Looking for recommendations on well-rounded diving destinations in the Caribbean.

[Thalassamania]

I will be very happy to give you the names of the 9 NOAA scientist

Feel free.

and the Cayman Islands DOE staff

I doubt that I know them, havn't been to Cayman since I worked on the then new Fisheries law there back in the late 1970s, early 1980s.

that were just blown away by the what they saw from Spanish Bay and Hepp's Wall on the Northwest side of Grand Cayman.

I do not doubt that it is nice.

It all started when I posted pictures of large stands of Elkhorn, Stagehorn, Hugh barrels (10'), 8' black coral tree and fields of Sea Fans. They were blown away by the pictures and had to see for themselves.

That morning started out just walking down the dock at Cobalt Coast Resort and they saw from the dock large stands of Elkhorn and 100's of Sea Fans. After the whole day of tours at their debriefing they all said that after 3 weeks of seeing all three islands that this area was by far the healthiest reefs.

Being polite to an enthusiastic host is hardly the same thing as "rating" foreign reefs and "voting" some location as best. Again, I find this story odd given the official NOAA website that describes their Cayman installations and that states, "This combination of water quality, diverse coral and fish species, and abundance of easily seen large mammals and fish is also why Little Cayman has been rated the top diving destination in the Caribbean many times over. " but makes no mention of the reefs at Cobalt Coast. Cobalt Coast may be just great, it maybe absolutely beautiful, but placing NOAA in a role that it does not normally fulfill makes the story questionable.

 

[divejay]

When I get back home to Ligthouse Point on Grand Cayman I will find their NOAA business cards and then you can find out way they were at all three islands for 3 weeks, since you feel I'm not reliable information.

By the way, I have lived in the Cayman Islands for 28 years and Little Cayman is not what it use to be in respects to Macro and reef health. I think it is because the top of reef is so shallow 20' before it drops off were in Grand Cayman it's 40'-50' before it drops off.

 

[divejay]

Below are some of the NOAA Ph.D. and scientist that took part on April 16th, 2011 on the evaluation of reef health at Cobalt Coast.
1) Cheryl Woodley Ph.D.
2) Craig Downs Ph.D.
3) Scott Taylor Ph.D.
4) John Bothwell

Cheryl Woodley could provide the other 5 names of scientist.