How Congenial Is Cobalt Coast?

[Randallr]

Scubaboarders introduced me to two fantastic dive ops - Sunset House and Scuba Club Cozumel. So I'm turning to you all for more guidance. Specifically, how collegial is Cobalt Coast for a diver traveling alone?

Here's the back story. I'm planning a trip for the week of March 18. I'll be leaving from Miami, and I'm looking for a relatively easy flight to my final destination. I'm a year into underwater photography - still a relative novice, but loving it, and eager to do a lot of shooting, so a house reef or nearby shore diving is important to me. I'll be traveling alone, so looking for a place that's got a nice community feeling - where you can make some dive friends along the way.

Sunset House was nearly perfect for me. I fell into a boat of fantastic people, and we ended up diving and dining together all week. A number of folks were traveling on their own. Cathy Church's photo operation there is beyond first class. I bought my equipment there and took lessons and it made for a fantastic vacation. So why not return? Well, the dive sites on the West End were underwhelming; a lot of the coral was bleached, and there wasn't a lot of marine life.

I gather from other divers and SB the North Side of Grand Cayman has better sites. But I'm wondering if Cobalt Coast has the same kind of great community feeling Sunset House has. It appears to have a lot of the amenities (including shore diving). Anyone with experience who can give me a side-by-side comparison - or suggest alternatives, on Grand Cayman or elsewhere? (I'm also thinking about Buddy Dive on Bonaire, and posted a similar question on that forum.)

 

[Doubler]

Personnally, I'd go to Little Cayman and Bloody Bay Wall. Much better than anything Grand Cayman has to offer.

 

[Randallr]

How's Little Cayman Beach Resort on the criteria I outlined? My sense from what people have posted is that it gets few to no solo travelers.

Personnally, I'd go to Little Cayman and Bloody Bay Wall. Much better than anything Grand Cayman has to offer.

 

[Doubler]

Reefs and walls are in great shape. Lots of critters, friendly groupers. Diving with the dive masters should be easy. Not much in beach diving.

 

[Randallr]

Let me ask it another way: Are there solo travelers there? Is it a moderately solo place? If I go on my own, will I be the only solo diver among tour groups and families?

 

[Alex777]

Let me ask it another way: Are there solo travelers there? Is it a moderately solo place? If I go on my own, will I be the only solo diver among tour groups and families?

More likely than not you will be the only solo diver.

 

[Doctorfish]

Does not matter. My experience there has been that you will be assigned on the same boat with the same people all or most of the week, and that after a day, you won't be solo any longer. Very collegial atmosphere, we made friends very easily there and ended up dining and hanging out at the pool or bar together as well. Cobalt coast is good but most people are not on AI plan and disappear after diving. Same for Buddy Dive. All these options would be fine but LCBR is the best of the group in terms of diving, boats, small dive lodge feel and friendilness.

 

[Doubler]

Just to throw another log on this fire: Small Hope Bay Lodge, Andros Island Bahamas, check it out.

---------- Post added January 14th, 2013 at 04:35 PM ----------

Just to throw another log on this fire: Small Hope Bay Lodge, Andros Island Bahamas, check it out.

IMHO Grand Cayman diving is no different than Florida Keys or most Caribean locals. Over dove, expensive and bland. Little Cayman and the hardly dove Andros Island arevthe jewels of the area.

 

[Randallr]

I went to Small Hope Bay 25 years ago. Loved the atmosphere of the place, but the diving was not good at all. Reefs were bleached and fished out. Have you found differently there, Doubler?

And Doctorfish, you make a good point: If you're the only game in town, the likelihood of bonding with fellow travelers goes up. I will cogitate on this a bit. Since I'll be leaving from Miami, LCBR is geographically advantaged - an easier flight than Bonaire.

 

[Insta-Gator]

I love Cobalt Coast. The staff is the absolute friendliest and the other divers are open to conversation and introductions. We haven't stayed there only because we already have a condo on 7MB, but if we didn't Cobalt is where I'd go (we drive up there almost daily.) We were there in October and had a wonderful time, also at Light House Point (owned/operated by same folk Nancy & Jay, DiveTech)