cayman island east side = how choppy is choppy?

[mjg]

My wife and I are thinking about diving the east side of grand cayman in early may. Since I have been known to get a little seasick and I have heard that side of the island can get a little choppy, I am a little concerned. Does anyone who dove the east side at that time of year have an opinion on how rough it can get?

thanks

 

[Drew Sailbum]

and live on the north shore.

There is a fringing shoal reef which surrounds much of East End and knocks down the worst of the swell. All of the East End dive operators dock in this protected area. This shoal reef allows the dive boats to travel to the leeward side of the island before venturing outside the reef.

The diving on East End of GC is outside of the shoal reef. Though it may be quite calm at the dock, there may be ocean swells, even on the leeward side of the island.

How rough can it get? In May last year we had seas anywhere from flat calm to a rousing day with 14ft seas. On that day our boat went 14 miles offshore in a search for a downed airplane. More typically, you would be looking at winds 10-15kts with 2-4ft seas in open water. That translates to 0-2ft seas on the dive sites on the leeward shore.

 

[scubawife]

We just got back from an East End trip (Cayman Diving Lodge). I've dove on the west and north as well, but the sites on the East side are, in my opinion, much more spectacular. The worst conditions we had this week was about 1-2ft and that was only for the morning on one day. If the conditions are too choppy, they tend to go up to the NE corner where it's usually very calm on days the East is rough. This was my 3rd time diving the East End and it won't be the last.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

scubawife once bubbled...
We just got back from an East End trip (Cayman Diving Lodge). I've dove on the west and north as well, but the sites on the East side are, in my opinion, much more spectacular. The worst conditions we had this week was about 1-2ft and that was only for the morning on one day. If the conditions are too choppy, they tend to go up to the NE corner where it's usually very calm on days the East is rough. This was my 3rd time diving the East End and it won't be the last.

Glad you enjoyed your trip. In the interest of fair disclosure, the last two weeks have offered truly spectacular conditions with unusually light winds. The divers are having a great time, but my windsurfing buddies are jonesin' for some breeze.

You did discover that it is a short boat ride to calmer water if the wind does pick up. Even so, there can be some swell and chop on the calm side of East End.

 

[scubawife]

You're right Drew. We were last on Grand Cayman in mid-Oct (the week of Tropical Depression 14) and split our week between East End and with friends on Seven Mile Beach. There were a few pretty bad days. 2 days where the operators on the west side were shut down, the East End was awesome! Even in the worst weather, I'd still dive the East End over West or the North. And, again, even if it's choppy there always seems to be more alternatives to get to better conditions then when diving with Seven Mile Beach operators.

 

[jeffcali]

which dive ops are there on the east side? i'm going there in august and haven't been able to find any that serve the immediate east side area.

renting a house on the beach out there, so i don't wanna go too far for a dive op.

thanks in advance for any suggestions and or websites submitted

 

[Drew Sailbum]

jeffcali once bubbled...
which dive ops are there on the east side? i'm going there in august and haven't been able to find any that serve the immediate east side area.

renting a house on the beach out there, so i don't wanna go too far for a dive op.

thanks in advance for any suggestions and or websites submitted

Where are you staying? I live and work around East End and can provide more details. Here is the basics.

There are three operators in East End district. Four if you count Rum Point (which is in Northside).

Tortuga Divers is located at the Morritt's Tortuga Club on the easternmost tip of the island. Tortuga is nearest the north channel, and generally has shorter boat rides in the summer, and longer in the winter. I happen to work there.

Ocean Frontiers is located on the southeast coast in the area of Sand Bluff. OF is nearest the south channel and has the shorter boat rides in the winter and longer in the summer.

Cayman Dive Lodge is located on the coast in the village of East End. CDL is closer to the south channel and has a slightly longer boat ride to the channel than OF, and the longest to go to the north channel (favored in summer usually).

Red Sail Sports has a dive shop at Rum Point in the Cayman Kai area. Red Sail Rum Point mostly dives the North Wall from Rum Point westward toward West Bay. There is a large No Dive Zone between Rum Point and Old Man Bay. Red Sail Sports also has shops at the Hyatt and Westin among other places on the Seven Mile Beach end of the island. Red Sail also owns Tortuga Divers.

August usually brings fairly calm winds and seas unless a hurricane happens to be around.

 

[wb416]

Drew Sailbum once bubbled...


[snip]

There is a large No Dive Zone between Rum Point and Old Man Bay.
[snip]

Does that mean there is a declared sanctuary there, or that there is nothing worth diving, or that it's a large stretch that too far from established areas to be worth normally getting to.

tx, bob

 

[Drew Sailbum]

wb416 once bubbled...


Does that mean there is a declared sanctuary there, or that there is nothing worth diving, or that it's a large stretch that too far from established areas to be worth normally getting to.

tx, bob

Quite to the contrary, the No Dive Zone has pristine conditions (not that I'd have any idea what is underwater there :tease: )but is not a declared Marine Park, Replishment Zone, or Environmental Zone (all have specific meaning under Cayman law). It was the result of some political wrangling.

There is some tension locally between the fishing boat captains and the watersports operators. The No Dive Zone really amounts to an exclusive fishing zone. The local fishermen have their own turf where the divers aren't allowed. It seems to make them happy.

 

[wb416]

Drew Sailbum once bubbled...


Quite to the contrary, the No Dive Zone has pristine conditions (not that I'd have any idea what is underwater there :tease: )but is not a declared Marine Park, Replishment Zone, or Environmental Zone (all have specific meaning under Cayman law). It was the result of some political wrangling.

There is some tension locally between the fishing boat captains and the watersports operators. The No Dive Zone really amounts to an exclusive fishing zone. The local fishermen have their own turf where the divers aren't allowed. It seems to make them happy.

thanks drew....