Last Minute Little Cayman Assistance

[Testudo]

Trying to help out a TripAdvisor poster - snowdrenched. Here's the deal:

"We're going to Little Cayman Dec 22 for a week, did not book dives yet and now they're all full.
Please, are there any ideas what we could do?
Our hostess is very helpful, but no luck yet. We are 2 divers. We're going for the diving, nothing else!

Reef Divers.....is full
Southern cross
Pirates point
Conch club"

Any advice to save a dive holiday?

 

[reefduffer]

OK, with the caveat that I've only been a guest there a couple of times, and don't know either if they'd let you do this, or if it's actually available:

LCBR books packages for 2 dives a day (morning trip) or 3 dives (add the afternoon trip). As big as they are, there's a fair chance some guests only book the morning.
So one might think they could handle an afternoon dive by a couple of non-guests most days. You could ask.

One dive a day for someone who's only there for the diving would be a bummer, but it would be better than none.

Other than that - "Showing up is half the battle”. If you're on-island and let the ops know you're available for any cancellations, either total, or day by day, you might get some dives in. There's always someone who's not feeling well. Depends on the Op's policy, but if it was me, I'd drop by in person and make your situation clear.

 

[Damselfish]

I wonder where this person is staying to begin with.

The other possibility is shore diving, if folks are self sufficient. Even though this is apparently possible and done by locals, it seems rarely done by guests - doesn't make much sense logistically for visitors staying at one of the dive resorts. But if it's the only option that's a different matter.

At someplace like LCBR or Conch Club you normally leave your BC and reg on the boat, set up on a tank holding your spot for the next dive whether that afternoon or the next day. It would be a bit of a nuisance to break the routine and for instance take your stuff on the boat for morning dives then back off to do afternoon shore dives - and maybe not particularly cheaper to rent a vehicle to get you and your gear to the entry points, than it is to just book the afternoon boat dive. Renting a car on Little Cayman is atypical and (I hear) expensive and not normally of much use, but if it's the only option and someone is trying to do a good number of shore dives might make sense. Would have to find an op willing to just rent tanks for shore diving, and I don't know if that might be more of a problem when they are fully booked.

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

I can only speak to shore diving at LCBR...it is generally not done for a couple of reasons. The boat channel to the pier and a bit beyound can have some strong currents. Second point, getting to many of the boat dive sites would not be an easy swim because of distance. I have been to LCBR a number of times nad have never seen a person doing a shore dive nor talked to a person who has done a shore dive there. That said, there may be locations on LC where shore diving is possible. I did rent a car on trip and it was not overly expensive, but we did the round island trip in half a day. We did not seek out shore dive spots. Given the number of boats available to Reef Divers, I would guess they are only limited by boat crew. Remember, LCBR can hold about 80 people....I would be surprised if you showed up, that they would not accommodate the divers. Of course, they offer perference to LCBR guests.

 

[Damselfish]

Yeah, I've been to LCBR many times and don't see people shore diving. Not talking about diving in front of the resorts or swimming out through the boat channel though, that is why one would need transportation. The shore diving people have talked about on this board is on the Bloody Bay side. Some sites are a distance out but some are not. There actually used to be a sort of rustic resort on that side that offered shore diving called Sam McCoy's, which has been closed for years now.

It sounds like this person has already contacted LCBR and others and been told they are full. If LCBR were filled with divers, which is not inconceivable, that pretty much maxes out their 4 dive boats. I do agree, getting in touch with the various ops and hoping for afternoon openings is the best bet. (Or hoping for last minute openings, but if they'll accommodate that you'd probably need to be waiting on the dock with your gear, since people that are signed up for the full dive package don't get money back if they skip dives and typically will just not show up and may not tell anyone in advance.) Last time we were there, Nitrox tanks seemed to be a bit tight (so they would have you do 2 at a time rather than 3) which is why I mentioned the tanks.

 

[nipi]

I have done hundreds of shore dives on LCM. Rent a car from Perry (McLaughlin Car & Moped Rentals. P.O. Box 43. Little Cayman KY3-2501 t: +1 (703) 349-5220 t: +1 (345) 948-1000 f: +1 (345) 948-1001 littlcay@candw.ky). Rent your tanks & weights from Conch Club Divers (Phone: (345) 948-1026 Fax: (345) 948-1028 Phone from the US: (832) 460-9127 e-mail: ccdivers@candw.ky). Get a map of dive sites from the LCBR reception. Head for the Jackson's/Bloody Bay Wall sites on the NW coast - Cumber's Caves is the Agressor mooring at the end of the sand track opposite the cross island road & is a less than 5 min swim from shore. Enjoy. Repeat.

 

[carriemak]

As previously mentioned, contact Reef Divers when you get there and present your issue. I have found at Christmas time that LCBR has a lot of non-diver guests. You might get lucky and be able to pick up as many dives as you want. Good luck.

 

[snowdrenched]

I have done hundreds of shore dives on LCM. Rent a car from Perry (McLaughlin Car & Moped Rentals. P.O. Box 43. Little Cayman KY3-2501 t: +1 (703) 349-5220 t: +1 (345) 948-1000 f: +1 (345) 948-1001 littlcay@candw.ky). Rent your tanks & weights from Conch Club Divers (Phone: (345) 948-1026 Fax: (345) 948-1028 Phone from the US: (832) 460-9127 e-mail: ccdivers@candw.ky). Get a map of dive sites from the LCBR reception. Head for the Jackson's/Bloody Bay Wall sites on the NW coast - Cumber's Caves is the Agressor mooring at the end of the sand track opposite the cross island road & is a less than 5 min swim from shore. Enjoy. Repeat.

Thanks for this reply and all the others and for Testudo posting it for me. We will do the shorediving if boats dives remain unavailable. We stay at the Conch club.