Not sure this helps but I dove Cobalt Coast three days in April as a solo. Did not stay there but picked them, for among other reasons, that I had the option as a solo diver diving with the dive master/guide rather than being required to buddy up with a stranger. This was a plus for me and there is no charge It gave me the option to buddy up if I found someone that I thought would be a good match/fit or to avoid being forced to buddy up with a potentially sketchy diver. I had the freedom to stay close enough to the dive guide to be considered his buddy but free enough to explore a reasonable distance away (commensurate with my certs, visibility, depth and conditions) It worked well.
How Congenial Is Cobalt Coast?
- Thread starter Randallr
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Randallr
Contributor
Where'd you stay and what was the experience there like? Did you fall into a community?
I was on vacation with my family and three others and we stayed at Discovery Point so I can't help you there as it was not a solo trip. I dove solo three mornings even though I had some divers in my group bc they wanted to sleep in and primarily shore dive. I liked Cobalt Coast/Dive Tech. They ran nice boats and had nice crews. Most everyone on the boats were nice and experienced. We dove only west sites due to the wind but the diving was fine. I would have preferred northern sites but the weather controls. If I was solo on the trip I don't think I would have had any problem finding someone on the morning boat that I could plan a shore dive with in the afternoon. With my group we shore dove at Lighthouse Pt and Turtle Cove/Cracked Conch and liked them both. Can't comment on the CC resort as I did not stay there.
Alucard
Contributor
I'm another Cobalt Coast fan - I've stayed there 3 times, now. Each time we have found a decent crowd in the restaurant and bar every afternoon/evening and we have made friends while there. I don't think that you would have any issue being a single there at all. The facility boasts two shore dive sites and, if you buy one of their packages, tanks for shore dives are free on the day you do a boat dive with them. You tend to see the same people on the boats through the week - not a lot of people "bounce around" between dive ops in my experience.
Grand Cayman is easy to get to, relative to a lot of the other islands, and I would rate the diving there as far superior to that in the Florida Keys, and superior to most other Caribbean island destinations (with the exception of Saba and Cozumel, which are way up there too).
Grand Cayman is easy to get to, relative to a lot of the other islands, and I would rate the diving there as far superior to that in the Florida Keys, and superior to most other Caribbean island destinations (with the exception of Saba and Cozumel, which are way up there too).
gb_williams
Contributor
My wife and I have stayed at three different places on Grand Cayman, including Sunset House, and have dove with five different operators. Our favorite is Cobalt Coast. We have stayed there on our last five trips to GCM and will be back for a sixth in June. Each time we've been to Cobalt Coast there have been single divers staying there also. In fact, we still correspond with a couple of them. That's just how Cobalt Coast is, and how people feel about it when they go there. It's a place where you can meet old friends for the first time and enjoy some excellent diving.
We keep coming back for a number of reasons. First, of course is the diving. While Sunset House offers shore diving, Cobalt Coast and Divetech, the house dive operator, have two shore diving sites. If you're a dive guest at Cobalt Coast, the Divetech crew are happy to truck you and your gear a mile down the shore to Lighthouse Point, where they have a second shop with Nitrox, dunk tanks, showers, bathrooms and an excellent miniwall. I've never dove the miniwall there without seeing at least one turtle.
The boat diving is excellent, too. Because of Cobalt Coast's location, you'll get to dive the North wall, weather permitting. That's not something you can do with Sunset Divers. The North wall is less visited than the South and West walls, and it has some excellent sites like Ghost Mountain, Lemon Reef (where you will most likely see Eagle Rays) and Princess Pennie's Pinnacle -- my favorite deep dive.
If the seas are too rough to dive the North Wall, the Divetech crew bus everyone to West Bay where you can dive the northern part of the West Wall.
Since Cobalt Coast only has about 25 rooms, the atmosphere is a little more sociable than larger dive resorts like Sunset House. Because it's somewhat isolated from the noise and the distractions of SMB and George Town, it tends to attract more serious divers. As a result, single divers fit right in. Unless you prefer your solitude, you'll probably be invited to join others at lunch and dinner. If you're interested, you'll likely be asked to join others for shore dives in the afternoon and night dives in the evening. Because my wife often prefers to stay in during the afternoon, I'm often buddying with a single diver to do an afternoon shore dive at Cobalt Coast or Lighthouse Point.
The restaurant at Cobalt Coast is very good also. The chef is very good and the menu is varied, offering everything from local seafood and fish to steaks to vegetarian to Indian curry. On our first trip to Cobalt Coast, my wife and I planned to eat elsewhere. We quickly found that we were eating nearly all of our lunches and most of our dinners at the restaurant due to convenience, cost and quality. Since then, we've been on the meal plan. When you add up all the costs of eating elsewhere -- transportation, cost of meal and time -- you'll find that the meal plan is actually a bargain.
There's another reason why my wife and I keep coming back to Cobalt Coast -- the service. The atmosphere is like a bed-and-breakfast. Dora and Arie usually greet guests as they step off the bus from the airport. It won't take long before everyone on the staff knows your name. You'll be treated more like an old friend rather than "the guy in room 18." That extends to the crew at Divetech, as well. In fact, over the years they have become our friends.
If I sound like a cheerleader for Cobalt Coast, I make no apologies. As far as my wife and I are concerned, there's no place on Grand Cayman that offers as much to divers.
We keep coming back for a number of reasons. First, of course is the diving. While Sunset House offers shore diving, Cobalt Coast and Divetech, the house dive operator, have two shore diving sites. If you're a dive guest at Cobalt Coast, the Divetech crew are happy to truck you and your gear a mile down the shore to Lighthouse Point, where they have a second shop with Nitrox, dunk tanks, showers, bathrooms and an excellent miniwall. I've never dove the miniwall there without seeing at least one turtle.
The boat diving is excellent, too. Because of Cobalt Coast's location, you'll get to dive the North wall, weather permitting. That's not something you can do with Sunset Divers. The North wall is less visited than the South and West walls, and it has some excellent sites like Ghost Mountain, Lemon Reef (where you will most likely see Eagle Rays) and Princess Pennie's Pinnacle -- my favorite deep dive.
If the seas are too rough to dive the North Wall, the Divetech crew bus everyone to West Bay where you can dive the northern part of the West Wall.
Since Cobalt Coast only has about 25 rooms, the atmosphere is a little more sociable than larger dive resorts like Sunset House. Because it's somewhat isolated from the noise and the distractions of SMB and George Town, it tends to attract more serious divers. As a result, single divers fit right in. Unless you prefer your solitude, you'll probably be invited to join others at lunch and dinner. If you're interested, you'll likely be asked to join others for shore dives in the afternoon and night dives in the evening. Because my wife often prefers to stay in during the afternoon, I'm often buddying with a single diver to do an afternoon shore dive at Cobalt Coast or Lighthouse Point.
The restaurant at Cobalt Coast is very good also. The chef is very good and the menu is varied, offering everything from local seafood and fish to steaks to vegetarian to Indian curry. On our first trip to Cobalt Coast, my wife and I planned to eat elsewhere. We quickly found that we were eating nearly all of our lunches and most of our dinners at the restaurant due to convenience, cost and quality. Since then, we've been on the meal plan. When you add up all the costs of eating elsewhere -- transportation, cost of meal and time -- you'll find that the meal plan is actually a bargain.
There's another reason why my wife and I keep coming back to Cobalt Coast -- the service. The atmosphere is like a bed-and-breakfast. Dora and Arie usually greet guests as they step off the bus from the airport. It won't take long before everyone on the staff knows your name. You'll be treated more like an old friend rather than "the guy in room 18." That extends to the crew at Divetech, as well. In fact, over the years they have become our friends.
If I sound like a cheerleader for Cobalt Coast, I make no apologies. As far as my wife and I are concerned, there's no place on Grand Cayman that offers as much to divers.
Gb, thanks for this bit of good news. We are going to Cobalt Coast in early May for a few days of diving, and I was wondering whether or not we should take the food option. You've convinced me!
Cayman is pricey, no doubt about it, so I am also glad we can stretch our diving dollars to include some good shore dives. Have you done any night dives off of either shore site?
We're going to Cayman specifically to dive the Kittiwake with Divetech (she was my dad's last ship and there is a plaque to him in the diving well) but are there other sites we should request, if we get the chance? We've dove in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, but this is our first trip to Grand Cayman.
gb_williams
Contributor
I have done night dives off both shore dive sites. My two all-time favorite night dives were on the house reef at Cobalt Coast. I prefer to go in about 9:00pm -- after the night shift is on and well into their shift. I've followed octopi, squid, spotted and green morays on the hunt, seen trunk fish, scorpion fish, crabs, slipper lobster, a couple of very large porcupine fish and others. Coming back to the ladder, there is a large school (20+) tarpon that hang out by the light at the end of the pier. It's a wonderful dive and very easy to get in and out. Just remember to get your tank and weights before the dive shop closes.
If you do a night dive at Lighthouse Point, you'll have to go earlier or you'll have to get your own transportation. If Divetech is doing a guided nightdive or the night portion of an AOW course, I like to hitch a ride back and forth. You'll see very similar critters there as at Cobalt Coast. While doing your safety stop in the holes, turn off your lights and wave your arms to see the bioluminesence.
Since dessert comes with dinner on the meal plan, the kitchen staff is great about saving it for you until after your night dive. Or, if you're going early to Lighthouse or Cobalt, you can put in your dinner order and it will be ready for you when you get back.
Enjoy!!
If you do a night dive at Lighthouse Point, you'll have to go earlier or you'll have to get your own transportation. If Divetech is doing a guided nightdive or the night portion of an AOW course, I like to hitch a ride back and forth. You'll see very similar critters there as at Cobalt Coast. While doing your safety stop in the holes, turn off your lights and wave your arms to see the bioluminesence.
Since dessert comes with dinner on the meal plan, the kitchen staff is great about saving it for you until after your night dive. Or, if you're going early to Lighthouse or Cobalt, you can put in your dinner order and it will be ready for you when you get back.
Enjoy!!
BettyfromToronto
Contributor
Thank you gb_williams for such glory reports on CC. We are going for the first time May 11-18. How about you Sorrows? Any chance of being there at the same time?
Reidster
Contributor
Yes -thank you gb_Williams!!!! We leave this Saturday-March 30th for Grand Cayman-staying at Cobalt Coast-I will be sure to share my experience with everyone!
BettyfromToronto
Contributor
Have a great trip and we look forward to a full report when you return.
Betty
Betty
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