msmendel
Guest
My wife and I went to Little Cayman Feb 11 - 18, 2007, and stayed at LCBR. We had a WONDERFUL time. So you can determine relevance, Im 57, have slightly >100 logged dives, AOW and EAN certified. Long, full report follows:
Flew Baltimore on US Airways to Grand Cayman; then took Cayman Airways twin prop puddle jumper to Little Cayman.
Cayman Airways Twin Otter Service, which is what you take from GC to LC, charges $0.50/lb for anything over 55 lbs per person and that includes the carry-on. Yes, Virginia, thats 55 lbs allowed for the aggregate of all your baggage not a per bag allowance.
I had a 62 lb dive/clothing bag (12 lbs over the 50 lb per bag US Airways limit), a hard Pelican camera housing/strobe case weighing about 30 lbs, and I carried a backpack containing camera gear, which weighed about 20 lbs. My wifes dive/clothing bag weighed just under 50 lbs, and she had a carry-on backpack.
US Airways, at BWI, without any hesitation or friendliness, charged me $50 for the 12 lb overweight bag. I wasnt charged on the way back.
Id read that Cayman Airways sometimes waives baggage fees for the flight from GC to LC, but always charges you on the way back. However, even though they weighed all our luggage (including the carry-on), Cayman Airways charged us nothing for excess weight both directions. Zero.
Staff from LCBR met us at the LC airstrip and drove us to LCBR, about a mile away. Luggage was sent to our room. You leave your gear outside your room in a mesh bag the first night and they take it to the boat for you. You set it up the first time, then the dive staff sets it up thereafter the way you did on fresh air tanks or on the Nitrox tanks youve already checked with analyzer and marked with tape. If diving air, plenty of tanks were on the boat when you arrived.
They had 2 or 3 analyzers for Nitrox, ready for your use. No lines or waiting. Nitrox users put their name and their boats name on the tank with tape, and the staff carried it to the boat and set it up. Most fills were generous w. at least 3000 psi, and the Nitrox mix was very accurate, mine were always within 0.1 of 32.0. All the Nitrox was 32.
Our boat crew and dive masters were Ben, Annabelle, Vici and Paul. They were very competent and they were very friendly. You put on your wetsuit and take your fins and mask to one of 2 or 3 seats at the stern. Don the fins and mask. The staff puts your BCD and tank on your back while you are seated. All you have to do is stand up (with their assistance) and do a giant stride into the water. Returning, you climb the ladder, sit down with assistance, and they remove your gear, which they set it up on your next tank. At the end of the day they rinse it for you, and it is on the boat, set up, and waiting for you the next morning. You don't have to touch it after the first dive until you go home. You take and rinse only your own mask, fins, wetsuit and camera. They carry all tanks, including Nitrox. Could they make this any easier?
Rinse tanks and a drying room where you can hang wetsuits and leave other gear until your next dive is at the end of the dock. There is a separate camera rinse tank. I took camera/housing/strobe back to my room, but you dont have to worry about your gear being stolen.
I did 16 of 17 planned dives in one week. Only dive skipped was when I stayed on the boat to help fix my wife's computer that had blown an O ring. The dive staff member produced an O ring and fixed it on the spot on the boat, ready for the next dive. One dive site was repeated by request - otherwise each site was a new one. Two were on the south side, the rest were on the north. All were nice sites. We were on the same boat every dive, with the same divers (except the last day or two when we were joined by a couple of new divers).
One night dive was offered during the week, but we skipped it. After 3 dives that day, I was too tired. I also got the feeling that the night dives were not that spectacular. A sandy bottom is chosen, and the deep walls are avoided, resulting in less to be seen. Next time, Id leave the Light Cannon and batteries home, and rent a light instead, if desired. Smaller lights OTOH are good for looking into crevices in the daytime, and Id bring those, if you like them.
A trip to Brac was also offered, to dive the large wreck there. I didnt go. The boat trip was twice as long as the 20-25 minutes usually taken to LC dive sights and my wife isnt nuts about wrecks. Those that went reported that they enjoyed the trip, but, to me, their apparent lack of excitement made me think I made the right decision. If you love wrecks and dont take Bonine to look at boat pictures, you may feel differently.
The diving was spectacular. I've dived Cozumel and Bonaire each three times, Aruba, the Keys, and Puerto Rico. IMO, this was the best diving of all. Most of the dive sites were "magnificent" and the walls were majestic. Huge sponges on almost every dive; turtles and morays on several. playful groupers, curious barracuda, puffers, durgons, tangs on many dives - goliath grouper seen on one. Southern stingray let me approach within a foot or two. Lobsters and hogfish seen, and some parrotfish. No filefish or seahorses observed. Others (not me) saw eagle rays. I saw 2 reef sharks during the week. When a 5-6 reef shark swam within 10 feet, between me and a 6000 foot wall, I grinned from ear to ear [on the inside].
Dive profiles called for first dive max 110' for 50 minutes. Next two dives called for 60' max, if I remember correctly, for 60 minutes. More than fair, and nobody acted like a drill sergeant or like dive police. You could follow the dive master in the water, or not, as you pleased. Boats had O2, defibrillators, back boards, good radios, and even an underwater speaker/sound system for emergencies. A chain hung from the boat to measure the 15 safety stop and with the chain was a regulator attached to a tank on the boat, if someone needed it. Very safe operation. The pre-dive briefing included a grease board drawing of the dive site that was detailed enough to be a map. It was very helpful.
The food varied from very good to extremely good. We had fish, steak, lobster thermadore, pasta, fresh salads, wonderful fruit. Hot breakfasts and lunches. If they ran out of anything, it was replaced within a few minutes. The desserts were to die for.
The island has no night life, but you know that before you go. It didn't matter. I was so tired after three dives and three wonderful meals that I never stayed up past 9 PM except the last night when I made it to 10:30 PM. And, Im a night person who is normally up after 1 AM every night. I had no difficulty getting up in time for breakfast the morning dives.
Pack less. For one week: Take 2 or more bathing suits. Take a T- shirt and hat (or buy one) for boat sun. Wet bathing suits are forbidden at lunch and dinner. Men will want shorts or pants and a shirt, comfortable shoes or sandals. Underwear and socks are up to you. One pair of shorts or pants is enough for the week. Two is generous. One of each, perhaps? Two shirts for shore wear. Nothing is dressy. Nothing. Add one light-weight outfit for travel days. Thats advice from someone who always over-packs.
The rooms were very nice by Caribbean standards. I had an ocean front room which was large, had TV, and good A/C. There was Internet access if you wanted it. No, it isn't the Ritz at Grand Cayman or the Hyatt at Aruba. I didn't want it to be. I went to go diving...and apparently to eat.
What else? There is no theft on the Island. You can drink the water and eat the fruit and vegetables.
Complaints? One. I slipped in the bath tub while showering. It lacked a mat or anti-slip appliqués.
I had a wonderful time. I hope to go back. I recommend it without reservation if you are going to dive, or to dive and eat. Dive, dive, dive. Eat, eat, eat. Rest when youre dead. Be careful in the bathtub.
Mark
Flew Baltimore on US Airways to Grand Cayman; then took Cayman Airways twin prop puddle jumper to Little Cayman.
Cayman Airways Twin Otter Service, which is what you take from GC to LC, charges $0.50/lb for anything over 55 lbs per person and that includes the carry-on. Yes, Virginia, thats 55 lbs allowed for the aggregate of all your baggage not a per bag allowance.
I had a 62 lb dive/clothing bag (12 lbs over the 50 lb per bag US Airways limit), a hard Pelican camera housing/strobe case weighing about 30 lbs, and I carried a backpack containing camera gear, which weighed about 20 lbs. My wifes dive/clothing bag weighed just under 50 lbs, and she had a carry-on backpack.
US Airways, at BWI, without any hesitation or friendliness, charged me $50 for the 12 lb overweight bag. I wasnt charged on the way back.
Id read that Cayman Airways sometimes waives baggage fees for the flight from GC to LC, but always charges you on the way back. However, even though they weighed all our luggage (including the carry-on), Cayman Airways charged us nothing for excess weight both directions. Zero.
Staff from LCBR met us at the LC airstrip and drove us to LCBR, about a mile away. Luggage was sent to our room. You leave your gear outside your room in a mesh bag the first night and they take it to the boat for you. You set it up the first time, then the dive staff sets it up thereafter the way you did on fresh air tanks or on the Nitrox tanks youve already checked with analyzer and marked with tape. If diving air, plenty of tanks were on the boat when you arrived.
They had 2 or 3 analyzers for Nitrox, ready for your use. No lines or waiting. Nitrox users put their name and their boats name on the tank with tape, and the staff carried it to the boat and set it up. Most fills were generous w. at least 3000 psi, and the Nitrox mix was very accurate, mine were always within 0.1 of 32.0. All the Nitrox was 32.
Our boat crew and dive masters were Ben, Annabelle, Vici and Paul. They were very competent and they were very friendly. You put on your wetsuit and take your fins and mask to one of 2 or 3 seats at the stern. Don the fins and mask. The staff puts your BCD and tank on your back while you are seated. All you have to do is stand up (with their assistance) and do a giant stride into the water. Returning, you climb the ladder, sit down with assistance, and they remove your gear, which they set it up on your next tank. At the end of the day they rinse it for you, and it is on the boat, set up, and waiting for you the next morning. You don't have to touch it after the first dive until you go home. You take and rinse only your own mask, fins, wetsuit and camera. They carry all tanks, including Nitrox. Could they make this any easier?
Rinse tanks and a drying room where you can hang wetsuits and leave other gear until your next dive is at the end of the dock. There is a separate camera rinse tank. I took camera/housing/strobe back to my room, but you dont have to worry about your gear being stolen.
I did 16 of 17 planned dives in one week. Only dive skipped was when I stayed on the boat to help fix my wife's computer that had blown an O ring. The dive staff member produced an O ring and fixed it on the spot on the boat, ready for the next dive. One dive site was repeated by request - otherwise each site was a new one. Two were on the south side, the rest were on the north. All were nice sites. We were on the same boat every dive, with the same divers (except the last day or two when we were joined by a couple of new divers).
One night dive was offered during the week, but we skipped it. After 3 dives that day, I was too tired. I also got the feeling that the night dives were not that spectacular. A sandy bottom is chosen, and the deep walls are avoided, resulting in less to be seen. Next time, Id leave the Light Cannon and batteries home, and rent a light instead, if desired. Smaller lights OTOH are good for looking into crevices in the daytime, and Id bring those, if you like them.
A trip to Brac was also offered, to dive the large wreck there. I didnt go. The boat trip was twice as long as the 20-25 minutes usually taken to LC dive sights and my wife isnt nuts about wrecks. Those that went reported that they enjoyed the trip, but, to me, their apparent lack of excitement made me think I made the right decision. If you love wrecks and dont take Bonine to look at boat pictures, you may feel differently.
The diving was spectacular. I've dived Cozumel and Bonaire each three times, Aruba, the Keys, and Puerto Rico. IMO, this was the best diving of all. Most of the dive sites were "magnificent" and the walls were majestic. Huge sponges on almost every dive; turtles and morays on several. playful groupers, curious barracuda, puffers, durgons, tangs on many dives - goliath grouper seen on one. Southern stingray let me approach within a foot or two. Lobsters and hogfish seen, and some parrotfish. No filefish or seahorses observed. Others (not me) saw eagle rays. I saw 2 reef sharks during the week. When a 5-6 reef shark swam within 10 feet, between me and a 6000 foot wall, I grinned from ear to ear [on the inside].
Dive profiles called for first dive max 110' for 50 minutes. Next two dives called for 60' max, if I remember correctly, for 60 minutes. More than fair, and nobody acted like a drill sergeant or like dive police. You could follow the dive master in the water, or not, as you pleased. Boats had O2, defibrillators, back boards, good radios, and even an underwater speaker/sound system for emergencies. A chain hung from the boat to measure the 15 safety stop and with the chain was a regulator attached to a tank on the boat, if someone needed it. Very safe operation. The pre-dive briefing included a grease board drawing of the dive site that was detailed enough to be a map. It was very helpful.
The food varied from very good to extremely good. We had fish, steak, lobster thermadore, pasta, fresh salads, wonderful fruit. Hot breakfasts and lunches. If they ran out of anything, it was replaced within a few minutes. The desserts were to die for.
The island has no night life, but you know that before you go. It didn't matter. I was so tired after three dives and three wonderful meals that I never stayed up past 9 PM except the last night when I made it to 10:30 PM. And, Im a night person who is normally up after 1 AM every night. I had no difficulty getting up in time for breakfast the morning dives.
Pack less. For one week: Take 2 or more bathing suits. Take a T- shirt and hat (or buy one) for boat sun. Wet bathing suits are forbidden at lunch and dinner. Men will want shorts or pants and a shirt, comfortable shoes or sandals. Underwear and socks are up to you. One pair of shorts or pants is enough for the week. Two is generous. One of each, perhaps? Two shirts for shore wear. Nothing is dressy. Nothing. Add one light-weight outfit for travel days. Thats advice from someone who always over-packs.
The rooms were very nice by Caribbean standards. I had an ocean front room which was large, had TV, and good A/C. There was Internet access if you wanted it. No, it isn't the Ritz at Grand Cayman or the Hyatt at Aruba. I didn't want it to be. I went to go diving...and apparently to eat.
What else? There is no theft on the Island. You can drink the water and eat the fruit and vegetables.
Complaints? One. I slipped in the bath tub while showering. It lacked a mat or anti-slip appliqués.
I had a wonderful time. I hope to go back. I recommend it without reservation if you are going to dive, or to dive and eat. Dive, dive, dive. Eat, eat, eat. Rest when youre dead. Be careful in the bathtub.
Mark
