Instant Reader Report
on Cayman Diving Lodge / [same] in
Cayman Islands / Grand Cayman on
2003/03
by
Steve & Cathy Mason , MI, USA
Report Number 030404212206214

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Send an email to the author of this report

 Great Lakes, Florida Keys (multiple), Cozumel (multiple), Grand Turk,
Belize Atolls (multiple), Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, Raiatea. 

Dive Conditions

Computer Divers had suggested time and depth, no decompression diving, time
enforced more than depth.  

Camera tables and rinse tank on boats, instructed everyone no to use camera
rinse tanks for masks or anything other than camera or computer. Very
camera friendly, handed to divers and helped with handling when boarding.
They use UW cameras and video so they know what they are doing.  

Overall Rating

My wife and I schedule a dive vacation in a remote location at least once a
year. I look for top notch diving with lots of life and a quiet tranquil
location to relax and let the stress of work and life flow away. We had
avoided Grand Cayman, since it seemed overdived and too touristy. Then I
read about Cayman Diving Lodge on the East End away from the crowds. As it
turned out, we have been missing one of the best places anywhere in the
Carribean. The east end is paradise found. The diving was fantastic! Tons
of fish life, healthy reefs with lots of coral and sponges. I can usually
tell the reef condition by the seafans. In the heavily dived spots, the
fans are knocked down first, then the coral and sponges get beatup. I was
amazed at the number of large fans standing on this windward side of the
island. We swam with Carribean Reef Sharks, Turtles, Tarpon, Giant Snapper,
all the usual fish in abundance. In the beautiful Elkhorn stands we found
Red Lipped Blennies in 3 color phases, octopus in the day, Candy Stiped
Shrimp, lots of macro life and scorpionfish, wrasses, damsels, angels,
gobies. There were fish and critters everywhere I looked. Not only were the
dive spots full of life, but they also have some of the most interesting
topography underwater. They have awesome vertical walls that drop thousands
of feet(we love wall dives), Mini-walls at 40 to 60 feet, caverns, canyons,
pinnacles, shallow barrier reefs and more swim throughs than I have ever
seen. If you like swim throughs this is paradise. They were on almost every
dive! As if the diving wasn't enough, the staff and lodge were excellent.
Jim, the owner takes time to meet the guests and makes you feel like a
friend rather than a customer. The divemasters did an excellent job, The
boats were top notch with a Pro 48 jet as the main boat. They were always
ready to go the extra mile and even did an afternoon dive with just the two
of us, when the others opted to stay on shore. They arranged to get us to
Stingray City, that was a blast to do once (kind of like Belizes Blue Hole,
you should experience it once). Their customer service was extrodinary. Our
room was on the balcony with a beatiful view of the ocean, very clean,
roomy and well furnished. The only thing better than the diving was the
food! Shelia and Roy cooked meals to die for, we actually started asking
what was for lunch after the second dive in the morning. It's pretty bad
when you are done with the diving and your first thought is food. This is a
small quiet resort you can enjoy with other divers and relax. We were in
bed most nights by 8PM, one night a bunch of us decided to get crazy and
stayed up until almost 9! I would recommend this to anyone who wants a
quiet relaxing dive vacation that is easy to get to with some of the top
diving in the area, but forget the diet, the homemade desserts and
chocolate chip cookies are irresistable. This is one location we will
return to, soon I hope...Its snowing out my window right now. 

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