The Cayman Islands, Wall to Wall

There's one thing that's certain about a scuba vacation to the Cayman Islands: you will dive a wall. These are the islands known as the birthplace of wall diving, and each of the country's three land masses — Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac — sit atop towering underwater pinnacles that rise precipitously from depths of more than a mile. What makes the Caymans special to divers isn't just the vertical scope of the walls, but the proximity of these submerged cliffs to the islands' shores.

No matter your starting point from shore, it's never far to a vertical drop. That said there are subtle differences between the three islands and each of the four sides of Grand Cayman. For a preview of what to expect, based on where you stay, here's a quick rundown on the walls of the Cayman Islands.

The smallest and quietest of the Caymans are home to fewer than 200 residents and a single full-service dive resort, Little Cayman Beach Resort. This boutique property is located island's south shore, facing a coral-fringed lagoon. If there's one thing dives associate with Little Cayman, it's Bloody Bay Wall. Running parallel to the island's north-central coast and just a quick boat ride from the resort, this formation combines all the elements of a premier wall site. With vertical drops begin as shallow as 20 feet, and water clarity that typically exceeds 100 feet, the sheer scope of the wall is revealed in the bright, clear water. Add in swim-throughs, color sponge growth and a diversity of marine life, and it's easy to understand why the dozen dive sites found along this wall are considered some of the finest in the Caribbean.

But there's a more to Little Cayman that Bloody Bay. The walls continue around the island's western end and run the length of the south shore. Some are sheer vertical faces, while others are riddled with tunnels or punctuated by broad sand chutes and amphitheater-like coves that lead to deeper cliff faces. The latter portion of multi-level profiles can be spent in the transition zones between shore and wall. Here, divers will find a mix of coral heads alive with tropical fish, and open grass beds and plains that are home to southern stingrays, conch, garden eels and other sand dwellers.

The easternmost member of the Cayman's Group, “The Brac” is a throwback in time. There are a limited number of low-key beach resorts scattered around the coast, and many of the island's 2,000 residents are fishermen and farmers. The island's premier dive service is Reef Divers at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort. From their base on the island's southwest corner, Reef Divers provides access to sites on both the island's south and north shores. Much like Little Cayman, the north-side sites typically offer stellar water clarity and miles of walls. The sand plains closer to shore hold several small wrecks and the island's signature site: the M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts. This 330-foot former Russian warship is a wreck dive for all, as its coral-encrusted structures rise from 100 to 30 feet.

Another feature of diving Cayman Brac that many find appealing is the easy proximity of south-shore sites which are just minutes away from the resort dock. These include vertical aces such as Anchor Wall and Wilderness Wall, along with expansive areas of spur-and-groove formations and elongated coral islands that rise 20 feet or more above the sands. Fish lovers will be delighted to discover an abundance of Nassau groupers in the waters of The Brac. Thanks to new protections, populations of these gregarious fish are thriving and can be spotted on most any dive. The tunnels and crevices of some south-side site are also patrolled by large silver-sided tarpon.

The big island — Grand Cayman — has long been considered the epicenter of Caribbean diving activity. With more than 200 underwater sites spaced across 60-plus miles of coastline, the island is literally ringed in possibilities. Given the distances and other logistics of boat diving, there is no one starting point that will provide access to all of these sites. Instead, each resort and dive center has a select range of operation.

On the island's sheltered western shore, the resorts of Seven Mile Beach face the broad expanse of West Bay. Divers depart right from the beach for sites that are just minutes away. Here' the mid-depths hold a number of shipwrecks, ranging from the battered remains of the Oro Verde and the encrusted hulk of the Doc Polson to the island's premier wreck, the 250-foot Kittiwake, which is a decommissioned U.S. Navy submarine rescue vessel. Moving deeper, the sandy bottom of the bay transitions to coral reef and slopes before plunging into the depths. This western wall begins at depths anywhere from 50 to 70 feet, with upper portions riddled with swim-throughs, canyons and arches. Perennial favorites give a hint at what awaits, with names such as Trinity Caves, Orange Canyon and Big Tunnels. These sites and others along the island's northwest point are also within the range of outlying resorts such as Cobalt Coast Dive Resort.

South of the Seven Mile Beach area, and beyond George Town Harbor, divers can discover another facet of Grand Cayman's underwater scene. The limestone shore between the Eden Rocks and Sunset House Resort drop into a series of clefts and crevices that hold tarpon and swirling schools of silversides. This is also the site of another underwater landmark, the mermaid statue created by acclaimed underwater sculptor Simon Morris. Divers staying in this area can combine shore diving with boat diving trips to West Bay or around the point to the rampart-studded walls and coral-encrusted slopes of the island's southern shore.

For sheer vertical relief and outsized formations, few underwater realms can match Grand Cayman's North Wall. Running close to shore, and extending for more than 25 miles, this mile-deep limestone buttress is most often visited by dive boats leaving from North Sound. Because these marinas are located on the close to the resorts of Seven Mile Beach, dives staying in this area can combine trips to West Bay walls with alternate days spent exploring the north. Because the North Wall is more exposed to currents, there's usually an abundance of fish life, and an increased chance to sight eagle rays, sharks and passing pelagic species. Another signature of this area is the pinnacles that stand out from the wall, rising from the depths like underwater monuments. Among the best-known are Princess Penny's Pinnacles, Ghost Mountain and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Also on the north are the never-overlooked sites of Stingray City, which have become a must-do for divers and snorkelers visiting the Caymans.

The flip side of Grand Cayman Wall diving takes places at the East End, which is beyond the range of west-end dive boats. The starting point for exploring the East End is Compass Point Dive Resort. Though this side of the island is exposed to prevailing trade winds and swells, a fringing barrier reef stretching the length of the eastern shore creates calm conditions within the lagoon. As is typical of the windward side of many islands, Grand Cayman's east site sites are sculpted by a surge into mazes of high-relief spur-and-groove formations separated by deep canyons, and riddled with crevices, undercuts and grottoes. Sites with names such as Catacombs, Grouper Grotto and Iron shore Caves hint at what awaits. Divers can swim through deep ravines and negotiate maze-like networks of caverns, tunnels and arches, many of which lead to the start of the wall at depths of 60 to 70 feet. These same grottoes are home to large snapper, grouper and tarpon, and harbor more than 500 varieties of marine life. Out in the open, eagle rays and turtle are common sightings, and shark sightings are more common than on other parts of the island.

With walls in all directions, and premier dive resorts located on all three islands, the Cayman Islands deliver some of the most exciting and inspiring underwater experiences in the world. Isn't it time to discover these underwater landscapes for yourself? We can make it happen. To learn more and start planning your Cayman Islands diving adventures, talk to our dive travel specialists at 800-330-6611or send a note to sales@caradonna.com.