More About Shore Dive Options on Grand Cayman

[cgills]

Forced to rent tanks from onsite dive op?
Why do folks have such an issue with this? The onsite dive op maintains the site with ladders, rinse tanks, showers, facility lighting. Water and power doesn't come cheap on the island. By renting from them, you are supporting the maintenance of the site. They don't own the reef, but they are providing the ease of access to it. They may prefer their tanks are not be hauled through sand or over potentially hazardous iron shore. You want to dive with those shore conditions, Divers Supply rents tanks or as EastEnd Diver states, learn the secret handshake.

I own waterfront. I have a dock and a ladder. I don't feel the need to provide access to the masses, for something that came out of my pocket and I maintain.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @KathyV

Re Bonaire. The pier at Bari reef is only for guests at Den Laman or Sand Dollar using that Dive Friends location. Same goes for the gear storage area and tanks on the pier. Other divers use the parking and entry just south of Den Laman. Tanks for other Dive Friends locations are available near the office. The pier has been finished (since last December) and has new set up benchs and tables, very nice. Dive Friends boats leave from the pier.

 

[caydiver]

cgills I totally agree with you. Couple it the fact that there were many less people and many practices that are no longer acceptable (ie beers on a dive boat during SIT) and it should be no surprise. There are many things that we could do for fun where I grew up that we can no longer do anymore. Things change in part because of incidents or bad behavior of the part of some individuals that ruin it for everyone. I had someone call just the other day looking for tanks and weights as he wanted to dive at Compass Point. The weather was awful and he said their shop was closed. Would we rent him gear—absolutely not. I wouldn’t want the responsibility if something happened to him. For that matter I wouldn’t even want him as a customer. Have no idea what his diving skills are but due to total lack of common sense would consider him a totally unsafe diver. We obviously have access to tanks and often go for shore dives from different spots but would not take our tanks to a spot where someone is running an op anymore than I would bring outside food into a restaurant. Most locals and/or regulars have their own or know where to get tanks. Don’t really know of any visitors who bring their own so don’t see the issue anyway. Of course any op or business has the right to operate their business as they want as long as it is not illegal. May have nothing to do with any other op in the same business. Too complain because you want something that simply isn’t offered seems pretty selfish.

 

[KathyV]

Forced to rent tanks from onsite dive op?
Why do folks have such an issue with this? The onsite dive op maintains the site with ladders, rinse tanks, showers, facility lighting. Water and power doesn't come cheap on the island. By renting from them, you are supporting the maintenance of the site. They don't own the reef, but they are providing the ease of access to it. They may prefer their tanks are not be hauled through sand or over potentially hazardous iron shore. You want to dive with those shore conditions, Divers Supply rents tanks or as EastEnd Diver states, learn the secret handshake.

I own waterfront. I have a dock and a ladder. I don't feel the need to provide access to the masses, for something that came out of my pocket and I maintain.

I don't actually have an issue with it, I just think that it is curious that people vehemently insist that it is "the law, required, and not allowed!" but that doesn't actually seem to be true. As far as maintaining a site, I am totally okay and appreciative of the onsite ops. Right now I am thinking about Turtle Reef, that's our favorite GC shore dive and we love Olin and Sun Divers and we look forward to giving them our business again soon (fingers crossed for good weather!) We enjoy their clean, well-maintained, and convenient facilities, and then we love sitting down to order some good food and drinks from Macabuca when the diving is done - it couldn't get any better and I wouldn't change it!

But I do see snorkelers and swimmers in the water there all the time. They use the parking lot, the ladder, the shower, the restrooms, and walk across the property to enter the water, but they don't pay a fee to swim there - although some may buy food at the Cracked Conch or Macabuca so that's good. But I am wondering how it would be received if a diver came in there with his own tank and gear and did the exact same thing. If he didn't use the dive op's rinse tank or drying rack/staging area, but he did use the parking lot, the ladder, the shower, the restroom, and walked across the property to enter the water - and may or may not order food - how would he be received? He might be told that it is "not allowed" but is he really any different from a snorkeler or a swimmer?

I'm just playing "Devil's Advocate" here because I like the current system, it is safe, easy, and convenient. I understand that business owners need to make a living and protect their property and business, and I appreciate that they have overhead and have to pay employees and I like all that great things that they provide. I agree that they deserve to get paid for all they do. I am just curious as to how it all changed and became the "unofficial law"? It really is a bit like a secret handshake thing!

Oh well, things change - some would say that they have changed for the better, but others might disagree.

 

[Joneill]

Right now I am thinking about Turtle Reef, that's our favorite GC shore dive and we love Olin and Sun Divers and we look forward to giving them our business again soon (fingers crossed for good weather!) We enjoy their clean, well-maintained, and convenient facilities, and then we love sitting down to order some good food and drinks from Macabuca when the diving is done - it couldn't get any better and I wouldn't change it!

... and Olin has the best tank fills on the island in my experience as well - consistenty well on the high side (and incredibly well maintained tanks as well!)

 

[kelemvor]

Sounds like a pretty crappy set of rules to me. Law or not, it's not right. Shady stuff like this can give a dive destination some serious negative "press" on the internet.

That said, it won't dissuade me from going to the Caymans next year. I'm sure I'll get all the dives I want with regular boat dives.

 

[caydiver]

It is not a law but it may be a rule at an individual shop. There is nothing that stops me as an op for loaning out a tank but whether or not I want to do it to a specific individual is my choice. If you asked one of our guys depending on who you are they might ask me or my partner or they might just we don’t do that. If the individual is pushy enough not to leave it at that, they might say it’s a rule rather than having to tell the person that we are not comfortable with them as an individual. I really don’t understand why anyone would think it is okay to bring their own goods to a place of business whose actual business is it to provide those goods. We along with many other ops take our guests on night dives at Macabuca all the time. We bring the guests gear but use their tanks. They are ordered during the day and left out for us. It is only fair. We would never bring our tanks to their place of business but we would take our tanks to places where there are none. Would you bring a six pack into a bar for yourself? I see nothing shady or unfair in anyway with this.

 

[Alucard]

Well, not all divers doing shore dives have to rent tanks from the on-site dive shop - CCR divers, for example, aren't going to be renting their tanks and gear from anyone.

Most of the locals that I know don't buy their standard (open circuit) tanks, but rent them as and when they need them from the dive shop where they are diving.

 

[caydiver]

Totallly agree about CCR, was only referring to standard tanks. We don't make CCR divers use our tanks either Also agree about locals owning tanks. Its too much hassle when you can rent them easily enough whenever they want. That why I can't understand the point of this thread. Unless you have your own which most people do not you have to rent (unless you have really good friends). If you are going to a place that rents tanks anyway why wouldn't you want to just get them there anyway??? Maybe some folks just think it enhances their experience to be lugging tanks in and out of cars and lugging them across parking lots when they are already at the location but not I am definitely not in that category. Will I do it at a place with no option absolutely!

 

[flyboy08]

Off topic but I have thought (dreamed!) about that too, and the thing that always gives me pause is the issue of healthcare coverage. I have healthcare benefits in the US but not outside of our country, so how expensive would it be to pay for doctor visits, hospitalizations, medications, etc. As we get older I am paying more attention to this issue. What HC benefits are available to foreign visitors from the US to other countries? If you are a legal resident and own property and pay property taxes are you eligible for care services?

My niece recently lived in Germany for 3 years with her husband who is employed by a US-based company that has international offices. They were given a short list of doctors and healthcare facilities in their area that accepted their insurance and they could only go to those places. Is that the norm? Or do you have to take private insurance that will be accepted outside the US? I know that when we eventually retire and go on Medicare it will not apply outside the US.

So when I think about healthcare my daydreams of exotic living become much more limited to places like Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the USVIs. What are the options for foreigners for the healthcare services offered in Bonaire (The Netherlands)? I remember reading that near the end of his life, Captain Don from Habitat had to travel to Florida for healthcare services, but that might have been due to the complexity of his condition, and not about the insurance.

Where in your health care policy does it exclude non USA territories? That would be weird! I’m with BCBS and covered WW, albeit I may have to shell out the money first and submit payment to BCBS after the fact.