AggieDiver
Contributor
But...but...LCBR has dive nazis! And they always have 35 people on their cattle boats...and they only let you dive for 40 minutes per dive! [/typical disgruntled reviewer]
Conditions in Little Cayman
- Thread starter scubadada
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But...but...LCBR has dive nazis! And they always have 35 people on their cattle boats...and they only let you dive for 40 minutes per dive! [/typical disgruntled reviewer]
OP
- Messages
- 20,532
- Reaction score
- 19,929
- Location
- Philadelphia and Boynton Beach
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
Great day 3, dived Lea Leas Lookout 
, Great Wall East, and Martha's Fishyard. Weather is beautiful, water still 80, visibility as you would expect. Big Green Moray stretched out in the 2nd sand pit on the way to the chute at Lea Leas being cleaned by an infinite number of cleaning Gobys and shrimp. There was even a Yellowline Arrowcrab hanging out on the eel's mid-body for some reason, don't think in was partaking in the cleaning, just hanging out. Turtle hung out with me on Great Wall for about 15 minutes. Several Southern Stingrays and another turtle on Martha's. All in all, fabulous.
On to day 4
---------- Post added February 4th, 2014 at 06:07 PM ----------
Maximum of 9 divers in the morning, only 7 on two of the afternoon dives. 1st 9 dives avg 64 minutes (57-68)
, Great Wall East, and Martha's Fishyard. Weather is beautiful, water still 80, visibility as you would expect. Big Green Moray stretched out in the 2nd sand pit on the way to the chute at Lea Leas being cleaned by an infinite number of cleaning Gobys and shrimp. There was even a Yellowline Arrowcrab hanging out on the eel's mid-body for some reason, don't think in was partaking in the cleaning, just hanging out. Turtle hung out with me on Great Wall for about 15 minutes. Several Southern Stingrays and another turtle on Martha's. All in all, fabulous. On to day 4
---------- Post added February 4th, 2014 at 06:07 PM ----------
Maximum of 9 divers in the morning, only 7 on two of the afternoon dives. 1st 9 dives avg 64 minutes (57-68)
Wife and I arrive Saturday for our first visit to the Cayman islands. We will be there 8 days. Glad to hear abut the divemasters (at least one) of them being topnotch. I had read some comments about the dm's only staying down for 20 minutes and wondered about that. As we will be new to the area I hoped for some help spotting stuff till I get a feel for what's there and where to look for at least a couple dives. After that just push us into the water and we will be good to go.
BDSC
Contributor
The DM's stay on board until everyone is geared up and in the water. Then they typically get out earlier than the divers because they need to be on the boat when divers start to get out. Just to let you know, it's valet diving. You carry your mask and fins to the back of the boat, sit on the bench at the back, and they bring your BC to you. You slip it on and off you go. When you get back on the boat, you sit on the bench and they take your BC and switch it out for you. It really spoils you.
I am SO ready to be pampered.
I am happy to make it worth their while so I can enjoy the trip.By the way, are any of the divemasters in need of anything special? We got one of the guys at Cocoview a Kobe jersey because he was a big Kobe fan (no accounting for taste). but is there anything they have trouble getting down there?
AggieDiver
Contributor
As BDSC said, the DMs are in the water for around 40-45 mins per dive, depending on how long it takes to get everybody in the water and how soon folks start heading out. I think part of the confusion among some reviewers comes from being used to places like Coz where everybody is expected to go down and wait for the DM, then follow the DM as a group for the whole dive and surface when the DM does. In LC, the boat is tied to a mooring ball. You can go in as soon as they say go and find your own way...or you can go in near the end of the bunch and then follow the DM. Once the DM comes up, you can continue exploring if you want. They give profiles in their briefings, generally 110/45, 60/50, and 60/60 or some variation thereof. But ultimately they rely on you to dive your own computer. The profiles are more for scheduling than for hard limits. If everybody is on the boat and ready to go when they ask in the morning (or a few minutes sooner), it makes it alot easier for them to give you more leeway in your dive profiles while still making it back for lunch. My wife and I typically like to be among the first few in the water, and then we will stick around until the last few folks are heading out of the water. We generally get dive times of 60-65 mins easily and have had a few around 70. Doing it that way I have never had a DM say anything at all to me about my profiles in 5 trips to LC. The only people who get crosswise with them are the ones who blow the profiles and end up making everybody else wait on them, or the ones who lockout their computers. You can pretty reliably predict which reviewers fall into one of those categories by reading between the lines of whatever complaints they have.
Good luck and have fun...I expect you will have a great time!
Good luck and have fun...I expect you will have a great time!
BDSC
Contributor
If you have a little room in your suitcase, you may want to pack a product called Emergen-C. Mainly the Tangerine and Super Orange flavors. There is a DM there named Sharon and she likes to keep some around if any of them start to get a little cold or something. If you can, I highly recommend getting on her boat but they are all great. I know she would really appreciate it. Tell her Ashley & Kim said hello!
OP
- Messages
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Hi farsidefan1,
Others have given pretty accurate information. My son and I visited in 2010, not much has changed, why fix something that is not broken. You're assigned to one of, I believe 4, boats for the week and have the same two staff for the whole week. We're on Island Sister with Warren and Reggie, both are great. They take turns driving every other day and take turns guiding. Overall, they're really pretty flexible. You can have your gear brought to you at the back of the boat or you can get ready at your spot and walk to the dive platform, I prefer the latter. Upon exit, you can do it either way also. You can go with the guide for all or part of a dive or you are free to go by yourself in your buddy pair. The guides are generally in the water for about 40 minutes and have delivered you back to the boat by then. You are then free to finish out the dive, they encourage buddies but have no problem with me finishing up without my wife.
Profiles are stated as just two types, 1st dive of the day is 110 ft/50 minutes and 2nd and 3rd are 60 ft/60 minutes. None of this is strictly enforced but I would show common sense. As in my post #22, all my dives have been between 57 and 68 minutes, nobody has said a thing. I wouldn't push it much further as it would be inconiderate to other divers and interfere with the boat schedule. The depths are flexible too but keep in mind, the nitrox is about 32% with a MOD of 110 ft.
BCs and regulators are left on board at the end of the day, you manage the rest but the washing/drying/storage hut is right at the end of the dock. As you can imagine, the diving is very easy. Nobody has said anything about the eating and drinking, that is also very easy, and is excellent.
Enjoy your trip, look forward to hearing about it.
Good diving, Craig
---------- Post added February 5th, 2014 at 08:15 PM ----------
Great day 4, Meadows, Jackson's Wall/Reef, and repeat visit to Mixing Bowl. Mantis Shrimp at Meadows, Reef Shark off the wall at Jackson's, another Yellowhead Jawfish with eggs and a Reef Shark off the wall at Mixing Bowl. I'm grateful for another fabulous day
Leaving in the morning Will spend the night in Miami then off to Little Cayman. Snowing and 30 degrees here - I think I'm gonna like this. I'm looking around for some of that emergenC stuff. Checking whole foods and bike shops. Thanks for all the information folks, you have been great!
Will spend the night in Miami then off to Little Cayman. Snowing and 30 degrees here - I think I'm gonna like this. I'm looking around for some of that emergenC stuff. Checking whole foods and bike shops. Thanks for all the information folks, you have been great!
BDSC
Contributor
Leaving in the morning
I hope you guys have a GREAT TRIP!
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