Of interest to people wanting to shore dive in Cayman Brac

[KathyV]

We have cayman went on dvd. I enjoy watching it just before we go to cayman Brac each trip. Sometimes we show it during our pretrip briefing.

Prior to Covid I did ask CBBR about their non-boat diving rates for shore diving only and they were not competitive. I believe that they only gave a couple of hundred dollars off of the weekly boat diving rate. So it was not really worth staying there unless you wanted to go out on the boat every day. There have been a number of threads already about the restrictions on their boat dive operations.

I prefer a more Bonaire type of arrangement of shore diving when you want and boat diving when you want, where you want, and how long you want. I think cayman Brac offers the best shore diving in the Western Hemisphere and the underwater topography is simply stunning.

From my most recent onversation with CBBR, i could be mistaken, but it sounded Ike they really wanted us to stay at their resort versus staying elsewhere. I don’t know if they would be more shore diving friendly if we were doing that. They went so far as to suggest we stay there in the future. If they wanted to do that, I think they should be more shore diving friendly.

We hope that the Alexander works out and we know that the Brac Shack works regardless of what CBBR does.

Interesting! Brac Scuba Shack has long had a good reputation. I've never stayed at the Alexandria but it looked nice from what I could see. It has had a bit of a bumpy history. I believe that it opened as a hotel and then it re-opened as an airbnb but then it got hit by the pandemic slow-down. It would be really nice if it has a new chance to become a successful enterprise, so I look forward to your report.

I didn't know that you wanted to do a "shore dive only vacation" so that is different from the usual dive visitors to the Brac. You are probably correct that CBBR caters to boat divers that are staying at the resort, even though a few of them might also want to try a little shore diving. They probably would be more welcoming if you were also boat diving with them.

I remember years ago when when we were staying on Nassau. The dive op offered a Shark Feeding Dive but we weren't interested. We eventually figured out that our refusal to pay extra and join the shark dive put us into sort of a "second class diver" category and they kept taking us to the same, boring dive sites. So we finally decided to participate in the Shark Feeding dive and then we were suddenly elevated to "first class diver" status and after that we were taken to some much nicer dive sites! Sometimes you just have to figure out the ropes!

I also have Cayman Went on DVD and I love watching it before a trip to Cayman and I do think that Brac has some of Cayman's most attractive features - the Bluff, the caves, the birds, the people, and the diving! Have fun!

 

[scubadada]

I heard back from Reef Divers, Cayman Brac. Apparently, there is a misunderstanding. Reef Divers supports shore diving with tanks and flags:

Morning Craig,

Thank you for your enquiry and we are delighted you are considering coming back to Cayman Brac Beach Resort for your next trip.

If you are staying with at the resort and/or have a diving package with us, you are welcome to rent shore tanks from the dive shop. We still have dive flags that you can rent if you do not have a surface marker buoy. We unfortunately do not offer transportation to shore dive sites, but there are a number of car rental companies on the island you can use. We are more than happy to help with any advice on weather/dive conditions.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Many thanks

Frankie Tel: +1 (345) 948-1642 clearlycayman.com reefdivers@bracreef.com

 

[KathyV]

I heard back from Reef Divers, Cayman Brac. Apparently, there is a misunderstand. Reef Divers supports shore diving with tanks and flags:

Morning Craig,

Thank you for your enquiry and we are delighted you are considering coming back to Cayman Brac Beach Resort for your next trip.

If you are staying with at the resort and/or have a diving package with us, you are welcome to rent shore tanks from the dive shop. We still have dive flags that you can rent if you do not have a surface marker buoy. We unfortunately do not offer transportation to shore dive sites, but there are a number of car rental companies on the island you can use. We are more than happy to help with any advice on weather/dive conditions.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Many thanks

Frankie Tel: +1 (345) 948-1642 clearlycayman.com reefdivers@bracreef.com

Good to know! We haven't been to Cayman since B.C. (before covid) so I don't know if things have changed much, but another nice thing about shore diving in Cayman was that we never had to worry about having our cars broken into and our personal items stolen while we were out diving.

We loved our laid back dive trips to Bonaire but that was always a significant concern. Something similar happened to my niece and her husband while they were on the Big Island of Hawaii. They left their car to go take a picture of the volcano and came back to find that it had been broken into and some of their possessions had been taken.

I've never said that Cayman is an inexpensive place to visit (neither is Hawaii!) but at least we've never had any feelings of personal danger while we were there.

I know that it can happen anywhere (including Cayman) but we were once robbed in Cozumel and some friends of ours were robbed in Bonaire while we were also there, and it can change your feelings about a place.

 

[scubadada]

I am seriously considering a return to Cayman Brac and would probably opt for 2 boat dives in the morning and shore diving each afternoon. It appears I would possibly be able to do that based at CBBR/Reef Divers or the Alexander Hotel/Scuba Shack.

I wrote to the Alexander Hotel regarding the meal plan and got back the following:

Thank you for your inquiry . Currently , you can only add the breakfast option on the website but we can add it your room rate if you wish too . If you could let me know your intended dates to stay , I can send you a room and meal package quote .

@divezonescuba sent me a message that it is about $25/day for breakfast and dinner, alcohol not included.

The last detail is that I would be doing my shore diving solo. Scuba Shack confirmed I would be able to do this with them when I inquired after my last visit (solo certified and required equipment). I can't remember, but I believe Reef Divers told me they did not support solo shore diving. I will message them to check.

 

[azstinger11]

Odd ball question, but since this thread is full of local experts seem as good as any. Does Brac support CCR at all (without being part of some expedition that brings in outside resources)?

 

[scubadada]

I got back a very prompt reply from Reef Divers regarding solo shore diving:

Craig,

My apologies but, we do not condone solo diving and as far as I understand the Cayman Islands does not either regardless of the certification.

Kind regards, Joe Kellogg Dive Ops Supervisor – Reef Divers Cayman Brac

 

[scubadada]

Odd ball question, but since this thread is full of local experts seem as good as any. Does Brac support CCR at all (without being part of some expedition that brings in outside resources)?

This is off the CBBR Cayman Diver 7-NIght Package page. The Rebreather specific link on the website does not seem to be working. I would contact them, they have been very responsive to my queries. I don't know about Scuba Shack. You probably know that Divetech on Grand Cayman offers extensive support for rebreather diving.

Carefree Cayman for Rebreather Diver**​

Add $500, which includes everything in the standard package plus:
• Oxygen, helium, scrubber material, bailout bottles, and other essential resources
• Dedicated, secure rebreather room, conveniently located near the dive shop and boats
*Prices listed are per person based on double occupancy in standard (lowest priced) room. Rates for other resorts, room types, occupancy, dates, and packages may differ. All travel requires Saturday arrivals with 7-night stays.
**The rebreather diver must bring their own equipment and have a buddy who is also a certified rebreather diver – although that buddy does NOT have to be diving a rebreather. Some staff members are certified as rebreather divers and will be able to provide support in servicing their closed-circuit equipment but cannot service the equipment or provide instruction. Unless on boats 100% dedicated to rebreather divers, guests will be diving the same profiles set for others on the boat. Please provide a minimum of 45 days’ notice if you will be diving with your rebreather.

 

[drrich2]

and as far as I understand the Cayman Islands does not either regardless of the certification.

Thanks for letting us know. Sometimes the undercurrent I sense in statements is interesting. Since solo diving is evidently not illegal in the Caymans, what does it matter that 'the Cayman Islands does not either?'

Whenever the topic of solo diving in the Caymans comes up, it feels like there's some sort of invisible 'Big Brother' in the room frowning on it that a number of dive op.s are either somehow beholden to, or afraid of for some reason, yet rarely are the people in the know highly forthcoming about it.

The last detail is that I would be doing my shore diving solo. Scuba Shack confirmed I would be able to do this with them when I inquired after my last visit (solo certified and required equipment).

If you dive with them and spend any time socializing with staff, get on a friendship basis, it might be interesting to strike up a conversation about solo diving and ask whether they've gotten any flack, 'dirty looks' or what-have-you over supporting it from anybody, and if so, from who.

 

[KathyV]

Thanks for letting us know. Sometimes the undercurrent I sense in statements is interesting. Since solo diving is evidently not illegal in the Caymans, what does it matter that 'the Cayman Islands does not either?'

Whenever the topic of solo diving in the Caymans comes up, it feels like there's some sort of invisible 'Big Brother' in the room frowning on it that a number of dive op.s are either somehow beholden to, or afraid of for some reason, yet rarely are the people in the know highly forthcoming about it.


If you dive with them and spend any time socializing with staff, get on a friendship basis, it might be interesting to strike up a conversation about solo diving and ask whether they've gotten any flack, 'dirty looks' or what-have-you over supporting it from anybody, and if so, from who.

I am not a solo diver but, as you know, this topic has been discussed many times on scubaboard.

I don't think that anyone has ever produced documentation proving that solo diving is illegal in Cayman but there have been indications that it is generally "frowned upon" by many dive ops - possibly due to the Tourism Association Guideline or perhaps by the liability insurance providers. Many Cayman dive ops do not allow solo diving but occasionally someone here on scubaboard references a dive op that does support solo diving.

During our previous trips to Cayman my impression has been that the local culture is generally rather conservative, and that usually doesn't bother me, but things may be changing a little. For example, it used to be difficult to find a place to buy groceries (and especially liquor) on Sundays but that has gotten easier in recent years.

It's possible that the concerns about "solo diving being unsafe" may stem from this conservative culture and perhaps those feelings will relax in the future, I guess time will tell!

 

[scubadada]

I have never been able to find anything in writing to support the general prohibition of solo diving in the Cayman Islands. It appears that the CITA watersports group had made it clear that they do not condone solo diving and that member operations comply, to remain in good standing.

This thread contains the best discussion I have seen SDI Solo training in Cayman Thank you @Divetech Cayman