Hi all, and thanks for your help in advance. I've been certified for a year now and have a question about Little Cayman. I've logged about 35 dives split about evenly between Coz. and Bonaire, I have also completed my AOW. I've been doing some research for an upcoming trip to Little Cayman and have become a bit concerned that I keep reading that it is a location for advanced divers. Can anyone explain a little bit further what this means? Are the dives that much harder than my previous locations? Is it listed as advanced because the drop at the walls is so deep? Any help is much appreciated.
Little Cayman experience level
- Thread starter cmaha76
- Start date
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rad21
Contributor
cmaha76:
cmaha76,
No worries. My first trip to Little Cayman in 1999, I had about the same number of dives as you did. It is easy diving, just watch your depth. You can follow the divemaster and you can always stay shallow, no need to go to 80+ feet to see all the sealife in LC. My best dives in LC where I saw turtles, eagle rays and other sea life was usually in less than 50 feet. I find it much easier and more relaxing to dive LC than Cozumel. There are little to no currents in LC. I would say that Bonaire is the easiest diving, followed by LC. BTW, those are my 2 favorite places to dive. You will have a blast, enjoy it!
caymaniac
Contributor
cmaha76:
I think they mean that you should have some dives under your belt before diving off the wall,... that you will feel comfortable with no bottom below you. I have seen begginner divers freak out from the thought of "never never land". One experience I've had was when I was on a dive boat a diver came up saying they lost their weight belt, then on the next dive she lost her weight belt again, then on the third dive I was behind her when she ascended. As we were ascending, the boat swung out over the drop off and stayed there. This gal was now in a dilema, she had to cross from the top of the reef to the back of the boat. With her speed up, she became a canidate for an embolism. Fortunately nothing happened. I have also experienced divers that thrashed there way to the back of the boat never to try diving again.
In my opinion Cozumel has much more dangerous dives than Little Cayman. Little Cayman/Bloody Bay/Jacksons bight/ wall rarely has currents, Cozumel has currents that can put you in some trouble.
My wife did her open water certification dives in Little Cayman and I would not hesitate to take a new diver there or recommend it to a new diver. The deepest walls start in 15 or 20 feet of water, so there is always something great to see in a depth you are comfortable with. The max depth they will permit (under Cayman Islands Watersports Association rules) is 100 feet and you don't need to do that. There are only a couple of sites, like Randy's Gazebo, where there is something in particular to see at 90-100 feet. At Randy's Gazebo, there is an interesting coral formation shaped like, well, a gazebo. Truth be known, you wouldn't be missing that much if you didn't see it. Stay in shallower water if you want, see the rest of the reef and the critters.
One skill you will need that you don't use in Cozumel, but probably do use in Bonaire, is navigation. The Little Cayman dive ops usually do not conduct guided dives. They give you a good briefing and declare the pool open. It is up to you to plan your dive (including figuring out turn time and turn pressure), navigate out, and navigate back. There generally is a DM in the water and he or she will give you a tour if you want, but you have to ask. Navigation is usually not too difficult, but it is something you have to do.
Don't worry about it, Little Cayman diving is easy and fantastic. You will love it. It pretty much spoils you for everything else.
One skill you will need that you don't use in Cozumel, but probably do use in Bonaire, is navigation. The Little Cayman dive ops usually do not conduct guided dives. They give you a good briefing and declare the pool open. It is up to you to plan your dive (including figuring out turn time and turn pressure), navigate out, and navigate back. There generally is a DM in the water and he or she will give you a tour if you want, but you have to ask. Navigation is usually not too difficult, but it is something you have to do.
Don't worry about it, Little Cayman diving is easy and fantastic. You will love it. It pretty much spoils you for everything else.
sdwho
Contributor
I don't think of LC as being particularly challenging diving. I suppose some folks might get a bit weirded out the first time they swim off the wall, but its not a big deal. You need to watch your depth, but that's the case in a lot of places, including Coz. If you can handle Coz, you certainly can handle LC. Enjoy!!
mostlyirish
Contributor
Little Cayman was my first dive trip after certifying. I was with 2 friends who both have 15 plus years of experience so I was confident with them as my buddies I would be OK. We were with the LCBR / Reef Divers and it was fabulous. As previously stated you could follow dive master, do your own dive or stay shallow if being out over the abyss was too intimidating. I was definitely the least experienced diver on the boat each day but by the end of the week felt I had gained a great deal of experience for my first rip. On the first dive to about 80 fsw we went through a swim-through which spit us out about 20 feet below the top of the wall. Going into the swimthrough I was flapping my arms like the brand new diver I was thinking that would keep me away from the coral and off the bottom. After some pointers on each dive by my buddies and the dive master I became more and more comfortable and enjoyed each dive more than the one before. I came away from that trip in awe of the new world which opened up to me. Go for it. You will love it. Let the Dive masters know of any apprehensions you have and they will give you recommendations till you are comfortable.
donacheson
Contributor
divingjd:
I'll agree with you about "Don't worry about it.", but the walls beginning at 15 or 20 feet!!! Either your memory or your depth gauge is screwed up! However, the walls don't begin particularly deep - 30 to 40 feet in most places on Bloody Bay and Jackson Bay walls as I recall.
OK, I probably over-simplified, but the alternate name for the popular Mixing Bowl dive site is "Three Fathom Wall" because it starts in 18 feet of water. There are other sites in the area starting in similar depth. We finished up several dives with the hard pan at about 20 ft, cruising along at 15-18 ft. on the world's best (and longest) safety stop. It's not all that shallow, 30-50 ft. is pretty common for the top of the reef.donacheson:
As long as your bouyancy control is good enough to keep you from sinking into the abyss while on the wall (without doing the "hummingbird") not only will you be okay, but you'll have a blast.
All the best, James
All the best, James
ScubaCatgirl
Contributor
We dove GC last year & only had 18 dives under our belts. We dove the dreaded, treachuras (?) east side which tends to be quite rough. We absolutely loved it!!! :voskl1: In fact, if hubby had his choice we be back there diving this year, only I want to try Roatan first before making the Cayman's my choice of the only place I dive. But the Cayman's are the highest on our list of all the places we dove!!!
Navigation would be helpful, I don't know the routine of the DM's on LC, but I do know that over on GC, we were welcome to dive our own profiles as well as go off on our own, but if we wanted to follow the DM we were more than welcome too. No babysitting there unless you want it.
Go dive the Cayman's, you'll absolutely love it!
Navigation would be helpful, I don't know the routine of the DM's on LC, but I do know that over on GC, we were welcome to dive our own profiles as well as go off on our own, but if we wanted to follow the DM we were more than welcome too. No babysitting there unless you want it.
Go dive the Cayman's, you'll absolutely love it!
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