Grand Cayman Shallow Boat Dive Sites

[reddi]

We are a couple of families with 2 kids (12 & 13) who are certified divers. We are chartering a boat for our dives in Grand Cayman. Interested in knowing your favorite shallow dive sites (50-65 ft range) in Grand Cayman. Not really interested in the shore dive sites since we're paying for the boat. Anyone been to Bonnie's Arch?

Thanks for sharing!

[Capt_BJ]

OK - flame me but here's my input....based on a few hundred dives in GC

 

1. Yes I've dove Bonnie's Arch, and it can be good....and it can stink.....it depends.....

 

2. When you get on a boat it can go many ways: the operator may not want to go far / aka use much gas; the site you want to go to already has someone tied off on the mooring bouy; the conditions that day, or feedback from another operator may say that site is poor that day..... Many times I've been on a dive boat and the operator asked "where do you want to go?" And on hearing a reply has said, "hmmmm, winds today means that one will be low vis....."

 

3. If you base your site on one person's experience at that site (one time?)....well, you need a few more dives under your belt. You can dive the same site twice a day, assuming we're talking a Caribbean site (not a quary) and see different things every dive. I've explored the reef off of Sunset many many times and will go back without hesitation. It is especially one of my fav' nite dive spots. (The fact that 'My Bar' is about 50 feet away from the rinse tank has NOTHING to do with this opinion....)

 

4. Had you asked, "where should we go for a good shallow (less than 60 ft) dive in Grand Cayman?" I would have pointed you to Sunset House, and many other to Eden Rock or the old Turtle Farm....shore dives. There's great shore diving in GC.....but to get to 'the wall' off 7mb requires a boat and is a 100 foot dive {as you seem to know}

 

5. If you go the boat .... mention Bonnie if you like but ask the dive master for their recommentaions based on traffic and conditions.....listen to their input....they are usually trolling for a good tip anyway, so won't steer you wrong.....

[reddi]

I guess you expect to get flamed because of your hateful, pedantic response. It is not really helpful in any way. Maybe someone else will be able to offer suggestions responsive to the question based on their experiences. I know how much you like Sunset House & the bar there - you've posted it hundreds of times.

[bruce-r]

<snip>

5. If you go the boat .... mention Bonnie if you like but ask the dive master for their recommentaions based on traffic and conditions.....listen to their input....they are usually trolling for a good tip anyway, so won't steer you wrong.....

That's pretty much what I would recommend. As the DM for recommendations. Since you're chartering the boat, you do get to pick the dive sites, but they'll know which sites would be better given the conditions of the sea/weather the day you are there.

 

I guess you expect to get flamed because of your hateful, pedantic response. It is not really helpful in any way. Maybe someone else will be able to offer suggestions responsive to the question based on their experiences. I know how much you like Sunset House & the bar there - you've posted it hundreds of times.

You're snotty response also isn't going to encourage anyone to try to help you.

[reddi]

well when I read his response, I interpreted it as a big putdown -

Sorry if I misinterpreted it but it read that way to me last night and still does today. We've already committed to and paid a deposit to charter a boat, so we're not interested in the shore dives on this trip. Since everyone who does a two tank dive with a 100ft first dive makes a second shallower dive, I was hoping some people could throw out some of their favorite sites to consider and look into. Captain BJ, with 100s of dives in Grand Cayman, may even have some favorites that aren't shore dives but chose not to share any. Ultimately the Boat Captain or DM will likely make a recommendation and decide where we go but it's fun to think about, read about the options and anticipate the trip.

[Capt_BJ]

My goal was to save you money,,,cuz getting a boat to do shallow dives in CI just isn't necessary (similar to Bonaire where the boats visit 95% the same places you can access from shore)....but you want "the boat experience"

 

I don't like to recommend sites....what was good yesterday may stink today.

 

Two of the best shallow dives in GC are Eden Rock and Sunset Reef .... last I was there both were allowing outside boats. I've visited both by boat.....and more often by foot.

 

Another of my good shallow experiences in GC was Japanese Gardens.....it is on the south side. There's fine shallow diving on the south side. If you manage to get a boat from GeorgeTown/7mb area to go to the south side you did good. But Jap' Gardens and 'the pinnicle (sp?)' are the source of large photos I have hung....

 

Bonnies Arch was once a tarpoon hole (because the locals would not dive it or take people there.......the story of the name.....) but since it has been dove again the tarpoon have left IME ..... on a good day it is still a cool picture if you have the right conditions....... I've had a fantastic dive there ... and many other dives here that were the same as any chunck of reef. OroVerde was a good shallow wreck dive ... but gone from a hurricane.....

 

The discharge area of the old turtle farm was a good dive area, but that was far north for a boat and the farm has moved????? And good luck getting a boat up there .. if you succeed, tip well!

 

Any two chunks of the CG wall are the same unless there is some significant physical feature to set it apart. Once I see the arch, or the anchor, or do the swim thru.....it's over; After that you are swimming over coral that looks like any other. But find a spot....sit and be quiet and see what comes to you......now that's different.

 

I've had a great dive at Eden Rock where a swim thru was full of silversides....swimming thru a cloud that day. 10 other visits..it was a dive. Hit a nite dive once at Sunset when the planets aligned and the star fish decided it was time to spawn...the coral was covered with star fish for about 30 minutes. And a hundred dives on the same site where this didn't happen.

 

Any decent operator is going to weigh the factors and take you to the best site (that's open ... another story) based on conditions. But for me to tell you that you should go to X cuz that's where I saw 4 sea turtles.....no, I won't. Your "captain" has better input than I......

 

THAT WAS THE LONG VERSION.....the short version is "ask your DM/boat captain where THEY think you will have the most enjoyable dive."

[reddi]

I appreciate it Capt BJ.

[scubaran]

Hi,

 

Last time I was in GC I was on a charter boat with 5 other people. The captain started by saying we were going to do a 100' wall then a shallow dive. Myself doing photography didn't want to go that deep and there were two new divers who couldn't go that deep, so we politely asked if we could do two shallow dives. The Captain looked at the sun, then the surf and said I know two spots perfect for today. I remember one was mushroom reef, which was great as there was a large coral stand surrounded by a circular trench, thus the mushroom name, and you felt like you were by yourself but all you had to do was look over the "mushroom" and you could see everyone's bubbles in the trench. So like the other posters have said, just ask. :) Hard to find a bad place in GC to dive so I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

Randall

[reddi]

Thanks Randall. We'll report back on how our dives go when we return.

[Capt_BJ]

This is the Mark One Mod Zero Grand Cayman profile....don't be surprised, if u don't want it speak up early.....

 

But understand that many who go to CI want to experience "the wall" and you kinda need to hit 100 for the wall effect.....

 

If you don't want to do something that deep it is OK, "I don't need to do the wall...."

 

No problem ..... just a communication issue.

 

 

Hi,

 

Last time I was in GC I was on a charter boat with 5 other people. The captain started by saying we were going to do a 100' wall then a shallow dive. Myself doing photography didn't want to go that deep and there were two new divers who couldn't go that deep, so we politely asked if we could do two shallow dives. The Captain looked at the sun, then the surf and said I know two spots perfect for today. I remember one was mushroom reef, which was great as there was a large coral stand surrounded by a circular trench, thus the mushroom name, and you felt like you were by yourself but all you had to do was look over the "mushroom" and you could see everyone's bubbles in the trench. So like the other posters have said, just ask. :) Hard to find a bad place in GC to dive so I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

Randall