Grand Cayman vs Isla Roatan

[lardo5150]

Both are spots on my cruise.

In Grand Cayman, I know I will be diving the West Wall, and then a shallower reef/wreck dive.

No clue about any of the diving at Roatan, but I will be diving with AKR.

If you were in my position (on a cruise, time restraints, etc.), which one would you choose? I can only choose one, my wife will shoot me if I dive both

Type of diving I like is lots of marine life, colors, etc.

 

[lardo5150]

Anyone? Need to start making a decision here.

 

[DeputyDan]

Look at it from a different point of view.
Which land excursion would you rather do?

I have dove both islands and honestly preferred the Caymans. However, that was on a liveaboard - not land based.

 

[theduckguru]

Personally, I'd opt out of the Caymans unless I was diving Little Cayman.

 

[lardo5150]

Look at it from a different point of view.
Which land excursion would you rather do?

I have dove both islands and honestly preferred the Caymans. However, that was on a liveaboard - not land based.

Dan, can you give me a descriptiong of the diving at both? I am looking to do a dive with lots of marine life.

 

[Marek K]

I am looking to do a dive with lots of marine life.

I've never been to Roatan, but spent a week diving on the west side of Grand Cayman at the end of July.

While there's plenty of fish life there (and lots of sea turtles), Grand Cayman is mostly known for its spectacular underwater topography. The famous 6,000-ft wall is just offshore, and the coral formations are indeed spectacular -- pinnacles and non-overhead swimthroughs, at depths of 45 to 100 ft (the rec diving limit there).

There are several shipwrecks or shallower reefs you'd do as the second dive, at about 40-60 ft.

 

[carriemak]

I have been diving at both places and definitely prefer Grand Cayman. Better vis and more fish life in Grand.

 

[donhealy]

Just got back yesterday from your same itinerary. I was on the Carnival Valor.

I dove all four islands. I used Off the Wall Divers on GC and dove the North Wall. It's much better than the West Wall. Don't bother using the ship's excursion operator.

I used the ship's operator on Roatan; Anthony's Key Resort. They dove the wall just outside their resort (Overheated Reef).

Anthony's is a very well run resort but you are going to pay a penalty in dive location because the ship has safety restrictions. I'd go with one of the other shops.

Personally, I'd rather dive the North Wall of Cayman if you are only doing one place. However, there isn't that much else to do on Roatan. Dive BOTH!!!!

If you are diving Belize, use the ship's operator. The ship will be anchored about 5 miles off shore. The dive boats come right to the ship.

 

[diversteve]

+1 for Grand Cayman. There just seemed to be more fish and larger pelagics on Cayman. In a week we saw turtles, eagle rays, schools of tarpon, lots of tropical fish - check out Aquarium as a 2nd dive, there were hundreds of fish there. And fluorescent cleaner shrimp at cleaning stations. My buddy got his cuticles done.

I've also dove Overheat Reef on Roatan, it was sparsely populated by comparison. And maybe a little over dove - we did it with CTDivers, AKR goes there and there almost always seemed to be a boat in the area when we went by.

I agree with don, the North Wall was better than the West. Much more dramatic, slightly eerie when you just hang out over the abyss on the surface - the water changes color, and you can look down and see big stuff way down the wall. And personally I would never dive with Don Fosters (the cruise operator) - most of their seven boats are 18-24 pax. Most of the single boat operators are 6-8 max.

I dove in Roatan a couple years after Grand Cayman. Yet all I remember about Roatan is a great dive at the Texas site and the Dolphin Dive at AKR. Although we did almost always see a turtle or two. Of course on Cayman, that's just about a given anywhere near the Turtle Farm, they've been releasing them there for years.

The water is much clearer in Grand Cayman also. At Big Tunnel I looked up from about 90' and could see the ScubaPro "S" on the safety stop reg 75' above. When you get out on the wall, you can experience vertigo as your eyes strain to see stuff past 2-300' horizontally. See if you can get out to Trinity Caves or Big Tunnel as a first dive with someone. We also really like Hepps Wall - it's somewhere in that area as well. All are just north of SMB so would be considered "West" wall sites afaik. Aquarium is just about in the middle of SMB.

This is going to sound stupid but Cayman also seemed to be brighter underwater. Probably due to the water clarity.

 

[donhealy]

Steve,

Cayman was brighter underwater and we saw several turtles as well as bat rays, tarpon, large grouper etc... The vis was only about 90-100 ft. Poor me!

Don