deco_martini
Contributor
Martini Diving: clear, warm water, and no fighting current
So, I just got back from a week at Little Cayman Beach Resort. I was last at LCBR 4 years ago and the highlight from most dives was a southern stingray. This time a dive was dissappointing if I didn't see an eagle ray or get a close encounter with a shark.
*Last time I went to LCBR was over a New Year's Eve and this time was during extreme off-peak. Maybe this had something to do with it.
Most of the time we had 6-8 people on our boat (Cayman Sister). The dive crew was like last time cordial and helpful.
The facilities were nice. The new dock is nice. They added a pool table since the last time I was there. There is no bridge, the sticks are worn out, but at least they have a 9 ball rack (J and Mike the martini divers prefer 9 ball).
I was miffed to learn that the jewfish that used to haunt the soto trader at night was no longer there (even after asking pre-dive) until we did the dive briefing. It was still a pretty good night dive (even with pesky sea wasps and bloodworms).
The cold tea in the Bird of Paradise was fruity tea this time. For this dixie-raised tea drinker, it was heresy of the highest order and by the third day I was having caffeine withdrawal headaches. My dive buddy Mike and I headed down the street to the small store and bought a few six packs of diet coke to ride out this caffeine emergency.
Tip: Take a 2 liter of your favorite caffeinated beverage in your carry on.
Tip: The bar prices seem more expensive. Don't go nuts your first day ordering cocktails. Stick to the posted specials for cocktails and stingray for brew unless you want you incidentals to come out more than your dive package.
Tip: Fish _live_ underwater. You are just visiting. You will not catch them for an awesome photo if they don't want you to. That balloonfish will outrun you every time.
Tip: If you wear a bikini, consider a bikini wax or using a razor. Noone on your dive boat should be subjected to mutton chop bikini hair problems.
Tip: The "spicy dog" in the Grand Cayman airport runaway bar has whole pepper seeds in it. This can make for an interesting experience later in the day that makes me recollect the Johnny Cash song "Ring of Fire".
Tip: Bloodworms on the night dive can be pretty annoying. Consider a Tec 40 peashooter light. I took the Tec 400 and it was really too much light for the soto trader. The focused dot in the beam also annoyed the groupers on the wreck. It also attracted bloodworms by the boatload.
Tip: Swimming by another diver with 2000 bloodworms on your light and turning your light off to make them jump on him works well. Just make sure it isn't someone who is on your day boat or is bigger/stronger than you.
Tip: The pool is chlorinated as ever. Don't get off those first dives after being irritated by defog/saltwater and jump in eyes open into that pool.
Tip: No scooter rental since the last hurricane. Just hang out at the resort and like it unless you want to front the money for a jeep.
Tip: Don't laugh out load when you find out the new guys who just showed up are hooneymooning at LCBR and aren't divers. They will figure out the joke is on them after a day or two. I love LCBR but wouldn't honeymoon there.
Tip: If you get a hankering for a burger and fries, order one at the Hungry Iguana even if it isn't on the dinner menu. You will be pleased.
Tip: On your way to get ice, don't treat the softball sized hermit crabs as soccer balls like we saw one guy do. That's just wrong.
Tip: The big iguana that hangs around the bar likes chocolate flavored cookies but not cheese flavored chips.
Tip: Tarpon like to swim around the dock at night. Marine life fans such as myself like to take flashlights and spot them (they have a neat orange reflection at night). So the dock is a bad place to try to score.
Tip: Your room is a better place to get a Lewinski than the dock.
Tip: You better not have been doing that in the hottub since thats where we nitrox divers go to get our heat back.
Tip: Food at the grand cayman airport is more expensive than ever. Getting a hotdog and a coke is a 12 dollar experience.
Tip: LCBR is great. The service is great. The water is clear, warm, and dead calm. Go and have fun and take some books or something. Lay back, have a good time, yak it up with the dive staff.
Over and out.
So, I just got back from a week at Little Cayman Beach Resort. I was last at LCBR 4 years ago and the highlight from most dives was a southern stingray. This time a dive was dissappointing if I didn't see an eagle ray or get a close encounter with a shark.
*Last time I went to LCBR was over a New Year's Eve and this time was during extreme off-peak. Maybe this had something to do with it.
Most of the time we had 6-8 people on our boat (Cayman Sister). The dive crew was like last time cordial and helpful.
The facilities were nice. The new dock is nice. They added a pool table since the last time I was there. There is no bridge, the sticks are worn out, but at least they have a 9 ball rack (J and Mike the martini divers prefer 9 ball).
I was miffed to learn that the jewfish that used to haunt the soto trader at night was no longer there (even after asking pre-dive) until we did the dive briefing. It was still a pretty good night dive (even with pesky sea wasps and bloodworms).
The cold tea in the Bird of Paradise was fruity tea this time. For this dixie-raised tea drinker, it was heresy of the highest order and by the third day I was having caffeine withdrawal headaches. My dive buddy Mike and I headed down the street to the small store and bought a few six packs of diet coke to ride out this caffeine emergency.
Tip: Take a 2 liter of your favorite caffeinated beverage in your carry on.
Tip: The bar prices seem more expensive. Don't go nuts your first day ordering cocktails. Stick to the posted specials for cocktails and stingray for brew unless you want you incidentals to come out more than your dive package.
Tip: Fish _live_ underwater. You are just visiting. You will not catch them for an awesome photo if they don't want you to. That balloonfish will outrun you every time.
Tip: If you wear a bikini, consider a bikini wax or using a razor. Noone on your dive boat should be subjected to mutton chop bikini hair problems.
Tip: The "spicy dog" in the Grand Cayman airport runaway bar has whole pepper seeds in it. This can make for an interesting experience later in the day that makes me recollect the Johnny Cash song "Ring of Fire".
Tip: Bloodworms on the night dive can be pretty annoying. Consider a Tec 40 peashooter light. I took the Tec 400 and it was really too much light for the soto trader. The focused dot in the beam also annoyed the groupers on the wreck. It also attracted bloodworms by the boatload.
Tip: Swimming by another diver with 2000 bloodworms on your light and turning your light off to make them jump on him works well. Just make sure it isn't someone who is on your day boat or is bigger/stronger than you.
Tip: The pool is chlorinated as ever. Don't get off those first dives after being irritated by defog/saltwater and jump in eyes open into that pool.
Tip: No scooter rental since the last hurricane. Just hang out at the resort and like it unless you want to front the money for a jeep.
Tip: Don't laugh out load when you find out the new guys who just showed up are hooneymooning at LCBR and aren't divers. They will figure out the joke is on them after a day or two. I love LCBR but wouldn't honeymoon there.
Tip: If you get a hankering for a burger and fries, order one at the Hungry Iguana even if it isn't on the dinner menu. You will be pleased.
Tip: On your way to get ice, don't treat the softball sized hermit crabs as soccer balls like we saw one guy do. That's just wrong.
Tip: The big iguana that hangs around the bar likes chocolate flavored cookies but not cheese flavored chips.
Tip: Tarpon like to swim around the dock at night. Marine life fans such as myself like to take flashlights and spot them (they have a neat orange reflection at night). So the dock is a bad place to try to score.
Tip: Your room is a better place to get a Lewinski than the dock.
Tip: You better not have been doing that in the hottub since thats where we nitrox divers go to get our heat back.
Tip: Food at the grand cayman airport is more expensive than ever. Getting a hotdog and a coke is a 12 dollar experience.
Tip: LCBR is great. The service is great. The water is clear, warm, and dead calm. Go and have fun and take some books or something. Lay back, have a good time, yak it up with the dive staff.
Over and out.
