Destination in Carribean for UW photography?

[Vigfus]

Thanks for the input Dan!

Best Regards,
Vigfus

 

[divejay]

I just returned from the Caymans. I was a bit disappointed from a photographer's perspective. I took out my macro lens but didn't really find a lot that motivated me to shoot. I thought that I would see more during the night, but it was at least as disappointing as during the day. Perhaps I am spoiled from diving in other areas.

However, I do believe that the Cayman Islands are "target rich" for the wide-angle lens.

The Cayman Islands are great for diving, but I would hesitate to say that it is a photographer's paradise.

Have you considered Cozumel? Granted the drift diving makes photography a challenge, but there is a lot to do besides diving (e.g., visit Mayan archeological sites) and it is cheap. The night diving is spectacular in Coz.

Would like to know where and what dive operator you were diving with in Grand Cayman as the Scuba Diving readers choice awarded Grand Cayman #1 for wall diving and #2 for shore diving in the Caribbean. Just two weeks ago NOAA had 9 scientist evaluating the health of the reef at all three islands and voted Grand Cayman, the area around Cobalt Coast in West Bay as the healthiest reefs in the Caribbean. Also, within a few weeks ago Trip Advisor.com voted Grand Cayman number one in the Caribbean. Would be interesting to know where you were diving?

The night diving from shore at either Lighthouse Point or Cobalt Coast in West Bay are just awesome. You do not even have to venture far from the docks to get great macro pictures. At Sunset House in the Georgetown harbor area is the world famous Cathy Church where she finds tons of macro to shoot. She is hosting the PADI photo event this week in Grand Cayman with prices for the best wide angle and macro.

The Cayman Islands slow season is September, October and November, so you can get great deals on a all inclusive hotel/food/dive package be it all be from shore diving to boat diving. Cayman also has warm water and 100' plus vis year round.

 

[Doc Harry]

Would like to know where and what dive operator you were diving with...

I hestitate to mention the dive operator because they were very good.

I will say that we did about 15 dives off Little Cayman and one dive on the Tibbitts.

Sorry, but I still like Cozumel better. I have yet to see night dives as exciting as they are in Cozumel.

 

[divejay]

I hestitate to mention the dive operator because they were very good.

I will say that we did about 15 dives off Little Cayman and one dive on the Tibbitts.

Sorry, but I still like Cozumel better. I have yet to see night dives as exciting as they are in Cozumel.

I have heard the same report about Little Cayman not having an exciting macro realm. Also, in Little Cayman they don't have shore diving avaiable. Where in Grand Cayman you have many dive shops that offer shore diving 24/7. Just last night my group had 3 octopus with about 30 babies around them. Under the dock there was a school of squid with 100's of babies around. Then on the side of the dock with the light there was about 20 Tarpon that swim through the school of sliver sides. During the day you can shoot Yellowhead jaw fish with eggs in there mouth, sailfin & pirate blennies, reef spiders, leopard flatworms and countless nudibranchs, slugs, snails and flatworms.

So come to Grand Cayman and Divetech will set you up with macro photographers that have a passion for what you are looking for and this is all done from shore at your leisure. No boat schedule to deal with and these guys and girls spend easily 90 minutes on their dives getting all the macro you can think of. Some of the macro photographers have rebreather where we do not see them for over 3 hours on one shore dive. This why NOAA called this area the healthiest reefs in all of the Cayman Islands. Scuba Diving magazine, readers choice awarded Grand Cayman #1 for wall diving and #2 for shore diving in the whole caribbean. Trip Advisory also voted Grand Cayman #1 in the Carribbean. So I'm not making this up. Life underwater in West Bay, Grand Cayman is that awesome.

 

[Doc Harry]

Thanks, divejay. My girlfriend is still interested in a trip to the Caymans, we'll take your advice.

 

[tarponchik]

For macro, go to Curacao North (or West, as confused locals call it ;-)) if you stay in All West and shore dive from San Juan to Kalki you'll see plenty of anemonies (mostly giant, knobbed and corkscrew) with all kind of shrimp and small crabs hiding in there. Nudibranches are plentiful but I've seen just one kind, the lettuce slugs. I haven't seen more stuff for macro than I saw there. Unfortunately, there is just one kind of large fish that is common there, the green moray, so you'll have to look for some other place. Bonaire which is right next to Curacao is probably the best place to see turtles, and large tarpons are also guaranteed. Roatan and Utila are not bad; both have plenty of large groupers. If you are looking for reef sharks then a liverboard somewhere in Bahamas is your best chance.