Cayman kudos

[mi000ke]

Cayman makes a splash in dive awards | Cayman Compass

 

[Doctorfish]

I guess if you spend enough on advertising in the magazine, you get an award.

 

[EastEndDiver]

As most of you know I have owned on Island for 10+ years I have been diving Cayman since 1980 I love the diving on Cayman BUT that article really stretches things and I disagree with quite a lot in it.

 

[drrich2]

I wonder if instead of 'best in the world,' it might not've been stretching things as much to claim best or maybe most popular amongst voters, in the Caribbean?

I'm glad to hear the Caymans placed very well, and there's a lot going for the Cayman islands, but yeah, when you start throwing out 'best in the world' claims about this or that, it's going to draw some skepticism.

Richard.

 

[mi000ke]

I went back and read the original Scuba Diving Magazine article (which I probably should have done before posting the Cayman Compass article), and actually most of the blame should go to that world-class news outlet the Cayman Compass. They reported Scuba Diving Magazine’s readers as voting Cayman best in the world, whereas all the votes/awards were by region. All of the Cayman rankings were only within the Caribbean/Atlantic region, not the world. So blame the hype on the Cayman Compass. But you can’t blame them for the rankings – that was the result of votes submitted by 3000 (according to Scuba Diving magazine) readers.

The Cayman rankings (all for only the Caribbean/Atlantic region):

Voted #1 in the Caribbean for visibility, best underwater photography, best technical diving

Voted #2 in the Caribbean for conservation efforts (Bonaire #1), best big animal encounters (Bahamas #1), best wreck diving (Bahamas #1), best wall diving (Mexico #1), best beginner diving (Bonaire #1), best overall diving (Yucatan #1)

Voted #3 in the Caribbean for best macro (Bonaire #1), cave/cavern diving (Riviera Maya #1), best shore diving (Bonaire #1), best advanced diving (Yucatan #1)

 

[Doctorfish]

I don't trust any of the articles or reviews in Scuba Diving Magazine. IMO they often exaggerate, obfuscate or outright lie. I had the opportunity to be at a mediocre resort that a writer for the magazine came to review and watched how they kissed his backside and provided an experience totally unlike that for the regular guests. A few months later there was a rave review article in the magazine as well as full page ads by the resort over the next year. Coincidence?

Maybe the "Readers Choice Awards" are less biased if there was an actual survey. In any case, it is still hard to argue that Cayman Islands are a great destination for Caribbean wall diving, independent of the magazine rating.