Cayman Brac Beach Resort Late December

[Redfoot]

I have the week off between Christmas and New Years, and was looking at doing a trip.

Option #1 is still the Belize Aggressor IV, I have been watching flights in the hopes that they might drop a little (hovering around $1,500 now RT) Total cost with nitrox, tip, airfare, etc is around $5,500. I am also concerned about flight out of Detroit that time of year getting delayed and me arriving in Belize on time to catch the boat. I really don't want to arrive early and add a night in Belize City, as that will push the price of trip up to around $6,000 with the pricier airfare flying 12-27 and the hotel.

Just found out another dive shop I know is doing a trip to Cayman Brac Beach Resort the same week. With airfare included, the trip is at least $1,500 less, including 17 dives, Nitrox, and all the usual fixings.

A few questions-
-I have read that Brac is usually calmer that time of year? Is that correct?
-Is the Sargassum still on a trajectory to get worse before it gets better?
-Do they offer additional dives (night dives, shore dives, etc) to boost the dive count for the week?

Any help or advice is appreciated!

 

[Trailboss123]

I have the week off between Christmas and New Years, and was looking at doing a trip.

Option #1 is still the Belize Aggressor IV, I have been watching flights in the hopes that they might drop a little (hovering around $1,500 now RT) Total cost with nitrox, tip, airfare, etc is around $5,500. I am also concerned about flight out of Detroit that time of year getting delayed and me arriving in Belize on time to catch the boat. I really don't want to arrive early and add a night in Belize City, as that will push the price of trip up to around $6,000 with the pricier airfare flying 12-27 and the hotel.

Just found out another dive shop I know is doing a trip to Cayman Brac Beach Resort the same week. With airfare included, the trip is at least $1,500 less, including 17 dives, Nitrox, and all the usual fixings.

A few questions-
-I have read that Brac is usually calmer that time of year? Is that correct?
-Is the Sargassum still on a trajectory to get worse before it gets better?
-Do they offer additional dives (night dives, shore dives, etc) to boost the dive count for the week?

Any help or advice is appreciated!

Xmas and New Year's this year is mid week to mid week. So, we could probably use some additional info in order to speak intelligently or proffer some suggestions. The Belize Aggressor IV doesn't run mid week to mid week.

1. What dates do you have available to travel and be away from work exactly?
2. Are you only looking at Belize and Cayman Brac as options or are you open to other suggestions?
3. Traveling solo or as a couple?
4. You mention cost, so I assume it is a consideration? How much so?

I have been going to Cozumel over the last 3 years during a similar timeframe (Xmas to New Years and for 10 days each time) and spend nowhere near that amount of money for two people diving, eating, flights from the West Coast and accommodations.

 

[al248005]

I was on the Brac for New Year's 2018. The weather was for the most part calm. I think we had 2 windy days but never got blown out. If you ask they may take you to Little Cayman for a day to dive Bloody Bay Wall but it will cost extra but sooo worth it. They had fireworks for New Year's when I was there. For that week the island was dead calm. The resort itself wasn't full and I believe they were only running two boats. I'm sure they'd do a night dice if you could round up enough people. The temperature was very comfortable too!

 

[Redfoot]

Sorry, should have been more clear-

I am off work from Dec 24 to Jan 6, and was looking at travel from 12-28 to 1-4 for the Aggressor trip and the Brac trip.

I am travelling solo, and would like to get maximum amount of dives possible.

I like the turn-key approach of both the Aggressor and the CBBR, still fairly new to diving and appreciate the simplicity they offer.

I looked in to Cozumel, but I thought it would be extremely busy that week? I would definitely be interested in suggestions for any other locations or opportunities.

Budget is around $4,000, but very flexible.

Thanks!

 

[KathyV]

I was on the Brac for New Year's 2018. The weather was for the most part calm. I think we had 2 windy days but never got blown out. If you ask they may take you to Little Cayman for a day to dive Bloody Bay Wall but it will cost extra but sooo worth it. They had fireworks for New Year's when I was there. For that week the island was dead calm. The resort itself wasn't full and I believe they were only running two boats. I'm sure they'd do a night dice if you could round up enough people. The temperature was very comfortable too!

Good to know that you had nice weather on Brac in early January. My understanding is that CBBR are now offering 3 tank trips from Brac to Little Cayman, to dive BBW and eat lunch at the LCBR (and vice versa to dive the Tibbets and eat lunch at CBBR) at no extra charge if you book a 3 dives per day package. I am sure that there is an extra charge if you are on a 2-tanks per day package, the sentence below is from the Classic Cayman package for CBBR:

• No additional charge for dive trips to Little Cayman/Bloody Bay Wall with PM boat dive package (weather permitting)

I think that the Cobalt Coast resort on GC is offering the Kittiwake and Stingray City at no extra charge if you book a 3 dives per day package, but I am not sure.

@Redfoot I have never been in Cayman in late December/early January - but I know that the area can get windy in the winter, but I believe that's also true of Belize and many areas of the Caribbean at that time of year. It's been my experience that the dive boats can usually find good diving around Brac unless the weather is really bad - but that is also true about a liveaboard. Sargassum is currently a problem in Belize, Mexico, Cayman, and many other areas of the Caribbean - but maybe the winter winds will take it away? Let's hope so, anyway. They do offer night dives at CBBR two nights per week if enough divers are interested. Shore diving is available on Brac but not at the resort and you would have to rent a car and find a buddy to join you. Shore diving is pretty cheap in Cayman, usually about $15 to rent a tank and weights.

It's likely that you will eventually dive both Belize and Cayman (and hopefully many other areas of the Caribbean) if you continue to live in the Midwest and enjoy diving. So let's think about this, you are traveling solo and your local dive shop is offering a nice, less expensive trip just at the time that you want to travel. I think that you should pick the Brac trip this time and look for a more favorable price for the Belize trip later. The Aggressor often announces a big sale in January/February for the upcoming year and airfares might be cheaper in the lower season.

You would probably have a good trip at either destination, and going with your dive shop could mean that you will make some local dive friends. You may be able to enjoy other (both liveaboard and land-based) trips with them in the future. Just my opinion, but either way, holiday travel is a peak season so don't wait too long to decide and book your flights.

 

[Doctorfish]

I've been on the Brac and GC that time of year and had pretty good weather and diving. Tends to be a bit windy blowing usually from NE so there will always be a lee shore to dive. The trip from Brac to LC might be blown out if too rough. There is 10 miles of open ocean to go through.
Reef divers on the Brac does 3 tanks daily plus 1-2 night dives weekly weather and number of divers permitting.

Also, if the seas are rough, the Aggressor sometimes will stay on GC for the week, rather than making the crossing. It would still be a nice week of diving.

 

[AggieDiver]

If I were worried about wind, I would go to GC or Brac over LC or Belize. In Belize, unless you are out at one of the atolls where you can go to the leeside of the islands and still dive, if the wind blows from the east too strongly, you are out of luck. GC, CB, and LC have good diving on the leeside of the islands, but I think GC has more options, and I think the south side dives on CB are better than the south side dives on LC. Both are deeper than the north side of LC, but I like the topography on the south side of Brac better.

 

[Redfoot]

Just booked for the week at CBBR! Locked in good flights on Delta and Cayman Airways. That time of year Delta flys direct to GCM, so I lucked out.



Very excited!

 

[KathyV]

Just booked for the week at CBBR! Locked in good flights on Delta and Cayman Airways. That time of year Delta flys direct to GCM, so I lucked out. Very excited!

That's great, I hope that you have good diving and good weather - and that you get a chance to do a LOB trip to Belize soon.

I know that you were worried about the sargassum situation currently making a mess in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America - and with good reason.

I've just posted an update with pics about the current status of the sargassum problem on Grand Cayman, see the link below. I hope that they are correct and things really are getting better, and I truly hope that the situation will be much improved when we travel to GC and LC later this year. You will be visiting even later than us so I think that you have a good chance that the situation will be much better, fingers crossed.

Have fun!

https://www.scubaboard.com/community/posts/8677796/

 

[Redfoot]

Thanks Kathy! I hope everything clears up as well.

Will keep my eyes peeled for a good liveaboard deal for later in 2020.

Here is the holiday deal going on @ CBBR that I booked:

Free Room with Holiday Dive Special | Cayman Brac Beach Resort