GC East End Diving Question

[JS Esq.]

My wife and I (along with our infant son) are heading down to Grand Cayman on Sunday, our first time there. Needless to say, we're very excited.

We are renting a condo at the Turtle Nest Inn, so diving on the East End would seem to make the most sense. My question concerns the conditions, particularly above the water line. Much of my diving experience has been in Cozumel, which I love in no small part because the boats stay on the leeward side.

I would like to avoid getting seasick, so I'm wondering whether it would be worthwhile to look into diving on the West End (with DNS) instead of the East End. Would it make that much of a difference on the surface intervals?

I read somewhere online that diving the East End is like diving the FL keys. I dove once in Key Largo and it was absolutely miserable - 2 tank at the Spiegel Grove, and I felt like I wanted to die during the surface interval, being moored for an hour in choppy seas. Is that what I can expect diving in Grand Cayman, particularly on the East Side?

I don't want to come off as a wimp or a whiner, but it is a consideration for this trip, because I can't spend the afternoon recovering if I get sick in the morning - my wife doesn't dive so as soon as I return to the Inn, I'll have to be in full daddy and husband mode. This is our first vacation in a long time, and she's graciously allowing me a couple days of diving, so I need to make as easy as possible.

Thanks.

 

[Alex777]

It is true that on most days this time of year it will be windier at East End. OF will try to go to the side of the Island (N or S) which has less wind but this is only a partial solution.

My advice? Check the Windfinder site around 4 PM the day before you dive and make your plans accordingly. The wind predictions are pretty accurate.

 

[EastEndDiver]

If you are staying at Turtle Nest Inn ,I own a condo there,DNS Diving gives package rates to TNI customers and will also pick up and drop off there.They operate three boats which makes it easier for them to get out depending on the weather conditions in various parts of the island.

Here is their website;
DNS Diving

You can also book through Turtle Nest Inn.

If you would like any info about TNI or anything else feel free to PM me.

John

 

[JS Esq.]

It is true that on most days this time of year it will be windier at East End. OF will try to go to the side of the Island (N or S) which has less wind but this is only a partial solution.

My advice? Check the Windfinder site around 4 PM the day before you dive and make your plans accordingly. The wind predictions are pretty accurate.

Thanks, I wasn't familiar with that site. I realize it's a few days out still, but looking at Tuesday morning, it's predicting 20+ knot winds and 2m seas. I'm not an expert, but I think that's pretty brutal. I guess my question is just how much of a difference is it between east and west ends? Will the companies like DNS be diving in tranquil, Cozumel-esque seas, or will it be merely slightly-less-brutal than the East End?

 

[Alex777]

Will the companies like DNS be diving in tranquil, Cozumel-esque seas, or will it be merely slightly-less-brutal than the East End?

Hmmmm, somewhere in between most likely. If it's bad in EE then, typically (but not always) it is significantly less bad on the W side. Sorry I cannot be more specific. My wife is very prone to seasickness. On a day she would be hanging over the side in EE she can be diving fairly happily along 7 Mile Beach.

 

[War Eagle Diver]

We stayed at OF for a week last April and the diving on the EE was great. We did have one bad day where the water was fairly choppy and the current was rough though. My gf is prone to seasickness as well and did not have too much of a problem on the EE. I will say though that the one day we dove the WE I did think it was glasslike smooth so if seasickness is your #1 concern and you don't like any rocking at all then WE is probably the better choice.

 

[JS Esq.]

Great, safe diving is my number 1 concern, and seasickness is number 2. If I was on my own it wouldn't be as big a deal, but when I've gotten sick in the past (Key Largo and also Puerto Rico), it pretty much put me out of commission for the rest of the day, and that's just not an option for this trip with the wife and kiddo.

I've booked with DNS for Tuesday and will keep monitoring conditions as it looks like it could improve later in the week. It would be great to get a taste of both ends, but we'll see what happens.

Thanks for the all responses and advice.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

... diving on the West End (with DNS) instead of the East End. Would it make that much of a difference on the surface intervals?
...
being moored for an hour in choppy seas. Is that what I can expect diving in Grand Cayman, particularly on the East Side?

Thanks.

Cayman is not like that. Most of the surface interval is spent moving between dive sites. When seas are bumpier then boat captains know to keep the boat moving to make guests more comfortable.

Wind forecasts reflect wind and waves in the open sea, not near shore waters where lee-shore effects may produce flat calm seas even during a real blow. There is almost always a preferred side for the East End ops and OF and Tortuga will both head the same way most of the time.

 

[jvevil]

Sorry if this is a little off topic but is the EE diving considered to be better? The little I've read seems to indicate this.
Thanks

 

[scubadada]

Dived with Ocean Frontiers end of Sept and it was smooth as silk Just got back from OF Dec 3 and it was considerably more windy. Dived many North side sites in Sept, none this trip. The South side sites are great but the variety is less. We went out every dive without any problem. My wife has never gotten seasick before but was ill the first day. She was fine all other days.

Winter weather is just not as forgiving, part of the deal.

Good diving,

Craig