Grand Cayman Lighthouse Point Dive

[outtair]

We will be on Grand Cayman for one day, next week, off a cruise ship. Has anyone shore dove at the new Lighthouse Point Site, Dive Tech. We have been diving at the Turtle Reef Site (Turtle Farm) and are trying to decide between the 2, also what is the name of the shop at the old Turtle Farm? Thanks

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

Lighthouse point is a fantastic shore dive! Dive Tech has a shop, cylinders, shower, rinse tank, etc right on site. There are permanent lines in place to lead you to and from the mini-wall and then to and from the mini-wall to the main wall. The coral formations are beautiful and when you get to the main wall head a little south around a coral head where a goliath grouper often hangs out.

I don't know who is currently running the turtle farm site since Dive Tech left. It's a really nice site as well, but after diving both I personally prefer Lighthouse Point.

Just my 2 cents.

Doug

 

[outtair]

Thanks Doug, that is all I needed to hear. We will dive there and post a report. We have always liked the Turtle Farm and Dive Tech but it is always good to find a new spot.

 

[Cave Diver]

Lighthouse point is a nice dive, and the main wall is much closer in than at Turtle Reef.

IMO, the mini wall at Turtle Reef is much better, especially heading around the point towards Cobalt Coast. The main wall is quite a kick out there tho.

Dive Tech was offering $5 shore dives, air or nitrox, so it's hard to beat the price. They also had like a $12 lunch special going where you could shore dive either location one tank and then have lunch at Cobalt Coast.

Dive Tech staff has always been nice, friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. If you get a chance to talk with Jay (one of the owners) he'll be happy to tell you about the "Green Effort" of Lighthouse point, including solar and wind energy to cut the cost and carbon footprint of LHP.

Turtle Reef is currently being operated by Ollen Miller Sundivers. It's still a favorite dive of mine, but I found the staff to be somewhat less than helpful and courteous at times. I don't really care, because all I want is a tank, I know everything else I need to know about the site, but I can imagine that would turn a lot of others off. Our last trip there we got some amazing pics of the Tarpon Cave, a huge sea turtle and couple of small morays and a great shot of a scorpion fish on the Mini Wall.

IMO, it's hard to go wrong with any of those locations, as long as weather cooperates (Turtle Reef seems to have the most current and I've had it change mid dive).

 

[ianr33]

Agree with Cavediver. if you are doing the shallow wall go to the Turtle farm site. ( Sundivers)
If you are heading out to the big wall go to Lighthouse Point

 

[jerrycsr]

Did the Lighthouse Condos dive last year. Rented my tank right there at Lighthouse Point Condos, Dive Tech being the resident dive shop there (one of two of their locations). Enjoyed it. We went an hour before sunset and the current was very strong coming back. Once we surfaced, no problem getting back. Would like to do it again but with a scooter. We went out, submerged, found the guide cable and it took us straight out to the wall. The guide cable can be seen on the map at the link below.




Pictures of Lighthouse Point, a description of the dive and a map of the dive site here. Look for the post with the dive site map on it:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cayman-islands/294384-grand-cayman-trip-report-7-6-09-a.html

There is a little movie I shot of what the spot looks like. The people talking are standing in front of the dive shop entrance:
DSCF3785.flv video by jlafortworth - Photobucket

 

[outtair]

Just got back from our cruise. We dove at the Lighthouse Point with Dive Tech and had a wonderful day. We arrived by the bus that that we picked up downtown for 2.50 usd each at about 0745 local time. Susan and her cat Ginger were at work, she fixed us up with tanks and weights and we discussed our options. We surface swam beyond the last buoy and then submerged to the deep wall. Very little current under some surface wind/chop/current vis was 60' saw a large green moray eel right at the cut in the wall. A few other creatures but mainly many fish, including the hated Lionfish that trying to take over. You can tell this site has had little dive pressure as sponges, fans and coral in good shape. After a 1 hour surface we went out for another dive to the mini wall and went the other directions. Actually saw more on this dive than the first, was surprised not to see any turtles. On returning to shore there were then 8 other divers in different stages of suiting up. The shop offers shower, rinse tanks, places to hang gear to dry and chairs. A wonderful day very relaxing away from the crowds at other sites. We packed up our gear and walked back to the road catching a bus ride back to town and our cruise ship.

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

Glad to hear you had a great time!

 

[Cave Diver]

Just got back from our cruise. We dove at the Lighthouse Point with Dive Tech and had a wonderful day. We arrived by the bus that that we picked up downtown for 2.50 usd each at about 0745 local time. Susan and her cat Ginger were at work, she fixed us up with tanks and weights and we discussed our options. We surface swam beyond the last buoy and then submerged to the deep wall. Very little current under some surface wind/chop/current vis was 60' saw a large green moray eel right at the cut in the wall. A few other creatures but mainly many fish, including the hated Lionfish that trying to take over. You can tell this site has had little dive pressure as sponges, fans and coral in good shape. After a 1 hour surface we went out for another dive to the mini wall and went the other directions. Actually saw more on this dive than the first, was surprised not to see any turtles. On returning to shore there were then 8 other divers in different stages of suiting up. The shop offers shower, rinse tanks, places to hang gear to dry and chairs. A wonderful day very relaxing away from the crowds at other sites. We packed up our gear and walked back to the road catching a bus ride back to town and our cruise ship.

I hope you informed the staff about the Lionfish. Dive Tech runs an aggressive campaign against them, including a Saturday Lionfish Roundup where they take the boat out and clean a section of reef of any that they find. I'm sure they'd get it removed in short order if they're aware of it, as their licensed by the DOE to remove them.

 

[outtair]

Yes, I told the staff about the Lionfish and where to locate it. The staff told me about the whole Caymanian process, the rules seem complicated like most government things in Grand Cayman. The interesting thing was the very next day at Cozumel our Divemaster dove with a mini pole spear and speared one leaving it to be eaten by the other fish.