner that you will be staying with on the southside. He/she may not know about that letter. Have him fax you a letter stating that you will be staying at his house, you will need him to sign and date it, and put his address on the letter. It's best to play it safe when it comes to the Government or immagration here.

 

[billinwilliamston]

Can someone tell me if Paloma damage or a 6 month respite from clumsy divers has had a greater affect on the reefs?

Thanks.

 

[nipi]

From today's Compass - Cayman Islands - Cay Compass News Online - Brac Reef aims for September re–opening

 

[BracGypsy]

Can someone tell me if Paloma damage or a 6 month respite from clumsy divers has had a greater affect on the reefs?

Thanks.

Since I don't dive, I went snorkling yesterday on the northside of Cayman Brac at Stake Bay while a girlfriend of mine was diving in about 50ft to 70ft of water. When she got in after the dive, I did ask her what the reefs looked like out there, she said they look fine, not much change at all.

I swam out about 300ft over about 100ft deep, and from what I can see all away out, the reefs are intact and look good. There's a lot of new sea fans and sea sponges growing back now.

I have been told the wall looks fine too on the northside and the southside of the Brac. The sea didn't get hit as hard by Paloma, as did the land. We had a 25ft to 30ft storm surge, and from what I have read about that, from 35ft on out into deeper water wasn't touched but very little. BUT lot's of older loose coral rock from the closer parts of the shore-lines, and sea fans, and spounges washed onto the shores from the sea. Old coral rock always washes up after every hurricane or storm surge, or even when the north winds blow really hard. I did see a lot of things that are now growing back. So looks good so far...and # we have had now 6 months without clumsy divers, as you said.. LOL

BracGypsy...............

 

[chibracdiver]

BG, I have everything in order for my trip. The house I'm staying at has it's license and I have the appropriate phone numbers for the appropriate people.

I see where today was a big clean up on the island with some high school students. How did that go?

 

[carriemak]

Since I don't dive, I went snorkling yesterday on the northside of Cayman Brac at Stake Bay while a girlfriend of mine was diving in about 50ft to 70ft of water. When she got in after the dive, I did ask her what the reefs looked like out there, she said they look fine, not much change at all.

I swam out about 300ft over about 100ft deep, and from what I can see all away out, the reefs are intact and look good. There's a lot of new sea fans and sea sponges growing back now.

I have been told the wall looks fine too on the northside and the southside of the Brac. The sea didn't get hit as hard by Paloma, as did the land. We had a 25ft to 30ft storm surge, and from what I have read about that, from 35ft on out into deeper water wasn't touched but very little. BUT lot's of older loose coral rock from the closer parts of the shore-lines, and sea fans, and spounges washed onto the shores from the sea. Old coral rock always washes up after every hurricane or storm surge, or even when the north winds blow really hard. I did see a lot of things that are now growing back. So looks good so far...and # we have had now 6 months without clumsy divers, as you said.. LOL

BracGypsy...............

Thanks for the update. I was concerned about the condition of the reefs.

 

[BDSC]

I just got back from Little Cayman last night. We stayed at the LCBR. We were lucky enough to have "Mr. T" join us for most of the week at our table for meals. He confirmed they are hoping to open up the BRBR by September but admits they have a long way to go. But I have no doubt that guy can get it done. By the time they are finished, they will have spent about 4 million to rebuild/renovate the property. So he said it will be better than ever.

I did not take the trip over to Brac to dive but the diving on Little Cayman was great as usual. At times the vis along the wall had to be at least 200 ft. Mr. T said the vast majority of the damage was from high winds to the islands and not storm surge. It didn't appear there was much damage at all on the reefs from Paloma at Little Cayman so I hope the same can be said for the Brac.

 

[BracGypsy]

BG, I have everything in order for my trip. The house I'm staying at has it's license and I have the appropriate phone numbers for the appropriate people.

I see where today was a big clean up on the island with some high school students. How did that go?

The cleanup mainly was on the sides of the roads, lot's of students joined in on that. The sides of the roads were not in a great need of cleaning up really. That's done every week here anyway. I think everyone should have cleaned up some of the beaches instead. The beaches are in need of cleaning up more than the sides of the roads. You will see when you get here...

BracGypsy...