Grand Cayman -Dive Op and site reccomendations

[scnative]

Greetings, Wife and I are traveling to Grand Cayman Dec 16 -24 and looking for recommendation for a dive shop to use. It is our first trip to the island. We prefer smaller boats(capacity) but really just looking for a great few days diving(4). We are both easy going and

Who would you recommend we dive with? [have heard dive tech and neptune are good choices]

What are the can't miss dive sites? [kittiwake is on my list]

Any other suggestions for activities? [we will be renting a car and do not mind striking out on our own for an adventure]


Suggestions for the less crowded side of the island? (Beaches -diving etc)

Any things to avoid/gotchas?


Thank you in advance.

 

[diversteve]

Greetings, Wife and I are traveling to Grand Cayman Dec 16 -24 and looking for recommendation for a dive shop to use. It is our first trip to the island. We prefer smaller boats(capacity) but really just looking for a great few days diving(4). We are both easy going and

Who would you recommend we dive with? [have heard dive tech and neptune are good choices

They are but Divetech will mostly require a short drive to either of their facilities. Many of the other operators - Neptune's included - will pick you up along SMB. With a car that's not as big a deal for you. Others I recommend are Ambassador, Wall to Wall, Indigo. All are 6-8 divers max per trip - most on boats designed for upwards of twice that many. DNS diving also gets good reviews but IDK them. Book early you're going to be there in the height of high season. Giles at Wall to Wall is pretty easy going - not sure if he dives as much as he used to now. Casey at Neptune's is another of my favorites.

What are the can't miss dive sites? [kittiwake is on my list]

Ghost Mountain, Turtle Reef (shore dive) Eagle Ray Pass, Orange Canyon, Trinity Caves, Big Tunnels, Hammerhead Hill. Aquarium is one of the better shallow 2nd dives. And Stingray City - the dive not the Sandbar snorkel - is the other signature Cayman dive. Babylon from the East End. www.idivecayman.com lists a couple hundred of the better sites with videos. In winter sometimes the north is blown out so if the operator you're with goes south, we really liked Blackie's Hole - not so much for the swimthru but the surrounding area. Saw an orange sponge there big enough to get inside. (we didn't)

Any other suggestions for activities? [we will be renting a car and do not mind striking out on our own for an adventure]


Suggestions for the less crowded side of the island? (Beaches -diving etc)

There's some good shore diving if you drive around to find it. Turtle Reef, both Divetech locations - Cobalt Coast and Lighthouse Pt. We enjoyed an afternoon diving at Sunset House also - the mermaid statue, a decent reef dive, My Bar for lunch and Cathy Church's photo gallery/store on-site. Do dive Turtle Reef also - head to the left and there's a cave filled with Tarpon. They don't move much so you can get in between them if you move slow. It's pretty cool. Also we've seen Eagle Rays go flying over in that area.

Also maybe book a day with Ocean Frontiers to dive Babylon. It's a little too far east for most of the west side operators but is arguably one of the best dives. OF is based at Compass Point on the East End so any of their dives are different (some would say better) than the west side. Allow 45mins. to an hour to drive out there from Seven Mile Beach. Even if conditions don't allow diving Babylon - it's on the exposed north side in winter - they'll find good dives nearby or go south - those sites see a lot less traffic than any others.

Any things to avoid/gotchas?

Georgetown Daily when the cruise ships are in port. After about 4PM it's worth a look though - shops will still be open but most of the cruisers are tendering out to their ships. If you did want to dive Eden Rock/Devils Grotto - that's when I'd go. Eden Rock Dive is open till 5PM or later.

Every shore dive site I mentioned has an on-site operator and it's expected you rent anks from them while on their property. Most have improvements such as dive ladders over the ironshore, balls marking attractions etc. so I would anyway.

We have a Cayman Islands sub-forum so I've moved this thread there.

 

[tkaelin]

Recommendations depend in part on where you are staying. What part of the island are you staying?

 

[scnative]

We are staying at Shangri-La BnB

---------- Post added October 1st, 2014 at 06:55 AM ----------

Thanks for the excellent information.

 

[diversteve]

Any of the West Side operators will work for that since that's West Bay.

You can drive north about 1/2 mile north to Divetech thru the neighborhood - west from S/L look for Stadium rd. (or the Bush Sports complex). Go north and it becomes Birch Tree - stay on it and follow it around to the left at the water to Divetech at Cobalt Coast - their main location. Depending on conditions they'll tell you where to meet the boat - unless it's a nice day probably farther south at that time of year.

Another reasonably close option is Indigo Divers. They keep their boat on West Bay Rd just slightly south of the south point on the west side. Less than a mile west from SL. Being on the west side even if the north is blown out, they'll still be diving from there unless there's a storm then everyone moves south.

The other option is straight down Tibbetts Hwy. to the Yacht Club marina just past the golf course. It's the 2nd rotary south of where you're staying - turn east. Many operators keep a boat there - including (I believe) Living the Dream, Wall to Wall, SeaSports? and others. Again that will be seasonal depending on conditions.

Someone might also keep a dive boat at Morgans Harbor just down the street (600') east from Shangri-La. Maybe Cayman Diveshuttle - IDK anything about them. I believe some of the Sandbar Snorkel boats leave from there also. That would be a likely origin for Sting Ray City Dives as it's just a short distance across the bay from there.

Calypso Grill is worth a look for drinks/dinner after the cruisers have left. It's waterfront right there. Calypso Grill - Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman restaurant Limited days they're open IIRC.

Cracked Conch/Macabuca Tiki Bar should re-open next month. That's also where the Turtle Reef divesite is located. Literally right off their outdoor deck. http://www.crackedconch.com.ky/ I haven't been to Macabuca.

 

[Doctorfish]

Most of the west side operators will pick you up and drop off after diving. They move their boats around depending on weather.

Diversteve listed some good operations. I have dived with DNS several times and they are excellent as well. Dusty Norman who runs DNS, is a class act. His wife usually bakes cookies for between dives. Hard to top that.When I went out with Dive tech they seemed to have filled their boats more than some of the other small operators as they also look after the inclusive package divers from Cobalt Coast Resort. Would not be my choice again.

The operators head out where they thing the conditions will be best that day, you can request specific dives but no guarantees. Ocean Frontiers on East End is a very good operation and the diving on the east is particularly good.
As you are going to be on GC at high season, suggest you book your diving early so as not to be disappointed. Most of the operators have websites and advertise the maximum number of divers per boat.

Mybar down at Sunset house is a good location to have a few drinks, bar food and watch the sunset.
Agave Grill has good, reasonably priced mexican food.

 

[scnative]

OK, great advice on the dive operations. I will be contacting a few and working out the details.
Also thanks for the dining/bar recommendations. If ya'll have any more..keep 'em coming!!

A few other GC newbie questions?

Any suggestions on a place to rent a kayak for a day?
Our home in SC is on a river and we are also only 2 miles from a saltwater inlet, so we kayak often. Would love rent a kayak and take off on our own on the bayside if it would be worthwhile.

Beaches?
Yes 7 mile beach is close, but we are prefer a quiet(locals) beach away from the tourist(even though technically we are tourists). As someone who lives in a coastal area-- we frequent beaches that the crowds do not know about until after the season.

 

[tkaelin]

Okay, West Bay area. On dive ops, I second Off the Wall. Dove with them the first time this Spring and would dive with them again. They know the island and sites, small boat and responsive on planning. I arranged with them to squeeze in a Sun PM single tank dive after diving in the morning on the East End with Oceanfrontiers. There was just two of us and they were there to meet us when planned. We were the only ones on the boat and they had no problem just taking the two of us. I dove three years ago with Divetech. They were professional and did offer to pick us up. The boat we were on was a bigger Newton type boat and not a six pack, smaller boat. They were okay but would not be my first choice unless you find that a multi day package with free shore diving included makes sense for you. That's what we did, two tank in the am and free tanks/shore diving the rest of the day at their two sites. Would also recommend a day diving with Oceanfrontiers on the East End. Combine the trip with a meal at Over the Edge and a visit to Rum Point. Grand Cayman Dining, Cayman Restaurants | Over the Edge Cafe Over the Edge has an old Cayman vibe to it and Rum Point in the afternoon could be quiet and nice place to hang up, especially if on a non cruise ship day.

On beaches, the further you are out from GT on SMB, the less crowded and touristy it becomes. Out where you will be staying is pretty far out. Locals and tourists go to Cemetery Beach. I have not been there but stayed in a condo not far from there. Would be worth a try.

On restaurants, you may want to try AlFrescos in West Bay. On the water and again has an old Cayman not touristy vibe. Alfresco Restaurant - Best Grand Cayman restaurant for seafood and local dining

Enjoy your trip and look forward to reading a report.

 

[diversteve]

Cayman Islands Tours, Fishing, SeaDoo, Sting Ray City Eco Tour, Kayaking | Action Watersports is at Safehaven just a short drive south of your location. And they're bay (Sound) side.

There's also 2-3 companies that offer Kayak tours in the Mangroves - one I've heard of is Cayman Sea Elements Mangrove Eco-Tours

Cemetery Beach would be about the nearest quieter beach.

Some examples of quieter beaches if you want to daytrip to the East End one day: http://www.grand-cayman-wanderer.com/grand-cayman-beaches.html

 

[jonnierowe]

On the east side there is White Sand Water Sports who offer kayaking and paddle boarding. They are also opening a dive shop but are on the other side of the island.