Taking cruise-Need advice on Cayman

[Fuzzmutton]

Hi Guys!

This may be totally un-doable but since I have never been to Grand Cayman I don't know. I'm coming in on Carnival on Mar. 18th and will be there from 7am to 4pm and I wondered if there was any way possible to dive the East end? So far I have had zero success in finding anyone who says they can do it. It will be me and my husband diving. Since we are not booking an excursion with Carnival we won't be the first ones off the ship either.

What do you think guys, am I dreaming?

Fuzz


P. S. I don't want to see any posts with this guy here....

 

[mike_s]

Yeah it's possible, but it'd be a rush.

None of the cruise boats in grand cayman dock. So you have to ride the tender over to the dock.

The only problem with that is that the other 2500 people on the ship want to get off at the same time. We had to wait about an hour to get off. People who have early morning "shore excursions" purchased through the cruise line have the ability to get "first in line". So you have to deal with that.

just a few things to consider.

 

[Alex777]

There is no dive boat in the East End which leaves late enough in the AM for you to make it. And the PM dive boats do not arrive back in time for you to get back on the cruise ship.

Strictly speaking, you COULD dive the East End because you would have time to drive out there, rent a tank and do a shore dive, then drive back. You might get 2 shore dives done.

 

[Fuzzmutton]

Well, crudbunnies!...

The reason why I wanted to go out to the east end was because I was reading posts here and elsewhere online about being able to see gray tip reef sharks out at The Maze. Hubby won't go if he has to worry about his own transportation, he has an EXTREMELY high stress job and adding too much hassle to the vacation itenerary is not worth it to him.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Fuzz

 

[Alex777]

You can't do the Maze as a shore dive anyway, so the plan doesn't really work. Sorry about that.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

To add to it, there is no point planning diving on East End for a specific site. The Maze is prone to substantial current at times. It is an exposde site on the southeast tip of the island and wind/wave conditions can combine to make it un-diveable more than half the time.

If you do manage to get to the Maze you have about a 1-in-3 chance of seeing Caribbean Reef Sharks (Carcharhinus perezi). Once, years ago, I saw one bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) there. I'm not sure which species you are calling a gray tip?

 

[Fuzzmutton]

Alex777, I figured the maze was a boat dive from what I had read about it. Without knowing how far away it was from where the ship would be I didn't know what my time constraints would be and if it would be possible to dive over there. Do you see? All excursions booked through the ship mentioned a totally different area. (now I see why)

Drew Sailbum, you make a valid point, I should have taken that into consideration. There was another spot I had in mind over there also but as you say, I could have gotten over there and found that because of conditions it was un-diveable. As for the type of shark, I read that in a trip report. I don't know a whole lot about sharks, maybe they meant a gray reef shark or a black tip reef shark? I just thought "hmmm, 'gray tip reef shark', well if they have 'em, I want to see 'em!"

Fuzz

 

[Torontonian]

If you are a platinum member (have taken 10 cruises with Carnival) then you can get off the first tender. Otherwise, try to ask the purser nicely to give you ticket for the first tender explaining you have an early excursion booked.

I did 2 boat dives with Neptune Divers (Casey) in G. Cayman. After that, got back to Georgetown and walked south of the piere about 5 minutes to Eden Rock. Rented tank and found a buddy to do an afternoon shore dive there. It was fairly good, long, shallow dive. Saw a nurse shark, lots of tarpoons, and other fish.

 

[Fuzzmutton]

I went ahead and booked with Off the Wall Divers, they seem to be recommended a lot here on the board.

Can anyone tell me about the current in the area? I've dove in areas where I've gotten pushed around pretty good with surge but never in current and I always get a little anxious diving new conditions without warning. The book I got from the library describes just about every dive site as having "moderate current".

 

[Alex777]

Forget the dive guide books. I have never seen one with information which reflects reality.

You will be taken to sites which have no or very little current - 1/2 knot max. In fact, GC is noted for not having much in the way of current, much to the chagrin of people who want to drift dive.