Diving Cayman Islands
Cayman’s deep, vertical walls, stunning water clarity, variety of marine life, year-round warm, calm water, and great visibility make the Caymans one of the worlds’ best dive sites. There are more than 40 dive operators on the island and around 200 reef and wreck dive sites. The abundance of fish, marine and coral life is protected by strict conservation. Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman all offer unique diving experiences. Grand Cayman’s reefs, some of which start quite close to shore, are host to the typical Caribbean marine life, including a good population of eagle rays, turtles, and tarpon. Little Cayman has the best scuba diving in the group, with a wall that starts in just 15 feet of water and drops vertically into the deep.
Grand Cayman offers excellent shore diving. A number of excellent dive sites can be accessed right off the beach. Beginner divers should stick with a divemaster, but more experienced divers can supplement their boat diving with some great beach dives. You can obtain maps and information of dive sites from local shops.
Best time to dive
April through November are the best months, but most anytime of year is good.
Visibility
Visibility is often 120+ feet.
Water temperatures
Water temperatures range from 77 to 82 °F
Weather and climate
The Caymans’ hottest period is from May to November. During winter, temperatures can drop down to the low 70s. Rainy season starts in May and peaks in October. Rains are normally short and intense. Trade winds are out of the northeast in the winter and the southeast during the summer. Northwesterly storms can occur from December through April.
Language
English
Passport/Visa requirements
U.S., UK, Canadian, and Commonwealth country citizens either need a passport or government-issued birth certificate with a raised seal. Citizens of other countries require a passport.
Currency
Cayman Dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/
Electrical current
110 volts everywhere (same as North America)
Capital
George Town
General information
The Cayman Islands lay in the center of the Caribbean Sea, 495 miles due south of Miami, FL. Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman area actually the tips of a mammoth undersea mountain; the water surrounding them ranges in depth from 6000 to 12000 feet. Just a few miles south is the renowned Cayman Trench, the deepest part of the Caribbean, reaching a depth of 24,576 feet. Grand Cayman is the largest and most developed of the islands and the location of the capital, George Town. Little Cayman and Cayman Brac are 70 miles northeast of Grand Cayman and are much smaller and even more relaxed. The islands are a British territory, but the U.S. exerts the dominant influence over what it considers its backyard.
Map
Get a map of the Cayman Islands from WorldAtlas.com.