Little Cayman Beach Resort trip report

[South4Scuba]

We just returned from a week at Little Cayman Beach Resort. This was about our 5th or 6th trip and the resort was as good as ever. It might even be a little better than years past.

Fish count was as good as ever and the diving was great. When the weather cooperates, there is no better resort than LCBR and Reef Divers.

We return to LCBR every May and usually one other time during the year. It depends on how bad United Airlines is screwing people on airfare.

 

[scubadada]

When I was there—quite some time ago—the divemasters were happy to allow me the freedom to dive my own profiles, as you say, but their flexibility did not include a "reasonable time" limit. Instead, it was a hard and fast 50 minutes. That's not a complaint, just an observation. They have a pretty tight schedule, and it can feel a little bit regimented at times.

They seem a bit more flexible now, with the deeper morning dives slated for perhaps 110'/50 minutes max and second tanks / afternoon dives planned as 60/60 (although at several sites you would have to dig in the sand a while to hit 60'). I was usually one of the first in once the pool opened and often one of the last up the ladder, and nearly always exceeded 60 minutes. If you hang around waiting for the DM's tour (he has to help the others into the pool before he can get wet), your dive time may be shorter. I do recall one afternoon dive (on the day before the DMs' day off) we only had a few divers, and I was completing my safety stop at about 62 minutes just off the ladder as they started bringing in the hookah, the hang chain, and one ladder. My buddy had cleared her computer during the latter part of the dive around some shallow coral heads while I was towards the bottom of the same heads, so still had to clear my safety stop. They wanted to got, so I go the hint and climbed aboard. At no other time did I feel rushed. These guys work hard and 6 days a week, so I could certainly understand them looking forward to their day off!

Yeah, the hard limit on dive times is one I have never personally experienced there. The only times I have seen them get on anybody about dive times was when one buddy pair was down well past the stated profile when everybody else was on the boat. Even then, it is usually only a problem if the boat is running behind...usually because people were late getting on in the am. My experience has been that if everybody gets to the boat on time in the morning or even a few minutes early, then the crew can be alot more relaxed about the schedule. My wife and I usually try to be one of the first few buddy teams into the water and then are one of the last couple teams out, and pretty much always have at least 60-65 minute dive times, and I have had a few where I was around 70 minutes.

My wife and I have had this same experience. We tried to be the first in last out and could get 70min on a dive, 60+ is was no problem.

My son and I stayed at LCBR in July 2010 and did 18 dives. We were told the dives should be 60 minutes. We did not want to be rude so our average dive time was 64 minutes (53-68 minutes). We were always amongst the first in and last out. Nobody ever said anything or complained, it was reasonably relaxed. We dived on our own rather than with the DM.

 

[jpdunc]

My wife and I are leaving tomorrow for a return trip to LCBR. We were there last year a week earlier and had a great week. The rooms are nice, the food is outstanding, and the diving is valet service. We almost felt guilty they treated us so well--I said ALMOST. We had absolutely no complaints and look forward to our return.

Do any recent visitors recall the water temps?

 

[crux0724]

Temps were consistently 82 as of 2 weeks ago.