Cayman Dive Experiences - Second Visit

[markrovner]

Hey Chris,

I hear you on Compass Point. One of the units is up for sale and while there is no way we can afford it, i brought home the flyer...

 

[caymaniac]

Mixing Bowl is the place where Jackson's Bight meets Bloody Bay, and the transition between the two is very abrupt. The mooring pin for Mixing Bowl is in the hardpan on the Bloody Bay side, but by only 20' or so. That pin is in 18' of water (hence the alternative name for this site of "Three Fathom Wall"), and you only have to swim out about 30' before you hit the sheer drop-off of Bloody Bay Wall. If you then follow the wall to the east, it curves around and ends after about 50', at which time you notice the staggered drop-off which is characteristic of Jackson Bay. If you go inshore, you will see a little mini-dropoff running inland for several hundred feet, perpendicular to the wall. At the bottom of that slope is the beginning of the Jackson's Bay inner sand channel, which then continues to the east almost unbroken all the way to Eagle Ray Roundup.

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Wow, I never knew you could shore dive "mixing bowl"
Mixing Bowl is on my favorites list, here's a photo from the area:

 

[padiscubapro]

I have to agree with the original poster on at leat the issue of east end to north wall.. I have been going to GC for 20+ years now and IMHO there is very little consistent dofference between the east end and the north wall.. It all varies based on divesite.. Some of my favorite sites are on the North Wall.. My Favorite is Deliahs Delight

East end to west end no comparison.... East wins hands down at RECREATIONAL depths.. at technical depths its a different story- there really isnt a difference.. There are some incredible dives on the West End once if you plan on technical depths.. One of my favorites (west side) is an unmarked site directly out from spanish anchor - right where a mooring WOULD be, but there is definately a reason not to put a mooring here!

There is a entrance at the top of the wall (about 60fsw) , after just a short distance you are committed to going through you can't turn around.. You exit at a huge opening on the outside of the wall.. Its probably 40+ft in diameter.. The problem its at about 270fsw! The wall over here is great and untouched.... but very few people ever get to see it..

 

[nipi]

Wow, I never knew you could shore dive "mixing bowl"

We have shore dived every site on Bloody Bay & Jackson's from Cascades down to Sand Chute off the Splash House. Also those sites in Preston Bay. Another goodie on the south is to swim out to the wall sites off Paradise Villas, do the wall & then visit the Soto Trader on the way in.

 

[ianr33]

We have shore dived every site on Bloody Bay & Jackson's from Cascades down to Sand Chute off the Splash House. Also those sites in Preston Bay. Another goodie on the south is to swim out to the wall sites off Paradise Villas, do the wall & then visit the Soto Trader on the way in.

Where do you get the tanks from?

 

[nipi]

Where do you get the tanks from?

Either from Sam or the Beach Resort. Get a car from Perry's fleet.

 

[alashas]

We spend 4 days on LC last Jan., and loved the Club condos at LCBR: Welcome to The Club at Little Cayman We stayed in a 3 bedroom OF that was one of the best places we have ever stayed in the Caribbean.

We did all of our breakfasts in the condo with items we purchased at the little grocery story on LC. I ate most of my lunches at LCBR between morning and afternoon dives and thought the food was fine. We ate dinner every night at a different resort and enjoyed the food at each resort. We rode bikes to a couple of them and each of them will pick you up for free if you need a ride.

I dove with the LCBR dive shop, "Reef Divers," and thought they ran a first class operation, and, IMHO, have the best boats of any of the diveshops on LC. In our dinner visits to the other resorts, I was surprised to hear from some of the other resort guests that they were not able to dive because their boat could not get out that particular day. That was never a problem with Reef Divers custom-built Newton dive boats.

I did 8 dives on LC and 10 on GC, and all I can say is "Bloody Bay Wall" rocks!

Here are some land shots: honeymoon2 : photos : Little Cayman 2007 Jan.- powered by SmugMug

and uw: Little Cayman Scuba 2007 Jan- powered by SmugMug

Cheers, alashas

 

[kimdave0]

I should explain a couple things a little better...

I did not have ANY complaints whatsoever about the service at Ocean Frontiers. They have a great staff and made the trips fun. If they only had 12 on the boat, plus the divemasters and captain, then mabye there were a few less than 20 people. But it felt crowded, compared to many of the other places I've been diving with. Maybe their boat is a little smaller.

I did not say (or mean to say) that the diving on the west was the same as the diving on the east. What I am saying is that for all that extra money for OF's high prices, all the gas, all the time driving back and forth, getting up at 6am, IT IS NOT WORTH IT, FOR ME. If the diving on east end was as good as Little Cayman, then sure, I would be happy to put in all the extra money and time. But I don't think ANYONE here would say the diving in east end is anywhere NEAR the diving on Little Cayman.

So that should clear it up a little if I did not express myself well or typed it too fast or whatever.

My OPINION was, and still is:

On Grand Cayman, I would not bother with all the expense and hassle of an east end boat dive. Rather, do a shore dive or 2 in east end and go with one of the smaller operations that takes 10 people or less for boat dives on the west and north walls.

Take all that money and time saved by not diving with OF, and spend at least a few days on Little Cayman.

I'll fill out my profile when I have time. I have a very busy job. I have been diving for 10 years, mostly in tropical places and have well over 100 dives in the Caymans, from boat and from shore. I did over 30 dives just a few weeks ago when I was there. I’m no expert or anything, just giving my opinion for others to consider. If I knew the prices were so much higher at OF and the diving not that much better it would have saved us several hundred dollars… or better yet, we probably would have spend more time in Little Cayman.

 

[ianr33]

Rather, do a shore dive or 2 in east end

Do you mean West here?

 

[Alex777]

<< But I don't think ANYONE here would say the diving in east end is anywhere NEAR the diving on Little Cayman. >>

I say they are about equal.