Little Cayman AND Grand Cayman in January?

[AggieDiver]

Yes, the plane does fly high enough to need to worry about it...approximately 7500 feet the last few times I have been back and forth. I think if you are conscientious about your dive habits that morning and while on the Kittiwake in the afternoon, 18 hours is probably fine. 18 hours is what LCBR typically insists on when deciding which dives you can dive on your last dive day. Obviously, if you do two dives in the AM on GC and push the very edge of your NDLs and then push the NDLs again on the Kittwake dive, 18 hours might not be enough. But if you are smart and at least somewhat conservative in your profiles, there is not likely to be a problem.

 

[sidne]

Yes, the plane does fly high enough to need to worry about it...approximately 7500 feet the last few times I have been back and forth. I think if you are conscientious about your dive habits that morning and while on the Kittiwake in the afternoon, 18 hours is probably fine. 18 hours is what LCBR typically insists on when deciding which dives you can dive on your last dive day. Obviously, if you do two dives in the AM on GC and push the very edge of your NDLs and then push the NDLs again on the Kittwake dive, 18 hours might not be enough. But if you are smart and at least somewhat conservative in your profiles, there is not likely to be a problem.

Thanks. I really appreciate the information and advice. I have no desire to push NDLs. I'm going on vacation. If I sit out a dive, I get to sit around and gaze at the ocean to fill the time.

I've made (almost all) my reservations at this point.

Sunset House for 3 nights, Little Cayman Beach Resort for 7 nights. International flights on US Airways.

I haven't booked Cayman Airways flights yet. (Since I was waiting to check on the required SI.) I did e-mail Sunset Divers (who we plan to use for the Kittiwake dive) to also ask about which flights we could take the next day to LC. Haven't heard back yet. I don't want to book flights, then find out they won't let us do the afternoon dive.

I'm really looking forward to the trip!

 

[BDSC]

Here is my mid-week report. Rooms very nice with plenty of hot water and the food is as Great as ever. The seas have been almost flat. Like being on a lake. Vis has been outstanding. I think we have seen more sharks than before. Mostly nurse sharks but a couple of reef sharks as well. We are seeing less lionfish than ever. Reefs are in great shape and we even found a seahorse at Mixing Bowl! First dive is typically 110 ft. max for 50 minutes and the second is 60 ft. for 60 minutes. Like usual you can wait for the DM or go and do your own thing.

I see why I keep coming back!

 

[sidne]

Here is my mid-week report. Rooms very nice with plenty of hot water and the food is as Great as ever. The seas have been almost flat. Like being on a lake. Vis has been outstanding. I think we have seen more sharks than before. Mostly nurse sharks but a couple of reef sharks as well. We are seeing less lionfish than ever. Reefs are in great shape and we even found a seahorse at Mixing Bowl! First dive is typically 110 ft. max for 50 minutes and the second is 60 ft. for 60 minutes. Like usual you can wait for the DM or go and do your own thing.

Hoping for much of the same for my trip in January! (Okay, I know it will be colder. And probably not lake-like.)

I see why I keep coming back!

Hoping this will be why I will WANT to keep coming back!

Thanks for the update!

 

[BDSC]

Also, I have been told that the family that owns the LCBR has now purchased the Brac Reef Beach Resort and plan, in the future, to offer a combo package.

 

[AggieDiver]

I heard the same thing earlier this year. I also was told that Jason Belport, who was the manager at LCBR for a long time, has been promoted and will be managing the operation overseeing both resorts. They will now truly be sister resorts owned by the same people.

 

[keyshunter]

I heard the same thing earlier this year. I also was told that Jason Belport, who was the manager at LCBR for a long time, has been promoted and will be managing the operation overseeing both resorts. They will now truly be sister resorts owned by the same people.

I heard about this some time ago. Jason is a good guy, and I am sure that he will do an excellent job.

The current upgrading of the Brac airport's baggage screening ability, and proposed direct Cayman Airways flights from AND to Miami, should give Brac Reef a boost.

 

[BDSC]

Jason did move up the food chain so to speak. Kimberly is now the manager at LCBR and I think Trudy is still at the BRBR. Everything was excellent this week and this morning the sea was as slick as glass. I've never seen conditions this great.

Reef Divers are truly top notch. Today was our last day of diving and you do two morning dives the last day. So yesterday a couple of folks from the group made a comment about what it would be like to do a dawn dive. So Alex spoke with the shop manager and made it happen. Everyone in the group wanted to do it so we did a dawn dive and then a second morning dive and were back at the dock by 9:30. It was great! If you have never been, you really need to visit the Little Cayman Beach Resort.

 

[Hintermann]

I am doing something very similar this January. A week on Cayman Aggressor followed by 8 more land based dives at Little Cayman.

 

[sidne]

I am doing something very similar this January. A week on Cayman Aggressor followed by 8 more land based dives at Little Cayman.

We'll be at LCBR from the 7th until the 14th. I'd love to hear about your experiences on the Aggressor if our paths cross.