cobalt coast resort grand Cayman Trip planning first timer

[scubadada]

We are planning to go to Grand Cayman
The dive club we are with is setting it up for next year
staying a Cobalt Coast resort 10 days I think .
any recommendations or advise about diving or accommodations?
We not newbies. we been diving 10 years fresh cold and warm and salt cold and warm.
but not in the Caymans.
Tried goggling the resort and trip adviser not much help. it all looks nice but we would like more divers comments and referrals

Hi divingmoose,

I'm reasonably familiar with Grand Cayman 10 trips, nearly 200 dives 1997-2011. We had a timeshare until is was blown down in Ivan, 2004.

My son and I have stayed at Cobalt Coast and dived with Divetech twice, a week each time. The resort is very nice, we had a 1 bdrm oceanfront each visit. We found the food to be very good and went with the all inclusive though we ate dinner out several times each visit. Saves a lot of time and energy to devote to diving when the meals are so quick and easy. They saved us meals when we let them know we were doing a night dive. Your meal plan may be dictated by the group trip you're taking. I second the recommendation for a car for many reasons, to see more of the island, to eat out, possibly to use other operators for afternoon boat dives.

I like Divetech very much. The morning 2 tank trips are reasonably flexible. You may accompany one of their guides for the 1st half the dive or go out separately with your buddy or group. The dives are both solid hours, looking back at my log, we generally had run times of about 65 minutes, no complaints. The shore diving at Cobalt Coast and Lighthouse Point is very good. You could also shore dive Turtle Reef, a very good dive in both directions near Lighthouse Point at the Cracked Conch Restaurant/Macabuca Bar & Grill. Sundivers is the operator on site. The Bar & Grill is quite nice for some food, and drink, if you're done for the day. Divetech has a few interesting afternoon options if you feel so inclined. They run a guided DPV dive from Cobalt Coast to Lighthouse Point that is a lot of fun, covering some reef that is not dived much. They also run a half day rebreather experience that is both a lot of fun and humbling. It's not so easy to break OC diving habits and switch to a CCR. Lastly, you could also book afternoon boat dives with another operator if you wanted. If others in your group joined you, you could leverage the numbers to ensure/charter a boat. I'm fond of Wall to Wall Divers and Cayman 6 Pack Divers and have used them both for afternoon trips while at Cobalt Coast.

Have a great trip, too bad you have to wait more than 7 months

Good diving, Craig

 

[Alucard]

I have stayed at Cobalt Coast twice, and have dove with Divetech quite a few more times. The first time I was in one of the rooms in the main block, the other in one of the villas behind. I have done shore dives from Cobalt Coast and their other location at Lighthouse Point. Like most other island dive ops they have multiple locations they can bring their boats for pick-up, including the more sheltered West Bay dock. If you stay with them they will shuttle you to wherever the boat is leaving from. They have lockers outside to keep stuff and it dries nicely overnight. Not sure if this still applies, but if you do the morning boat dive with them, then you get unlimited shore diving for the rest of that day.

Their boats are larger style, but I have never found them cramped. Their staff usually expect divers to know what they are doing and don't nanny you, but will help and answer questions if asked. They do good pre-dive briefings.

I like the resort, but, being a foodie, like to visit the other places on Cayman, since there is such a wide variety. You can eat very well on the island, with everything from local dishes to very high-end, with standards and prices comparable to the larger US cities (not more expensive, though). The island is safe to drive around - there are no "no-go" areas. The management there is incredibly helpful - I had a work issue that I needed to deal with and I got lent a phone so I could handle it.

If you want to get a lot of diving in during your stay, then I think this is a good choice.

 

[gb_williams]

Since 2009, my wife and I have been to Cobalt Coast seven times. It's a great place for dive clubs, and we have been there three times when clubs were there, too. Usually, Divetech turns their larger boat, Attatude, into the "club boat." At meal times, Arie arranges the tables so the club has its own area to socialize.

We always go for a week -- Saturday to Saturday, and that seems to be the same itinerary for the clubs, too. You may want to check with yours about the exact dates. Of course, some people stay longer or shorter. We found that less than a week is just too short for us.

We have been there in October and November, as well as February, May, June and July. Our October trip was in 2013. There was a club of retired New York firemen diving that week. It was also the week that tropical storm Sandy became hurricane Sandy, and Grand Cayman was on the edge of it as it rolled through Jamaica.

On the day we arrived, we were able get a couple of tanks and dive off the Cobalt Coast dock. The next day, we dove the West Wall out of Westbay. Divetech has a couple of jitneys and trucks and they ferried us to the dock in about 10 minutes. That afternoon, the waves were too strong at Cobalt Coast and the Divetech crew drove those of us who wanted to dive to Lighthouse Point for a couple of shore dives. Lighthouse Point is actually my favorite shore dive -- anywhere. There is so much variety in reef architecture and plenty of marine life. I've rarely been there when I haven't seen at least one turtle.

The following day, Sandy was kicking up the waves on the West Wall. After the morning boat dives, the Divetech crew moved their boats to South Bay. While it meant a longer morning commute to the dock, we were still able to continue diving. Divetech even made extra trips with tanks, additional dive staff, fuel for boats and lunches for the divers so we could do an afternoon boat dive. Even though the weather sucked throughout most of Grand Cayman, Divetech made it work. It also gave us an opportunity to see some very different reef architecture than what most divers see on the West and North Walls.

And, by the way -- even the Cayman Aggressor spent the week parked off South Bay, diving the same sites we did. When the weather is bad, they don't Grand Cayman.

Although Sandy created some havoc, that doesn't seem to be typical of October weather. We have also been to Cobalt Coast in November, during Pirates Week, which is a lot of fun. We dove mostly on the West Wall, but there was shore diving days and nights at Lighthouse Point and Cobalt Coast. As mentioned previously, if you're on a dive package, the Divetech crew are willing to drive you to and from Lighthouse Point when you want to go -- except at night. Then, unless you're going with a guided dive, your night dives will be at the house reef at Cobalt Coast.

My wife and I love staying at Cobalt Coast. Arie's and Dora's hospitality is unsurpassed. Even on the first trip, it feels like you're coming home to old friends. It's contagious, too. We've made many friends on our visits there.

The food is also very good, with a nice variety of Caribbean, continental, veggie and Indian. The dinner special is always just that -- very special.

I disagree that the cost of food is the same on Grand Cayman as it is in U.S. cities. Maybe it's the same cost in New York, but certainly not Atlanta. While the dollars might look the same, the additional 20% difference between the Cayman dollar and the U.S. dollar is fairly significant. We found the meal plan at Cobalt Coast makes a lot of sense. By the time you add the cost of getting to another restaurant and the cost of the meal, you'll end up saving much more with the meal plan. Besides, if you're shore diving in the afternoon and possibly at night, you'll end up getting lunch and most dinners at Cobalt Coast anyway -- just because of the convenience.

Anyway, have a great time at Cobalt Coast! I wish I was going, too.

 

[Doctorfish]

Ten days is a long time to be in an out of the way place and eat the same food.
You might go stir crazy.

I've stayed there for a week. It was very nice, but I was glad I had a car and was not on the AI plan.

 

[SUBAUTO]

"I disagree that the cost of food is the same on Grand Cayman as it is in U.S. cities. Maybe it's the same cost in New York, but certainly not Atlanta. While the dollars might look the same, the additional 20% difference between the Cayman dollar and the U.S. dollar is fairly significant."

I'm not sure about the rest of the country but living in New York on eastern Long Island the prices on Cayman almost seem like a bargain.

 

[tridacna]

When you live in the Hamptons, every other place should feel like a bargain. In fact, when you live there, why do you even care? Unless you're on GC to visit one of your many bank accounts, you should be diving from your yacht.

 

[Doctorfish]

It is possible to eat at a reasonable price on Grand Cayman.

Macabuca Monday buffet
Singh's Roti Shop
Welly's Cool Spot
Alfresco
Coconut Joe's
Chicken Chicken
and others
There are a number of jerk stands open on weekends as well

all are pretty reasonable but:
Everything is 20% higher in GC than US as prices are in CI Dollars

The prepared food counter at Foster's Food Fair is inexpensive and has a pretty good selection.
Picking up lunch there and then eating at a picnic table by the west bay dock while looking at the ocean ain't too shabby.

 

[divingmoose]

so if we were looking for a place to dive without a lot of distraction and a nice place to stay it would be a good choose ??

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

Hello divingmoose from a fellow Winnipeger....! And yes, summer has finally started in Wpg.

My wife and I stayed at Cobalt Coast last October and loved it. Great people, great off the menu food (not buffet), DiveTech is a first class dive op. Days we didn't feel like a boat dive, we did dives off the end of the pier and had a blast. I'd be interested to see what kind of deal you got with the local dive club...bet I could beat their rates!