Cayman Aggressor - Channel Crossing

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

glimmertwins

Registered
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
I'm considering a trip in March or April on the Cayman Aggressor, and we like to find out more about the "crossing" from Grand to Little Cayman. I understand that sometimes conditions do not allow for the crossing and you have to spend the entire trip on GC. I'm trying to evaluate if this risk is worth taking. Any input would be great. Thanks
 
We were there in April 2012 and were not able to make the crossing. Highly disappointing as this was our first trip there. We will not be doing the Cayman Aggressor again for that reason.
 
I have been on it twice and have made the crossing twice...but then I went June...even then the crossing was very rough what is not tied down lands on the floor....the crew wants to make the crossing as badly as the passengers and will go if they can do it safely....it is about a 7hr crossing...you pay your money you take your chances...
 
We were on the Cayman Aggressor in late Oct 2008 and we spent almost the entire week diving the Bloody Bay Wall off of Little Cayman and it was wonderful. However, we spent the following week on Grand Cayman and the weather was rainy and rough and we only went out diving one time and we saw the Aggressor moored at local dive sites during the week. Clearly they were unable to make the crossing and were trying to provide the best diving options available.

Shortly after we departed for home Hurricane Paloma hit the Caymans. The out islands got blasted really hard and Cayman Brac was practically destroyed - so we were very, very lucky.

Since you are planning to go in the Spring you are much less likely to be hit by a hurricane; but the weather is always a variable factor. We just got back from a 2-week Caribbean dive trip and the weather was great; but I feel really bad for the poor people in the Philippines right now and I am sure glad that we didn't plan a trip to that area!

Being on a livaboard gives you more options to circumvent the weather than on a land-based dive vacation. We were on the Turks and Caicos Aggressor just last week and the Captain made the decision to head to French Cay early in the trip because of the weather reports. We had a great trip and terrific diving but when we got back to Provo we heard that they had rough seas and 4 foot rollers - so we are glad that we were on the boat and not trying to dive from a shore-based operation!

No matter what you decide, you should always consider buying comprehensive travel insurance!
 
I am going on the Cayman Aggressor this January and have accepted that there is 50% possibility that they may not be able to do the crossing due to weather conditions. Bearing that in mind, I took a friend's advice and booked 3 further days of diving on Little Cayman through the LCDR.
 
I went with my son Easter week 2011, while I did a fair amount of research I didn't realize the frequency with which they were unable to cross. Fortunately we made the crossing, but if I remember correctly they hadn't for the prior 2 or 3 weeks. and while it was supposed to be 2-3' seas ended up being 3-4'. A ginger capsule and a Bonine after dinner and I slept until breakfast. Diving Little Cayman was awesome, the sites we hit on GC were OK but not close to Bloody Bay Wall. I would have been very very disappointed if we were unable to make the crossing. When we go back I think we will just go to LCBR. Access tot eh wall is easy enough from the island that the Liveaboard approach, while always a great way to go, is not as advantageous as in other locales. The Kittiwake was a nice dive, but I would have preferred diving Little Cayman and Brac the entire 6.5 days, then give up the 1.5 days on GC.
 
We are going in July for a ten day , I figure there should be a window to get over with the ten day trip .
First trip to Caymans so I am hoping to see all three Islands . Fingers crossed but I will take what I get ...
 
I've never been on the Agressor but have seen them while diving GC. A comment was made on the last trip about a lack of mooring balls that will handle a boat of that size limiting the number of sites that they are able to dive on GC. (True??) Looking at the Captains log they seem to go to the same ones each week.

If they can't make the crossing to LC then are there enough sites available for a weeks worth of diving?
 
My honest opinion....
The Cayman Aggressor will spend the majority of it's time at Little Cayman, on the Bloody Bay wall, which is where one will find the best diving in the Caribbean. Save some money and enjoy Little Cayman with 3 dives a day, three very good meals a day, a very nice, large, modern room, and the very best service, by staying at Little Cayman Beach Resort. It's a much better value for the money, and you don't have to be concerned with crossing 80 miles of rough seas.
 

Back
Top Bottom