Anyone that's been to Cozumel ever been to Cayman Brac and Little Cayman?

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divematt

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Location
Port Orange, Florida
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Tomorrow we're starting an 11 day trip to Cayman Brac and Little Cayman and wondered if anyone has been there recently that's been to Cozumel. Are there any similarities? Is it at all like Cozumel? I've heard there are good wall dives. After a 10 day trip to Cozumel in April, it will be nice to see the differences and similarities.

Thanks,
Matt
 
I have been to all of the above mentioned....I have been on the Cayman Aggressor ....I don't compare places since most are never the same....LC walls are great can start at 30' I don't remember any drift diving in the Caymans....but what other places call drift diving never comperes to Coz. Cayman Brac the Russian Destroyer Tibbitts was very interesting....hurricanes have torn it apart so you can penetrate the wreck... also have done land base ops on Grand Cayman.

The Caymans are one of my most favorite places to go in the Carribean..when someone ask me my favorite place I usually answers "The Caymans" but anywhere there is blue water is really my fav:D

Have fun you will love it.
 
Caymans and Cozumel are my favorite Caribbean diving destinations. For an all around (topside and underwater) I enjoy Coz. If my only interest is diving then it's Caymans. The drama of Cayman walls really cannot be beat.
 
I see you have been to Coz, so I will just give you the comparison to the Sister Islands. I dove all three in January and February this year. Coz and Little Cayman are probably the top two wall-diving destinations in the Caribbean, with the Brac right behind. Little Cayman's walls start shallow, in as little as 20-25 ft. There really is no drift diving like Cozumel. There is generally little current at Little Cayman or Cayman Brac. The boats typically moor to a buoy and the divemasters declare the pool open. Plan you dive yourself. Guides are not required. The crew will usually give a good dive briefing, drawing a map of the site on a whiteboard and suggesting a route. You can dive where you want, just navigate your way back to the boat and watch your computer. The water is incredibly clear and viz is spectacular. Corals and other marine life are very healthy at both of the Sisters, probably a little better at Little Cayman. The walls are on the north sides of both islands, with lower profile reefs and spur-and-groove formations on the south sides. These make good third dives and night dives. There is more good shallow diving at the Sister Islands than Cozumel, particularly since the hurricanes. We had a good dive at Palancar Caves this year, but our divemaster told us many of the shallower sites had suffered. If you like Coz, I think you are going to love the Sister Islands.
 
What I would say the biggest differences are food and topside diversions. Cozumel has a large number of very good restaurants with plenty of diversity. The little sisters have limited dining options. Cozumel has enough topside activities to keep you busy for a week even if you don't dive. The little sisters are all about diving with little else to do except hang out by the pool or do some afternoon dives. I think the little sisters have a much lower key atmosphere. Cozumel can be much less expensive and much easier to fly to.

There is also another huge difference. Cozumel has 3 cruise docks and up to 9 ships a day visit there on any day. The only place troubled by the huge pod carriers in the Cayman Islands is Grand Cayman. Probably the largest ship you'll see on the Brac is the Tibbitts. ;)
 
diveborg:
There is also another huge difference. Cozumel has 3 cruise docks and up to 9 ships a day visit there on any day. The only place troubled by the huge pod carriers in the Cayman Islands is Grand Cayman. Probably the largest ship you'll see on the Brac is the Tibbitts. ;)

FWIW, Cozumel only has one sort of functional cruise ship dock at the moment (Courtesy of Hurricane Wilma), and ship traffic is way down. It can't last, though.
 
ggunn:
FWIW, Cozumel only has one sort of functional cruise ship dock at the moment (Courtesy of Hurricane Wilma), and ship traffic is way down. It can't last, though.
Of course you are correct, Cozumel had 3 cruise docks, and I'm sure the cruise lines are thrilled that all 3 will be reopening. I enjoyed Cozumel more last December with fewer ships there than would normally be there.
 

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