Who has been to Brac?

[Damselfish]

The few dives I've done on the Brac, I found very nice. But the wall starting shallow on LC is a big advantage, since you do more of a multi level dive and can spend stops puttering along the reef instead of just hanging in the water.

 

[caymaniac]

The few dives I've done on the Brac, I found very nice. But the wall starting shallow on LC is a big advantage, since you do more of a multi level dive and can spend stops puttering along the reef instead of just hanging in the water.

For walls, LC beats out the Brac. T&C might beat out the Brac only because there are more pelagics, both have walls that start deeper than LC. Bonaire is such easy diving from shore that it might beat the Brac with the little(macro) stuff but Bracs walls are much better. Coz. might have an edge on the Brac, but not much, I had the best shallow dive ever on Coz but the Brac still shines. The Brac might not beat the best but it rates right up near the top of diving in the Caribbean.

And to Florida Native...I've stayed at both and dove. I would choose the Divi for answers already stated, have you ever stayed at the Divi and dove?

 

[florida native]

I have stayed at Divi once before on the Brac. I have actually stayed with them all over the Caribbean. Not a bad place to spend your time above the water, but personally I found Brac Reef Beach Resort's facilities to be more inviting and a little more cozy. I know that Divi just went through renovations, but I talked with Brac Reef to plan my next trip for their Splash week sometime late this summer and they said that all their rooms will be completely redone. So im looking forward to seeing the improvements. Hopefully their dock wil be completed by then too. From what they said, its about 75% done.

As far as macro stuff goes, I've seen some things SNORKLING off the NORTHWEST shore of the Brac that have truely blown me away. All in about 4-25 feet of water. One spot called FishBowl that is PHENOMINAL.

 

[downdeep]

Way cool. Can you fill me in about shore diving? Long surface swims? What do you consider the best sites? Are rental cars readily available or should we try to book one in advance?

 

[boulderjohn]

Way cool. Can you fill me in about shore diving? Long surface swims? What do you consider the best sites? Are rental cars readily available or should we try to book one in advance?

There are very few shore dives worth doing, and since the dive packages usually give you all the diving you can handle from a boat, I don't see a good reason to plan on it. When I was there, I did shore dives because the sea was too rough to allow the boats to get out through the channels, although it was OK inside the reef ring.

I had one of those dive guide books that listed the best shore dives, but the people at Divi told me it was dead wrong. They sent me to Buccaneer Reef. If you just dive that reef, it is just off shore--you can submerge immediately without a surface swim. On the other hand, that is also where the Tibbetts wreck is located, and a reasonable surface swim will get you to it. There are buoys, so you can find it easily.

Rental cars are readily available. You really don't need one much, although you should devote some time to exploring the island. Be sure to climb up to the top of the Brac itself.

 

[downdeep]

Thanks John. I will keep that in mind. Our dive package offers two tank boat dives in the AM so we'll just see if that's enough for me. I know I'll want to do at least one night dive.

 

[Kevin4diving]

I just returned frrom the Brac. Stayed at Divi and dived with Dive Tiara. I too choose them based on Chap Books. I made the right decision for Cayman Brac.

If a nice beach isnt important, go to Little Cayman. Diving Bloddy Bay and Jackson Bay alll week cant be beat. I liked it better than Bonaire. I stayed at Paradise Villas and dove w/ Paradise Divers.

I'm from TN too. Anything beats a quarry.

 

[downdeep]

How are ya Kevin? Where do you dive in TN? Thanks for the info. I love LC as well. Did most of our Aggressor dives there 2 years ago. I like to do at least 3, sometimes 4 dives a day. That's why the qustions about shore diving.
Bonaire is hard to beat, but doesn't have an abundance of big animals.

 

[Kevin4diving]

Unfortunatly the quarry in Sweetwater. Its ok to practice skills. I would like to buddy up sometime if you are interested in going to Lock Low Min quarry. Im off to Belize in a few weeks. Maybe when I get back?

 

[downdeep]

Would love to. Sweetwater (aka Waller's Holler) is where I did my OW checkout. Would love to go to Lock Low Min - have never been. Haven't been to Belize, either. Sounds like a great place to dive from everything I've heard.