Instant Reader Report on Diving
Sam McCoy’s Dive Lodge in
Cayman Islands/Little Cayman in
2003/07

by
Brad Sims, NC, USA
Report Number 030716230055301

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 Grand Cayman, Bonaire, Cozumel, Turks & Caicos, Florida Keys, Belize,
Califorina 

Divemaster dove but did not follow any divers.  

[None]  

Overall Rating

Sam McCoy’s Dive Lodge was a very “basic” experience.  My spouse and I
spent almost a week at McCoy’s mostly due to a short notice dive vacation. 
First a caution on Island Air that transports you to and from Grand Cayman
to Little Cayman.  Island Air states that you have a limit of 55 lbs per
person and excess weight is charged at .50 cents per pound.  It also said
that your gear will make the flight if you pack under your 55 lbs per
person where excess will be delivered within 24 hours.  This is not true. 
You luggage is all put in with all the excess and has no name associated
with it to identify who it belongs too only a number tag.  We packed with
no excess and received only 1 of our 2 bags on a later flight the same day
and the second bag the next morning taking away an arrival shore dive. 
Secondly when leaving Little Cayman, your gear should be sent to the
airport the day before you leave to ensure your gear is waiting for you at
the baggage claim when you arrive the next day.  Others that left McCoy’s
later after us even had to wait an extra hour since the pilot flew a
charter and then could not fly the normal morning flight.  Make sure you do
not make a connecting flight from Grand Cayman to close to your flight from
Little Cayman on Island Air.   Now about McCoy’s Lodge.  While the diving
on Little Cayman from a boat or shore was very good.  There is a local
Eagle Ray, Sea Turtles everywhere, and a friendly Grouper that lets you
scratch his chin.  McCoy’s dive lodge is very basic, no frills, not too
friendly owners, but the staff is ok.  You are picked up from the airport
in the back of a pickup truck, transported to the dive boat in the back of
a pickup truck and taken for a shore dive in the back of a pickup.  While
this in itself is not terrible, the owners Mary and her daughter Maxine
drive fast while you hang on.  I suggest riding in the back of the
divemaster’s pickup as he does drive a bit slower.  Either Mary or Maxine
will, hopefully, remember which flight you are suppose to arrive on (Maxine
did not remember our flight) and meet you at the airport to collect you and
your gear for the ride to the lodge where they will back the truck up to
your door and drop you off.  From that point you go straight to the dining
area to fill out you c-card info and told that a bell will ring for each
meal and that your 2-tank morning dive will be after breakfast.  There is
an outside bar that is open for guest and locals most all the time.  A
small freshwater pool that has probably never had the freshwater replaced
from the day it was first filled.  Shore diving off the back of the resort
can be done but it is shallow for a long way with a rocky, sea urchin
filled entry. The divemaster will instead drive you in the back of the
pickup truck to a very good shoredive site and agree to a time to pick you
up.  When you are on your morning 2-tank dive, you need to tell the
divemaster how many shore dives you are planning on doing as he will fill
and set your tanks out.  The small diveboat that is about a 10 minute drive
from the resort is about 50 feet from shore so you have to carry your gear
in about waist deep water to and from the boat every morning.  If you are
only doing the morning dive, you can leave your gear on the dive boat as
there is no theft, even your room has no key.  Since Mary is very frugal,
the lodge which is two small buildings looks like it was built in the 50’s
and has had no money spent on it since then.  The rooms seem clean and are
sufficient with air condition units.  Expect them to be turned down or off
after your beds are made.  The bathrooms are old and you need to keep your
lights on at night to stop the large roaches from visiting.  The meals are
simple but plenty.   The dining room is one large table and usually has
only fans blowing and a few times has air conditioning turned on shortly
during the meal.  Don’t expect to interact with the staff or owners except
on occasion as they avoid this.  There is a barbeque on Saturday and
Wednesday night that is very good and plentiful.  Bring your bug spray.  If
there is no island breeze, expect to be attacked by the sand flees and
mosquitoes. On the day you leave Mary gets a little friendly and asks you
to sign the guest book and say what a wonderful time you had before your
ride in the back of her pickup truck to the airport.  

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