Grand Cayman for New Years, new to diving and looking for best shore dives.

[Sil123]

My hubby and I will be in Grand Cayman over New Years. We are new to diving and mostly just dive when we are South on holidays. I get sea sick easily, so I prefer shore dives, although I know some of the best dives in GC are by boat, so I may have to take a chance and do one or two. Looking for opinions on best and safest shore dives, or the names of any good reference books that list dives in GC. This will be our first trip to GC. We will be staying on 7 mile beach, but will have a rental car.

 

[tkaelin]

Search the posts on SB and you will see shore dives sites described for Turtle Reef, Lighthouse Point, Eden Rock/Grotto and reviewed. I have dove all three many times and enjoy all three. Turtle Reef is my favorite for ease, great dive op and great place to eat/drink after your dive. Eden Rock/Grotto is best dived when no cruise ships are in port, weekends are best.

What part of the island are you planning on staying at? On 7mb, west side all this sites easily reached by car. If you are staying on the East End, not so much. There are dive ops who you can schedule one tank boat dives. Also, if staying and diving on 7MB, west side the boat rides are typically short and the waters calm. My wife is very prone to sea sickness and we usually only do one tank short boat trips. We did a dive on a small six pack that took us at for a two tank and we had no problem as the they picked us up right on the beach we were staying at, 2 min trip to site one right of the beach, dive, SI and 2 min ride to the next site. The boat rides are not all this short but it gives you an idea.

 

[Sil123]

Search the posts on SB and you will see shore dives sites described for Turtle Reef, Lighthouse Point, Eden Rock/Grotto and reviewed. I have dove all three many times and enjoy all three. Turtle Reef is my favorite for ease, great dive op and great place to eat/drink after your dive. Eden Rock/Grotto is best dived when no cruise ships are in port, weekends are best.

What part of the island are you planning on staying at? On 7mb, west side all this sites easily reached by car. If you are staying on the East End, not so much. There are dive ops who you can schedule one tank boat dives. Also, if staying and diving on 7MB, west side the boat rides are typically short and the waters calm. My wife is very prone to sea sickness and we usually only do one tank short boat trips. We did a dive on a small six pack that took us at for a two tank and we had no problem as the they picked us up right on the beach we were staying at, 2 min trip to site one right of the beach, dive, SI and 2 min ride to the next site. The boat rides are not all this short but it gives you an idea.

Thanks, I will check out the other posts. I heard that the last few years of weather have affected the dive sites, good to know those three are still good. Will def check out some short boat dives. What's your fave?

 

[tkaelin]

On personal favorites off 7mb, west end, everyone has one. If you like wrecks, the Kittiwake is worth doing once. Shallow, sitting in the sand, right of the beach. It doesn't get easier. My preference these days is to dive the North, East and South sites, but if I am on 7mb I am usually happy with just about any site. I have been diving GC since the late 70s early 80s. I recall fondly great dives at Sand Chute, Orange Canyon, Trinity Caves but depending on the weather and the day in question I enjoy just about any dive. Next time we are staying on 7mb I will book with a small dive op and dive Sand Chute and a shallower site. Enjoy your trip

 

[tkaelin]

You didn't ask but if you are looking for a great op, small boat, custom service I recommend Tom Shropshire at Off the wall divers. Most if not all ops on GC are excellent and everyone has there favorite. On 7mb though on this trip Tom went out of his way to make a single tank boat dive happen for my daughter and I. We were only down for a long weekend and staying and diving on the East End. Tom went out of his way to go out for an afternoon a one tank on the Kittwake. He took us out even though we were the only two, it was a grey day withpassing showers. Thoroughly enjoyable and we will book with him next time we want a boat dive off 7mb. He could have easily canceled but he made it happen. Talking with Tom he knows his business, the island and diving.

www.facebook.com/offthewalldivers

Thomas (Tom) K. Shropshire

Thomas (Tom) K. Shropshire

OFF THE WALL DIVERS

P O Box 30176 SMB

Grand Cayman KY1-1201

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Cell: 345-916-0303 (CI #)

Skype us @ otwd3483 or shrop3483

E-mail: fish@candw.ky

Website: www.grandcaymandive.com

 

[Sil123]

You didn't ask but if you are looking for a great op, small boat, custom service I recommend Tom Shropshire at Off the wall divers. Most if not all ops on GC are excellent and everyone has there favorite. On 7mb though on this trip Tom went out of his way to make a single tank boat dive happen for my daughter and I. We were only down for a long weekend and staying and diving on the East End. Tom went out of his way to go out for an afternoon a one tank on the Kittwake. He took us out even though we were the only two, it was a grey day withpassing showers. Thoroughly enjoyable and we will book with him next time we want a boat dive off 7mb. He could have easily canceled but he made it happen. Talking with Tom he knows his business, the island and diving.

www.facebook.com/offthewalldivers

Thomas (Tom) K. Shropshire

Thomas (Tom) K. Shropshire

OFF THE WALL DIVERS

P O Box 30176 SMB

Grand Cayman KY1-1201

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Cell: 345-916-0303 (CI #)

Skype us @ otwd3483 or shrop3483

E-mail: fish@candw.ky

Website: www.grandcaymandive.com

Thanks for the info. Sounds great, will check him out.

 

[randpchi]

All mentioned are great. Other options : just south of Eden Rock is Don Fosters and a bit further is Sunset House. Both are nice.

Turtle Reef is my favorite.

 

[randpchi]

My pic was taken at Sunset House btw.
Saw the same fish 2 years later at Devils Grotto.

 

[KathyV]

The shore dive sites on GC have onsite dive ops that will rent tanks and weights for about $15 CI. Our favorite is Turtle Reef, but other good spots include Cobalt Coast and Lighthouse Point and Sunset House.

Eden Rock and Devil's Grotto used to be great sites but they have gotten rather beaten up over the years and are popular spots with the cruise ship passengers.

I have heard that the shore dive at Sunset House is also showing signs of wear but I haven't dived it recently so I cannot say.

Although it's not a shore dive you should dive Sting Ray City at least once; but avoid going when the cruise ships are in port. Sunday is a good day or go early in the morning before they arrive.

There's a lot of good snorkeling from shore on GC, see the link to Tsetudo's guide below.

We love driving around GC but we always take a Garmin GPS with us and find that it is very helpful, especially when negotiating the roundabouts or dealing with the narrow, angled, one-way streets of Georgetown.

Have fun!

http://snorkelblog.tumblr.com/

 

[BoltSnap]

Check this link to see if this is what you want/need:

Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Cayman Islands, Caribbean