More About Shore Dive Options on Grand Cayman

[KathyV]

I'm sure that Cayman is not unique in that requirement. Any dive business that provides both morning and afternoon dives are going to have that constraint, I would think.

I'm still not getting this over-arching idea that Cayman is overly restrictive or "big brother"....

I don't think so either, but the island had gotten a reputation of being restrictive of divers in the past, as indicated by that old Undercurrent article and I think that the reputation is still circulating around out there. The perceived unwillingness to recognize certified solo divers has added to that restrictive reputation; and as we've read in this thread some divers have been unwilling to give Cayman a try because of concerns about diving freedom.

The difficulty (sometimes) in renting tanks for shore diving has helped to bolster the perception, but as we've learned here, that is likely due to private property issues and that's fine, I don't really want to drag tanks all over the island; but folks used to the diving freedom of Bonaire might find that restrictive.

My opinion is that the uneven application of practices across different dive ops has contributed to the "secret handshake" theory. Also, the tendency of some dive staff to invoke mysterious scuba laws and cite non-existent regulations whenever it's convenient has helped to perpetrate the myth.

I love Cayman and I am not trying to run it down, and I have had great experiences with a number of dive ops. I do appreciate that the Cayman dive ops are dedicated to keeping their customers safe. Also that there are very many dive ops working in Cayman, and that the island is visited by large numbers of tourists, including casual divers - so I guess some ambiguity is to be expected - but it can be frustrating when you are just trying to find correct and consistent information.

 

[drrich2]

I'm still not getting this over-arching idea that Cayman is overly restrictive or "big brother"....

It's not just one thing, it's a perception of a broader pattern. I believe I've seen it expressed on the forum before that solo diving 'isn't allowed' there, but that's not literally true. I finally contacted Ocean Frontiers via e-mail asking about it; at least at that time, they not only allowed it, I think they taught the PADI Self-Reliant Diver course. I've also seen posts to the effect at least some op.s renting tanks for shore diving wouldn't rent to a single diver, in order to avoid renting tanks to solo divers.

It's relative. Compared to Bonaire, that sounds 'big brother.' Compared to Curacao? Well, I've seen someone post that solo diving was prohibited in Curacao; I mentioned it in a later thread and was corrected. As of recently, Go West divers allowed properly equipped & solo-certified divers to do solo, and at least one other operator on the island allowed it when I checked their web site.

In St. Croix, I don't think N2TheBlue or Cane Bay Scuba much cared whether I had a buddy or not when I rented a tank to shore dive; Sweet Bottom Dive Center did, but let me since I had my solo cert. card & my redundant air source (which they even filled for free, so I didn't have to draw air off my tank to do it. Excellent customer service at Sweet Bottom!).

My point is, how restrictive Grand Cayman is depends on who you compare it to. Part of what's led to what to some extent is probably a misperception is that when people encounter, or hear of, alleged restrictions and want to know the basis, getting it can be hard to do.

The perception of restrictions can be more off-putting than the alleged restrictions. Like some of you, I don't generally go over 110 (or 100 feet for that matter) deep unless there's something special to see down there. Otherwise, it's worse lighting, faster gas consumption, shorter dive times and greater risk of narcosis or other difficulties if something bad happens (e.g.: major gear failure - I'd rather than 30 feet deep than 120 if that happens).

Richard.

 

[KathyV]

It's not just one thing, it's a perception of a broader pattern. I believe I've seen it expressed on the forum before that solo diving 'isn't allowed' there, but that's not literally true. I finally contacted Ocean Frontiers via e-mail asking about it; at least at that time, they not only allowed it, I think they taught the PADI Self-Reliant Diver course. I've also seen posts to the effect at least some op.s renting tanks for shore diving wouldn't rent to a single diver, in order to avoid renting tanks to solo divers.

It's relative. Compared to Bonaire, that sounds 'big brother.' Compared to Curacao? Well, I've seen someone post that solo diving was prohibited in Curacao; I mentioned it in a later thread and was corrected. As of recently, Go West divers allowed properly equipped & solo-certified divers to do solo, and at least one other operator on the island allowed it when I checked their web site.

In St. Croix, I don't think N2TheBlue or Cane Bay Scuba much cared whether I had a buddy or not when I rented a tank to shore dive; Sweet Bottom Dive Center did, but let me since I had my solo cert. card & my redundant air source (which they even filled for free, so I didn't have to draw air off my tank to do it. Excellent customer service at Sweet Bottom!).

My point is, how restrictive Grand Cayman is depends on who you compare it to. Part of what's led to what to some extent is probably a misperception is that when people encounter, or hear of, alleged restrictions and want to know the basis, getting it can be hard to do.

The perception of restrictions can be more off-putting than the alleged restrictions. Like some of you, I don't generally go over 110 (or 100 feet for that matter) deep unless there's something special to see down there. Otherwise, it's worse lighting, faster gas consumption, shorter dive times and greater risk of narcosis or other difficulties if something bad happens (e.g.: major gear failure - I'd rather than 30 feet deep than 120 if that happens).

Richard.

In a different thread about shore diving Brac, @scubadada stated that "....Solo diving in the Cayman Islands appears to be a point of some confusion. I believe that the CITA regulations require buddy diving and do not address solo diving. However, I have dived solo on all or part of dives in the Cayman Islands for many years. This includes Divetech, when they were at Cobalt Coast, Ocean Frontiers, Reef Divers on Little Cayman, and, most recently, Reef Divers on Cayman Brac." He has also confirmed with Brac Scuba Shack that solo diving is fine with them, as long as you are certified and have the proper equipment.

It is likely that some other ops just reference the CITA guidelines about buddy diving and respond to requests by saying that "solo diving is not allowed, it's against the rules (laws, regulations)" and so the ambiguity, inconsistency, and the "Secret Handshake" and "Big Brother" perceptions just continue.

 

[caydiver]

In all fairness I have to say that we have also been in situations where divers have done something silly and the next briefing includes a bit more “instructional” info but I have seen this in many different destinations. It is a polite way of reminding people instead of deliberately pointing out what they are doing wrong. Sadly sometimes the worst offenders are many of us who think we are great. There are divers and then okay divers, good divers and then there are great divers despite the number of dives. We all know what category we think we should be in and then there are the categories we deserve to be in. I was truly a fish out of water in The Galapagos. After some many years of thinking I had it all it was eye opening. Not their fault but our guides were totally useless to me and others. Will always love a BSAC North Sea diver who adopted me. Made a trip of a lifetime actually work. With regard to solo diving in The Cayman Islands there is no confusion — CITA or not there is no solo diving. Solo diving certs are not recognized. It is not a law pre say but it is a regulation every op has to adhere to. So anyone who wants to have a Trade & Business License which means everyone is not going to allow solo diving. You can research however you like but it is not happening. The “secret handshake” or giving some divers more or less freedom is based on personal experience with purely on the skill set exhibited. Some deserve the privilege and some don’t. There really is no secrets.

 

[scubadada]

In all fairness I have to say that we have also been in situations where divers have done something silly and the next briefing includes a bit more “instructional” info but I have seen this in many different destinations. It is a polite way of reminding people instead of deliberately pointing out what they are doing wrong. Sadly sometimes the worst offenders are many of us who think we are great. There are divers and then okay divers, good divers and then there are great divers despite the number of dives. We all know what category we think we should be in and then there are the categories we deserve to be in. I was truly a fish out of water in The Galapagos. After some many years of thinking I had it all it was eye opening. Not their fault but our guides were totally useless to me and others. Will always love a BSAC North Sea diver who adopted me. Made a trip of a lifetime actually work. With regard to solo diving in The Cayman Islands there is no confusion — CITA or not there is no solo diving. Solo diving certs are not recognized. It is not a law pre say but it is a regulation every op has to adhere to. So anyone who wants to have a Trade & Business License which means everyone is not going to allow solo diving. You can research however you like but it is not happening.

Scuba Shack on Brac appears to allow solo diving with certification and appropriate equipment, as it should be

 

[drrich2]

With regard to solo diving in The Cayman Islands there is no confusion — CITA or not there is no solo diving. Solo diving certs are not recognized. It is not a law pre say but it is a regulation every op has to adhere to.

Very interesting. A regulation by who?

Richard.

 

[Damselfish]

Interesting and useful summary by drrich2 - I would add to the list of causative factors that this suggests dive boat operators in Cayman support shore diving operations by referring business to them rather than making a quick buck renting tanks themselves.

How many shore diving only ops are there - shore diving only, without boats? Sun Divers? Eden Rock?

 

[KathyV]

How many shore diving only ops are there - shore diving only, without boats? Sun Divers? Eden Rock?

Good point, most of the places with house reefs and shore diving also have dive ops that offer boat diving, like Sunset House (Sunset Divers), Cheeseburger Reef (Lobster Pot), Coconut Bay (Stingray Watersports), Lighthouse Point (DiveTech), and Cobalt Coast (Reef Divers).

 

[caydiver]

I do believe there is room for ops to make choices and judgement calls since there are guidelines as opposed to laws. But they are judgement calls. If you dive regularly with an op and they know your skill set there is wiggle room but it is not going to happen just because. For someone to say they have always dove with the same buddy to question the guidelines is a no brainer for me as having an op. Do I trust them as as a team absolutely not if we don’t know them as divers. If one is always as passive follower and that is how they dive totally awesome. Do we want them in the water alone without a guide and the main gets in to trouble, want eyes. I don’t really give a crap about big brother or solo from people who have all their experience together. I have no experience with pure solo diving so recuse myself. I do know when we were first starting out years ago I tried to book myself as a single so I couldn’t become complacent with a unknown buddy. Would highly recommend the practice just do you and your buddy actually have an equal playing field. I am not sure what differentiates shore divers ops with or without boats I will say the new mgmt at Sunset House will raise the bar. Awesome guy with tons of experience, knowledge and drive and that is from a competitor.

 

[Alucard]

As Stingray Watersports and Coconut Bay was mentioned: It is fine to bring rental tanks from other locations when you shore dive there. The dive facility isn't owned by Stingray Watersports, but by the condo association (STRATA). Tanks and weights there are provided by Stingray Watersports but you aren't obliged to use them.