A couple quick Grand Cayman questions

[apainter26]

Hi --
First, a thank you to the board runners for having these discussion threads open to peruse! I know I'm going to probably get a chorus of, "Just get certified already!" in response to this post, but life has been busy in the two years since my boyfriend and I tried a Discover course on Culebra, PR, and loved it. We're going to Grand Cayman in early for a few days -- he has a conference and I have to work remotely a couple of the days we're there, so free time is limited -- but we're planning to do another DSD.

I've corresponded with a few dive companies, and it looks like DiveTech, Neptune's and Living the Dream can each accommodate our need for an afternoon (rather than morning) DSD. We'll be staying at the Marriott on 7 Mile Beach.

Other than factors like afternoon traffic, are there any special reasons to choose one of those companies over the others? As in, are there any significant differences in house reef health/interest, given that we'll be staying so shallow? Is Lighthouse Point likely to be really windy this time of year? I figure going with DiveTech also gives us a chance to check out a new part of the island after the dive... or is that a silly plan?

Also: I noticed DiveTech offers an introduction to free diving, which I've been curious about for many years. (Like, maybe try freediving in the morning and do the DSD in the afternoon of the same day?)Does anyone here have experience trying freediving with them?

Thank you so much!

 

[mi000ke]

We live on GC part of the year, and I take all of our non-certified visitors (including my daughter last week) to Neptune's for their discovery dive. All the dive ops you listed are great. The reason I use Neptune's is that 1) Casey, the owner, gives one of the best introductions to diving I have observed, and 2) you get to do two real dives on shallow reefs off a boat. The other dive ops usually do a pool session then one dive, and the dive is often a shore dive. (You can sign up for repeat dives at another time.)

With Neptunes, the first dive will be somewhat shorter, as she uses the first dive to get you to practice at the surface the few skills you will need to learn (breathing with a regulator - that's the mouthpiece you breath from - underwater, clearing your mask of water, taking your regulator out of your mouth underwater and putting it back in and purging the small amount of water that gets into the regulator, and equalizing the pressure in your ears as you descend - just like clearing your ears on an airplane). She spends whatever time you need to get comfortable with these skills, then you pull yourself down the anchor line as slowly as you need to go to make sure your ears are clear. She stays close to you as she guides you on your dive. In most cases my one or two guests (plus me tagging along) have been the only ones on the dive, so you get a lot of attention.

The second dive is just a regular dive, but again she will go as slowly as you need to descend, and she will be right next to you.

Her full-time dive master, Richie, is also great - and my daughter is coming back to get certified with Neptunes, and specifically requested Richie as her instructor (23 year old daughter, young good looking DM, you get the picture...) My daughter did two days of discovery diving, and during the second day we had Richie as the DM, and as she was doing so well given the instruction she got from Casey the first day, he took my daughter through some of the skills she would need to get certified.

If you do end up using Neptune's, tell them Mike Z recommended them.

BTW, I did my AOW with Living the Dream and was diving with DiveTech almost exclusively last year (except for the discovery dives with Neptune's), and both are great as well.

 

[diversteve]

+1 for Casey/Neptunes although I can't fault Divetech either.
Divetech is at Lighthouse Point - one of the better shore dives in rhe area if you have time for a 2nd DSD experience.

There's not really much near there - it's in a small condo complex in a neighborhood. A few minutes drive away is the Macabuca Tiki Bar/Cracked Conch Restaurant at Turtle Reef - the Boatswains Beach/Turtle Farm is across the street also. Note that Farm is an accurate word - they're grown for consumption. Otherwise there's nor much else in the area except private residences -and the Tortuga Rum Cake store.

Not really any good beach either - the NW side is mostly ironshore low cliffs - you'd get shredded w/o a ladder. 7 Mile Beach is the nice one and it's pretty nice at the Marriott.

I'd also point out the obvious from a logistics standpoint - Red Sail Watersports has a dive operation at the Marriott and often beaches a flatbottom boat there to pickup divers. They do a shallow Discover/New Diver trip on demand in the afternoons. Typically those are bigger, more stable boats and usually used for dives off the west side since they don't handle the North Wall conditions as well.

Likewise any dive operation that does afternoon dives (most do) on the west side is an option for you as all pick you up via van and most leave from one of the Sound marinas just 5-10 mins or so away. Living the Dream is one of them. A list of options can be found at www.cita.ky

 

[prncinghrse]

I did my OW cert dives in November with Living the Dream. I thought they were well run and had a very good experience.

 

[mcohen1021]

I've corresponded with a few dive companies, and it looks like DiveTech, Neptune's and Living the Dream can each accommodate our need for an afternoon (rather than morning) DSD. We'll be staying at the Marriott on 7 Mile Beach.

Other than factors like afternoon traffic, are there any special reasons to choose one of those companies over the others?

I really liked using Divers Down, the small groups were a huge plus. I would use them or go with an even smaller op next time

 

[howswedeofme]

You didn't post the month you'll be there, but depending on the time of year, Lighthouse Point can be washed out. If you're going in the summer it should be fine. It is a really great dive, though, so if you are able to do the DSC with DiveTech, you won't regret it. We have enjoyed the West Bay dive sites more than the more SMB-adjacent dive sites generally. Otherwise, all the ops you listed are good ops that will take good care of you. I think being near Macabuca to stop in afterward is a +1 for DiveTech because I love their food and location! But you can always drive up there for a nice sunset after diving with Neptune, too.

 

[Divetech Cayman]

Hi Amanda,

great to see you picking up some more information on your upcoming visit to Grand Cayman!

Some quick comments on the various post made here:

Size of group - I wouldn’t take this too much into consideration now for Discover Scuba Diving as per training standards the maximum group size would be 4 participants per instructor. Each dive shop will follow the same standards.

Lighthouse Point - of course we’re slightly biased here but Lighthouse Point is a great dive. Especially for DSD’s it is great, as it’s a nice gentle descent along the bottom from 4 ft deep till you hit the reef at 25 feet deep after about a 5 min swim from shore. We find for many beginning divers this more comfortable and easy than dropping down a mooring line. Then there is a beautiful reef to discover between 25 feet and 40 feet which would be the limit for DSD’s.
If you look at satellite photos on Google Maps or Bing you will see that Lighthouse Point reef is the same reef system surrounding the whole island, so the same great quality and certainly a ‘real’ dive! You can just reach it with an easy 5 minute swim instead of needing a boat ride. Lighthouse Point was just voted 4th best shore dive in the world in the Scuba Diving reader’s choice awards.
Regarding conditions, it is quite rare that Lighthouse Point get washed out even in winter. We’re just a bit further south and ‘around the corner’ than for example Cobalt Coast and Macabuca/Cracked Conch/Sundivers so we are less affected by bad weather and waves and wind, which usually are more prevalent on the north and east side of the island.

Discover Scuba Diving - we run these either at 8.00 AM or 1.00 PM, and are flexible based on demand and availability but would therefore recommend pre-booking. We in general do not use a swimming pool for our DSDs, but our sea pool or just of our dock as it calm and shallow enough. That allows us after the DSD skills are finished to swim directly to the reef wall and do a reef dive which usually is only limited by air consumption. If you want to a second dive, we take a little break and jump in again for a reef dive. So with our DSD you are assured of one reef dive, and a second one if you want.
Following your DSD we can also do a repeat DSD on the Kittiwake wreck or Stingray City, both signature Grand Cayman dives.

Freediving - we have several freediving instructors on staff including a South African national champion so we would love to introduce you to that!

We do complimentary pick-ups at the Marriott if you need them.

Oh, and +1 for Macabuca. My ‘local’ for a sunset beer and a place I end up way too often.... luckily I live almost around the corner!

 

[apainter26]

We live on GC part of the year, and I take all of our non-certified visitors (including my daughter last week) to Neptune's for their discovery dive. All the dive ops you listed are great.

BTW, I did my AOW with Living the Dream and was diving with DiveTech almost exclusively last year (except for the discovery dives with Neptune's), and both are great as well.

Thanks, Mi000ke! I appreciate knowing that the DSD you describe is pretty much like the one we did on Culebra, as I expected. Since we did our basic skills practice in the sea next to the boat and were comfortable with that, I'd definitely prefer either the same or a "sea pool" this time, rather than a chlorine pool.

Mainly I wasn't sure if the reef conditions vary much along the west coast, or whether Lighthouse Point was around the corner enough to avoid the winter winds on the north side that I've read about. But it looks like some folks have addressed that further down the thread. Thanks again & I hope your daughter's certification goes well!

 

[apainter26]

Cheers, diversteve -- that's definitely the sort of info I was looking for. I'm not so worried about combining the DSD with beach time in the area, since the hotel's on 7 Mile; I really appreciate your input that Lighthouse Point is one of the better shore dives. And I'd read that West Bay has some great restaurants (Vivo and Catch... any thoughts on those, along with Cracked Conch?) Plus, I figured if we decide not to do a second DSD dive that afternoon, maybe a bicycle tour would be fun. (Though I'm inclined to think I'll want a second dive...)

I had not picked Red Sail as a top choice mainly because I've seen some posts mentioning larger numbers of people on them. Though maybe that's less of an issue with a DSD situation? I don't have a strong preference between shore dive or boat dive, so long as the reef is in good shape.

Definitely not interested in the turtle farm -- I prefer to see them in the wild.

Thank you again for the info!

 

[apainter26]

You didn't post the month you'll be there, but depending on the time of year, Lighthouse Point can be washed out. If you're going in the summer it should be fine. It is a really great dive, though, so if you are able to do the DSC with DiveTech, you won't regret it. We have enjoyed the West Bay dive sites more than the more SMB-adjacent dive sites generally. Otherwise, all the ops you listed are good ops that will take good care of you. I think being near Macabuca to stop in afterward is a +1 for DiveTech because I love their food and location! But you can always drive up there for a nice sunset after diving with Neptune, too.

Thank you for this info, howswedeofme! Good to know you like the West Bay dive sites.

We'll be on GC from March 7-12 (including travel days). So, sadly, a super-short trip, and one that will be partially taken up by my partner's conference and me working remotely. Hence the interest in at least seeing a different neighborhood when we go for the DSD. Too much hotel time does not interest me! Anyway, not sure if that timing makes any difference to your recommendations or not...