Worth it to dive in Grand Cayman?

[Crockett]

We are going on the Freedom on Sept. 17. One of the ports is Georgetown. We are divers who haven't dove since Oct. 2004 on the Explorer (Belize route). We have dove in Cozumel but never Grand Cayman. (I know we should do it) Is it worth it to take the cruiseship excursion being that we have missed Grand Cayman several times due to rough seas. I have been researching dive ops- Neptune, Divers Down, Red Sail (Freedom will use them). We will be in port 9-5-30. I would like to even find a dive op who would be willing to let us stay at a beach after our dives. The last time in Grand Cayman we did a private Stingray City tour. We have our own equipment. Help me decide- a beach for the day/ or diving. Thanks! Jane

[budaman]

Don't pass up the oportunity to dive Cayman even if it is with the ship & 7 Mile Beach is close enough to get some sand & sun after the dive. The issue you might have is getting into Cayman early enough to catch one of the morning dives if you don't use the ship & Red Sail. Red Sail does have a facility at the Courtyard on SMB so you might be able to get them to drop you there after the dive.

 

Mike

 

http://www.homepage.mac.com/csealove/

[bruce-r]

Is it worth it to take the cruiseship excursion being that we have missed Grand Cayman several times due to rough seas.

No. Definitely not. Go with Neptunes Divers. They will not charge you if your ship doesn't make it's stop in GCM. They pick up from one of the public beach areas on 7 mile beach, so after the dives they can drop you back there.

[budaman]

I agree with Bruce about diving with Neptune if you can work it out. What I meant to get across was that if you can't arrange something else, the ship dive or shore dive would be better than no dive, especially if you have not had the oportunity to dive there.

 

Mike

 

www.homepgae.mac.com/csealove/

[Crockett]

I'll email Neptune to see what they offer... If not, then I'll go with the ships dive. I am looking forward to getting wet again! Gotta get the ol'cobwebs off my reg!

[BullinOhio]

Just be aware that if you make your own arrangements you may not be tendering into Georgetown. When I last cruised to Grand Cayman a few months ago, the water was too rough off Georgetown and we ended up tendering into the SE side of the island. Anyone planning on booking their own excursions on our trip would have been hosed, and a few ships' excursions were even canceled. The dive excursion I booked through the ship (too lazy that trip to book independently) made special arrangements to get a dive boat over to the SE side for us.

 

Just a heads up.

 

That being said... I would take the chance and book independently in Cayman. Our dive boat was a TRUE cattle-boat. It was ridiculous!

[sea-jay]

Jane - What !!! - you have a choice between diving and beach and you can't decide. Who want to sit on sand and get a sunburn when you can be 45' down and blowing bubbles??:D

 

Hope you thought about checking all your equipment before you leave. Having not been in the water for almost two years (Oct 04 to Sep 06) suggests O rings might be dry and cracked, etc. I would suggest you get a refresher dive in with a local dive club if possible, even if it is only for a half hour or so. You can check out your equipment that way.

 

Happy bubbles.

[Crockett]

I guess I've gotten lazy! I can't believe its been so long since our last dive! Believe me I will be checking and rechecking everything! I am even reading my book again. I wish I could make it down to Key West to Subtropic for some dives (our friend is a dive instructor there) that would be nice. I really hate cattle boats.. but the ship uses Red Sail- our friend wanted us to check it out for her.

 

OH--- I am still deciding ships dive op or private. We have missed Grand Cayman twice before due to swells. I still have time to decide.

 

TTYL, Jane

 

ps.. I also am a lurker on Rodales -lots of info.

[jimw]

If one is tendered into Georgetown, there is a shore dive available a short walk to the right, Eden Roc. Rent a tank or all gear there and go for it. It is ironshore not a sandy beach, but a nice almost free dive. Haven't been there since the last big hurricane, so ymmv.

 

We have gone the last couple of times up next to the Turtle Farm and done a shore dive, not sure of the diveshop name now--maybe Divetec?? It's a cab ride and one could visit the turtles and the Tortuga Rum store. There's also a restaurant above the dive shop.

[DiveCruiser]

Any time you can dive in the Caribbean DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!11

 

Bob

[KaC-Cruiser]

We've actually grabbed the bus in town out to Dive Tech - next to the Turtle Farm. The shore diving is pretty good there, and taking the bus is a lot cheaper than a cab. The staff at Dive tech are really great as well. My hubby forgot his C-card, and they pulled it down off the web so he could still dive.:D