The Caribbean
THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
Underwater Jewels of the Caribbean
Season: Year-round diving
Visibility: 30-40 metres, sometimes up to 60-70 metres
Water Temperature: 26-28°C
Special Offer: CAYMAN AGGRESSOR Repeat Aggressor clients can bring a buddy for 50% off the regular rate on selected cruises: 29 August-5 September 2009, 24-31 October 2009 and 19-26 December 2009.
A Grouper gets a visit. (Alex Mustard)
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 the West End of Grand Cayman offers good (although often nowadays rather crowded) diving, the discerning diver should visit the East End of Grand Cayman or Little Cayman (plus Cayman Brac) in order to experience some of the very finest diving that the Cayman Islands, and indeed the Caribbean as a whole, has to offer.
Grand Cayman is 22 miles long, 8 miles wide and at the highest point only 20 metres above sea level. The East End of Grand Cayman is just a 45-minute drive from the tourist trappings of Seven Mile Beach with its large beach hotels, clubs and bars, but both above and below the waves it is a world away. If you think you know what Grand Cayman is about, but have never dived at the East End, a wonderful surprise awaits you. The diving here has only recently opened up and few of the East End’s 60 or so dive sites are featured in any guidebook. The reefs are as pristine as any in the Caribbean and you will rarely see more than one other dive boat during a day on the water!
Alternatively, why not take the chance of experiencing the joys of superb marine life in crystal clear, warm water around Little Cayman and Cayman Brac 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.
THE EAST END, GRAND CAYMAN
The East End is entirely surrounded by coral reefs that jut out into 2000m-deep ocean water. Visibility is reliably impressive and occasionally staggering, averaging between 30 and 60 metres because there are no rivers in the area. The reef forms two steps: a mini-wall starting at 5-6m and dropping to 12-18m and, further from shore, the main drop off that starts between 12-18m and drops vertically to the ocean depths. These two steps mean that the dive sites are either shallower reef or deeper wall type dives.
The East End wall is cut with deep caves and canyons that separate pinnacles from the main wall. The scenery is made all the more spectacular because so much of it is visible in the crystal-clear water. The top of the wall is dominated by soft and hard corals, which give way to large colourful sponges and gorgonian fans on the drop-off. The shallow sites are extraordinary; the famous underwater photographer David Doubilet visited the East End for the first time in 2004 and said he was keen to return just to concentrate on these sites alone. Nearly all these sites are high profile spur and groove formations, with multiple deep canyons running through the reef. In places the walls of the canyons meet, enclosing spacious caverns that are encrusted with colourful reef creatures. Not surprisingly, such complex topography provides an ideal habitat for abundant fish and invertebrate life.
Wall sites in the southeast such as Jack Mckenney’s Canyon and The Maze offer an intoxicating mix of stunning vertical scenery and large fish. A group of Caribbean Reef Sharks are resident and the water column is chock-a-block with Creole Wrasse, Bermuda Chub and Black Durgon whenever there is a bit of current. Hawksbill Turtles feed on the abundant colourful sponge life and are often accompanied by French, Grey and Queen Angelfish. The northeast wall, which includes sites such as Babylon and Anchor Point, is equally vertical and has even more abundant sponges and seafans. You will regularly see pairs or even groups of Spotted Eagle Rays gracefully gliding past in the blue. Lone Scalloped Hammerheads are also seen here from time to time.
The shallow sites are even fishier! The sites along the north coast, such as Fish Tank and Photographic Reef, have a tremendous variety and density of species. There is everything here from large prowling Great Barracudas down to cautious Secretary Blennies peering from their homes between the coral polyps. The terrain is classic Caribbean spur and groove reef, with massive Star and Brain Corals interspersed with the waving arms of soft corals.
In the southeast, which includes sites such as Kelly’s Caverns and Maggie’s Maze, the reef structure is much more exotic and resembles Swiss cheese, filled with tunnels, caves and canyons. The caverns are home to schools of powerful, chrome-tinged Tarpon that grow to well over a metre in size. Lobsters are numerous in the area. Float up through one of the gaps in the reef and suddenly you are in a shallow coral garden where schools of Blue Tangs, parrotfish, snappers and grunts bustle through the corals. It is hard to believe you are on the same dive site.
Perhaps the best shallow sites are those straight off the East End such as Snapper Hole and Cinderella’s Castle. The landscape is a similar mix of sheer-walled canyons and shallow, fish-filled coral gardens. The caverns create a fantasyland to explore, inhabited by cave-dwelling species. Above the reef, Horse-eye Jacks form circular schools, while Yellow-tailed Damselfish dart between impressive healthy stands of Elkhorn coral (nowadays a rare sight over much of the Caribbean after it was wiped out by white band disease in the early 1990s). Diving here is a giant stride back in time.
At certain times of the year the caves and caverns of the East End fill with schooling silversides, attracting hungry groupers, jacks and Tarpons. There are few more exhilarating underwater experiences than being in a cavern packed with silversides during the hunt. The predators literally burst through the silver curtains of fish right into your facemask. The massive schools of silversides used to appear predictably at the end of the summer, but in the last few years have tended to hang around throughout the year at lower densities. The dive staff will always know which sites have silversides when you visit. The great silverside hunt makes such a thrilling dive that they have led many US photographers to name these sites the best in the Caribbean.
Ocean Frontiers, our dive centre at the East End, are the only dive centre that regularly visits Twelve Mile Bank. This is a submerged seamount, that nearly became the fourth Cayman island (but the coral never reached the surface). This pristine area can only be dived on calm days during the summer.
Ocean Frontiers make their stingray dives at The Sandbar, rather than the original Stingray City. The Sandbar is home to five times as many rays as Stingray City and has much more reliable visibility. Diving at the Sandbar is spectacular from the moment that you settle on the powder soft sand the rays start appearing. Many arrive in groups, often ‘formation flying’ as they come out of the blue. Up close the stingrays are massive, many more that 1.5 metres feet across, and they can block out the sun as they swoop overhead. You can choose to offer them tit-bits of squid, which they will ‘hoover’ from your hand, or just sit back and enjoy their company. The rays don’t get all their food from handouts and since they are so used to divers they are easy to approach as they dig in the sand for molluscs.
Ocean Frontiers have also been instrumental in working with the National Museum to create the first shipwreck preserve in the Cayman Islands on the Wreck of the Glamis.
One of Grand Cayman’s most famous dive sites 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
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.
COMPASS POINT & OCEAN FRONTIERS
The fully air-conditioned Compass Point has the facilities and service levels expected from a resort that usually caters for demanding guests and is on-site with Ocean Frontiers, at the end of East End Village. Compass Point, completed in June 2004, consists of 18 luxury condominiums, all with a large balconies and uninterrupted views across the private beach out over the ocean. The dive boats leave from the end of the resort’s dock less than 50m your room.
Accommodation is in one-bedroomed or two-bedroomed condominiums. Each apartment has a fully-equipped kitchen, living room and dining area, along with a private patio or balcony. In the living room area there are two full-sized twin beds that pull down from the wall. One-bedroomed apartments have a queen-sized bed in one bedroom and one bathroom. Two-bedroomed apartments have a queen-sized bed in one bedroom and two twin beds in the other. They have two full bathrooms. The bathrooms are all fitted with Whirlpool Jet baths: the only way to wash away a day in the ocean! Each apartment has a washing and drying machine, dishwasher, cable TV, DVD player and wireless broadband Internet access throughout the complex (digital photographs can be emailed home while sitting by the swimming pool!). Guests staying at Compass Point may also use the pool, kayaks and mountain bikes. Child minding can be arranged for an hourly fee of around US $12, payable locally.
East End Village has a true Caribbean character. In the village there is a supermarket and also Miss Coney’s Kitchen which serves a hearty lunch at local prices. There are a variety of restaurants and bars in the area. The package price includes a rental car, which makes reaching the East End easy and means that you can explore this fabulous island and make the most of your stay.
Ocean Frontiers are one of the best diving outfits in the business: they are a modern dive operation with old style Caymanian hospitality. They have specifically designed their own boats for the local conditions and take a maximum of 12 divers (and no more than 3 buddy teams per guide). The boats all have dedicated camera tables and camera-only rinse tanks. Photographers are usually allowed/encouraged to do their own thing, although this is always at the discretion of the dive staff. Fresh fruit and warm towels are offered after each dive. On return to the dock, the staff will take your gear and wash and dry it, before loading it back onto the boat for your next trip. It is no surprise that they have received the prestigious Readers’ Choice Award from Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine for the last 6 years (1998-2003). Ocean Frontiers blend their own Nitrox and for those who enjoy the technical side of diving, they are a GUE Technical Facility. All diving is done in small groups.
Diving is done as two-tank sessions, either in the morning or in the afternoon. If you choose to make this into a four-tank day a computer is mandatory. Three-tank dive safaris are operated on Wednesday only and visiting Babylon, one of the very best dive sites in the area, a stingray dive and an afternoon dive on a shallower reef. There is a lunch stop at a restaurant but the cost is not included. Night dives are available locally. Nitrox is available. Private divemasters/guides can also be arranged.
Price: from about £105 per night (from about £65 per night without diving). Includes: rental car throughout your stay; room-only accommodation on a twin/share basis at Compass Point Condominiums; 2 boat dives daily, in either the morning or the afternoon, dive guide. Supplement for 4 boat dives rather than 2: from about £33 per day. Supplement to upgrade to the 3-tank Wednesday dive safari: from about £38. Deposit: £60 per night.
Single Occupancy Supplement: from about £41 per night.
LITTLE CAYMAN BEACH RESORT & REEF DIVERS
A 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. Uncrowded, powder-soft sandy beaches beckon the romantics to roam bare foot along the shore at dawn, dusk or on those magical moonlit nights for which Little Cayman is so famous.
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. 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.
Price: from about £107 per night (from about £50 per night without diving). Includes: airport transfers; room-only accommodation on a twin/share basis in a Pool View Room at Little Cayman Beach Resort; 3 boat dives daily, but see note below about day prior to departure), dive guide. Meal Plans: from about £34 per night for breakfast and dinner (served buffet-style and including tea, coffee and lemonade); from about £44 per night for breakfast, lunch and dinner (served buffet-style and including tea, coffee and lemonade). Please note: Only two morning boat dives are permitted on the day prior to departure. No diving is available on the day of arrival, even if you arrive in the morning. Deposit: £200.
Single Occupancy Supplement: from about £50 per night.
CAYMAN AGGRESSOR IV
Cayman Aggressor IV is a very comfortable liveaboard that carries a maximum of 18 passengers in nine staterooms. Six Deluxe Staterooms all have private head and shower, one large lower bed and an upper single bed. The Master Stateroom is similar but has one double bed only. 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. 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.
Price: from about £1285. Includes: 7 nights cruise on Cayman Aggressor on a twin/share or quad/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 dives per day, including night dives) plus one or two dives on the last day. Reductions for divers 65 or over, non-divers and extra weeks. 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. Deposit: £650.
Single Occupancy Supplement: 50% of the cruise cost (but you can avoid paying the supplement if you are willing to share a cabin).
FLIGHTS: Prices from about £865 to Grand Cayman (plus from about £75 onwards to Little Cayman if you are visiting that island). There are daily flight connections to Grand Cayman and from there to Little Cayman. We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on routing, season, current fare levels and booking class availability. Our quote will include all taxes and fuel supplements applicable at the time of quotation, as well as our service charge. The usual airfare deposit is £300.
COMBINATIONS: The combination of Grand Cayman’s East End and Little Cayman offers both wonderful accommodation in both destinations and the cream of Cayman diving. Talk to us about the possibilities.
