Recommended Dive Operations

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 8:48 pm Post subject: Recommended Dive Operations

After extensively researching every dive operation in the Cayman Islands, I have compiled a list of what I feel represent the most highly valued operations over a full spectrum of diving interests.

Most of them will provide our members with discounts or some kind of perk just for mentioning that you are an Activity Guide member. It also doesn't hurt to tell them that you will be writing a review of their operation at our forums when you return. Wink

Eden Rock Diving Center:
Located in Georgetown, they offer: all levels of training and specialty courses, from first time beginner to divemaster; referral dives for all agencies including PADI, NAUI and SSI; wonderful shore diving just a matter of feet from their dive shop to a large comfortable ladder for easy entry/exit; and boat dives to west and south walls. They operate two well appointed Pro 52s and average 10-15 divers per trip. Their average cost for a two tank dive is US$80, less any current Activity Guide discounts.

Neptune's
Based primarily on Seven Mile Beach, they offer highly personalized diving with no more than 8 divers per trip. The have a 32ft comfortable boat, which services north, west and south walls and surrounding reefs. They are extremely service oriented and customize each charter to the specific interests and abilities of their guests. Their average cost for a two tank dive is US90, less any Activity Guide discounts.

Off the Wall
Based in Seven Mile Beach, they offer highly personalized diving with no more than 10 passengers per trip. The have two 30-36? comfortable boat, which service the north, west and south walls and surrounding reefs. They are extremely service oriented and customize each charter to the specific interests and abilities of their guests. Their average cost for a two tank dive is US90, less any Activity Guide discounts.

Living the Dream Divers
Based in Seven Mile Beach, they offer very personalized dive tours of Cayman's West, North and South walls. Special chill and grill dive trips with lunch on or off board, no crowds, affordable rates, Activity Guide discounts.

Cayman Turtle Divers
Highly rated personal staff specializing in small boat groups up to 8 divers, of all levels and abilities. Kids 10 & up, beginner divers and advanced divers will all enjoy the personal touch of crowd free diving.

Boat trips includes free dive computer rental and free shore diving at Northwest Point's famous Turtle Reef, which provides easy access to Grand Cayman's mini wall and main walls.

Stingray City & Kittiwake dive & snorkel trips offered most afternoons.

Full training from Resort courses, Kids diving (8 & up), referral dives, full certifications, and all specialty and training courses.

Note: Kittiwake dive operators must have a license to dive in the Kittiwake Marine Park. All Activity Guide recommended dive operators are licensed to offer Kittiwake diving.

Newbie Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 9

Hi,

my wife and I will be vacationing in the Cayman's for the first time, I will be going diving, we will be staying at the Courtyard by Marriott Grand Cayman, I would like to know which diving facility listed below is the closest to our hotel?

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 12:26 pm Post subject:

Hi black wolf -

All of our recommended dive operations offer free pickup - some right on the beach directly across the street from your hotel. However, their location is not nearly as important as organizing a diverse and personalized dive itinerary, which will make this the most spectacular dive vacation you ever experienced. If you can provide a few details about yourself, such as your level of experience, how many dives you've done, when you last went diving, etc. we can make recommendations specific to your needs and abilities, in order to help you create the perfect dive vacation. Very Happy

Newbie Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 9

Hi Joe,

Thank you for the tip. I have just received my temporary certification from SDI this weekend...so I am a brand new diver. When we arrive in the Cayman's next wednesday I will only have 2 open water dives at a depth of 25 ft., visibility of no more than 4 ft., for a time of 20 mins each. Whom do you suggest?

water

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 7:04 pm Post subject:

Hi black wolf - welcome to the forum! wave

I will let the experts respond to your post, but holy cow if you've only had 4 foot visibility up until now you are in for a whopper of a BIG TREAT when you dive Cayman!!! Divegirl

Newbie Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 9

Yes, I hear the difference is like night and day, according to our instructor who has been teaching for 30 years, if you can dive in Long Island Sound in CT, than you can dive anywhere. Divegirl

oh by the way what a great forum, my wife loved reading all the information posted on here, it's given us a better idea of what to expect on our vacation. dance1

Newbie Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 9

How do I activate the trip counter?

Confused

Disregard the question I found it.....and Paul I will tell them you said hi.

Wink

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:01 am Post subject:

Go into your Profile - upper right side of the main page on this website.

Scroll down......be sure you enter the dates in the correct format....d/m/yr

Then click submit...

Char

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:04 am Post subject:

bw.. (see you can get a nickname around here...) Go to the top of the page and right under where it says "Videos" in the "Cayman Activity Guide Online" area you'll see it says "Profile". Click on that and it will open a window that allows you to post your countdown as well as customize your profile in many ways, such as adding an avatar, etc. Have fun!

Newbie Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Seattle, WA

I'm headed for GC in about 5 weeks time; If I do not own my own gear, who is the best operator for me to use?

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject:

I would imagine that all the dive operators have rental equipment, but you need to tell them ahead of time, of course.

Char

Newbie Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 2 Location: IL

leaving Oct20th for a week. Cant wait

Newbie Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 6

I?ve been diving in the Cayman Islands since the 90?s, and dove most parts of Grand Cayman and both sister islands. The best sites on the east part of Grand Cayman are a little better than some of the other sites but most of my favorite sites on Grand Cayman are on the north and west sides. Ocean Frontiers charges about 20-30 percent more than most of the other places, plus the high price of gas to make the long drive and getting up at 5 in the morning, unless you are staying in that part of the island. For all the extra money for dives and gas you could go to one of the sister islands where the diving is 10 times better than anywhere on Grand Cayman.

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:42 pm Post subject:

Several members of our group are interested in trying to dive. I think I've heard mention of a "reosrt course" that will teach you the basics and take you on a shallow dive?

Does anyone know any facilities that will teach diving so it can be done during our 10 day trip or is this a pipe dream on our part to think we could do the training that fast?

Thanks

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:52 pm Post subject:

Mike,

You can do your classroom instruction and pool dives at home and get a referral for the open water dives on Grand Cayman. This is quite common. Just find a local PADI dive center near you and tell them you want to get certified and that you will want to do your open water dives where it is warm!

One of our group did this and it worked out well. I (and about a trillion other CAG divers) heartily recommend Casey and Keith's Neptune's Divers. They cater to small groups and are very safety and conservation aware.

Now, there is also a "resort course" that gives you a short "how to go under water without killing yourself" lesson and then follows up with one or two dives. I did this in 1995. It was kind of like a teaser, it gets you hooked.

If you are quite certain you want to dive, skip the resorrt course and do the full course with the referral for the open water dives with Neptune's Divers. Be sure to reserve ahead with Neptune's so they know you are coming for your certification dives.

DS

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