Cayman Brac

[-hh]

Any chance we can get a working link for Divi's dock reconstruction photos?

Argh. Sorry about that.

Okay, I've uploaded some of them to one of my own websites. These links shouldn't break:

View of the dock as of 18 September 2004:

Another view of the dock as of 18 September 2004:

Rebuilding as of 4 Oct 04:

Rebuilding as of 20 Oct 04:
http://www.huntzinger.com/photo/2004/brac/Divi_dock_on_10-20-04.jpg

Another view, dated 22 Oct, but probably also from 20 Oct 04:
http://www.huntzinger.com/photo/2004/brac/Divi_dock_on_10-22-04.jpg

Since the above were taken, another 2 weeks has transpired, so the dock reconstruction should obviously be further along. The plan was to deck out the center section, then erect the dive gear shed & dock fill station, and then they would build the dock's left and right extensions that would allow more than two diveboats to be at dock simultaneously.


-hh

 

[AggieDiver]

For what it is worth, I dove with Divi way back in '95, and with Reef Divers on Brac in 2001. Reef Divers is the best dive operation I have ever been diving with. Divi was a very close second. You can't really go wrong with either operation. I just got back from a week diving with Reef Divers on LC, and they were fully operational and we saw boats on LC from Brac Reef Divers.

Hoppy, I heard while we were there that Craig is leaving Reef Divers in about a month. Something about wanting a real job again. He will be a big loss to them, as he was a terrific captain and mechanic, as well as being one of the most ecologically knowledgeable divemasters I have encountered.

Enjoy your trip Kay...Brac is a great place to dive (but like zf2nt said...the highlight of any weeks diving there is the trip to LC).

 

[-hh]

Enjoy your trip Kay...Brac is a great place to dive (but like zf2nt said...the highlight of any weeks diving there is the trip to LC).

YMMV...it all depends on what you like.

Yes, I know that this is blasphemous talk, but personally, I'll turn down a daytrip to LC if its a good enough day to do a Bluff Run on the Brac.

True, there's some interesting sites along LC's walls, but there's also some that are highly overrated. 3-Fathom is one of them IMO...and if you watch divers on it, many of them will spend over half their dive past the miniwall, which puts them onto the Jackson's Bight reef complex, not Bloody Bay. Sacrilegiously speaking, the best thing about 3-Fathom is that its a short swim to a better dive site. :57:


-hh

 

[Damselfish]

If you go to LC encourage them to head to some of the Jackson's Bight sites. I think those sites are more interesting than Bloody Bay Wall. If you don't ask they seem to not go there often, as it's further, sometimes rougher, and may have more current. (Also probably because everyone is hung up on going to Bloody Bay wall.) Jackson's starts deeper than Bloody Bay though, so you don't have the top of the wall at 20 ft Bloody Bay is noted for. Mixing Bowl, the site where it changes from one reef structure to the other, is pretty neat.

 

[-hh]

If you go to LC encourage them to head to some of the Jackson's Bight sites. I think those sites are more interesting than Bloody Bay Wall.

Especially if you like swim-throughs and/or old anchors. A lot of people don't care for them much because they spend their whole dive circling around on the sand, even when there's no one around. Of course, when you get lucky...

http://www.webspan.net/~hummer/pic/molly1.jpg
http://www.webspan.net/~hummer/pic/hammer.jpg

If you don't ask they seem to not go there often, as it's further, sometimes rougher, and may have more current. (Also probably because everyone is hung up on going to Bloody Bay wall.)

Agreed. Jackson's is further for LC boats, so they probably don't want to venture out to have to turn back. For Brac boats, its "on the way", so its not that hard to ask them to make a check on the way in...it will depend on what caliber of divers are onboard, for as you say, wall sites like Magic Roundabout do snag some current. For the inner sites, their plentiful sand gets kicked up pretty easily, which means that these sites will "green out", often before a BBay reef will, as the latter's often mostly hardpan right to the dropoff.

Mixing Bowl, the site where it changes from one reef structure to the other, is pretty neat.

A redeeming factor that doesn't apply to Great Wall West IIRC, its a pretty long swim if you're going to try to swim from MB down to Marilynn's Cut. Better as you say to swim down the miniwall into the west end of Jackson's, probably making the left turn through the obvious swim-thru

FWIW, the South side of Little Cayman has some pretty interesting diving...in addition to the Soto Trader, there's the minimal remains of two diveboat wrecks, including the one that was the true originator of the infamous "wall dive, reef dive, wreck dive, shore dive" joke: it actually sank with divers onboard, who swam ashore to Pirate's Point.

For shallow sites in LC Southwest corner, Grundy's Gardens was one of my favorites, although I don't know how well it fared from Ivan (probably not that well). There's also some walls down here that are generally unknown to the crowds who are all angling to get over to Bloody Bay.


-hh

 

[AggieDiver]

I would tend to agree with both of yall about the sites on the bight being better than BB Wall section. I also very much enjoy the sites at the far west end of the island outside of the marine park such as Jigsaw Puzzle and Fisheye Fantasea. They remind me alot of East Chute on the Brac. I also agree that a Bluff run is well worth the trip, and if I had to choose between great wall west or 3 fathom and the bluff run, I would take the bluff run.

 

[Kay]

Never having been there, it's very confusing. However, I will write down your suggestions and bring them with me. I can hardly wait!

 

[dive4funOften]

Well I got back yesterday. The good news is that the Hurricane Damage on the Brac is not too bad. There are rocks all over the island that the storm surge spit out! These rocks are also all over the Coral Reef. While the Brac Reef Club had its beach cleaned up the Coral Reef is not so easy to clean!

The shallow dives (60 ft) are pretty barren. The rocks have covered all the life on the reef. Not many fish are present and the coral that is left uncovered is pretty damaged. Not a very pretty site! The deep dives aer still nice. But, it is tough to only do 100 footers all day!

Here is the comparison of the Divi vs the Brac Reef Club:

Pluses for the Brac Reef Club:
Dive Staff seems to be more concerned for safety.
Rooms are somewhat nicer.
Air conditioned dining rooms.
Dive shop is well stocked.
Dive Masters give actual "guided tours".
Gear gets fresh rinse daily.
Several games available for play.
The bar is much more lively!

Minuses for the Brac Reef Club:
Food ran out several times during meals.
Food was somewhat low budget.
Stuck on same boat for duration of dive.
Front Desk closes at 8:00ish
Front Desk staff was not real concerned for your needs.
Some DM seemed to have attitudes about what equipment divers had/used
Sunday Bunch is filled with local after church crowd that have "reserved" all of the tables.

Pluses for the Divi:
Each day you get to pick which boat you would like to go on.
Little CAyman and the Bloody Bay Wall are always available on your stay.
Dive Masters did not comment on skills/equipment/air consumption of guests.
Front Desk is open all hours.
Staff is very pleasant and ready to help at any given moment.
There is staff that will take your bags to your room if needed (we needed).
Gear is delivered back to your room after your last dive.
The dining room servers actually "serve you". Coffee in the am is nice.

Minuses for the Divi:
The dock is gone.
Future is uncertain. I heard that it has been bought out???
Rooms are somewhat rundown (but bigger).
No air conditioned common area.


All in all I think I would probably choose the Divi.

I did meet Dan the owner of the Brac Reef Club. He is from St Pete, FL. He was very nice. The Brac Reef club overall does have a more American feel to it.

As far as Grand CAyman goes it is TRASHED! The airport is a mess. Cayman Air is not real customer friendly!

Hope this helps anyone trying to make a decision.

 

[dive4funOften]

For what it is worth, I dove with Divi way back in '95, and with Reef Divers on Brac in 2001. Reef Divers is the best dive operation I have ever been diving with. Divi was a very close second. You can't really go wrong with either operation. I just got back from a week diving with Reef Divers on LC, and they were fully operational and we saw boats on LC from Brac Reef Divers.

Hoppy, I heard while we were there that Craig is leaving Reef Divers in about a month. Something about wanting a real job again. He will be a big loss to them, as he was a terrific captain and mechanic, as well as being one of the most ecologically knowledgeable divemasters I have encountered.

Enjoy your trip Kay...Brac is a great place to dive (but like zf2nt said...the highlight of any weeks diving there is the trip to LC).

Craig's going away party was last Friday!

 

[Kay]

Welcome home!

Well, that was sort of a sad report. However, anything living thing that evolved in the Carribean had to be able to recover from hurricanes, so I am confident that the reef will return. Don't know that it will be vastly better by the time that we arrive on February 26, but I am still excited to be going. As I am writing this, the snow is just ending outside my window. I would WAY rather be diving in the Carribean with diminished sea life than to be looking at snow and gloomy skies!

We are staying at the Caribe Sands but can dive with either Divi or Reef, so your information is helpful. Did you go over to LC? I assume that the damage was similiar?

Again, welcome home. I hope you had a great trip even though the diving was disappointing.