Has Anyone Dived Babylon on GC as a Shore Dive?

[KathyV]

There's a debate going on at the Trip Advisor Travel Forum about the wisdom of diving Babylon on the East End (near Old Man Bay) as a shore dive. A woman, her husband, and their teenage son and daughter plan to stay on the North Side and do some boat dives with Ocean Frontiers or Red Sail Tortuga, but they are avid shore divers and are also planning to do some shore diving around GC and they are interested in shore diving Babylon.

She said that they are strong swimmers in good shape and have done shore dives in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao - including difficult sites like 1,000 Steps on Bonaire. They are going to GC in August when the water is usually pretty calm.

Some folks feel that it is a long swim from shore with a difficult entry and exit and shouldn't be attempted as a shore dive, especially not with teenagers, while others feel that it is a great shore dive and not all that difficult.

I have dived Babylon as a boat dive but never from shore - but it was a great dive. I was just curious about how many folks have done it as a shore dive? And if yes, what is your opinion of the site as a shore dive?

 

[caydiver]

Under perfect conditions it’s doable especially on Nitrox. We didn’t think 1000 steps was difficult maybe just hit it on a good day. Current getting out to Babylon can be difficult. Have dove it dozens of times. Once we planned it from shore but didn’t bother going all the way out. Just wasn’t fun. Maybe it was just a bad day. Group of 3 local DMs.

 

[KathyV]

Under perfect conditions it’s doable especially on Nitrox. We didn’t think 1000 steps was difficult maybe just hit it on a good day. Current getting out to Babylon can be difficult. Have dove it dozens of times. Once we planned it from shore but didn’t bother going all the way out. Just wasn’t fun. Maybe it was just a bad day. Group of 3 local DMs.

I should clarify that the OP on the TA forum referred to 1000 steps as a challenge because of schlepping all the gear up and down the stairs, not that the site itself was especially difficult; but she said that they have dived sites that are considered difficult on Bonaire and elsewhere.

 

[KathyV]

I can't say that it ever even occurred to me to dive Babylon as a shore dive but I was curious about whether it is done frequently.

On Trip Advisor The_Steve_From_NY posted these older ScubaBoard links about diving the East End and shore diving Babylon. In one of the posts @Drew Sailbum said that in the past an Ocean Frontiers staff member died while shore diving Babylon:

https://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/east-end-grand-cayman-shore-dives.24686/

https://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/conflicting-info-on-shore-diving-east-end-of-gc.368063/

https://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/oceanfrontiers-bad-experience-shore-diving.70779/


And @Testudo posted this link that helped to inspire his excellent snorkeling guide:

http://caymanislandsdiscounts.com/offshore_diving.htm#East%20End,%20Old%20Man%20Bay

 

[Doctorfish]

Long swim out and no support on shore so you are totally on your own. Thousand steps although a shlep, is a fish pond by comparison.

 

[shurite7]

When I lived on the East End of GCM I noticed some people would dive Babylon from shore. In my view it really isn't worth the effort unless you like long surface swims or prefer burning through lots of gas before reaching your objective.

Spend the little extra money and dive Babylon from a boat. It is worth it.

 

[caydiver]

I totally agree but sometimes people only hear what they want to hear. Looked at TA. Just feel bad the individual who asked a question about the likelihood of hiring a private DM for a shore dive on TA as well as feasibility of going it alone. Hopefully they will revert here and see for themselves.