Shore Diving

[sextonbann]

Hi, guys. Need your advice. We are going to be in Grand Cayman from 8-12 through 8/26. When we were in Maui, we rented our equipment and tanks, then did shore dives wherever we wanted, then had the tanks refilled for the next day. I've contacted 4 or 5 dive shops on Grand Cayman, and when they will rent us the BCD and regulator, they say that they will not allow their tanks to be carried off to other locations. Does anyone know of a dive shop that will allow us to rent the equipment and tanks and just have the tanks refilled everyday?

Looking forward to the diving, but want to get the equipment problem ironed out before I leave.

Thanks for your help.

Barbara
Hamilton, OH

 

[diversteve]

That's pretty much the way it works there. Mostly because the diveops are co-located at the shoredive sites and have generally improved the facilities/entry so that you're expected to rent from them. This is pretty much true for Sunset House, DiveTech at Turtle Reef, Eden Rock etc.

Options: Contact a local on this board and see what they do. PM Nipi here, he does a lot of shorediving there so might be able to help.

You might check with Divetech at Cobalt Coast. They have a good selection of rentals and possibly enough tanks to let some out. Longish drive from SMB for refills though - and I doubt if anyone else will fill their tanks for you if they're marked.

Maybe if you catch Eden Rock on a non-cruiseship day(does that exist in Cayman?) they might let tanks out. Their business lives/dies by the cruise trade. We were there one afternoon and were their only customers since the big boats were gone that day. They rent 100's also.

There's a really well equipped divestore just south of Treasure Island resort in a little strip mall. I don't know the name of it but somebody who lives there and posts here might. I vaguely(it was 2 yrs. ago) remember a rental dept. in the back, don't remember if they rented tanks though.

I guess the other question would be where do you plan to shoredive that there isn't a rental facility onsite/nearby? Cemetary Beach is about the only place I can think of that doesn't require a healthy swim out. Cayman's not like Maui, a lot of it is ironshore cliffs with tough or no access and a lot of the available entries are on gated/private property. Seven Mile Beach is lousy for diving but a great beach since there's no coral reef in close.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

There's a really well equipped divestore just south of Treasure Island resort in a little strip mall. I don't know the name of it but somebody who lives there and posts here might. I vaguely(it was 2 yrs. ago) remember a rental dept. in the back, don't remember if they rented tanks though.

That would be Diver's World. Diver's Supply is the other large, retail-oriented shop. I've never had to rent tanks from one of them, but I've seen some out behind Diver's Supply.

There are plenty of shorediving opportunities. You just need to know where to look.

 

[sextonbann]

Thanks a lot!! I will check these out. Sailbum, are you the one from the Morritts forum?

 

[nipi]

Diver's Supply in West Shore Centre on West Bay Road will let you have tanks for CI$6.00. Divetech at Turtle Farm will also let you take them off site (CI$8.00). Diver's World don't rent tanks as far as I'm aware.

I am surprised that so many said you couldn't take them off site. It's usually the other way round. As far as I know, only Don Fosters are enforceing the no take off site policy for non-residents at present.

As far as shore sites, there are 100s in Grand Cayman for the adventurous - the best are where there are no rental facilities nearby & no buoy - in fact where there isn't another diver for miles (& hasn't been). Jump off the cliffs at Pedro Castle for a starter.

 

[CJ's]

Divetech no longer allow their tanks to be taken offsite.
You can get tanks from Divers Supply in the West Shore centre but remember that shore diving sites with dive shops on site will not allow you to use other people's tanks there, so these are only useful for those out of the way shore dives.

Personally I wouldn't recommend that people jump off the cliffs at Pedro's Castle without suitable local knowledge, especially following the near deaths of 3 tourists there just a couple of weeks ago. They didn't even have to jump....they got swept off by a rogue wave and ended having to be rescued by the only helicopter on the island and some extremely brave policemen.
Luckily for them the pilot is extremely skilled and was available at the time.

Please don't attempt to dive in places where there is no obvious and easy entrance and or exit and without local knowledge of currents, wave action, reefs, tides etc.
Thanks.

CJ

 

[nipi]

We got tanks from Divetech to take offsite last Saturday.

 

[Damselfish]

We got tanks from Divetech to take offsite last Saturday.

does it matter if you're local or visiting?

 

[cerich]

Pedro's peaks is a great dive but the exit sucks, it's deep and the current has done in more than one Cayman Instructor.

 

[nipi]

does it matter if you're local or visiting?

Don't know. They know we're residents as our waivers are on the residents file but I wouldn't have thought it should make any difference if a visitor signs a waiver & leaves a credit card imprint.