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A Mermaid at Cayman
Sunset Reef off Grand Cayman sees a new addition. A 9ft tall bronze mermaid statue was recently put in place. The sculpture is officially named Amphitrite,
Siren of Sunset Reef. In mythology Amphitrite was queen of the seas, married to Poseidon, Lord of the Oceans.
Amphitrite at Grand Cayman
Diving with Stingrays
If you are planning on visiting Stingray City in the Grand Cayman, keep a few things in mind. When diving with stingrays, you are advised to wear a protective suit of some kind to avoid getting a nasty suck from one of these creatures; likened to a love bite, or a hicky.
Stingray City, Grand Cayman
Don't ever attempt to ride a stingray or to grab it by the tail. Remember that these are wild animals and if they feel threatened in any way, their defense mechanism is designed to hurt you, as their name implies.
If you touch one, avoid doing so with gloves, as the fabric can remove the protective mucus layer that covers its leathery skin.
Diver in the Cayman Islands
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DESTINATIONS » Caribbean » Aruba | Bahamas | Bay Islands (Honduras) | Belize | Bonaire | British Virgin Islands | Caymans | Costa Rica | | Curaçao | Dominican Republic | Saba | St. Vincent | Turks & Caicos | US Virgin Islands
The
Cayman Islands (Grand
Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac) are recognized as the birthplace of recreational diving in the Caribbean. Today, Cayman is one of the world's top dive destinations, with more than 40 dive operations and over 200 dive sites marked with moorings. During the past four decades, this tranquil Western
Caribbean island trio has developed into one of the world's top dive destinations. It's location and unusual geology accounts for part of that appeal. What lures both novice and experienced divers to these islands is a combination of attractions: with the famous Cayman Wall at
the top of the list, which refers to the dramatic drop-offs surrounding all three islands. Within a quarter mile from shore, beginning as shallow as 20-35ft, the ocean floor falls away as either a sloping or sheer vertical cliff, plummeting 6,000ft into the unfathomable blue abyss.
Dive shops and training facilities throughout the three islands offer every possible diving-related service from IANTD Nitrox certification; Tri-mix instruction and other opportunities for technical diving.
Stingray City
Dubbed "the worlds greatest 4m (12ft) dive"
Stingray City is located inside a barrier reef that runs along the north shore of Grand Cayman where the waters are virtually always sheltered and calm. Nothing can prepare you for the first rush of adrenaline when approximately 250 southern stingrays swoop in and envelop you with their wings in search of a free meal. The accompanying dive guide takes frozen
squid from a sealed container and feeds it to each animal individually. Once the feeding session is over, they become quite docile and can be approached closely. This is the best time to take photographs and to watch them feeding naturally. When they are feeding, stingrays settle on the sea bed and flap their wings in a downward motion to disperse
the top layers of sand, crustaceans, worms and molluscs.
Bloody Bay Wall
Situated to the north of Little Cayman Island, Bloody Bay Wall is a spectacular site which offers a range of dives, each completely different to the next one. The wall starts at a depth of only 6-8m (20-26ft), which allows you all the time in the world to enjoy its impressive sites. The shallow water is filled with coral canyons and sand chutes which
lead you through spectacular caves into the pristine deep blue waters of the outer reef.
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. Run-off has little effect on Grand Cayman's water clarity, which averages about 40m (135ft) horizontally on the deeper reefs. Both Little Cayman and Cayman Brac boast even higher visibility averages. Water temperatures vary, from the upper 70°(25°C) in the winter to low 80s°(27°C) during the summer. Trade winds are out of the northeast in the winter and the southeast during the summer. Northwesterly storms can occur from December through April.
Best Dives of the Caribbean, Joyce Huber, Jon Huber
Pices Dive Guide to the Cayman Islands
The Dive Sites of the Cayman Islands, Lawson Wood
Diving & Snorkeling in the Cayman Islands, Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet :: Cayman Islands
Lonely Planet Pisces Diving & Snorkeling Cayman Islands, Jean Pierce | Buy
The Cayman Islands :: Dive Guide, Stephen Frink & William Harrigan | Buy
Dive Cayman
Cayman Islands
DESTINATIONS » Caribbean » Aruba | Bahamas | Bay Islands (Honduras) | Belize | Bonaire | British Virgin Islands | Caymans | Costa Rica | | Curaçao | Dominican Republic | Saba | St. Vincent | Turks & Caicos | US Virgin Islands
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