Diving and Water Sports in the Cayman Islands


If you wanted to find the perfect dive destination, it is likely that of all the places in the world you would pick Cayman. In 1957 scuba pioneer Bob Soto opened Cayman’s first dive shop. Now Cayman is one of the world’s premier dive destinations, and scuba diving has become one of the primary reasons for tourists choosing Cayman.

There are over 40 dive operators in Grand Cayman, plus five in Little Cayman and three in Cayman Brac. All are eager to help you plan your visit; some will arrange hotel and dive packages.

The Cayman Islands offer an incredible diversity of diving. Opportunities for some of the most challenging diving are located just yards away from shallow offshore dives. Whether you want to snorkel with a vast array of different marine life weaving in and out of multi-colored coral, or plunge down a terrifying abyss, Cayman has the dive for you. If you appreciate both art and diving, you will find the bronze mermaid Amphitrite off Grand Cayman and the ‘Oceanic Voyagers’ sculpture of dolphins and stingrays in the waters off Cayman Brac. And if you want to get close to the marine life around you, the Cayman Islands are home to the “Best 12 foot dive in the world” at Stingray City.

The Islands are set up for diving; not only are there plenty of operators from which to chose, but you will find everything you need, for boats to charter for your dive to stores selling all the gear. Underwater photographers are at hand if you want a record of your adventure and dive resorts will look after your every need.

eCayOnline has all the information you could need to find out all about Diving and Water Sports in the Cayman Islands. Check out the eCay Business Directory for information about the businesses waiting to make your visit to the Cayman Islands an unforgettable adventure.

Topography

One of the main reasons for the Cayman Islands’ international reputation as a dive destination is their unique geography. The Islands are limestone outcrops, the peaks of an underwater mountain range called the Cayman Ridge which extends from south east Cuba to Belize. The Ridge lies at the Northern edge of the Cayman Trench which drops down to some 25,000 feet; the deepest point in the Caribbean Sea.

What makes the Cayman diving experience quite so special is that the sea bed plunges down dramatic walls and drop-offs just yards off shore.

Reasons to dive and participate in water sports in the Cayman Islands
• Clean water
• Clear water, with visibility up to 120 feet
• Climate
• Dive-focussed resorts
• Dive/accommodation packages
• Diversity of dive – wall, wreck, cave, reef
• Lack of underwater channels due to limestone rock
• Minimal currents
• Pristine reefs
• Proximity of snorkel and even dive sites to shore
• Sea temperature of 79-83 degrees

Learn to Dive

There are plenty of opportunities to learn to dive, with registered instructors. Training is available at all levels of dive, from the novice who wants to learn in a day to certificated Nitrox and Tec diving

For children there are specially regulated courses. These include the Supplied Air Snorkelling for Youth program or the Professional Association of Dive Instructors
Bubblemaker course, or Scuba Rangers for 8-12 year olds

Walls

One of the advantages of being at the top of an underwater mountain is the dramatic vertical drop in depth that surrounds you.

Grand Cayman has two wall levels; a 60 foot shallow dive, or a spectacular drop into the abyss
West Wall: Orange Canyon/ Big Tunnels/Big Dipper
North Wall: Eagle Ray Pass/Westgate/White Stroke Canyon/ Brinkley’s/Tarpon Alley
South Side: Little Pinnacle/Big Pinnacle
East End: Three Sisters/Jack McKennedy’s/Babylon/Mermaid/ Black Forest

North Side: Cemetery/Garden Eel/West Chute/Airport
South Side: Anchor/Inside Out/Rock Monster Chimney/ Wilderness

Little Cayman is home to the world famous Bloody Bay Wall, where the ocean floor drops vertically from 20ft all the way down to 6,000ft
North Side: Jackson Wall/Eagle Ray Roundup/Nancy’s Cup of Tea/Fisheye Fantasy/Great Wall West/Great Wall East/Randy’s Gazebo/Three Fathom
South Side: Charlie’s Chimneys/Splitsville

Wrecks

There are plenty of interesting wrecks to explore off the shores of each of the Cayman Islands. Some have come to an untimely end, and some have been placed underwater to create diving opportunities.

Doc Polson/Oro Verde/LCM David Nicholson/Pallas

MV Capt Keith Tibbetts/Cayman Mariner/Kissamee

Soto Trader

Other dive sites

The Cayman Islands feature some 250 marked dive sites. Some of the better known include

Big Tunnels/Grouper Grotto/Northwest Point/Orange Canyon/Sand Chute/The Maze/Trinity Caves

Charlie’s Reef/Radar Reef/Snapper Reef/Tarpon Reef

Fisheye Fantasy/Dynamite/Gay’s Reef/Pirate’s Point

Stingray City

Stingray City offers a natural opportunity to swim with exotic but harmless Stingrays off the north coast of Grand Cayman. The Stingrays collect in this area, attracted by the prospect of food. Over the years they have become used to human contact and allow themselves to be touched and fed... ...find out more about Stingray City

Submarines

Submarines provide a way to take a look at life underwater without getting wet. There are a number of submarines or semi-submersibles based in the Cayman Islands

Atlantis carries 48 passengers up to 100ft below the surface
Deep Explorer takes 2 passengers all the way down to 800-1000ft
SEAmobile has a capacity of 2 people, at 60ft with a 360 degree view

Sea World Explorer carries 35 passengers
Nautilus has a capacity of 60 people

Other water sports activities

Just some of the other water sports activities in which you can choose to participate around the Cayman Islands include:


• Snorkelling
• Water Skiing
• Water tricycles
• Wind surfing, especially in the reef-protected shallows off East End
• Ocean kayaks
• Hobie cats
• Waverunners
• View boards
• Sun searcher floats
• Banana Boat rides
• Paddle cats
• Paddle boats
• Para sailing
• Sail boats
• Fishing, both Deep Sea or Reef, and even some fly fishing. Charters and local boats are avaiilable

eCay Tip

The Cayman Islands’ strict marine conservation laws are what have kept the reefs in such good condition and the marine life quite so plentiful. So please respect the fabulous environment you will find under the sea. Copies of the laws, and guides on good dive practice, are available from your dive operator.

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