Diving In The Cayman Islands March 11, 2011 by lukesheppard

If you’re perhaps toying with the idea of a Scuba Diving trip this year but are stuck for a particular location in which to visit, then you may want to consider the Cayman Islands. The resort has recently won Scuba Diving Magazine’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards and has proved a little more than just `well received` amongst divers in recent months.

The destination, situated just South of Cuba and North West of Jamaica with a population of just over 50,000, was awarded first place in the categories covering overall experience and wall diving. The range of diving experiences on offer to visitors has been boosted by the recent sinking of the USS Kittiwake, a former United States Navy submarine that is now an underwater attraction.

Shomari Scott, acting director of tourism for the British overseas territory, said it is ‘an honour’ for the destination to have been recognised by readers and supporters of the magazine. The destination fully deserves its reputation as one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world with some of the most spectacular dive sites that you’ll ever come across. The tourism industry is well prepared to host an influx of divers every season with many resorts having in-house diving operations offering courses, daily excursions and Scuba equipment sales and rentals. In addition to the expected coral reefs, colourful fish, and other underwater creatures, this `wall diving` provides something extraordinary for scuba divers.

Scuba diving in the Caymans can be done by boat, or at many dive sites, directly from shore. Grand Cayman- The diving on Grand Cayman is divided roughly into 4 areas; Seven Mile Beach and the Northwest Point, The North Wall, The South Side, and The East End. Because of the prevailing south-east winds, it is rare to dive the South Side sites, though it is done when possible as the sites are breath taking. Due to the myriad of sites available for diving, there are opportunities for virtually all levels of divers to explore this stunning underwater world. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman- Both of the ‘sister islands’ are thin strips of land lying roughly east to west, and the diving is divided between the north and south sides. On Little Cayman, ‘Bloody Bay Wall’ and ‘Jackson Bay’ are commonly requested dive destinations. They are both situated on the north side of the island, and are not accessible all year round because of variable weather conditions. Scuba packages are readily available to this destination, and with the Islands having received such a positive accolade with one of the leading magazines in this sector then it might be worth giving it a go yourself!