Since the Carribean is close to home, it is my go to place when I am looking for a quick dive-fix trip.
- Belize – with the number of islands to see, I did this via a live-aboard
- Bonaire – I have been here 13 times!
- Grand Cayman
- Little Cayman – To reach this destination, I had to travel on a little Otter prop plane and if the red peg hits the ground, they start unloading luggage!
Belize
With the number of islands to see in Belize, I decided to dive this via a live-aboard. The boat I chose was the Sun Dancer II; however, since I have been there, Aggressor bought out Dancer, and it is now the Belize Aggressor IV. The boat carries 20 passengers and 10 crew.
The way diving works off of this boat is they arrive to a dive site, tie up to the buoy, there is a briefing on what to expect on the site, and then you gear up and go into the water.
One unique experience I had is the boat likes to “swing” around the buoy. So, when I was towards the end of my dive and came back to where the boat “was”, it wasn’t there! However, if I waited a few minutes, then the boat would swing by, I would grab on to the safety bar (lowered to 15 feet for my safety stop), and then play “superwoman” as I held on and went flying through the water. I just needed to be careful not to be at the same depth as the bar because if I was not paying attention, it would hit me in the head!
Bonaire
I have been to Bonaire 13 times. It is a great place to go if you enjoy diving on your own, at your own pace, and for as long as you want. Diving Bonaire usually involves renting a truck, renting tanks, driving to a place with a little yellow rock, donning your gear and walking into the water. I normally only have time to do 2 or 3 dives while in Bonaire because my dive times range from 90mins to over 2 hours!
My favorite places to stay while visiting Bonaire are Coral Paradise and Bamboo Bonaire.
- Coral Paradise – rooms are small and cozy, each room has a dedicated locker, there are rinse tanks for both camera and gear, and there are only 8 rooms, so it is not crowded. If you choose the AB Dive option, tanks will be delivered on a daily basis
- Bamboo Bonaire – each room is different and unique, gear storage is shared with the other rooms, there are rinse tanks for both camera and gear, there are about 15 rooms spread out, so it does not feel crowded. If you choose VIP Diving, then tanks will be delivered; however, we have had issues where we have had to reach out to VIP Divers to bring full tanks
Grand Cayman
I received my Nitrox certification in the Grand Caymans. Both times I travelled to the Grand Caymans, I stayed at Cobalt Coast and dove with Divetech. Divetech has a shop on site at Cobalt Coast, which is why I went with them. They are a top notch dive shop with all guides wearing the latest gear and technology.
When I was there back in 2007, the resort was one building with 8 rooms. It has since expanded in size and there are now 21 rooms and cottages. The now have a complete package that includes room, diving, meals, and premium drinks. Cobalt Coast is more on the remote side, so you may want to explore other options if you want to be closer to downtown.
Little Cayman
To reach Little Cayman, you have to fly on a little prop plane that is limited on weight. This was the first time I had to work to slim down my dive gear and minimize the size of my carry on. This trip has influenced me to carry one piece of luggage that has all of Mike and my dive gear and to start checking me regulator (I used to always carry on).
Little Cayman is a small island which means there are limited options on where to stay and who to dive with. I chose Little Cayman Beach Resort (LCBR) because the rates were relatively reasonable and included diving as well as meals.
The food was good, and the Dive Shop – Reef Divers – was great! I was on the slowest boat so I had to wake up and be on the boat a little earlier than the other dive groups to make sure I made it to the dive sites first.
