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LITTLE CAYMAN & CAYMAN BRAC
Year:2003
Jewels of the Caribbean
Season: Year-round diving
Visibility: 30-40 metres, sometimes up to 60-70 metres
Water temperature: 26-28°C
Rising from the ocean bed in the clear waters of the
northern Caribbean Sea lies a massive underwater mountain range
known as the Cayman Ridge. Three of its spectacular peaks break
the surface of the water to form the islands of Grand
Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. To the north lies the
island of Cuba and to the east Jamaica. The water is deliciously
warm and the diving is easy. No rivers deposit sediment into the
crystal clear waters that are said to be amongst the least polluted
in the world. The islands are surrounded by fringing reefs
with staghorn coral, canyons, pinnacles, archways and of course,
the magnificent walls that provide the necessary protection for
all varieties of marine life while still enabling the larger
pelagic species to come within reach of the diver. Because diving
is such a major part of the tourist industry, diving in the
Cayman Islands has become highly organized and very
professionally run. The diving industry, together with the government,
have formed the Cayman Islands Watersports Operators
Association, which sets the highest standards in diving safety, boat
operation and diving guides. The creation of permanent
mooring sites and continuing environmental education all help to
preserve the health and delicate ecology of the reefs and their
associated marine life.
Whilst Grand Cayman offers good (although often
nowadays rather crowded) diving, the discerning diver should visit
Little Cayman and Cayman Brac in order to experience the very
finest diving that the Cayman Islands, and indeed the
Caribbean as a whole, has to offer. Why not take the chance of
experiencing the joys of superb marine life in crystal clear, warm
water from the exclusive and peaceful Little Cayman Beach
Resort or from the luxurious Cayman
Aggressor. Whether you chose to explore these underwater wonderlands by liveaboard or from
a shore-based location you will soon see why the fine
reputation of these two small islands is very well deserved.
LITTLE CAYMAN
Little Cayman's most famous dive area, Bloody Bay
Marine Park, is widely acknowledged as one of the most varied
and spectacular dive sites in the world. Two walls,
Jackson Wall and Bloody Bay Wall, make up this stunning marine park
where very strict legislation limits the number of dive boats
allowed to operate in the area each day. Only two dive boats per
operator are allowed to enter the marine park and each boat is
limited to no more than 20 divers.
Bloody Bay Wall comprises a 4-kilometre unbroken arc
of magnificent coral wall which starts at a depth of 7 metres
and drops vertically to 300 metres. With visibility reaching up to
a spectacular 70 metres, it is thought to be the clearest and
most spectacular diving area in the Caribbean!
There are more than 20 dive sites to choose from along the wall. Dotted with
caves, deeply etched canyons and tunnels, the wall is rich in
large coral heads, tall gorgonians and brilliantly coloured clusters
of tube sponges all teeming with a variety of multi-coloured
fish and many other forms of marine life. There is so much
diving potential that there are still many unexplored areas of
reef. Diving in these warm waters with exceptional visibility is
something you will remember for a long time!
Jackson's Reef abounds with life. A population of very
friendly French Angelfish are usually more than willing to pose for
photographs. Spotted Eagle Rays, Southern Stingrays and
Green and Black-and-white Morays frequent the reef. For the
night diver there are lots of night dwellers: octopus, basket
starfish and orange ball anemones to name but a few.
At Marilyn's Cut, outcroppings along the wall provide
anchorage for red rope sponges, yellow tube sponges and various
of gorgonians. The hard corals along the top of the wall
attract colourful wrasse, while the soft corals provide cover for
lurking Trumpetfish. A large Nassau Grouper (locally known as
'Ben') usually hangs out near a giant barrel sponge below the crest
of the wall. Ben has a great affinity for camera lenses and has
been the star of many underwater photographs!
Nancy's Cup of Tea begins at about 12 metres, plunges
dramatically in a cascade of overhanging outcrops and ends
hundreds of metres down. Orange and red strawberry vase
sponges festoon rugged limestone mounds. A large pinnacle
surrounded by a deep passageway supports huge growths of black coral,
red rope sponges and delicate twists of wire coral. Nassau
Groupers, French Angelfish, filefish and wrasse live in the shelter of
the cracks and crevices.
Some of the less frequently dived areas east of Bloody Bay
along the north shore of Little Cayman are spectacular and
include Blacktip Tunnels, Sailfin Reef
and Crystal Palace Wall. Cayman Islands Department of Environment has recently
designated four new dive sites: two to the west of Bloody Bay
Wall, and two along the South Shore. Little Cayman's enviable
reputation as having the best diving in the Caribbean is
emphasised by the stunning quality of diving at these new dive sites.
CAYMAN BRAC
Perhaps the most recently publicized dive in the world is
the wreck of the Captain Keith Tibbetts
(a Russian warship in a previous existence!), which was sunk amid great ceremony
in September 1996 and now lies upright in 10-24 metres of
water. The 95 metre long vessel is completely intact, right down to
its gun turrets, and can be fully explored (apart from the
engine room and lower decks which have been sealed off in the
interests of safety). Already a healthy population of fish,
including Southern Stingrays and Spotted Eagle Rays, has colonized
the wreck.
Wilderness Wall is a superbly preserved, almost virginal,
reef covered in an abundance of the healthiest sponges and
corals. Some of the sponges, which come in brilliant jewel-like
reds, greens, oranges and yellows, reach enormous proportions.
Delicate gorgonians, hard corals, rope and tube sponges
decorate the crevices and canyons which cut through the wall. This
dramatic and mystical dive attracts stingrays, Nassau
Groupers, angelfish, snappers, turtles and schooling Horse-eye
Jacks. Pelagic encounters are a distinct possibility here as rock
formations form gullies and corridors from the deep open
water through which pelagic species become channelled. The
superb reef crest and wide sandy plateau on top of the wall
provide superb opportunities for a fascinating safety stop.
GRAND CAYMAN
Grand Cayman is 22 miles long, 8 miles wide and at the
highest point only 20 metres above sea level. About 60 miles
of walls and reefs encircle Grand Cayman and, although
many thousands of divers visit the island every year, the reefs are
still in good condition with an abundance of marine life.
Grand Cayman's most famous dive site is, of course,
Stingray City, where shafts of sunlight flicker through the water reflecting
on the numerous Southern Stingrays which congregate on the
flat, sandy ocean floor at a depth of only 4 metres. These tame
creatures nuzzle and nudge divers while soliciting for food.
Swirling round and performing their underwater acrobatics in the
crystal clear waters, they provide superb opportunities for
underwater photography. Spectacularly colourful corals,
fascinating fish and, of course, the world famous Stingray City await
the diver who explores this fabulous Caribbean underwater
world. This famous dive site is often included on the
Cayman Aggressor's itinerary.
LITTLE CAYMAN BEACH RESORT
A recent survey in Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine voted
Little Cayman Beach Resort first place for wall diving in the
entire Caribbean, second place for favourite reef diving and
within the top five Caribbean destinations in each of the
following categories: advanced diving, photography and sea life. Not
only is the diving superb, but once you arrive at Little Cayman
Beach Resort, you will be treated as a very special guest. Little
Cayman Beach Resort prides itself on its high level of hospitality.
Luggage is taken from you on arrival and whisked to your
room. You won't have to lift it again until you are back at the
airport awaiting your departure! The elegant and superbly
appointed guest rooms are very spacious with air conditioning and
modern, tasteful decoration. Each room has a balcony or patio,
colour television, ceiling fans and private bathroom. There is
a choice of pool view or oceanfront rooms, all of which are
set amongst tropical foliage and landscaped gardens. When
not indulging in the world-famous diving that Little Cayman
has to offer, you can take your choice of relaxing in or out of
the swimming pool or jacuzzi, sipping a tropical cocktail in
the Beach Nuts Bar or dining in the Bird of Paradise
Restaurant. There are tennis courts, basketball, bicycles, sailboats and
kayaks available for all guests. Uncrowded, powder-soft
sandy beaches beckon the romantics to roam bare foot along the
shore at dawn, dusk or on those magic moonlit nights for which
Little Cayman is so famous.
The 12 new and exclusive Conch Club Apartments nestle
on secluded South Hole Sound and are an ideal choice for
families or groups of friends. Each of these two- and
three-bedroomed 'townhouses' is elegantly furnished with vaulted ceilings, a
fully-equipped kitchen (with self-clean oven, washer, dryer and
refrigerator), ceiling fans, central air conditioning, terrace
and patio (with beach furniture) and wonderful views.
Two bedroomed apartments have one bedroom with a queen
sized bed and one bedroom with two single beds. There is a
convertible sofa which provides a double bed in the living area,
two full bathrooms each with shower, bath and WC plus an
extra WC on the ground floor. These apartments are available for
up to 4 adults plus 2 children under the age of 17. Three
bedroomed apartments have one bedroom with a queen sized bed, one
bedroom with a double bed and one bedroom with two single
beds. Three bedroomed apartments have three full bathrooms
each with shower, bath and WC. These apartments are available
for up to 6 adults plus 2 children under the age of 17.
To the south are breath-taking views across the sparkling
ocean and white sandy beach. To the north is a bird sanctuary.
There is a private fresh-water swimming pool and a jacuzzi
exclusively for the use of Conch Club residents. The apartments are
about 400 yards from Little Cayman Beach Resort and guests
staying in the apartments are welcome to use all the facilities of
the resort (including the complementary use of bicycles).
Reef Divers is the resort-owned and managed dive centre
with a fleet of modern, custom designed boats, dive gear for hire
and experienced, friendly and knowledgeable staff including
dive guides and instructors. There is a selection of underwater
video and photography equipment for hire and E6 processing is
carried out on-site. There is excellent diving equipment
rental and a full range of PADI diving courses is offered. Reef
Divers offer a wide choice of dive sites each day including trips to
the wreck of the Keith Tibbetts off Cayman Brac. The very
comfortable dive boats have many features designed to make
diving as easy and stress free as possible, with padded seats
and gear storage areas as well as a sheltered cabin area and plenty
of shade on the forward deck. Entry is by giant stride from
the large stern dive platform and exit is made easy using dive
ladders and handrails. There is a padded camera table in the
cabin area for the sole use of underwater photographers.
Freshwater showers and toilet facilities are available along with rinse
tanks for dive and photography gear. Iced water, juice, fruit and
snacks are usually available on the boats. All boats are fully
equipped with ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore radio, emergency
oxygen kit and first aid equipment. Boats depart each morning at
0830 for a two-tank dive, returning to the resort at noon.
Afternoon dives are scheduled for a 1430 departure. Night dives are
available, on request, locally at an additional charge.
The aim of Reef Divers is to make your diving as easy as
possible. Take your assembled gear to the dive boat on the first
morning and from then on they will set it up (including tank
changes between dives). Each evening your gear will be rinsed off
and stored overnight, ready for use the next day. Thorough
dive orientations and briefings are given for all dives and divers
are welcome to use computers to maximize bottom time.
Tanks for shore diving are available at no extra charge, but
the best shore diving is about 2 miles from the resort. Vehicles
may be rented through the tour desk at the resort. The cost of
vehicle hire is currently US $60 per day.
Pool View Room
£657 (non-divers: £342) from 20 April -13 December.
£753 (non-divers: £438) from 1 January -19 April.
£767 (non-divers: £452) from 14-31 December.
Oceanfront Room
£843 (non-divers: £528) from 20 April -13 December.
£939 (non-divers: £624) from 1 January -19 April.
£953 (non-divers: £638) from 14-31 December.
Conch Club Apartments
Rates vary according to the number of bedrooms and
number of occupants, but in general rates for four people in a
two-bedroom apartment are close to Pool View Room rates. Please
contact our office for precise rates.
Includes:
· Airport transfers.
· 6 nights room-only accommodation on a twin/share basis
at Little Cayman Beach Resort.
· 5 days diving (3 boat dives daily including a 2-tank
morning dive and 1-tank afternoon dive), dive guide, cylinders
and weights.
Meal Plans:
£38 per night for breakfast and dinner (served buffet-style
and including tea, coffee, lemonade and water).
£50 per night for breakfast, lunch and dinner (served
buffet-style and including tea, coffee, lemonade and water).
Please note that there is effectively nowhere else to
eat nearby, other than a small bar that serves light meals
about 15 minutes walk away, and it is not possible to take a
light lunch at the resort without paying the full buffet lunch
price. Consequently we recommend that visitors take one of
the meal plans.
Additional Nights:
Pool View Room
£120 (without diving: £57) from 20 April -13 December.
£136 (without diving: £73) from 1 January -19 April.
£138 (without diving: £75) from 14-31 December.
Oceanfront Room
£151 (without diving: £88) from 20 April -13 December.
£167 (without diving: £104) from 1 January -19 April.
£169 (without diving: £106) from 14-31 December.
Single Occupancy Supplement:
Pool View Room
£32 per night from 20 April -13 December.
£40 per night from 1 January -19 April.
£41 per night from 14-31 December.
Oceanfront Room
£48 per night from 20 April -13 December.
£56 per night from 1 January -19 April.
£57 per night from 14-31 December.
Deposit: £200
CAYMAN AGGRESSOR
Cayman Aggressor IV is a very comfortable liveaboard that
carries a maximum of 18 passengers in nine twin-berth
staterooms. Seven Deluxe Staterooms all have private head and
shower, with six having one large lower bed and an upper single
bed and the seventh two single beds. Two Twin Staterooms,
each with two single beds, share a head and shower between
them. Each stateroom has TV/VCR units and individually
controlled air-conditioning. Six crew provide superb service
throughout the cruise and make sure your diving holiday runs
smoothly. Between dives guests can relax on the sundeck (either in or
out of the shade) or try the amazing hot tub! The salon has
an excellent collection of books, videos and music to enjoy.
A personal computer station provides e-mail facilities (for a
small charge) along with a colour printer and slide scanner.
The dive deck covers the aft third of the main deck. Large
gear lockers double as seats and line the rails and centre. Two
tanks are mounted at the back of each locker, so it is easy to don
your equipment at your seat or ask for the tank to be taken to
the dive platform. Dive information is displayed on a large
board which shows depth and marine life information. A large
three-tiered camera table has plenty of space for camera
assembly or preparation and separate rinse tanks are kept for
cameras and videos. The photography department provides
rental cameras and accessories as well as the services of the
photo pro if you require a model or expert advice. E-6 processing
is available daily. Light tables are always available for
slide viewing. A range of PADI and NAUI speciality courses
are offered on Cayman Aggressor including Nitrox training
and facilities. A full range of diving equipment is available
for rental by pre-arrangement.
For after the dive there is a freshwater shower and clean
towels awaiting, as well as the chef's freshly prepared snacks to
appease the after-dive hunger pangs! Delicious barbecues,
American-style and local dishes are served; breads, biscuits and
baked snacks come strait from the oven. Most meals are served
buffet-style.
Cayman Aggressor operates out of The Georgetown
Tourist Dock, Grand Cayman for 7 nights cruises, departing every
Saturday throughout the year. After an initial checkout
dive Cayman Aggressor steams out of Grand Cayman and
travels overnight arriving in Little Cayman for diving the Bloody
Bay Marine Park for the rest of the week. If suitable weather
conditions prevail diving will also take place on the wreck of
the Keith Tibbetts and other Cayman Brac dive sites. A dive
at Stingray City on Grand Cayman is often included also.
A Cayman Aggressor brochure is available from our
office on request.
£1264 in a Twin Stateroom
£1403 in a Deluxe Stateroom
Includes:
· 7 nights cruise on Cayman
Aggressor on a twin/share basis with full board (except dinner on the last night),
including non-alcoholic and local alcoholic beverages.
· 5 full days of diving (up to 4 or 5 divers a day, including
night dives) plus one or two dives on the last day, cylinders
and weights.
Please note: Cayman taxi regulations do not allow
Cayman Aggressor to arrange transfers between the airport and the
boat; however, you will be reimbursed for your taxi fare at the end
of the week! Dinner on the last night is not included, but
guests will be provided with guidance about good local restaurants.
Non-divers: A £141 reduction applies.
Additional Week: A £141 discount applies.
Single Occupancy Supplement: If you are travelling alone
and are willing to share a twin cabin with a fellow passenger of
the same sex you can avoid paying any supplement. If you prefer
to have a cabin to yourself a 50% supplement applies.
Deposit: £500
FLIGHTS
Cayman Aggressor packages run from Saturday to
Saturday, which means leaving London on Saturday morning by
either British Airways or American Airlines and boarding the
boat that evening, returning the following Saturday
afternoon/evening and arriving at London on Sunday.
Little Cayman Beach Resort packages are available for
any length of time, but as both the British Airways and
American Airlines flights arrive in Grand Cayman too late to connect
to Little Cayman, an overnight stay in Grand Cayman is
required on the outbound journey.
The airfares shown are the least expensive fare category
available at the time of going to press. We will quote you the
airfare applicable, based on current fare levels and booking class
availability, at the time of booking. The usual airfare deposit is £100.
BRITISH AIRWAYS
Morning departures from London (Heathrow) on
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, arriving at Grand Cayman
in the early evening. Return flights depart from Grand
Cayman on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday evening,
arriving at London (Heathrow) the following morning.
£535 for departures 1 January-30 June (excluding Easter),
1 September-18 December.
£660 for departures 25-31 December.
£820 for departures at Easter, 1 July-31 August.
£940 for departures 19-24 December.
Weekend Supplement: £12 each way for departures from
London or Grand Cayman on Saturdays.
Includes:
· Scheduled flights London (Heathrow)/Grand
Cayman/London (Heathrow) by British Airways.
Little Cayman Supplement: £116 for scheduled flights
Grand Cayman/Little Cayman/Grand Cayman by Island Air.
AMERICAN AIRLINES
Daily morning departures from London (Heathrow) to
Grand Cayman via Miami, arriving in the early evening. Return
flights depart from Grand Cayman every afternoon via Miami,
with arrival at London (Heathrow) the following midday.
£700 for departures 1 January-30 April (excluding Easter),
1 November-18 December.
£840 for departures 1 May-30 June, 1-31 October, 25-31
December.
£980 for departures at Easter, 1-30 September.
£1060 for departures 1 July-31 August, 19-24 December.
Weekend Supplement: £12 each way for departures from
London or Grand Cayman on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays.
Includes:
· Scheduled flights London
(Heathrow)/Miami/Grand Cayman/Miami/London (Heathrow) by American Airlines.
Little Cayman Supplement: £116 for scheduled flights
Grand Cayman/Little Cayman/Grand Cayman by Island Air.
Overnights in Grand Cayman: The delightful Sunshine
Suites Hotel offers spacious and comfortable accommodation.
Located close to Seven Mile Beach and adjacent to a golf course,
the hotel has a swimming pool. Continental breakfast is
included in the rates: £58 per night from 14 April - 20 December;
£73 per night from 6 January - 13 April;
£82 per night from 1 - 5 January and 21-31 December on a twin/share basis. Single
occupancy rates are double. Please note that airport transfers
are not included. The cost of a taxi is approximately US$10
one-way.
COMBINING THE CAYMANS
WITH WALKER'S CAY
Providing you pass through Miami en route to the
Cayman Islands, it is very easy to combine a visit to the
Caymans with a visit to Walker's Cay in the Bahamas with its
incredible shark diving. Simply add the total cost of a holiday
in the Cayman Islands, including airfare, to the cost of a
stay at Walker's Cay. In addition, there is a Miami airline
stopover charge of £50.
Reports from previous trips to LITTLE CAYMAN & CAYMAN BRAC:
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