Grand Cayman – Northeast & North Dive Sites

[ianr33]

Drew, I have done all those you listed, but my favorite by far is delia's delight (not sure If I spelled it correctly)

Its the last site on the Northside before the protected zone.. I did make a "mistake" once and swam about 45minutes in the "wrong" direction... Absolutely virgin territory..

How are you supposed to know exactly where the protected zones are? I have seen maps with the zones marked but have never seen signs on the road/beach. It all seems a bit vague to me.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

The north shore of Grand Cayman has two large "No Dive Zones" which are marked rather vaguely on maps provided by the Department of Environment. Scuba Diving is not permitted inside the wall drop off in these zones.

Proceding from the east to west the last commercial dive buoy, Julie's Wall (aka Black Forrest) is the last buoy before entering the No Dive Zone. Proceding from the west to east the last buoy is at Deliah's Delight (near the Driftwood Sports Bar).

I'll try to shoot off a email to the DOE to see if they have longitudes where these zones begin and end. I seem to recall seeing a paper with these in the dive shop at Rum Point, but never copied this information down and couldn't find it later when I went to look.

 

[ianr33]

Glad its not just me that has a hard time figuring out where the boundaries are! If the government is serious about these No Dive Zones would it be a good idea to have a few discrete signs on the ground? A few years ago we stayed at the On The Bay Condos in Old Man Bay. The owner of the complex,Joey (native Caymanian) told us that we could dive off the beach there. I suspect that that area is in the restricted zone,but with no signs how are you supposed to know? The only place I have seen the maps is on the web.

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

 

[padiscubapro]

The north shore of Grand Cayman has two large "No Dive Zones" which are marked rather vaguely on maps provided by the Department of Environment. Scuba Diving is not permitted inside the wall drop off in these zones.

Proceding from the east to west the last commercial dive buoy, Julie's Wall (aka Black Forrest) is the last buoy before entering the No Dive Zone. Proceding from the west to east the last buoy is at Deliah's Delight (near the Driftwood Sports Bar).

I'll try to shoot off a email to the DOE to see if they have longitudes where these zones begin and end. I seem to recall seeing a paper with these in the dive shop at Rum Point, but never copied this information down and couldn't find it later when I went to look.

Glad to hear I didn't technically break the law... Since the whole time I was further east of the buoy I was on the wall...

 

[nipi]

Drew - the no-diving zones are in the 6th Schedule to the Marine Conservation Regs (2004 Revision). From (1) lat 19 21'06 N long 81 14'24 W to lat 19 21'10 N long 81 12'48 W thence to lat 19 21'30 N long 81 12'48 W thence to lat 19 21'20 N long 81 14'28 W thence to lat 19 21'06 long 81 14'24 W & from (2) lat 19 20'52 N long 81 11'42 W to lat 19 20'50 N long 81 10'00 W thence to lat 19 21'06 N long 81 11'42 W thence to lat 19 20'52 long 81 11'42 W.

There used to be No-Diving Zone signs but these are now gone. The zones are (1) from Julie's Wall opp. Rosebud Drive west through Old Man Bay to a point a few hundred yards past (west of) Further Rd. (near house no. 554) & (2) from Chisholm's Supermarket in Hutland west to a point a few hundred yards before (east of) Driftwood Village bar.

Regulation 8 of those Regs prohibits scuba diving in a no-diving zone.

 

[billinwilliamston]

For North or Northeast sites:

#1 site, bar none, is Snapper Hole, a shallow (max 63ft) site wth innumerable swim-thrus, tunnels, and such. It is located off the northeast tip of Grand Cayman. Thsi is site highly weather dependent, as a strong wind or ocean swell can wipe it out.

I concur 100%. Did it a week and 1/2 ago for the first time since Ivan and it was great!!!