# Scuba in Grand Cayman - recommended sites for new divers



## Strong1 (Sep 17, 2006)

My husband and I and another couple are travelling to Grand Cayman in Feb of '07.  We just got our open water certification, so this will likely be our first official dive.

I was hoping to get some advice as to a very easy "first dive" site on Grand Cayman.  We will go with a tour, not on our own, and the two women are a bit nervous about our first real dive.

Cat - I know you are a diver - any recommendations?

We are staying at Morritts.


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## BocaBum99 (Sep 17, 2006)

Hi Strong,

I was just in Grand Cayman earlier this summer and it was terrific diving.  The Morritt's has a dive shop right at the resort called Tortuga divers.  They really take care of you and they have open water dives for beginners.  Once you check in, I would just go to the dive shop and tell them what you have told us.  The dive masters take great care in ensuring you know the dive plan and they have several checks they do during the dive to ensure everyone has the right amount of air left and if you like, you can simply dive right next to them.  Very safe diving and great service.

What's really great about diving in Grand Cayman is that the water is very still, so the dives are easy.  After you do a few dives at about 60 feet, you will be ready for a wall dive.  They are fantastic.  It feels like you are flying along side a mountain.

Don't worry, you will be in good hands with Tortuga Divers.


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## Cat (Sep 17, 2006)

Strong1 said:
			
		

> My husband and I and another couple are travelling to Grand Cayman in Feb of '07.  We just got our open water certification, so this will likely be our first official dive.
> 
> I was hoping to get some advice as to a very easy "first dive" site on Grand Cayman.  We will go with a tour, not on our own, and the two women are a bit nervous about our first real dive.
> 
> ...



Just weighing in here. We did not care for Tortuga Divers, for reasons that probably wouldn't bother you as new divers. That said, and knowing that my friend BocaBum knows whereof he speaks, I would still put in a very, very strong recommendation for Ocean Frontiers. They have an office next door at The Reef Resort, and they will come and pick you up/drop you off before and after the dive, so if you're not renting a car, that's not a problem. They will call you the day before your dive just to check in and make sure you're still going.

We have gone with them 3 times, 2 weeks at a pop each time, and know the operation inside out. They have consistently been voted the best dive operation _in the world_ by Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine. We have been diving all over the world and have never, ever found an operation that takes such meticulous care of its divers. They keep track of every dive site you visit with them, your bottom time, and ending psi, and give you a print-out when you leave, so that you have the information for adding to your log book.

As novice divers, if you're a bit apprehensive, they will give you extra TLC and stay with you. I've seen them nurture new divers to the max. One couple, for example, had just been certified, and they were a little older. They only felt comfortable suiting up on the rear dive platforms (who knows why??) so the dive instructor (no dive masters here, all have achieved instructor status) would take them a few minutes before we'd arrive at the dive site and help them suit up back there.

They take care of your gear, rinse and store it, and have it set up for you when you arrive at the boat on days that you're diving during your stay.

Their boats are top notch, with marine heads, showers, snacks and drinks for in between dives. If you get confident enough to do a night dive with them, they even have hot chocolate and warm towels waiting for you!

For experienced divers, they let you dive your own profile.

For everyone, they know the places to find the best stuff, and can spot day octopus at 50' (amazing, since you usually miss them, even when you're on top of them!) I couldn't believe it when we actually saw our first hammerhead with them! Occasionally, you may even spot a dolphin or two!

They are extremely safety conscious. You can't do better anywhere that we've ever dived than with Ocean Frontiers. The cost of all this service is equivalent to any other operation.

However, since they are so top shelf, they book up fast. I would strongly advise you to make advance reservations with them. Once there, if you want to change a day, they will happily do so for you. You can add on a tank or two, space permitting. Afternoon dives are easier to get than morning dives, we found.

Be sure to treat yourselves to a superb operation, the benchmark by which all others should be judged.

www.oceanfrontiers.com


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## jgirvine (Sep 17, 2006)

*vote for dive tech*

We own at the Morritt's, but I would like to put in a plug for Dive Tech's shore dive at the turtle farm.  We do it EVERY year.  You get what ever you need from them, walk out on the pier, surface swim just a little ways out to a floating bouy, and drop down....go one way it is a 60 ft wall dive, go the other way it is a 75 ft.  You go to a little less than half your o2, and then go up to the top of the wall and go back the other way at about 30 feet.  Totally differnet dive each way....great fish life.  Dive Tech gives you complete directions, they will do an escorted dive, but you really do not need it.  We got certified in Hawaii, and 2 months later when we went to Caymans, it was our first dive as certified divers.  Suggest you contac them by email.


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## Cat (Sep 17, 2006)

We also do the Dive Tech "shore dive" everytime we're on the island. The Dive Tech operation has reciprocity with Ocean Frontiers. If you would like to ease your way into the East End boat diving a Dive Tech slow, easy dive from the back of their shop is just the ticket.


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## Topcat (Sep 18, 2006)

I would vote for Ocean Frontiers.  We own at Morritts but have always dove with Ocean Frontiers.  This past july we had some free dive certificates with Tortuga Divers and dove with them once.  For several reasons (equipment, attitude, guidance) we traded 6 certificates for 2 tank dives for certificates for wave runners and went back to open frontiers.  We are not real experienced divers since we only certified July of 2005 but I feel that Ocean Frontiers is way above Tortuga in service and overall customer satisfaction.  They will do what ever it takes for you to enjoy your dives.  I will also second that you need to make your reservations early as they do fill up.  Contact Lesley and she will take care of you.  They have several dive only packages that work out cheaper than just boking individual dives.


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## Skinsfan1311 (Sep 19, 2006)

I second,(and third!), Ocean Frontiers.  We dove with them in early August and they were awesome.  They took very good care of the newly certified divers.    They also let more "experienced" folks dive their computers, and offered guided and unguided dives.  The boats were top-notch, the DM's and staff were friendly.  The set you up, and take care of your equipment for you.  The only problem I had, is now I unfairly compare every dive-op to Ocean Frontiers.

We stayed at the Morritt's, and Tortuga divers is the on-site operator.   Because of the hurricane damage, they were operating out of a trailer on the beach and the divers had to get on a small boat to go out to the dive boat that was moored in the water.  You also had to lug your equipment around, even if staying on-site.....


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## Cat (Sep 19, 2006)

Skinsfan1311 said:
			
		

> The only problem I had, is now I unfairly compare every dive-op to Ocean Frontiers.



Skins, nothing unfair about it. Every dive operation *could* do exactly what Ocean Frontiers does. However, service seems to have gone the way of spats and Irish tenors. That's why it's doubly refreshing to find an operation like OF. They do it right, and they charge about the same as the others that run cattle boats.


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## Topcat (Sep 20, 2006)

Cat said:
			
		

> Skins, nothing unfair about it. Every dive operation *could* do exactly what Ocean Frontiers does. However, service seems to have gone the way of spats and Irish tenors. That's why it's doubly refreshing to find an operation like OF. They do it right, and they charge about the same as the others that run cattle boats.



And OF knows it.  I talked to the manager when I went back and he made the comment that now I knew what a "world class" operation was like and would always want it when I was diving.:whoopie:


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## Cat (Sep 20, 2006)

Was it Steve you talked to, Topcat? You will always want it, but you will be unlikely to find it until you return to OF. We have never found anything even close to that anywhere. So enjoy being spoiled while you're on Grand Cayman's East End. It will have to last you awhile!


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## Topcat (Sep 20, 2006)

CAT  I talked to Steve and Fraisier both.   I dove with them for 2 weeks and then the wife and kids stayed another 2 weeks for diving after I had to return to work.


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## Strong1 (Sep 21, 2006)

*Thanks to all!*

Wow,

Thanks for all your input - I really appreciate it.  This being our first dive, I really want it to be a positive experience.  Sounds like we will be able to do a couple of dives that will be equivalent to our experience.

Will check out Frontiers before we go to make some arrangements.

Many, many thanks!
Colleen


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## Cat (Sep 21, 2006)

Wow, Colleen - that's great! I'm envious that your first dive experience will be with OF. Picture the exact opposite of what I've described, and that was OUR first dive experience, 16 years ago. It's amazing we ever even got back into the water. In any case, you're going to have a BALL!!!

Topcat, Steve and Fraser are both consummate gentlemen. Is Cricket (Steve's dog) still around? Our very first trip with them was back in 2000, and the shop had been recently opened. It was a tiny operation back in those days, but the level of service has only gotten greater with each trip.


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## Strong1 (Sep 25, 2006)

Hi Cat,

Well, we just did our open water certification in Canadian waters with full gear (full suits, hoods, gloves, etc.) so I think we've earned a nice warm water dive!  Looking forward to just diving without having to do reg clears and remove my mask in cold water!!!

We'll check out the turtle farm dive too - sounds like fun.

Thanks again for the help,
Colleen


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## Cat (Sep 25, 2006)

Colleen, you're right that you're owed some of that leisurely, easy tropical diving. We were certified in MA, and it's been said that New England (and, I'd imagine, Canadian) divers are among the heartiest in the world, because of the harsh conditions under which we earned our C cards. It's absolutely true. After diving up in Canada, diving in the tropics will seem like a piece of cake by comparison.

We did our first year of diving after earning our C cards in New England only. I remember one in particular that we did in Rhode Island in October (yeah - we were diehard back then) where we lost any semblance of visibility about halfway through. We literally crawled on the bottom to get back to shore, because you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, and the bottom was littered with huge boulders. Above us was a shipping lane. It was harrowing, to say the least.

Now, we're confirmed warm water divers, ONLY.


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## kdwinter (Sep 27, 2006)

*recommended dive operations*

I would highly recommend Red Baron Divers.  Nick and Patrick only go out with a small number of divers.  You get very personalized service.  They take care of all your equipment and make it easy.  You're always on a moorings dive in Grand Cayman, so it's easier to descend and ascend.  It's the only dive operation we've used there since we got certified several years back.


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