Trip Report - Brac Reef Beach Resort

[chibracdiver]

Divers cannot carry spears. They can carry knives. The dive masters handle the eradication of the lionfish. I know some others that have gone thru a course to get certified but they really do not want us out there attempting to thin the herd. A few of my friends on the Brac have had mishaps with lionfish and it doesn't look like a real good time. The pain is very intense. While diving you are encouraged to point them out so the dive master can attempt to remove it from the ocean. There are a few sites on Brac where the groupers meet you on the descent and tag along with you during your dive hoping to get a free meal. Diving with an entourage of grouper is pretty cool. Cayman Brac is a great dive destination. My son and four other friends have been certified there. We love it and plan on retiring there. Glad to see more divers falling in love with the place.

 

[BDSC]

There are a few sites on Brac where the groupers meet you on the descent and tag along with you during your dive hoping to get a free meal.

So we went back to the Brac in 2011. It was our first visit since they had rebuilt. I had someone tell me that the grouper at the Brac would actually lead you to where the lionfish were hiding. So I called BS on that. No way. Well low and behold on one site as went went down, we had two grouper swim right up to us and then back to the reef about 40 to 50 ft. away. They would circle the area and then swim back to us and back to the same spot and kept repeating. I'm thinking no way. So we make our way to the exact spot they kept swimming to and just under the ledge were two lionfish! I kid you not.

At one time the DM's had stopped killing the LF when diving with guests because they were having problems with the sharks becoming more "friendly". I'm assuming they have started it back up.

 

[chibracdiver]

I experienced the same thing on a swim thru on the south side, sorry cannot recall the site. The grouper went out in front of me and circled around at the overhang so I dropped down to find a very large lionfish hanging out. I was able to alert the DM and that grouper enjoyed the spoils of his work. They actually get quite close, within inches, so you cannot make any sudden moves as you do not want to hit them. A buddy of mine was just hanging out later on the dive and one grouper swam directly between his legs and brushed up against my friend which startled him a bit. We made a lot of fun of Scott once we got top side. I dove there last July and they were culling the whole time we were down.

 

[BDSC]

We have a group going to Little Cayman in October. Those really are two great resorts. The resort, staff, diving, and the food are all first class. Wish I were there now.

 

[chibracdiver]

Not to rub it in but we will be on Brac in in 38 days. But whose counting?

 

[keyshunter]

At one time the DM's had stopped killing the LF when diving with guests because they were having problems with the sharks becoming more "friendly". I'm assuming they have started it back up.

I am not sure if the Brac DM's ever stopped, but that is definitely not the case on Little. On LC, the DM's do not spear when guests are in the water. A group of DM's from the 3 resorts gets together once a week, after the afternoon dive, weather permitting, and goes spearing.

 

[AggieDiver]

I was on LC a few years ago when the DMs were having some close encounters with sharks trying to take the lionfish directly off of the spear. Even last fall, there were still two different sharks that regularly approached groups of divers and hung around quite unafraid. I don't think they ever had the same issue on Brac, so I think the DMs there still spear while diving with guests.