West Bay Dock Warning

[dbnewton]

Thanks for the report. I am headed to GC in two weeks and knowing this I will try to be aware and alert. I don't think I will be using the west bay dock (diving wiht Divetec much further north) but this is my 1st trip to GC so I am not sure how it will all work.

 

[Damselfish]

Divetech used to use the West Bay dock frequently, either that or one in the sound when they couldn't use the dock at Cobalt Coast (which was most of the time.) Now that they are based at Lighthouse Point which is slightly more sheltered, I don't know how that changes the equation.

 

[Doctorfish]

one Dive tech boat was moored off west bay dock last week.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

One factor in this situation is the British style of policing in Cayman. Routine patrol officers are not armed.


Given that bottles were being used as weapons and a threat was made regarding a gun then responding officers and/or their sergeant (or inspector) may have requested armed officers respond as back up. Those back up officers very well may have been coming from George Town.

 

[scoobydrew]

Hi all

I work for divetech so would like to address some of the earlier points.

First off, to dbnewton - Hi there, my name is Drew and I may well be driving the boat for you when you get here, I look forward to meeting you in a couple of weeks.

West Bay Dock is one of four docks that we use and we do indeed have a mooring there. Our decision as to which dock we will use on a given day is based on which one has the best conditions near to it. At this time of year the wind picks up from the northeast which means, like many other operators, we tend to use WBD more often.

With regards to the incident last week, I will admit to being surprised by what sounded like an ugly scene. I was not personally there that morning, but a colleague who was had told me about it. There are a few people that gather around the car park by the dock who live a simple life selling conch shells and coconut water who can be seen drinking alcohol. In the 2.5 years that I have been here, this group has never been a problem at all. They understand that their money comes from tourists and realize that making people feel intimidated and uncomfortable would be bad for business. They don't hassle people to buy their stuff, it's just laid out on a table with a sign and they sit under a nearby tree waiting for anyone who's interested to walk up to them.
Clearly something else occurred that morning. Their behaviour was not acceptable and the incident was not excusable but at the same time such a scene is far from commonplace. The usual atmosphere on the dock there is nice and relaxed and that's how i'd expect future visitors to find it.
Unfortunately, from time to time, things happen, more so when alcohol is involved and Grand Cayman is not isolated from such possibilities.
For anyone who is likely to use that dock I would recommend using no extra caution than anywhere else.

Drew

 

[Dave_lucas]

We were there about a month ago and dove with divetech one trip we departed from west bay dock and it seemed like a safe location.

While in Grand Cayman I felt perfectly safe (other than driving with other tourists on the wrong side of the road), safer than many places in the US but unfortunately people will get drunk and some will cause issues but that can happen anywhere.

Looking forward to going back in a few months and diving with divetech again just hope the weather is better this time

 

[mwemery1000]

Hi all,

I have been living in West Bay for the last two years. Drew is correct in saying that the atmosphere at the dock is relaxed and often friendly, albeit a bit busy with the comings and goings of the dive boats. Many dive operators use WBD, as it is convenient in reaching the SMB dive sites as well as the northern sites. West Bay itself is a residential area for the local Caymanian population, many of who work in the hospitality industry in the hotels and stores of Seven Mile Beach. I have never felt unsafe in West Bay, but as with any place in the world, there are times when bad apples pop to the surface. I was there at the dock getting ready to board, ironically, Atatude, one of DiveTech's boats for a morning of great diving (which we had, as usual - thanks DiveTech!). I arrived just as the brouhaha was winding down. When I got there, an ambulance and several police cars were there, and several people were in custody in the cars. The island doesn't have a large police force and perhaps the officers on the scene had to wait for back up to arrive. The incident rattled not only the tourists, but the locals as well. This is definitely not the usual Saturday morning at WBD.

There are a few locals who feel that the expat population is "ruining" the island because the way of life has changed dramatically, sometimes not for the best. But overall, as Drew stated, the vast majority of the population understands that the money tourism and business brings to the island has improved the quality of life for most on the island. It is the eternal struggle between progress and tradition. Whether Cayman Islands has been successful in bridging the two together is a debate for another time/forum.

For those fellow divers coming to GC, please know that GC is as safe as any other tourist destination - in fact, I would say safer than many. There will be incidents that happen anywhere, even in your own hometown. Don't let them color your journey; just assess the situation you are in and act accordingly. I have had the pleasure of living in many areas of the world, including several countries in the Middle East and Asia, and have learned that no country is immune to these types of incidents. Just be aware of your surroundings and act accordingly, like you would anywhere you are.

Just my 2 cents,

Mark

 

[KathyV]

I was up at the GC west bay dock last Saturday at 7 AM to go out with one of the dive ops and there were about half a dozen locals in the parking lot drinking, smoking ganja and arguing. 7 AM!! They started up with everyone who arrived, smashed a bottle on one of the cars that pulled in and eventually got into a fight with several of the DMs and customers there. I personally didn't know if I was going to be just insulted, hit or robbed. The situation escalated to include one of the drunks smashing a bottle over the head of one of the others and then throwing beer bottles at one of the DMs and hitting her. Most of the customers retreated to the relative safety of the dive boats at the end of the dock but had to run a gauntlet to get there. One drunk staggered up the dock and threatened to come back with his gun. The police arrived at this point but were very slow in controlling the situation. Eventually, a few locals were in the back of a squad car and the rest scattered, but overall, I certainly felt threatened for the first time on GC. The West Bay Dock is something of a tourist stop. There are usually vendors there with local crafts, coconuts and conch shells for sale. The West side dive boats also leave from there. Drunks, weed and fighting can't be good for the tourist industry. Anyone else ever had a bad time at the dock or adjacent parking lot?

This incident was featured on the Cayman News see the link below. The report said that the police didn't witness any altercations with divers:

http://www.cayman27.com.ky/files/20...st-Bay-Dock-results-tanks-in-water-arrest.mp4


Here's the text:

Booze-fueled melee near West Bay Dock results tanks in water, arrest
Posted By Joe Avary
Monday, 21 December 2015 8:10 pm

A drunken melee at the West Bay dock is lighting up social media. According to commentors on scubaboard.com, the ugly scene began Saturday (12 December) when half a dozen revelers, the remnants of an all night beach party, got out of control.

This took place as many dive operators were loading up customers for morning trips at the dock.

One account described bottles being thrown, divemasters threatened, and even a man throwing scuba tanks off the dock into the ocean. Commentators were critical of RCIPS for what they perceived as an ineffective response to the situation.

Police confirm officers did respond to a 9-1-1 call of an assault near West Bay beach that morning, but did not witness any dispute or altercation with divers in the area.

A 44-year old man was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct, threats to kill, insulting the modesty of a woman, and assaulting police.

Anyone who has information regarding this incident is asked to call RCIPS Inspector Leo Anglin at West Bay police station at 649-3999.

Booze-fueled melee near West Bay Dock results tanks in water, arrest - Cayman 27