|
Diving Sites
Grand Cayman is the world's best-known dive destination. Some say it's because of the warm, crystal-clear water – year-round. Others love the stretches of magnificent, unspoiled coral reefs, the schools of colorful fish, the friendly stingrays, the spectacular shipwrecks, the vertical walls teeming with sealife, even the dramatic underwater drop-offs. And most Cayman visitors agree that there's simply no better way to discover the island's many underwater beauties than with Red Sail Sports, the watersports experts.Red Sail Sports is the only premier operation delivering full-service dive and watersports services island-wide. We maintain seven full-service dive and watersports sites at the following locations throughout Cayman's north, west and east ends:
Stingray City
Promoted by cruise ship TV commercials, dive and adventure magazines, Stingray City has become the world's most famous shallow dive. Here, divers can feed, pet and play with the friendly Southern Stingrays. Divers kneel on the sandy sea floor while tame stingrays swirl around in search of food. As you stroke the smooth undersides of the stingrays, you'll understand why this memorable dive has made Grand Cayman famous.
Wrecks
Cayman has a number of shipwrecks, which make ideal dive sites. Wrecks form an artificial reef and attract a large amount of sealife searching for permanent homes. The most famous wreck in Grand Cayman is the Oro Verde. The “OV” was a freighter that was scuttled and sunk off Seven Mile Beach to create a dive site. Other wrecks include the Balboa, the Cali, the Doc Polson and the Nicholson.
 Shore Diving
Grand Cayman has excellent shore diving available south of George Town harbor. Coral reef systems begin just a few yards off shore and gently slope down the wall. It's recommended that guests who wish to shore dive have a vehicle to drive to these sites and use dive operators located on each site for tank rentals.
West Side Dives
Most of Grand Cayman's best-known dive sites are located on the West Wall just off Seven Mile Beach. The West Wall is known for spectacular swim-throughs, unspoiled reefs, an abundance of fish, mysterious wrecks, and gently sloping walls. The calm seas and excellent visibility make the West Wall ideal for both the advanced and novice diver. With almost 50 dive sites, you'll have plenty of destinations to choose. West Wall divers are picked up from the beach, and all our dive sites are less than 10 minutes away.
1- Big Tunnel
Big Tunnel is an extremely impressive drop-off with a coral archway. The top is at 105 feet, the bottom at 120. This is a sheer wall approximately 300 feet in length and etched by many winding channels and canyons. While there are many smaller tunnels, crevices and overhangs, the real thrill of this dive is the arch. In addition to the swim through opportunities, this site is frequented by a school of large Tarpons that hang in the canyons.
2- Trinity Caves
Trinity Caves is a system of four coral canyons that converges on the face of a vertical wall. The canyons begin in approximately 60 feet and slope gradually to 100, where they exit together. Just south of the twin tunnels is a slightly shorter and more meandering tunnel. It also leads to the drop-off but exits into a deep coral crevice directly in front of a towering pinnacle.
 Trinity Caves is a system of four coral canyons that converges on the face of a vertical wall. The canyons begin in approximately 60 feet and slope gradually to 100, where they exit together. Just south of the twin tunnels is a slightly shorter and more meandering tunnel. It also leads to the drop-off but exits into a deep coral crevice directly in front of a towering pinnacle.
3- Le Mesa
Le Mesa is a small, flat topped coral reef loaded with more than a dozen separate schools of reef fish. Here, divers can swim with and photograph groups of Blue Striped Grunts, Schoolmasters, Sailor's Choice, Horse-eye Jacks, Bermuda Chubs and Mahogany Grunts.
South Wall Dives
When the weather makes the West Wall inaccessible, our dive boats visit the South Wall. Shallow dives feature a reef structure with deep ravines, which have fused together in places to form tunnels, archways and swim-throughs. Here, divers will see an abundance of elkhorn coral. South Wall's drop-off begins deeper than the other walls and many sites feature large pinnacles of coral rising up from the wall. South Wall is popular for its shallow sites such as Japanese Gardens and Oriental Gardens.
1- Japanese Gardens
The lavish stands of elkhorn and staghorn coral, found only sparsely elsewhere on the island, resemble a neatly trimmed bonsai garden and lend the site its name. Wave action on this side of the island has carved tunnels and caverns into the ironshore that fill with silversides in the breeding season, and the elegant tarpon who come to feed upon them.
2- Oriental Gardens
This site is the home of various types of coral and healthy fish life
North Wall Dives
The North Wall boasts spectacular drops-offs and fascinating marine life. It is not uncommon to spot Eagle Rays, Tarpon and Sea Turtles. The exotic marine life clinging to the vertical sides of the wall make diving it a thrill to even the most experienced divers and photographers. North Wall dive boats depart from the Hyatt or Safehaven docks.
1- White Stroke Canyon
White Stroke Canyon is a coral wall that almost defies description. The immense formation literally dwarfs the diver and vividly portrays the grandeur of the North Wall drop-offs. Two giant coral ramparts jut outward from the vertical wall. With a gaping chasm of clear blue water in between, it is about 150 feet from one rampart to the other, and the rim of the wall curves sharply inward forming a u-shaped indentation.
2- Brinkley's Wall
Brinkley's Wall is a spectacular drop-off close to shore and quite vertical. The top of the wall begins at 35 feet and drops straight away. Underwater visibility in this area can exceed 160'. This site is loaded with tube, brown elephant ear and vase sponges. It's a great spot to find and photograph Cayman's famous blood red sponges. Inshore from the drop-off is a shallow strand of staghorn coral where yellow and gold seahorses are sometimes found.
3- Eagle Ray Pass
Eagle Ray Pass is a deep chasm leading to the wall. It's an awesome formation with towering coral heads, coral archways and narrow crevices- filled with magnificent sponges, gorgonian fans and black coral. This magical spot is also a regular gathering place for Spotted Eagle Rays that cruise along the face of the wall. Divers frequently encounter groups of two to six rays in a single formation.
Eagle Ray Pass is a deep chasm leading to the wall. It's an awesome formation with towering coral heads, coral archways and narrow crevices- filled with magnificent sponges, gorgonian fans and black coral. This magical spot is also a regular gathering place for Spotted Eagle Rays that cruise along the face of the wall. Divers frequently encounter groups of two to six rays in a single formation.
4- Tarpon Alley
Tarpon Alley is where more than 100 giant Tarpon school together in a narrow coral canyon near the edge of the drop-off. Divers can swim through the canyon, almost touching the Tarpon that are slowly cruising back and forth. Most of these silvery fish measure three to four feet long, but there are some giants that reach five feet, and weigh approximately 150 pounds.
East End Dives
The east end of the island is still relatively untouched by divers and offers pristine sites. The diving is typically around the inner fringing reef. The spur and grove formations here are more gently sloping than other areas on Grand Cayman. With a variety of sites including caves and swim-throughs, coupled with superfluous marine life, the East End offers something special for the adventurous diver looking for something different.
1- Grouper Grotto
A shallow 65 ft maximum dive, this site is full of Nassau grouper and several species of jacks. At the reef crest there are numerous caves, tunnels and coral blocks. Large formations of elkhorn coral stand in amongst sea fans and plumes.
2- The Maze
This deep dive of up to 100 ft, can be affected by inclement weather but is worth the effort. With many swim-throughs in the fissures and caves, these will lead the diver into semi-darkness and out into the beautiful blue wall. An abundant supply of brain coral, black coral fans and deep-water gorgonian fans just add to this impressive site.
|
