Trip Report Trip Report 6-1 to 6-8

[Joneill]

Bad try at a google earth map with path. Will try again

View attachment 463264

Thanks!

 

[Joneill]

From what I have heard and seen Coconut Bay/Hepps is available if not staying there. Parking may be an issue though. I saw some divers come in with their car and unload gear right at the set up area and then move their car before gearing up and diving. I thought they were not staying at CBC. If you wanted to rent tanks from Duncan, shoot him an email for info and confirmation.

It took me 17 minutes to dive over to turtle reef but that was from CBC ladder, swimming half way out to the mooring ball (away from turtles reef) at Hepps Pipeline (2 min) and then diving to the mooring ball (1-2 min.) banging a left and following the mini wall to the two mooring buoys at Turtle (15 min). You could shorten your trip from Turtle by taking a compass bearing to a point between the turtle reef two moorings and the white mooring ball over at hepps and heading to the mini wall. You could avoid a longer surface swim this way. If you were to dive like you would at Turtle reef and head right along the mini wall it would take you about 20 minutes of diving to get to the Hepps Pipeline mooring ball but it would be diving the whole way with no surface swim required. Do these descriptions make any sense without a map? I would guess the surface swim from Turtle's cut to the Hepps Pipeline mooring ball is 10 mins.

Yes - makes sense. We normally do dives both left and right at Macabuca so we’ve probably gone most of the way to Hepps already. From the mooring ball at Hepps do you dive heading north to dive the Pipeline site?

 

[tkaelin]

My understanding is that the ball is the mooring at the Hepps Pipepline site. It is the mini wall and reef below.

 

[tkaelin]

The boat in the google earth map appears to be moored at Hepps Pipeline with the wind keeping the boat north of the mooring pin.

 

[Joneill]

My understanding is that the ball is the mooring at the Hepps Pipepline site. It is the mini wall and reef below.

Understood, but does the Hepps site continue to the right of the mooring ball - i.e., if we were to keep diving towards and past the boat in the picture? Thanks!

 

[tkaelin]

Not sure where it ends. I have only dove maybe 10 mins to the right. Not sure what is beyond. From Hepps Pipeline you also have the ability to head straight out to the deep wall. Nice cuts, rising coral heads and drop offs.

 

[Joneill]

Not sure where it ends. I have only dove maybe 10 mins to the right. Not sure what is beyond. From Hepps Pipeline you also have the ability to head straight out to the deep wall. Nice cuts, rising coral heads and drop offs.

Thanks - we usually dive out to the deep wall from Divetech at Lighthouse Point. Last year we rented scooters there so we could get out to the deep wall quickly. We saw 5 Hawksbill turtles on that dive including a rather large one feeding on a barrel sponge at 108'. The main wall is impressive there.

 

[Dish]

Nice report @tkaelin . We may have to try this out next trip.

I agree that the shore dives around Grand Cayman are quite good and we have done a bunch of them. My previous reports have focused on boat dives out on the East End because that is what we have been doing lately. Need to spend more time on the West End again.

 

[swimbody]

Hello takelin! We dove with you almost everyday after you departed for the mini at 7am; we were the group from Texas and LA. I concur with your report, that place was amazing for shore diving. We swam out to the big wall via the buoy and then about a 20 degree heading to the right for 100yds... descended to 75' when we saw the wall and floated up to around 55' to swim over each ridge where turtles greeted us each day along with all the other life tkaelin described. We got a great Eagle Ray show as it fed on the sand "driveway" down to the depths one morning. It was a very easy swim back to the mini-wall where we turned left (West) and headed back to the buoy and then to the coast aka the ladder to depart the dive. Everyone in our group was overwhelmed each day with the abundance of life, the reef is in such great condition west of Macabuca, I honestly felt that the reef East of Macabuca and nearing Dive Tech was pretty ill looking. The reef outside Coconut Bay was just staggering. Wow. Duncan was a fabulous host and never sweated the small stuff. I just want that place to remain anonymous as long as possible.

 

[tkaelin]

I just want that place to remain anonymous as long as possible

Hey Swimbody, nice sharing CBC and Hepps with you. After our trip last year and before this one I was seriously contemplating not posting a trip report at all not wanting to spread the word too much. After our great week and seeing all the other folks, including your group, enjoying their stay at CBC and the diving, I felt more comfortable posting a report and "letting the word out" so to speak.

Already thinking of heading back for our Jan trip instead of CUR. Already saw Cayman Airways fare for $319 which is a nonstop for us (plus two free checked bags, hot meal and a rum punch). Back to reality now though, doing some work around the house and getting ready for a busy week of work.

PS I agree that Duncan is great to work with.