Grand Cayman Info

[DandyDon]

Howdy and welcome to SB!

Good to have you here. If you haven't yet, click Forums above and start going thru the list - looking for those of interest to you, especially your local dive club. Click the link in my Sig below to PM me if I can help you around here..

don

 

[ChristineH]

I have really enjoyed my diving at the Little Cayman Beach Resort, the price was great, it was all inclusive for the meals and the diving was GREAT. The people we nice and helpful and the boats were not crowded. I will definetely go back there again.

 

[Damselfish]

Agree with recommendations for Divetech/Cobalt Coast (which is not just a shore dive op, their boats just don't usually leave from by the shop.) Also Ocean Frontiers staying at The Reef or Compass Point. Little Cayman Beach Resort is also good, as are pretty much all the option on LC. Choice between all these just depends what type of place you like.

 

[Turtle Gal]

I agree with the Divetech/Cobalt Coast recommendations. I personaly Love the fact that Divetech and Cobalt are away from the busy tourist sections of town. But not to far of a drive if you want to check out the night life. Divetech and Cobalt does have many things to offer, Check out the website www.divetech.com Give them a call. Have a great time. Turtle gal

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

I was there about ten months ago, stayed at the Westin Casuarina and dove out of the Red Sail Scuba facility --- all a bit expensive, but it was a meeting trip and deductible. Red Sail has very nice boats and a nice staff and the Westin is fully operational. One word of caution, in that not everything has been repaired to full throttle and the dive operators and hotels may not be forthright on the phone or on-line with how they are coping since the hurricane.

Example: I wanted to play a round of golf on the main course within walking distance of the Westin...the website makes it look just fine. As I was taking a shuttle bus to do the north Stingray dive, I noticed no golfers. Oh, the driver replied, the course is ruined and won't be playable until 2008. Likewise, I saw diveshops boarded up (with still active websites) and one operator, whose webpage still advertised two boats, was down to one small boat.

Sunset House is just fine... I went to do a shore dive there, but the seas were too rough that day and they weren't letting anyone in the water. The facility is fine and fully operational and it looks like a great place (with reasonable stay/dive packages). You don't want to do too much travelling on the island because traffic is awful! It took me an hour to get from the Westin to Sunset House on a Saturday by cab, only a few miles away.

Thus, staying and diving at the same place is a plus and Sunset house is within walking distance to most of what you need.

And stay away from Cayman's air if possible. My own experience was bad and, when I return next march, its USAirways all the way.

 

[SFScuba]

You'll have a great time in Grand Cayman. It sounds like you're looking for a resort/dive combo, which I haven't done before.

However, if you're looking for a dive operating, I would highly recommend Off the Wall Divers (http://www.otwdivers.com/). Danny is laid back, finds lots of stuff and you'll even get to dive with his lovely wife Marnie once in a while. He has a smaller operation/non-cattle boat (which we prefer). I have a trip report from earlier this year up: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=134407&highlight=grand+cayman+trip+report

Most of the ops do a deep, guided dive in one of the canyons and walls and then a guided/semi-guided dive on the inside reef for the second, shallower dive. Also, depending on the time of the year/ conditions, I've heard different ops will operate either out of the north sound or seven mile beach.

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

One other tip --- if renting a car, remember that Cayman's use the british method of dring on the 'wrong side" of the road. Very disconcerting if you have never done it. If you aren't renting a car, consider calling in advance and reserving transportation from the airport (most hotels --- and sunset house) provide this transportation. When a flight comes in, everyone wants a cab at the same time and there aren't that many. I had to wait in line about an hour outside the airport just to get a taxi.

 

[caymaniac]

T There also is shoe diving available at Cobalt Coast.

I have never dove in a shoe...well, my feet have! DO you dive in someone elses shoe on this shoe dive? Does it smell on a shoe dive? I have so many questions, wow, imagine that, who would have thought that there was shoe diving in Grand Cayman.

I too have been to Dive tech, it's a great op on Grand Cayman, although I haven't stayed at Cobalt Coast. Next time I visit GC I definitely will check out the shoe dives

 

[pir8]

I'm curious just what is a shoe dive?

 

[cayman diver]

One other tip --- if renting a car, remember that Cayman's use the british method of dring on the 'wrong side" of the road. Very disconcerting if you have never done it. If you aren't renting a car, consider calling in advance and reserving transportation from the airport (most hotels --- and sunset house) provide this transportation. When a flight comes in, everyone wants a cab at the same time and there aren't that many. I had to wait in line about an hour outside the airport just to get a taxi.

As you will find we drive on the correct side, and we have a mix of RHD and LHD cars we also have 3 and 4 way (american stops -most of wich you don't actually stop at) but we have traditional english roundabouts (olase don't stop on them - if you are on it you have right of way)

Word of warning we do have police driving arount with continuosly on rader front and rear (easy to pick upwith a detector) but they will fine you $100Ci upto 10mph over the limit then an extra $100 per10mph upto max of $500.

If you think thats steep break any marine park rules (like wearing gloves) and it could cost $500000.00 CI and a year in prision. $1 Ci = $1.25US ish
Justian