Why is Little Cayman diving considered better?
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AggieDiver
Contributor
I haven't been diving on GC, so I can only tell you why I keep going back to LC over and over. My reason to keep going back is the whole package of super easy diving, shallow wall tops, nearly non-existent currents, and great food and service at the resorts. I know some people love to go out and try new restaurants all the time and relish having a bunch of choices of where to go. I hate that. It stresses me out to always be thinking about where to go and how much it might cost to get exactly what I want. I hate having to get a taxi or rent a car to go to dinner. I hate sitting somewhere deciding what to order and thinking in the back of my mind about what each meal is costing. Yes, I know, that probably makes me weird. But I love knowing that when I fly down to LC, my diving, hotel, and meals are all paid for and I am going to get excellent food all week. All I have to worry about paying for are any nitrox tanks I use, any spa services we buy, and any incidentals from the bar or the dive shop. Otherwise, all I have to do is wake up, walk about 30 yard to the dining room for breakfast, gather my camera rig from our room, and walk about 100 yard to the boat. Then I get the most amazing effortless diving. I can drop off the back of the boat and go any direction I want, without worrying about where the rest of the group is going. I can sit and watch a single coral head for 10 minutes if that is what I want. It is just easy. The protection of the marine park and the relatively low diving pressure means there is plenty of coral growth, lots of fish, friendly groupers, turtles that are not afraid of divers, etc. It just brings the whole package for me that I haven't found anywhere else.
Doctorfish
Contributor
Aggie, you are not really comparing the islands or the diving, but the resorts. I agree, if you go to LCBR you do not have to think once for a week and that makes for a great vacation. As far as the diving is concerned, I have been to GC and LC many times and IMO, LC is generally more pristine and "fishy". There is however, some great diving to be had on GC and for people who want the kind of holiday you don't, or who need more varied activities, GC is a very nice place to spend a week or two. Hard to have a bad time on either island, just depends on what you are looking for.
And I would like to get in a good word for Cayman Brac, too. Beautiful diving, natural beauty, nice people, shore diving, and the Cayman Brac Beach Resort has better food than LCBR in my opinion, and a huge, gorgeous pool. Plus it is easier to get to Brac than to Little with more flight options, including jet flights and (sometimes) even direct flights from the US.
I love all 3 Cayman islands!
AggieDiver
Contributor
I agree Doctorfish. That's why I said up front I have never been diving on GC. I was just trying to explain the allure of LC for me. It isn't necessarily that I think the diving conditions or quality are that much better...I have no basis to make that claim personally. It is just the whole experience for me that makes LC worth it. To my knowledge, there really isn't a comparable experience to be had like that on GC. I have been to Brac and LC, but my experiences in GC are limited to the airport and the Georgetown Yacht Club. I like the diving on Brac, but it is generally deeper, the dive sites are kind of more compact due to the spur and groove nature of the formations, and there isn't as much in the way of large sandy areas, which are my favorite part of LC. My favorite dive days when we went to the Brac were always the days the boat went to LC.
Doctorfish
Contributor
I too love all 3 islands but in order I prefer LC, GC, Brac.
You can have an experience similar to Little Cayman Beach Resort on GC at either Cobalt Coast or Compass Point.
You can have an experience similar to Little Cayman Beach Resort on GC at either Cobalt Coast or Compass Point.
And some great restaurants too
AggieDiver
Contributor
Compass Point's packages only include breakfast, and my understanding is that Eagle Rays has a relatively set menu for lunch and dinner instead of varying it each night. I don't know as much about Cobalt Coast, but my understanding was that the conditions often required taking divers elsewhere in vans when conditions were too rough, and I thought they only offer 2 dives per day in their packages.
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Hi @AggieDiver
Sounds like you really like the full AI route, particularly Little Cayman, but you may be missing some great opportunities. I'm actually headed to Cayman Brac in about 3 weeks, my first visit there. I've been to Little Cayman twice and to Grand Cayman 10 times since 1997. Of course, on the sister islands you're limited to just 3 dives per day and maybe a couple of nights. I suppose you could do some shore diving on Brac if you had a car.
I've been to Compass Point/Ocean Frontiers just twice. Their package includes your room with full kitchen, breakfast, a car, and 2 dives per day. With a little planning, it is easy to cover lunch or some dinners by stopping at the grocery. Eagle Rays is quite good and there are several good restaurants within a short drive. Ocean Frontiers also does 2 tank afternoon dives and 2 night dives. It's quite easy to get in up to 24 dives/week. OF is probably the best land-based operator I've used. They have the option of going North, East, or South depending on the conditions.
I've been to Cobalt Coast twice also, when Divetech was the operator, before Reef Divers, but it worked the same. They offer two boats dives per day but there are other options. When my son and I visited, we generally did a 2 tank afternoon dive with one of the operators we had previously dived with. There are also shore diving options at Cobalt Coast or down at Lighthouse Point or Turtle Reef. Night dives and any of these sites are wonderful. The full AI at Cobalt Coast was quite good, we still went to some of our favorite restaurants on some nights. They will make/hold a late dinner for you if you're doing a night dive. Every operator has to have condition options, they leave from West Bay when the conditions at Cobalt Coast do not allow.
So, getting back to full AI, you might like the place my wife and I just visited this summer, Turquoise Bay/Subway Watersports, on Roatan. It was a completely effortless trip with 3 good dives per day Turquoise Bay Resort/Subway Watersports August 2017
Good diving, Craig
Sounds like you really like the full AI route, particularly Little Cayman, but you may be missing some great opportunities. I'm actually headed to Cayman Brac in about 3 weeks, my first visit there. I've been to Little Cayman twice and to Grand Cayman 10 times since 1997. Of course, on the sister islands you're limited to just 3 dives per day and maybe a couple of nights. I suppose you could do some shore diving on Brac if you had a car.
I've been to Compass Point/Ocean Frontiers just twice. Their package includes your room with full kitchen, breakfast, a car, and 2 dives per day. With a little planning, it is easy to cover lunch or some dinners by stopping at the grocery. Eagle Rays is quite good and there are several good restaurants within a short drive. Ocean Frontiers also does 2 tank afternoon dives and 2 night dives. It's quite easy to get in up to 24 dives/week. OF is probably the best land-based operator I've used. They have the option of going North, East, or South depending on the conditions.
I've been to Cobalt Coast twice also, when Divetech was the operator, before Reef Divers, but it worked the same. They offer two boats dives per day but there are other options. When my son and I visited, we generally did a 2 tank afternoon dive with one of the operators we had previously dived with. There are also shore diving options at Cobalt Coast or down at Lighthouse Point or Turtle Reef. Night dives and any of these sites are wonderful. The full AI at Cobalt Coast was quite good, we still went to some of our favorite restaurants on some nights. They will make/hold a late dinner for you if you're doing a night dive. Every operator has to have condition options, they leave from West Bay when the conditions at Cobalt Coast do not allow.
So, getting back to full AI, you might like the place my wife and I just visited this summer, Turquoise Bay/Subway Watersports, on Roatan. It was a completely effortless trip with 3 good dives per day Turquoise Bay Resort/Subway Watersports August 2017
Good diving, Craig
Doctorfish
Contributor
The only true AI that I know of on GC is Cobalt Coast. They do only offer a 2 tank AM boat dive daily + unlimited shore diving. The mini wall at Cobalt is excellent.
It does get blown out a lot, particularly in winter, but if you have transportation, Turtle Reef and Lighthouse are only a few minutes away and are much more protected. I last dove Turtle Reef a year ago and tanks were about 12 dollars at that time.
Compass point, as mentioned by scubadada, can put together something close to an AI and Ocean Frontiers is an outstanding operation.
There is no shore diving at Brac Beach or LCBR locations. I think Pirates Point has access to the southern reefs/wall on LC but I have no personal experience.
It does get blown out a lot, particularly in winter, but if you have transportation, Turtle Reef and Lighthouse are only a few minutes away and are much more protected. I last dove Turtle Reef a year ago and tanks were about 12 dollars at that time.
Compass point, as mentioned by scubadada, can put together something close to an AI and Ocean Frontiers is an outstanding operation.
There is no shore diving at Brac Beach or LCBR locations. I think Pirates Point has access to the southern reefs/wall on LC but I have no personal experience.
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