Grand Cayman on Thanksgiving week. suggestions???

[ekizoglu]

Hi everyone,
We are going to be in Grand Cayman from Nov 22-Dec 1st. (2 divers+ 3 nondivers)

We will be staying 7 days at the coral sands close to georgetown and the rest of the 3 days at jeff's resort.
We booked 4 days of east end diving with ocean frontiers. It will be a commute from georgetown for 4 days, but I guess it will be worth it since we want to do dive to all the different places of the island. (Thanks to this forum, it looked like you can not go wrong with them).

One day we will snorkel stingray city or sandbar with our non diver friends.
Now that we have covered the east end with ocean frontiers, and stingray city, do you have any suggestions on what not to miss on the west side of the island?

Where should we absolutely dive on the west side, with whom? Would only shore diving be enough to see the western side of grand cayman?

We will have to be cost conscious since OF is a little pricey!
I would also appreciate suggestions on where to snorkel?
What should we absolutely do other than diving?

Thanks!

 

[MyNoles]

Be sure you get the multiple dive discount with OF. I believe they knock some $ off for more than 3 days diving, and again at 6 or 7. If you do consecutive days with them, they will store, rinse and set-up your gear the next day - all included in your price. It's such a good operation, the cost is well worth it. Tell Dan to take you to the Pinnacles, if not too rough.

Try to dive the North Sound if you can. Easiest way to insure you dive there is take the ferry from the Hyatt to Rum Point (Red Sail) and catch THEIR boat - not the 7-mile Beach Red Sail operation - that is a cattle car. Good walls up there, some shark activity and fairly calm waters. Nice diving, compared to the west, which in my opinion has been dived to death.

You'll enjoy, I'm sure!!

 

[TedJ]

If you want to save a few bucks you can always shore dive with DiveTech at the Turtle Farm Reef or at Cobalt Coast. Get them to take you out to the further reef at Cobalt in their inflatable ($5).

Here's Dan! Giving a briefing at Julie's Wall.

Other than diving, we usually just eat. There are plenty of restaurants to try out, from simple to more elegant.
TedJ

 

[LPR]

why do 4 days of boat diving when the west end has wonderful shore dives? We dove with Tortuga Divers on the east end for 2 days, but found that the shore diving was just as, if not more, fulfilling and WAY cheaper.

If you have friends that snorkel, they would like Eden Rock (http://www.edenrockdive.com/), which is also really good for diving. We actually heard/saw the underwater submarine while we were diving... beware boats above!

I also second the nomination for Dive Tech at Cobalt Reef (@cobalt coast resort) and Turtle Reef. Turtle Reef, again, has things for non-divers to do like checking out the turtle farm and their restaurant (good foo-foo drinks). Cobalt Reef has a little more current, but Dive Tech to the rescue with their scuba tows that you can rent.

Also, should check out the mermaid at Sunset House (http://www.sunsethouse.com/images/Pics/Mermaid/big/7water2.jpg).

Have a great time!

Lorie

 

[mempilot]

I was diving GC last month. This was my second trip to the island in last few years. I dove the 'cattle car' boats with Red Sail out of convenience (stayed at the Hyatt).

The West Wall:

Top of the reef at 40-60'
Nice chutes drop you to 100' at the top of the wall
The wall drops several thousand feet.
A lot of life, beautiful scenes

The North Wall:

Hovered at 120 over the edge. Long drop to the bottom.
A couple small hammerheads
Sweet

These walls are big and there are many drop in points. Round Rock was the name of the divesite on the West Wall. I don't recall the N. Wall divesite name, but I'm sure they are all good.

Sell some stock before you go. It ain't cheap! $40 for a 12-pack of Red Stripe!

Have fun!

 

[ebbdiver]

I was recently told by a local there that Cemetery Reef is one of the better dives at GC. I didn't get a chance, was diving Little Cayman.

 

[mempilot]

ebbdiver once bubbled...
I was recently told by a local there that Cemetery Reef is one of the better dives at GC. I didn't get a chance, was diving Little Cayman.

Red Sail does this dive almost every morning. This was the second dive after the Round Rock dive. This is a nice 45' dive. If it's the second dive after a deep, be careful as you swim west. You can go from 35' to 90' in a hurry and it is deceptively gradual. There was a 4' nurse shark and a couple of morray's on this dive. My notes say "great dive".

 

[ekizoglu]

Thank you everyone for all your suggestions. I am printing this page and taking with me
I can't wait, 2 more days to go, I wil go to Logan with all my summer clothes, and flip flops in cold boston weather!
10 days of Grand Cayman!!! I might start looking more like a fish at the end of this trip, because whenever I am not diving, I will be snorkeling and swimming, I am not getting out of the water! ayyyyayyyyyayyyyayyyayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

 

[ekizoglu]

Hi again!
I forgot to ask a very crucial info. Does anyone know when the cruise ships arrive to GC? We want to schedule the stingray city dive/snorkeling in a day when the cruise ship crowwd won't be around???

Or actually any kind of snorkeling anywhere on the island, we want to avvoid the cruise ship crowds, any suggestions on that????


Anyone???

Thanks!

 

[Drew Sailbum]

In peak season, cruise ships arrive in Grand Cayman every day, weather depending. You can check the schedule for your week at the Cayman Port Authority's website.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are usually particularly bad days.