Best month of the year to dive GC and Little Cayman

[diverswifey]

Could anyone with more experience in the Cayman Islands tell me what time of the year has the best chance of optimum diving- water clarity, temps, etc.
We have (for diving) only been to Cayman Brac one time, Little Cayman one time and Grand Cayman one time. Thinking about a return with a GC/LC split again but I am not a diver so I would love some feedback as the trip planner. Thanks so very much!

 

[tursiops]

One imporatnt consideration is hurricane season...June to November. Best to avoid.

 

[Damselfish]

Hurricane season is nice as long as there’s no hurricane. I’d tend to compromise and avoid the peak of the season but worry less about the fringes.

Winter can make things more windy/rainy/ sporty if you care, with slightly lower water temps, though what passes for cooler these days isn’t so much. There seems to be certain times for algae on the reefs but not sure about that season.

I’m partial to Mid March-mid June.

How many days are you planning for each place? Any idea where?

 

[diverswifey]

Thank you both. Unfortunately, since the Caymans are pretty expensive imo, I am thinking of a 4/4 split. we spent 5 nights in LC the one time we went (stayed at Paradise villas) and had 3 nights in GC before heading to LC and that worked out pretty well.
I am not sure when we would end up going as we already have our November trip booked in Curacao and an April trip to Roatan (3 nights) then Clark's Cay/Guanaja (7 nights) so I was trying to figure it out.... we live on the gulf coast and are very hurricane aware but American Thanksgiving week is always a good time for us to travel/ husband to be away from work.
A travel friend told me about a condo in GC that is 5 minutes away from Indigo Divers (anyone ever used them?) who take very small groups- very important to husband.
Southern Cross is over our budget and LCBR seems to prefer weeklong stays- looking at a condo at Conch Club- thoughts welcomed. Remember as a non-diver, I like a swimmable beach or a pool, food and a bar onsite or walkable ! We are not foodies- husband does not eat breakfast (I do) we like to eat lunch or late lunch out and are happy snacking or fixing something simple for ourselves for a few nights if we have a kitchen...

thanks!!

 

[tursiops]

Hurricane season is nice as long as there’s no hurricane. I’d tend to compromise and avoid the peak of the season but worry less about the fringes.

We were there last week of October 2024. Got mostly blown out.

I’m partial to Mid March-mid June.

Going back in March 2026 to use our coupons for the 12 dives missed in Oct 2024.

 

[AggieDiver]

I am very partial to the period from late July to the 1st week or so of August. Yes that includes the traditional peak of hurricane season in mid-September. However, I did some research on hurricane/tropical storm paths a few years ago and found that for storms passing within 100 miles or so of the Caymans, the peak was actually in late October/early November. There are of course exceptions to that such as Ivan in 2004, but in general, you are much more likely to be impacted by a storm in the Caymans in late October than in July-September.

We have been to LC something like 12 times since 1999 and all but 1 of those times was between July and mid-October. The one that wasn't was in November as a reschedule in 2004 due to Hurricane Ivan. The reasons that I like to go then are:

1 - LCBR offers special package pricing that is much cheaper than the rest of the year
2 - When there is not a hurricane around, the conditions are generally very flat with light winds and calm seas, which is good for underwater viz and the chances of diving the north side of the island where the best diving is
3 - water temps are warm and I can dive in shorts and a rash guard, with no need for a wetsuit
4 - LCBR is the only resort/dive op running for September and part of October, meaning lower #s of divers on the sites and fewer boats in the water.
5 - it is low season in general, so the flights and airports in GC are less crowded

We have had to move our vacations 3 times out of those 12 or so trips, once for a hurricane hitting the islands (Ivan in 2004) once for a tropical storm nearby, but not directly impacting GC, and once for a hurricane impacting our flight connection airport in Florida. In all three cases, LCBR moved our reservations to different dates with no fuss or fees, Cayman Airways changed our flights with no fuss or fees, and our other airlines (SW or United) changed our flights with no fuss or fees. With reputable operators like that, if you have the flexibility to change your schedule by a few weeks on short notice, you can head down there during hurricane season with no worries and no need for extra trip insurance.

In regards to some of your other desires as a non-diver, I will say that Cayman Brac may give you more of what you are looking for. CBBR has a much better pool area than LCBR and more restaurants and things to do outside of the resort areas. LCBR during low season will only have the LCBR restaurant and resort open and their pool is pretty basic, although the hammocks and bar area are pretty nice if there is a breeze. The diving on CB is better than GC, but not as good as LC in my opinion, but it is more fun for non-divers.

 

[diverswifey]

aggiediver- first, congrats on your football victory on Saturday against my AU tigers. Thank goodness our "adopted" team, Ole Miss, did win a great victory- our daughter and our $ went there and we became huge fans years ago .

I have some questions and comments specifically for you- not related in number by your comments):

1. I get it about the hurricanes- Ivan was actually one of our worst ones here- we cancelled a BVI trip not because of what was happening there but the cleanup and aftermath here in Mobile. I agree that October is potentially the most dicey month in many places but I like your "late July/early August" thought- might as well be hot there as hot here.
2. We have been to Brac once- a week way back in like in April 2018 and stayed a week at CBBR- I actually had the pool area to myself (literally) for hours a day while the divers were out but I was still working a very fulltime and stressful (school counselor) job then so it was a badly needed break for me and I did not need to do anything. Husband enjoyed it very much but wished for smaller numbers on dive boats.
3. We were in LC for only 5 nights in late Nov. 2022 and while we did not stay at LCBR- rather at Paradise villas- I really liked the island much more than Brac. We went to lunch at LCBR and looked around.
4. So you will understand- we are each other's second marriage, been married since 2001 and have done a lot, a lot, of adventuring during those years and sometimes came home tired from a vacation- no more. Now we are older and feel no need to see every since square inch of an island. He loves to dive, I love to just chill and enjoy the beauty of the world in and above the water (snorkeler only but water lover).
So.....
IF we went at that time and stayed at LCBR- no need really for other restaurants as all inclusive, right? We are not foodies but we found the food to be perfectly fine at CV resort- I hear it is better at LC but no worries there if we stay there.
I could totally skip GC and be happy- we travel alot to very small, off the beaten path places and GC has seemed to me- just 2 times- to be too big, too busy, too many people, having to drive to get places, etc. I am now leaning more towards just LC with an overnight if completely necessary in GC if you think the diving is better on Little.
Any thoughts on better location or rooms to request or anything like that? I wish they did have some that were not just basic but that is what we had in Brac and it was ok....
Thank you for your help and replies!!

 

[diverswifey]

aggie- oops, the main thing I meant to ask was : during that time of year are there any fewer divers on the boats or not? He really loves when there are small groups (like 8 max) which is NOT going to happen in a place like LCBR but I just wondered..... I think he had like 20 (??) before? in Brac.

 

[ROUS]

I always aim for those hot summer months. Everything is less expensive and, well, I'm a cheapskate.

 

[AggieDiver]

aggie- oops, the main thing I meant to ask was : during that time of year are there any fewer divers on the boats or not? He really loves when there are small groups (like 8 max) which is NOT going to happen in a place like LCBR but I just wondered..... I think he had like 20 (??) before? in Brac.

My experience is generally 10-14 for the morning dives and 6-8 for the afternoon dive unless they run the free afternoon dives add on to the packages. During high season, they are more likely to run 14-18 divers per boat. But keep in mind these are 42-46' boats and you do not have to follow the DM/group in the water. Because you are diving from a moored location, once they give the briefing, you can go any direction you want at whatever pace you want, so even with more on the boat, it never feels crowded to me either top side or under water.

If you are not interested in LCBR/CBBR due to the #s on the boats though, you can check into Little Cayman Divers on LC or Brac Scuba Shack on CB. They usually partner up with the condos that don't have an on-site dive op and what I have read suggests they typically have fewer divers on board. But at least for Little Cayman Divers, they shut down this time of year and don't reopen until November 1.