East side Grand Cayman diving help Needed

[Joelzee]

There is three of us and we don't want to go in a big crowd?? any Ideas??
Dive shops? east side?
Wrecks east side?
one week at Morrit's we would like to dive daily, any Private charters

Thanks

 

[Damselfish]

There are only 2 shops on the East End, Tortuga Divers at Morritt's and Ocean Frontiers at Compass Point and The Reef. Either will probably have a decent number of divers unless you happen to get lucky. There are a couple "boutique" ops that do private charters, Indigo Divers is one that comes to mind. But I think any of those are based at the other end of the island and you'd have to drive west early to get on the boat, unless they will pick you up very early at Morritts. Probably for enough money they will do anything. But then I don't know that you would be able to dive all the way back at East End which is the best diving on GC, maybe if it was an all day charter.

 

[Joelzee]

Thanks for the info after I posted I checked out OF and they have a smaller groups than TD we will probrally use both but mostly OF

Where do I find out about wreck diving? the guy I'm going with said it is a must do for him at least one day if not more?????

 

[diversteve]

There's also the Balboa in the Harbor, but it's only diveable at night or when there's no cruiseships in port - which hardly ever happens. It's pretty shallow too, like 40' - and I think they blew it apart some years ago since it was a navigation hazard.

There's also the Pallas on the South Side - I know nothing about it.

Most of the Cayman wrecks are listed here:

http://www.divecayman.ky/sites/divefinder.asp

What you could do is go over to Brac and dive the Capt. Tibbetts - it's the only divable Soviet warship in the Western Hemisphere.

 

[DelightedDiver]

We ust got back from Grand Cayman where we spent three days diving with Neptune's Divers, they were great!! The operation is run by Keith and Casey and they captain the boat and lead the dives. One of the best things about the operation was that they only take out 8 divers max. You get lots of personal attention and get to dive where you want.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

East End basics...

No wrecks are regularly dived around East End. There is one, thoroughly broken up in about 10-15ft of water, straight out from Morritt's on the other side of the shoal reef. Diving it is simply out of the question most of the time due to sea conditions at that location. All other diveable wrecks are accessed via westside dive shops.

There are two dive operators on East End, Tortuga Divers and Ocean Frontiers. AFAIK neither shop provides tank rentals for shore diving. I am not aware of any privately available charters, and have NEVER seen one pick up divers at Morritt's in the nearly four years I've been around this island. I have seen a few such pick ups from over in the Cayman Kai area, but only if it is feasible to dive the North Wall.

 

[Joelzee]

Thanks eveyone !!!!

It looks like we will will be using TD & OF for our east side diving and going to the west side for some wreck diving! is there any must sees on the west or will we be busy at the wrecks all day?
I have never dove at a wreck site anything I should know??
I've read a few threads and it is funny to see people say how far the east and west are 45 to 50 minutes each way LOL some of us drive that every day to work.

 

[Joelzee]

Drew, do you still work with Tortuga Divers? I read that you did in a 2003 post.
If so I have a few more question for you.

This is my first trip and I'm bringing some euipment with, do we bring it with us every day or is there some were to leave it, when I dove it Cabo San Lucas MX and the same stuff was there for me every day it was nice not to worry about that.

is each day dictated by the weather?
What is the weather like the first part of March? we are coming 3/5/06 -3/15/06

Thanks

 

[Damselfish]

I've read a few threads and it is funny to see people say how far the east and west are 45 to 50 minutes each way LOL some of us drive that every day to work.

yeah, but you're supposed to be on vacation.

 

[gratefuljames]

http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/tripreports.php?s=3238

My trip report on E. End, Ocean Frontiers and Compass Point. Plenty of info and suggestions...

James