Dive recommendations - Grand Cayman?

[ChadTheSpike]

I am stunned by my recent luck. Just four weeks after getting back from Turks and Caicos, my (non-diving) wife decided that she likes the conference topic in Grand Cayman best for her continued education this year... (I'm not sure I buy that either... but who am I to call her on it! :dance: ). So, it looks like we will be heading there in March for 6 days.

Since she will be in conference for half of four days, that leaves me with 4 half days of diving (two mornings and two afternoons) - hopefully enough time for 8 dives. Anything I shouldn't miss, good dive ops, etc.?

Thanks all!

 

[billsreef]

Diving on the East End and North Wall is the best. For an easy shore entry, right next the turtle farm and behind the Cracked Conch (if it's still there) is some good diving on the West End. Last time I was down there, I dove with Ocean Frontiers and found them to be a very good dive op.

 

[nachosaregood]

Check out Living the Dream operation. They will get you to the best spots...weather permitting. Just got back fromg Grand Cayman and dove with them -- nothing but good things to say about them. Winds in winter shut down the North side, which they tell me is the best. So you will end up on the west walls which is still great.

 

[ChadTheSpike]

Thanks for the recs, y'all!

Ocean Frontiers seems like it is coming up more often than others, as does diving on the East end. Due to my wife's conference, we will be staying at the conference site on seven mile beach... Bill, do you think the drive to the East end is worth it each day?

 

[billsreef]

I did

 

[brandon429]

east end all the way
eagle rays, tarpon schools wow, dive the cliff wall it can't be beat

miss you cayman diving lodge #1 (wiped by hurricane in 03)

 

[BJKoch85]

East end! The diving is much nicer compared to seven mile due to all of the tourist traffic. We stayed at the Reef Resort and dove with Ocean Frontiers which was awesome. We also rented some tanks from them and did a bunch a wall dives right off the beach. If you ask Ocean Frontiers they will tell you where some good shore dives are! The drive is very pretty anyways

 

[brandon429]

I cannot recall the name of the spot where you dive the submerged statue but we spent a month there in 96 and it was so nice I sometimes still dream about diving there. diving off the wall is truly scary, cruising along at a depth of like 40 feet and then !wham! out of nowhere your floor is missing and you are suspended above 5000 feet of blackness. I fully expected a whale to come eat me at that point. if not a whale, I was sure it would be a squid even though I don't think either are endemic lol

 

[billsreef]

The statue is just east of George Town on the reef in front of the Sunset House.

Wall diving is truly an experience. You never know what is out in the deep. One dive it was Manta While those drop offs don't sit well with some, they are my favorite dives. Best part in the Caymans, on the same dive your at 100 feet on a wall that drops to several thousand feet, you can spend time in 10 feet of water off gassing for you safety stop and still be on the reef

 

[Tlrlc]

i was there with my wife in march and stayed at "the reef" resort on the east end.. much more secluded but oceans dive operation was well organized, have no complaints.
we did take a treck over to the west end to see the newly sunk kittiwake definatelly worth the trip even though it costs more.

 

[eyeguy]

I will add another very hearty vote for Ocean Frontiers at east end. I've been diving all over and still count them as one of the best dive operators I've ever been with. To give you an example of their customer service, as you are climbing the ladder after a dive, someone always asks for your time and max. depth. Then at the end of the trip they give you a print-out with all your dives logged. We stayed at the resort but drove back to West End to eat several times, so yes the drive is worth it and the diving is much better there than on the west end. BTW, the dive site with the statue is Sunset House on the west end. We dove it from shore straight off the plane before heading out to east end. A worthwhile stop if you have the time.

 

[Trevs614]

I just got back from a week long trip to Grand Cayman. I went with Divetech during my stay and they were very good. They have shore diving from both of their two locations as well as on their two boats. The North Wall and Stingray City were two very memorable dives.

 

[listen2bob]

Billsreef is correct, the east end is where it is at, but the north coast and the area by the old turtle farm are great as well. avoid georgetown harbor, I saw it in the early 90's and it was nice, but the hurricanes in the early 2000's did a number on that area. Hands down my favorite dive site is the one behind the cracked conch. Best part of that area is that you dont need a dive boat, can do shore dives and get to thousands of scary feet of water. Night dives there are a blast as well, although I kept to the 1st wall at night and still had to change my shorts when I had a goliath grouper come between my dad and I.

 

[torino06]

how was the shark situation by the cracked conch? a lot of people said stay away from turtle farm because they feed sharks there. how far out do you have to go to snorkel?