Best Scuba Trip: Grand Cayman Island
- LoAroundTheGlobo
- Nov 25, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: May 3
Summer 2010
My brother, Timmy, and I had gone through a weekend-long scuba-certification course in Richmond, but still had to fulfill the open-water certification aspect of the license. With a proud Navy veteran as a Dad, who has rescue-diver certification himself, we weren't going to be doing ours in the usual Virginia quarry spot. The three of us headed to Grand Cayman.
Clad in all our new gear, overflowing with an eagerness that's only present when picking up a new hobby, we completed our open-water certification doing a shipwreck dive off the coast. Little did I know at the time, but this would be some of the best diving I'd ever do. The island is a diving gem, in which clear blue waters, abundant wildlife, and gorgeous reefs are fiercely protected by its environmentally-conscience locals.
We completed a few more dives that week, each one somehow seeming better than the last, only to giddily record our experiences in a dive log we'd been instructed to keep. I've flipped through that log time and time again to meticulously record the details of each dive (weighs used, depths reached, sightings spotted), but I'm always so happy to reminisce on my very first time. We spotted all sorts of fishies, creatures, and reef patterns that week, all of them congregating into water-color-painted communities. It wasn't until Christmas of 2018 exactly 8 years later, that I'd return to the place where my favorite hobby began -- I dove in Grand Cayman again and remembered why I'd dubbed it the "undiscovered dive-spot pearl."
The rest of the week consisted of hanging by the pool, where we encountered iguanas, made friends with other families, busted open coconuts to enjoy, and ordered grub to fuel our ongoing adventures. One day, we visited a marine life conservatory, where we could interact with sea turtles. Let me say, as I diver, I'm fully aware of the dangers of touching marine life, especially turtles, as they're very susceptible to human bacteria. With that being said, these turtles had been injured in the wild and would spend the rest of their lives at this rehabilitation center; they'd become immune to human interaction and the caretakers swore that the encounters actually brought joy to the animals.
Other evenings, we'd challenge each other to mini golf and loser had to grill dinner by the pool. Our resort was adorable and Timmy and I adventured all around the grounds, exploring the rocky beach area and laughing at the iguanas that roamed like rodents.
And finally one day we went to Hell. So for all of you that have ever told me that (or wished you had), just know... I've already been to Hell and back. It's a place on the island where the volcanic activity has created black soot rock formations, and the Devil himself mans the gift shop. After surviving that close call (the Devil swears he recognized my name from a list he kept), we went snorkeling and marveled at more of the island's incredible sea creatures. It was an awesome trip in lots of ways, but I'm most thankful for the passion and curiosity it ignited within me for scuba-diving. It's now one of my favorite things to do in the world, and I go every chance I get.
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To Do or Not To Do?
Divers, snorkelers, tourists alike -- YES. It's a gorgeous little island, filled with happy-go-lucky locals, untouched waters, and strong sunshine. It hasn't been overrun with tourists just yet so I'd recommend visiting sooner rather than later.
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