Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 10:49:53 CST  
From: "jim blair" <jeblair@facstaff.wisc.edu>
To: rec-scuba@cs.utexas.edu
Cc: 
BCc: 
Subject: RE: cayman diving response

My experience has been on Grand Cayman.  The first divers there found it 
really good, especially the west side (7 mile beach) and the north coast 
wall, when the water is calm. 

The large bay on the north side has lots of stingray but you don't need 
scuba gear to play with them since the bottom is only 10 -15 feet. 
There is a nice wreck near the main city,  Georgetown. The dive boats
usually go to whichever sites are best that day (depending on the weather 
and sea conditions).

Bob Soto is the biggest dive outfit, with boats that take 50+ divers. There
are smaller dive shops, but mostly the go to the same places as Soto. 
While the locations are good, Grand Cayman has become the "DisneyWorld of 
Diving", and after one trip there for a week several years ago I am
glad that St. Croix is rebuilt from Hugo and I can resume my trips there. 

Be prepared for the high price of food on Cayman, at least compared to 
Wisconsin. Two people can easily spend  $100 a day if they don't have a 
kitchen.  

If you want information my  next St. Coix trip, e-mail me. It is a 
(relatively) low cost way to dive some very good but little known caribbean 
sites, if you have your own gear.  $50 per day/person for accommodations 
in villas with kitchens and van transportation to dive sites.
Tank(filled) and lead for $6/day.  

Jim Blair (jeblair@facstaff.wisc.edu)