Cayman

[gratefuljames]

Here's everything you need to know about East End, Ocean Frontiers and Compass Point:

http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/tripreports.php?s=3238

 

[east-ender]

stingray beer is a nice change between red stripes at castros hideaway at the reef. man, i had my share of those!

 

[scubaboy44]

Does anyone have any experience with Cobalt Coast and Dive Tech? I will be going to Grand Cayman at the end of June with a group from my LDS. I have heard both positive and negative comments about both and would appreciate some feedback. This will be my first trip to Cayman after two trips to Bonaire.

 

[Damselfish]

Does anyone have any experience with Cobalt Coast and Dive Tech? I will be going to Grand Cayman at the end of June with a group from my LDS. I have heard both positive and negative comments about both and would appreciate some feedback. This will be my first trip to Cayman after two trips to Bonaire.

well yes, a few people have already mentioned just on this thread that they've used CC/Divetech (and like it) and a search will turn up many more. Any specific questions?

 

[sdwho]

Does anyone have any experience with Cobalt Coast and Dive Tech? I will be going to Grand Cayman at the end of June with a group from my LDS. I have heard both positive and negative comments about both and would appreciate some feedback. This will be my first trip to Cayman after two trips to Bonaire.

We're multiple-time repeat customers at CC/Divetech (most recent visit was last August, hoping to do another trip there this August/September). Obviously, we think they're the best on GC, but if there is anything specific you'd like to know, fire away!

sdwho

 

[scubaboy44]

How easy is the shore diving at CC/DT? After Bonaire, I am spoiled. Also, what sites do the boats generally visit? Any of the wrecks? I realize that nearly all the wrecks in GC are either very shallow or very deep, nothing in the depth range of the Keys or Morehead City.

 

[Damselfish]

At the CC location there's lockers and a dock and it's just as easy as the typical hotel in Bonaire to grab a tank and jump in the water. However it is a decent swim to much of anything and a long swim to the North wall (but cool that you've got the North wall as a shore dive - can also be fun to rent a scooter and do it that way. And the scooter dive between the 2 shops is a fun thing to try once.) The downside to being on the North side - in the winter conditions sometimes don't allow for shore diving from the hotel. We even got blown out of shore diving from there for a whole week in April, waves crashing over the dock.

At the Turtle Cove location it's not quite as convienient just because you have to grab your gear and go there to begin with (it's far easier to have a car than trying to catch a ride.) But once you're there it's easy and a great shore dive in either direction. It's around the "corner" of the island so more protected, and there's a sheltered entry through a tiny cove and channel with really no swim to get to the start of stuff, even the cove has stuff to see. You do have to plan ahead for night dives here as they only leave tanks out specifically for people who plan to dive that night. There's no lockers there which is another thing the car comes in handy for, although everybody leaves plenty of stuff laying on the benches with no apparent problem.

Their boats (which do not leave from the hotel) do the North wall as much as possible. If the north side is blown out (more common in winter) they do the west, though staying more to the north end of the west wall which is less busy. There's aren't that many wrecks to dive on Cayman and I don't think there's any in the areas DT usually does. (Go to GC for the walls and not the wrecks.)

 

[sdwho]

I second everything Damselfish said. The only things I would add are (1) while there definitely is an advantage to having a car for getting over to Turtle Reef (its only a five minute drive), I've never had any problem getting a lift to/from with someone from the shop and/or another diver; (2) when the conditions are good -- in September for example -- the boats will leave from the dock at the hotel; otherwise they will take you over to the dock in a van -- again, a five minute or so drive (a bit more when there is morning traffic).

sdwho

 

[Damselfish]

That's interesting, I didn't think they ever left from the hotel, the dock doesn't even seem well suited for that use. I've been there when it was flat calm and the boat still didn't leave from there.

 

[Turtle Gal]

Divetech boats will leave from Cobalt's dock, Depends on wind and water current . That includes depth of water near dock. Everything must be perfect for boat to leave from there.This past Summer We were there,July in fact, boats left from there alot. If you go to divetech, You should ask Greg about the boats from CC. He keeps a close eye on all the details. As for Turtle Reef the car thing can be a pain, but divetech will transport you to and from. If you do a night dive From Turtle Reef and they transport you, And they Guide you on dive,A staffer can lock valubales in shop, or the van. Both dive sites was major fun. Have fun, Turtle gal