Cayman Brac vs Grand Cayman - Advice Appreciated

[howswedeofme]

We were planning to return to Grand Cayman again this year to do some West Bay shore diving and some East End/North Shore boat dives but are considering Cayman Brac instead. How does the topography compare? My husband really likes the swim-throughs we have done in Grand Cayman and I like the tops of the mini walls with all the juvenile fish and munching turtles. Overall we like that most of the sites look very different. Is Cayman Brac pretty varied in topography, too? One reason we didn't love Bonaire was that the reef is mostly the same sloping reef at many of the sites.

 

[flyboy08]

It's all in here...

Why is Little Cayman diving considered better?

 

[howswedeofme]

I only saw one post in that thread talking about CB in depth and it didn't address whether there were any swim-throughs. If that's an accurate description in that one post then it sounds like the topography is largely the same with different coral formations and a site or two with spurs and grooves. I was hoping that was a general description and that there was more variety than that from site to site, but maybe there isn't.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

North shore of East End does not have many swim throughs. The South shore of East End does.

 

[tkaelin]

The south shore of the east end has a number of sites with multiple swim throughs. Maggies Maze is one that comes to mind. There is another nearby with a large arch swim through. The folks at Oceanfrontiers could give you more info on dive sites their way that have swim throughs.

 

[KathyV]

I'm not a fan of swim-throughs but there are some popular ones available around Brac, but if you really love swim-throughs then consider Little Cayman; we just got back from a trip there and I had to avoid a lot of swim-throughs.

But Brac is a lovely place to visit and dive, we love it and have visited 3 times, @scubadada just returned from CB and wrote up a nice report, see the link below. He could answer your question about swim-throughs.

Cayman Brac Beach Resort/Reef Divers Oct 23-30, 2017

 

[howswedeofme]

We are familiar with the swim throughs and topography around Grand Cayman. I'm looking for info on Cayman Brac to decide if we should switch our plans for this year. I don't like swim throughs much but my husband loves them so I'm trying to make sure I find stuff he will like too so he won't be bored. I'll check out that write-up, Kathy. Thanks! We aren't looking into Little Cayman for this trip but might in the future. We want to do a decent amount of shore diving this time.

 

[mcohen1021]

I'm not a huge fan of GC or Brac, but I loved the 2 dives we did at LC. Given the choice between the 2, I would pick based on how bored I wanted to be topside. There is NOTHING to do on Brac after dark. GC is better but not much better.

 

[Sue/Dave]

You might try this article for some information on various dive sites...please note it is a bit outdated (for example, the Alexander Hotel it mentions is no longer in operation)... but it gives a lot of info on diving.
Cayman Brac: The best shore diving in the Caribbean
We are huge fans of the Brac; heading back soon. FWIW, Hubby dives mainly with Scuba Shack; but has also done shore-diving, and several boat dives with Reef Divers. He finds plenty of variety on his dives.

We aren't fans of AI, so we don't stay at the hotel near Reef Divers; we prefer Brac Caribbean Beach Village condos instead. The dock there is a pick up spot for Scuba Shack, so that makes it convenient. As far as nightlife, as MCohen1021 says, there is little to speak of, except for drinks at Captains' Table behind the condos, or the nightly events at the hotel, or at a few other spots (Barracuda's bar); but the night sky and sound of the waves is more than enough for our "entertainment." Topside during the day, I find enough to do by slowing down the pace, enjoying interacting with Brackers wherever I meet them, and exploring beaches, caves, and the bluff. As with all travel, it's really just a matter of preference.

 

[howswedeofme]

Thanks! We don't mind not having much nightlife. On GC our "big night out" is rock and roll bingo and other than that, we mostly stay at the house we are renting. We usually play cards or just enjoy the outdoors. It sounds like the topside of Brac might be a little similar to Saba pace-wise, which we loved. We also aren't fans of AI, so I'll check out the condos you mentioned.