Diving Grand Caymen, who does Valor use?

[Jango]

Has anyone dove with the ship in GC? With the taxi ride and extra gear needed it's cheaper to dive with the ship. I'm not planning on hauling any gear except my mask and wetsuit.

 

Padi Divemaster DM-163139

 

Thanks,

 

Jango

[bruce-r]

As long as you are OK with predetermined bottom time and a follow-the-leader kind of dive, the ship's operator, whoever it is, will probably be fine.

 

If money is an issue, maybe consider doing some shore diving instead.

[2Ports]

not a big fan of booking through the ship but CCL uses Anthony's Key - good op had 2 great dives, pick you up @ the boat recommend

[BlueC5Kitten]

The Valor used Don Foster's this past January, in Cozumel, as did the Conquest last November...not sure if contracts have been renegotiated, but I thought Anthony's Key was in Roatan.

 

The dives we did with the ship excursion were "okay" with the biggest problem of turning around to go up when the first person reached ½ a tank. Tragically, this person was my dive buddy and when he got on the boat, he was at 500psi, I was at 1200psi. :(

[Jango]

That really sux! I'll tell the capt I'm a Divemaster and that I'm solo then. I haven't dove with noobs in so long I've forgotten what it can be like. Thanks for reminding me

 

Padi Divemaster DM-163139

 

:)

[bruce-r]

I'll tell the capt I'm a Divemaster and that I'm solo then.

Good luck with that if you go with the ship's excursion. :rolleyes:

[Jango]

Good luck with that if you go with the ship's excursion. :rolleyes:

 

bruce-r, you are right and I'm going to forget all that drama and go with the dive shop I wanted to go with all along. I was trying to save a few bucks but I had to really think about it and realize that I'm not going to be satisfied with what could turn out to be a very mediocre dive trip. Not that Foster's is bad at all - they do what they do to try to benefit all ranges of divers - but if you look at their web site they do have big boats made for big groups so the potential is there for a cattleboat situation and I've been there and done that and want none of it if I can avoid it.

 

I've been diving for nearly 20 years with around 500 dives, most of them here where I live on the coast of NC with my dive club so it didn't hit me right away that they have to cater to new and less experienced divers at places like this. What BlueC5Kitten said made me reflect back on stuff I've seen and experenced first hand in that exact situation. It once happened to me on a club dive with a new diver.

 

I'll go ahead and spend another 30-40 bucks and dive with Nick Buckley with Red Baron. They only have two boats and take a max of 8 divers. They try to go to the better areas that the larger operations don't go to. In all the years of reading on scuba forums they are highly recommeded and some dive exclusively with them.

 

Thanks for the reality check guys!

 

:)

[BlueC5Kitten]

What BlueC5Kitten said made me reflect back on stuff I've seen and experenced first hand in that exact situation. It once happened to me on a club dive with a new diver.

 

Thanks for the reality check guys!

 

:)

 

My pleasure! :)

 

Of note, the other thing that really shocked me was that the DM on the tour held on to the mooring line, along with the divers in the group, whilst I was free floating, maintaining my 15' safety stop while taking photos of the gang. Kind of surpised me that the DM was holding on too...but perhaps he was providing an example for the group...who knows.

[Jango]

Man, he told me to forget it - in an apologetic manner of course - as I would be cutting it too close to make the 8am dive (ship arrives at 7) and would'nt have enough time to do a two tank dive beginning at 2 as the ship leaves at 5. :(

 

Anyone know of a good op that leaves at say, 9 am and is pretty close to where the ship moors?

 

BlueC5Kitten, sounds like he was trying to set an example.

 

 

:)

[Jango]

Neptune's has a 9:00 am dive and I've booked it. They were recommended on Scubaboard by one of the senior forum moderators, diversteve. It happens that Casey Keller, one of the staff of Neptune's, is a member of Scubaboard too as caymancase.

 

Like Red Baron, they too have two nice boats and take a max of eight divers. Casey is a great photog and there are some awesome pics in the gallery.

 

http://www.neptunesdivers.com/

 

:D

[BlueC5Kitten]

Neptune's has a 9:00 am dive and I've booked it. They were recommended on Scubaboard by one of the senior forum moderators, diversteve. It happens that Casey Keller, one of the staff of Neptune's, is a member of Scubaboard too as caymancase.

 

Let me know how that works out for you...will be in Cayman in January and while Don Foster's is okay...it is a little cattle call-ish and really sucks having to get out of the water sooner than later because someone sucked through their air too quickly.

[Jango]

I'll post back here to let you know how it goes, Blue5Kitten.

 

:)

[bruce-r]

Neptune's has a 9:00 am dive and I've booked it. They were recommended on Scubaboard by one of the senior forum moderators, diversteve. It happens that Casey Keller, one of the staff of Neptune's, is a member of Scubaboard too as caymancase.

 

Like Red Baron, they too have two nice boats and take a max of eight divers. Casey is a great photog and there are some awesome pics in the gallery.

 

http://www.neptunesdivers.com/

 

:D

 

Neptunes is a good choice. Casey is really nice. If you have a buddy, they'll let you do your own dive.

 

You might want to bring a snack for the SI. A couple of oranges cut up are really good.

[Cincycruising]

I'll post back here to let you know how it goes, Blue5Kitten.

 

:)

Sorry, I am late replying. We were on Carnival Legend in GC in July and I booked with Danny-Owner of OFF the Wall Diving. Had a great time. Since many reefs are not too far from the boats you get plenty of dive time and get back early enough to shop. Danny picks you up and drops you off right by the dock. We even did a small extra dive to watch Danny catch a lionfish that was spotted on the dive. We did 2 dives Eagle Ray Rock (which is a wall dive) and ArmChair Reef (home of a 4ft green eel). I would recommend Danny to everyone.

[BlueC5Kitten]

Danny picks you up and drops you off right by the dock. We even did a small extra dive to watch Danny catch a lionfish that was spotted on the dive. We did 2 dives Eagle Ray Rock (which is a wall dive) and ArmChair Reef (home of a 4ft green eel). I would recommend Danny to everyone.

 

Thanks, Cincycruising! May have to look them up, since it sounds like a good deal with the pick-up and drop-off!

 

I dove Armchair Reef last November and didn't see a green moray there :( ...saw a couple of small spotted morays though.:cool:

 

BTW, bruce-r, if you don't mind me asking off topic, where in Fiji did you dive? I'm planning a trip for next April at Beqa Lagoon.

[Jango]

Neptunes is a good choice. Casey is really nice. If you have a buddy, they'll let you do your own dive.

 

You might want to bring a snack for the SI. A couple of oranges cut up are really good.

 

Wow, I can do my own dive - if I have a buddy that is prerranged?!?

 

Is that because I hold a Divemaster rating?

 

Not that I'm a cowboy diver - never - but not having to stay very close to the rest of the group would be a very nice. Most operations would be very hesitant to do that unless they had actually dove with you several times before. Most dive guides, and I say guides because not all are Divemaster rated, seem to want to keep an eagle eye on stragglers. I will be diving Nitrox 32 - offered by the shop -on my Nitrox dive computer so it would be REALLY nice to maximize my bottom time too :p

 

That would be freakin awesome :D

 

Thanks for the tip :cool:

[bruce-r]

BTW, bruce-r, if you don't mind me asking off topic, where in Fiji did you dive? I'm planning a trip for next April at Beqa Lagoon.

 

Did a 7 day trip on the Naia. They dive the Bligh waters. That is the opposite side of the island from Beqa. It was the best dive trip ever.

[bruce-r]

Wow, I can do my own dive - if I have a buddy that is prerranged?!?

Well, when I went with them, I met up with two other divers and they let us pretty much dive out computers.

 

It would be best if you contacted Casey directly and see what she says.