Compare LCBR and Southern Cross on LC.....

[Carnell04]

Also, is late January a good time to go? Water temp? Rough winds/current? Visibility? Surface weather?

What are the differences between the two dive shops and the two hotels including food, rooms, money, etc.? Also, we have 3 guys so what do they do on the whole double occupancy rates? They bring in a cot or make you get another room? Thanks.

 

[carriemak]

I can only speak for LCBR. Rooms: with 3 there is a triple occupancy rate and a rollaway bed/cot is brought it. Not too bad to sleep on. Food: served buffet style for all 3 meals and there is never a lack of food or selection. If you have special dietary needs, they can be accommodated. Diving: Reef Divers has 2 dives in the AM and 1 dive in the PM. You are back to the dock @4:30 at the very latest. The diving is all valet service, meaning you don't change tanks or deal with your bc and reg while you are there. The crew changes the tanks after every dive and at the end of the day your gear is sprayed with fresh water and left on the boat which is anchored in the lagoon overnight.
Having been there 8 times and with the next 2 visits already booked, I love LCBR!

 

[keyshunter]

Carnell,
January water temps are usually mid to upper 70's.
None of the dive operations will dive in anything that any experienced diver considers current.
In winter there can be north winds which make diving on the north side of the island very difficult. In that case, the dive operations opt for the shielded south side. If conditions allow, they will dive mostly on the north (Bloody Bay Marine Park) side.
Visibility can be excellent in winter.
Surface temps are usually in the upper 70's to mid 80's. If it is windy, the intervals on the boat can be quite chilly.--I recommend bringing a windbreaker.

 

[Carnell04]

When is the best time to go for low currents and winds and good visibility? The last post seems like it could be a bit rough in Jan.

 

[carriemak]

May, June, July and August have always worked for me. And yes I know that is hurricane season!

 

[AggieDiver]

Unfortunately, the best conditions are often in the early part of hurricane season. We just got back from being at LCBR the 11th through the 18th of August, and the seas were just glassy flat for the first 5 days and about 1-2 ft chop the last dive day. There was no current at all until the last day, and then it was only present on the far eastern end of the Jackson Bight sites and was probably less than 1 kt. We went to Cayman Brac in August 1995 and had almost the same exact conditions.

The real peak of hurricane season in the central Caribbean is from about the last week of August through early October. If you go early enough to avoid that time period, you actually have a fairly low risk of having any problems from storms.

As for your question about Southern Cross vs LCBR, I can't really say anything about SCC because I have only stayed at LCBR. What I will say is that LCBR and Reef Divers are the best and most professional dive operation I have ever had the pleasure of diving with. Southern Cross is smaller and I believe only has 1 boat, and tends to be a bit more expensive. I haven't heard any complaints about SCC, and suspect that if you look wide enough you will find people who will extoll the virtues of either place. The bottom line is that you can't really go wrong going to Little Cayman, regardless of who you dive or stay with.

 

[Carnell04]

Where do some of you think the best diving is weather wise (currents, wind, rain, etc.) in late Jan that is in this hemisphere. haha Just curious.

 

[AggieDiver]

I would imagine the closer to the equator that you get, the less seasonal influence there will be, at least in temperature. I would look at places like Curacao or maybe Costa Rica as possibly good winter dive spots, although with Costa Rica, it probably varies on which coast you are diving. The water temps will be cooler, but that is when the big stuff shows up down there. Another thought for winter diving is Hawaii or Maui. Dec-Mar is when the whales are in town, so there is nothing like being serenaded by whale song during your dives. The temps may be a bit cooler, and there may be swells coming through, but you can always dive the lee side of the isalnd if they are too big.

In general, I don't think you should avoid LC in winter...it just isn't a "sure thing" that you will dive the bloody bay wall every day if you go during thw winter.

 

[Carnell04]

What about the boat rides? Small boats and rough waters dont get along with me for sure. Also, is mid Nov any better than mid Jan weather and water wise?

 

[carriemak]

The boat rides from LCBR to Bloody Bay Wall aren't very long. The dive boats are Newton 42' boats. The roughest part I have ever encountered is getting out of the cut at LCBR and I wouldn't consider it rough, just bouncy. Weather and water temps are usually the mid to upper 70's.