Cayman Brac

[deepdiver5014]

Again, thanks to everyone for your input. Anyone know of other private dive operators beside the one mentioned (could not get in contact with him)?

 

[Randall]

My wife and I stayed there in June. Absolutely great place to stay. Food was excellent! Diving was great with Reef Divers. Ask for Craig and Vickie and Robert!!!!! They are the greatest! We had the time of our life. Can't wait until next year.

 

[-hh]

Again, thanks to everyone for your input. Anyone know of other private dive operators beside the one mentioned (could not get in contact with him)?

If you see any reference to Winston McDermit's "Brac Aquatics", they're out of business and the boats have all bee sold off.

The only other recognized dive operation is "The Village Scuba School", and 99% of Dee's business is just instruction. She does her pool work usually at Brac Caribbean (next to Carib Sands) and then either does shore dives or will take her students out on one of Reef Diver's boats. She has occasionally instructed at the Divi, but she prefers not to.

I have heard of a singular report of a private boat (think "6 pack" sized) that got a pretty favorable review. I forget the exact details, but it sounds to me like a local who's probably skirting the Government's regulations on Dive concessions, which means that because local small island politics can rear up any time, I'd have to consider them to be somewhat of a consumer risk. Normally, Braccers are pretty easy to get along, until they see someone's actions as a jobs issue - - earlier this year, it was found that two of the staff at Martin's Pizza on the Brac didn't have their necessary work permits (evidentally, they weren't Caymanians) and got arrested, and the Caymanian owner of the business is reportedly "soon to be charged". Needless to say, this all disrupted the pizza business for visitors...

Full story's here: http://tinyurl.com/4g66g


-hh

PS: local news is that heavy rainfalls in mid-July have caused the mosquito population to boom. They've been fogging the West End (near the hotels), but in the meantime people are being encouraged to wear mosquito repellent, long pants and shirts if they spend time outside during the evenings. IIRC, there was a Braccer who was diagnosed with West Nile in either 2002 or 2003. This is probably not a special health concern for the Brac versus the rest of the Caribbean, but it may be a health awareness item for those people from areas of the USA that don't yet have West Nile back at home.

 

[AtomicWalrus]

Just got back from the Brac last week after a week diving with Reef Divers. A very professional, very sharp operation with outstanding staff! The dive boats are great and very well organized. The staff gauge you up while you're there, and once they've decided that you're a decent diver they start taking you to some extremely cool sites!