Questions about Cayman diving ? Answers from someone who lives here
- Thread starter Sir James Cayman
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kurtluker
Registered
Hi..Yes...you are exactly what I was looking for...
We leave tomorrow for 8 days..staying at Lighthouse Point Condominiums and diving with Dive Tech. We have a rental car. I have printed out all the information I can find on Shore Diving and entry/exit points and reef maps, etc. We are doing a lot of cooking ourselves....but would love to know your thoughts on the different shore dive locations...which ones are must see diving, funnest, worth the effort, etc. Also local cuisine....we like to eat out occasionally and would appreciate your recommendations on the local establishments and things we must try. Also the above water activities......not a lot to do while there but are there any places you would recomment going? is the mastic trail a waste of time? what about the garden with teh blue iguanas? What about shopping? Where are some neat places to go root around? Rum cakes..who makes the best ? Any information you can provide on these items will be much appreciated. Thanks for doing this for others. P.S. we too are using one of our tank dives to visit Stingray City and I appreciate your confirmation that it is a nice place to go.....
We leave tomorrow for 8 days..staying at Lighthouse Point Condominiums and diving with Dive Tech. We have a rental car. I have printed out all the information I can find on Shore Diving and entry/exit points and reef maps, etc. We are doing a lot of cooking ourselves....but would love to know your thoughts on the different shore dive locations...which ones are must see diving, funnest, worth the effort, etc. Also local cuisine....we like to eat out occasionally and would appreciate your recommendations on the local establishments and things we must try. Also the above water activities......not a lot to do while there but are there any places you would recomment going? is the mastic trail a waste of time? what about the garden with teh blue iguanas? What about shopping? Where are some neat places to go root around? Rum cakes..who makes the best ? Any information you can provide on these items will be much appreciated. Thanks for doing this for others. P.S. we too are using one of our tank dives to visit Stingray City and I appreciate your confirmation that it is a nice place to go.....
EastEndDiver
Contributor
I have to ask.......is this thread for real?
Scubaboard has several full time Cayman residants who post regularly and have been answering questions honestly for a long time, some of those that come to mind are Alex,Drew,CJ,Roombaguy,Jason to name just a few,there are more.Lets not leave out those who live part time on island myself being one of them.I would like to mention that one member Testudo has a great blog which lists many of the snorkeling and dive spots that are off the beaten path.
I mean no offense to the OP but it just sounds somewhat self serving being your first post.
You can call me Sir John.
Scubaboard has several full time Cayman residants who post regularly and have been answering questions honestly for a long time, some of those that come to mind are Alex,Drew,CJ,Roombaguy,Jason to name just a few,there are more.Lets not leave out those who live part time on island myself being one of them.I would like to mention that one member Testudo has a great blog which lists many of the snorkeling and dive spots that are off the beaten path.
I mean no offense to the OP but it just sounds somewhat self serving being your first post.
You can call me Sir John.
Lopez116
Contributor
The rental car was a good call. You can definitely explore a lot more of the island that way. There are, of course, all the shore dives located at the different dive shops from Dive Tech to the north all the way down to Sunset House and all the places in between. They are all a little different. Even the not so popular ones like Lobster Pot and Cheeseburger Reef/Wreck of the Callie are unique and interesting.
Then, there are the shore dives that don't have a dive shop, for which you must bring your own tank. These are more adventurous and I would recommend hooking up with a dive guide or DM to take you to them. You would have to rent tanks from Divers Supply, but in my opinion, it's worth it. There's something about going off away from the crowds where there are no other divers around and hiking to the dive site that I really find appealing. Babylon can be done from shore as well as numerous others. I say to hook up with a guide because they'll know better if conditions are not good to try the particular site, where to dive instead, where to park, enter the water, etc. This site is really good: Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Cayman Islands, Caribbean
As someone already mentioned, check out Testudo's Snorkel Guide (TESTUDO'S SNORKEL GUIDE: Cayman Off the Beaten Path). Lot's of really good info there.
Is the Mastic Trail worth it? It depends on your interests. If you admire and appreciate the indigenous plants or your environment in genera, I would say "yes." If you aren't really into nature, I would say "no." I liked it because I am very much in the latter category of people.
Re local eating establishments - must do Chicken Chicken (in Diver's Supply shopping center), My Bar, Macabuca (at Sundivers/Turtle Reef), Cimboco, and the Sunshine Suites restaurant. We went to Papagallo, which is an Italian restaurant up north. The ambiance was incredible and the food was pretty good, but the prices were through the roof.
I did the Stingray City dive and I would recommend it. It is very long (possibly too long), but seeing/feeling the rays that close to you is pretty amazing. They take you on a little tour of the reef at the end. There is a moray that is VERY familiar with divers (sort of freaks me out actually).
My wife and I spent some time walking around downtown George Town and then went to Smith's Cove (south of Sunset House), used the beach there, and walked along the iron shore checking out the tidepools.
Since you have a car, go to Rum Point at least once. Very unique place and you can walk out a very long way before the water gets even remotely deep.
You guys are going to have a blast.
OP
Sir James Cayman
Registered
SHORE DIVING
There are several secret places with no services and a few places off Condos where its for the owners only, but unless you live here you can not easily find. But here are a few places that all have services and easy access in and out of the water.
All these sites below you MUST rent a tank from that place and show your C Card. You can either use your own equipment or rent. All EXCEPT eden rock usually do not charge for weight belt and weights.
My FAVORITE is Turtle Farm Reef located in West Bay near the turtle farm. Hense the name. You find Sun Divers shop at Macabuca/Cracked Conch. There you rent the tank. The facilities are great. Easy access through a big latter into a 10ft bay area. Facilities include shower, large rinse bin. shaded area with benches to gear up. And access to a bathroom. Staff is great and very helpful to new guests.
Entry is as easy as it can be. The Mini-wall (30-65ft with a sandy floor) is a very short swim out. Go left for dive 1 and swim with 20-30 large tarpon. Go right for dive 2 for much more coral formations. Very good possibility you will see Turtle, Sting rays, eel, small octopus and fish to many to list. There is an abundance of sponges. Look into some holes and you will see lots of little stuff too. You will not be disapointed. With my camera I have done over 100 dives there. For the more experienced "Turtle Reef divers" its a 200 yard swim out to the main wall with depths of 75- to what ever.
When you come up there is a bar and restaurant right there to rehash the dives!!
2) Right down the street is the LightHouse (dive tech). Very similar Min-wall to Sun divers. Slightly easier access to the main wall with the underwater rope. Shaded set up bench area and rinse bin but no bar or restaurant. They have a sister site at Cobalt Coast. (see previous entry). They have good facilities and located at a hotel.
3) Eden rock. A very popular TOURIST spot located just south of downtown. Its known for the cave diving in 20-50 feet of diving. Excellent place (during MID Summer) when the Silversides are there. (You tube Sllversides Grand Cayman Eden Rock) This is a ONCE and done place as the fish life is only 30% of that in West Bay. You come for the caves.
4) Sunset House is located farther south of town and Eden rock. This shore dive is famous for its MERMAID statue and the small sunken WW2 small landing craft. No Mini-Walls or caves but plenty of good coral and fish life (better than Eden Rock). The Main wall is a bit of swim but worthwhile when the conditions are right. Lacks set up benches and shaded set up, No where to hand stuff to dry. Great bar and restaurant. (Have the red conch chowder, I think its among the best on the island.)
5) Don Fosters Dive Shop is also south of town between Eden Rock and Sunset house. Short swim out to the honey comb of corals. Diver statue of metal is fun. Fish and Coral life is good. Similar swim out to the main wall as Sunset house, A slight negative is that they make you carry a above waterlevel dive flag attached to a rope. They give the flag to carry. It is because of Don Foster boat traffic. Some shaded area for set up. No bar or restaurant.
I do very little shore diving on the south or east end so I will not comment on those few. The above are the main ones on the west side that have SERVICES. Like I said there are few sites without services where you bring your own tank, but I think most people would be happy with the ones mentioned above.
Gotta run to do a NIGHT dive at Turtle Reef. Thats right BEST and easiest place for a cool night dive.
Sir James
There are several secret places with no services and a few places off Condos where its for the owners only, but unless you live here you can not easily find. But here are a few places that all have services and easy access in and out of the water.
All these sites below you MUST rent a tank from that place and show your C Card. You can either use your own equipment or rent. All EXCEPT eden rock usually do not charge for weight belt and weights.
My FAVORITE is Turtle Farm Reef located in West Bay near the turtle farm. Hense the name. You find Sun Divers shop at Macabuca/Cracked Conch. There you rent the tank. The facilities are great. Easy access through a big latter into a 10ft bay area. Facilities include shower, large rinse bin. shaded area with benches to gear up. And access to a bathroom. Staff is great and very helpful to new guests.
Entry is as easy as it can be. The Mini-wall (30-65ft with a sandy floor) is a very short swim out. Go left for dive 1 and swim with 20-30 large tarpon. Go right for dive 2 for much more coral formations. Very good possibility you will see Turtle, Sting rays, eel, small octopus and fish to many to list. There is an abundance of sponges. Look into some holes and you will see lots of little stuff too. You will not be disapointed. With my camera I have done over 100 dives there. For the more experienced "Turtle Reef divers" its a 200 yard swim out to the main wall with depths of 75- to what ever.
When you come up there is a bar and restaurant right there to rehash the dives!!
2) Right down the street is the LightHouse (dive tech). Very similar Min-wall to Sun divers. Slightly easier access to the main wall with the underwater rope. Shaded set up bench area and rinse bin but no bar or restaurant. They have a sister site at Cobalt Coast. (see previous entry). They have good facilities and located at a hotel.
3) Eden rock. A very popular TOURIST spot located just south of downtown. Its known for the cave diving in 20-50 feet of diving. Excellent place (during MID Summer) when the Silversides are there. (You tube Sllversides Grand Cayman Eden Rock) This is a ONCE and done place as the fish life is only 30% of that in West Bay. You come for the caves.
4) Sunset House is located farther south of town and Eden rock. This shore dive is famous for its MERMAID statue and the small sunken WW2 small landing craft. No Mini-Walls or caves but plenty of good coral and fish life (better than Eden Rock). The Main wall is a bit of swim but worthwhile when the conditions are right. Lacks set up benches and shaded set up, No where to hand stuff to dry. Great bar and restaurant. (Have the red conch chowder, I think its among the best on the island.)
5) Don Fosters Dive Shop is also south of town between Eden Rock and Sunset house. Short swim out to the honey comb of corals. Diver statue of metal is fun. Fish and Coral life is good. Similar swim out to the main wall as Sunset house, A slight negative is that they make you carry a above waterlevel dive flag attached to a rope. They give the flag to carry. It is because of Don Foster boat traffic. Some shaded area for set up. No bar or restaurant.
I do very little shore diving on the south or east end so I will not comment on those few. The above are the main ones on the west side that have SERVICES. Like I said there are few sites without services where you bring your own tank, but I think most people would be happy with the ones mentioned above.
Gotta run to do a NIGHT dive at Turtle Reef. Thats right BEST and easiest place for a cool night dive.
Sir James
While I am happy to see another local resident join us here, I am a bit puzzled by the references to "real" information and the lack of bias because of not being an "agent for any condo/hotel or any dive operator". Those of us who have been here for a few years now dispense "real" information, or try to, and I am not aware of any agent for a condo/hotel or dive op who posts regularly.
You also say that you only dive with a couple of dive ops regularly, which is less than ideal. People are usually looking for fairly broad comparisons of dive ops and for one that suits their own particular experience level. Two dive ops is a pretty small pool to select from.
Anyway, I hope I have not offended you and I look forward to soaking up some "real" info about Grand Cayman.
OP
Sir James Cayman
Registered
I am not here to offend anyone, nor push any ones dive operation (yet to mention anyone yet ). I have not read what has been written before so I am sorry I said "real answers". I have traveled to several scuba destinations only find out what I read from some internet page was not true and it bothered me. (not referring to this site) I found this site and decided to post what I thought.
On shore diving I really believe what I said. I have been to all those sites many times and in MY opinion Turtle reef at Macabuca is the best.
Sir James just happens to be my "handle". Not I that I deserve it. There tons of Jim, Jimmy and James so some of my friends starting calling me Sir James.
And YES I really live here in Cayman and this is no fake.
On shore diving I really believe what I said. I have been to all those sites many times and in MY opinion Turtle reef at Macabuca is the best.
Sir James just happens to be my "handle". Not I that I deserve it. There tons of Jim, Jimmy and James so some of my friends starting calling me Sir James.
And YES I really live here in Cayman and this is no fake.
kurtluker
Registered
REal or not real......I appreciate any and all information........I bet most people are like me....here to find out any information they can on their next dive destination......because any information is more than I had before..........I find it is always better to take people at face value and not question their motives....in the end, we will dive where we want to dive...but we appreciate the information everyone provided.....very helpful. no sleep tonight....we leave tomorrow!!!!!!
Lopez116
Contributor
Kurtluker - what I would give to switch places with you right now! Have a Caybrew for me at least, huh?
EastEndDiver
Contributor
If you do a search you will see that many of us,those that live here full time and those that visit regularly,have said that in "our" opinion "Turtle Reef" is one of the best shore dives on island.
That's for "REAL" Jack !!
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