Don Fosters in Grand Cayman

[diverdiver]

Looking for feedback on this dive operation. Based on their website it looks like a nice dive shop (as well as being the most reasonably priced operation on Grand Cayman). I have done an SB search and came across a couple of posts, but would like to hear from anyone who has dove with Don Foster's in Grand Cayman in the past.

Thanks so much!!

 

[SeaKing98]

I use to live and work in Grand Cayman a long time ago. Don Fosters is one of the oldest and larger operations. Plenty of boats, so there shouldn't be boat equipment problems. Usually alot depends on the divemaster leading the dive or if the boat is overcrowded.

I recommend the North Wall dives and don't forget to go play with the stingrays at the sandbar and dive stingray city if you never have. I got to spend over fours years there working a marine construction job building SafeHaven, living in the Governors Harbor with my own 22 dive boat and tanks delivered to my door like milk bottles by a company called Pure Air. Life was never better. The North Wall diving was my back yard and go out to the sandbar with the locals for partys and to Rum Point by boat. Man I MISS that!

Have Fun
C.King:14:

 

[blawler1]

We dove with them a couple of times, but it has been about 3 years since. They were a good big operator with big boats (no six packs) They have a main shop which moved a couple of years ago (the old shop was located in front of the wreck of the Cali which was a nice shallow shore dive). I liked that they had a hang tank off the boat for the deep dives just in case someone came back to the safety stop low on air. At the time, they did not offer nitrox, but I don't know if this has changed. We did the west wall sites and stingray city (which leaves from snug harbor, next to the Hyatt, facing the North Sound)

I don't know about the diving in front of their new shop, but I would look into doing shore dives at the Eden Rock/Devils Grotto while you're in the downtown George Town area as these are the cheapest diving you'll find on GC. Also, if you have a car or you can take the bus up to the Turtle Farm and do the shore dive of Turtle reef mini wall with DiveTech. The shore diving on GC is great and by far the best deal on the island. You can easily double your dives and save serious $.

 

[diverdiver]

Thanks a bunch for your input. I appreciate it. I am finding that GC is definitely one of the more "pricey" destinations I have had the opportunity to dive.

 

[ONESPEED]

I dove Grand Cayman last month and did my first dive with Don Fosters. The staff was great but the dive was total cattle boat. We went to a spot not far from the dive shop that was pretty unspectacular by Cayman standards. Lot's of very inexperienced divers floundering around and we dove in large groups so it was a bit of a mess. I did my remaining dives with Off the Wall Divers and couldn't believe the difference. No more than six divers and he totally catered to our experience and what kind of dives we wanted to do. Off The Wall's website is www.otwdivers.com if you want to check them out.

 

[diverdiver]

Onespeed, thanks for the feedback and the link. I'll definitely give them a call as well.

 

[ONESPEED]

No problem, enjoy your trip and make sure to ask for the North Wall Dives like SeaKing98 recommended. We did a wall there called Princess Pennies Point that was incredible.

 

[worlddiver]

We did dive one day with Don Fosters and found out they cater to the crusie ships. Plus, our dives were limited to 2- 20 minutes dives, but the staff were great. They did their best. Many problems with the cruise ship divers.

We finished our vacation with Divetech. They dove the Northwall ever day except our last day, due to weather, but we did dive the Northwest Point that day which was just as awesome. They run 2 - 1 hour dives (no deco) and provide free computer rental if you don't have one (so everybody can get max. bottom time). They have big boats but limited it to 10 divers. They also provided free shore diving on our boat package. I have never enjoyed shore diving but these shore dives were just fantastic, especially the night dive. We did a guided night dive with Susan and she know where all the creature were hiding. I have never seen such a passionate dive staff.

 

[aiki]

I did not dive with Don Foster's, but have to agree with worldiver, that Divetech is great. Each member of our family (including 2 teenagers) did between 25-50 dives with them over the past 3 years. All the staff is very knowledgeable, curteous, professional, etc. No cattle diving, we could pick our sites. They are quite a bit into technical diving and rebreathers.