For The Diving Enthusiasts

Manos · 14 December 2002, 10:46

Here are some photos taken between 1998-2001 in the Grand Cayman Islands
These two is going down to 40 meters and meeting a baracuda and a strage creature on the way

Manos · 14 December 2002, 10:49

at the stingray City. My son (a very brave lad) only 7 years old then ventured it with the singrays and hand fed the fish

Manos · 14 December 2002, 10:51

on a wreck just a few miles out of 7 mile beach - Grand Cayman.

Manos · 14 December 2002, 10:53

and lobster we met during our last visit on the Island 2 years ago

Manos · 14 December 2002, 10:55

some more photos.

Manos · 14 December 2002, 11:05

I all most forgot. The boat.
We always charter bareboat this one from Captain Bill.
Is 24 ft small Bertram with 2 75 bhp Envinrudes.
This photo was taken while dropping anchor inside the reef at StingRay City. Sallow, sandy bottom and no corals to harm with the anchor.
In other areas where there is coral on the bottom of the sea there are designated moorings where one can moor his boat.

Brian · 14 December 2002, 13:25

I can do Caymans as well Manos.
This is a wreck off Little Cayman. You probably dived on it yourself?
Anyway, we must be careful otherwise John will ban us to diver.net instead !!

Manos · 14 December 2002, 14:00

Was a night dive have some photos too.
Nice place the Cayman Islands. That is where I intend to spend the rest of my life someday

Also have never been bit have hearxc that Turks & Caicos Islands are noce and much cheaper too.
Have to go there next year!!

Manos · 15 December 2002, 16:52

Remeber this beach. Is SSEVEN miles of it
LOLOL

gavin · 15 December 2002, 17:44

Excellent pics Manos have you ever recovered anything interesting while diving, like old stuff gavin

Mike Garside · 16 December 2002, 06:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Manos
... have heard that Turks & Caicos Islands are nice and much cheaper too. Have to go there next year!!

Hope you won't be disappointed Manos. Di and I went there the year before last. Stayed in a really flash condo. The pool and beach were nice but that was about it. The diving, however, was very disappointing. Poor viz, not much sea life other than rays and a lot of sandy sea bed.

Also the islands themselves are a shameful record of the British Imperial past. They are desparately poor, underdeveloped and a mess.

The only thing of interest was the staggering amount of building going on in totally out of the way places. Apparently this is mafia drug money being laundered. They build the condos, service them with no visitors for a few years and then sell them at a loss but in doing so get nicely washed money. Neat business.

The trip there and back is a long haul from the UK cos you have to transit through Miami with a long wait there.

Frankly, my dear, it's not, in my humble opinion, worth a damn.

Manos · 16 December 2002, 08:31

Quote:

[B]The diving, however, was very disappointing. Poor viz, not much sea life other than rays and a lot of sandy sea bed.[\B]

Will take your advise. WILL NOT GO. The set up on the islands as you descibe it sounds CRAP!!
Any way it was friend of ours that went there and said tha it was nice.
We usually go to the Grand Cayman but we have now been there for the last 7 years (excluding the last two cos of my small daughter).
We will venture it somewhereelse.
Have also been in the Dominican Republic and we had good time _ diving there not as briliant as in the Cayman but it was rexaded and fun. Aslo been in Panama 2ice -Drake Island not as I was expecting it to be and finally been in the Red Sea Hurghada 3-4 times dived in the aquarium, Giftun Island VERY MANY TIMES and the Shark City 2ice all FANTASTIC Dives!!

Well I think will do Cuba then. The island Isla de Juventus in the south suppose to be excellent diving and my children and wife would like that too.
I will start planning it now so we spend 5 days in Varadero (North) and then another 5 in the South. However, I heard that appart from the beaches and the climate and the diving there is nothing else there to do.
The country is VERY POOR

Mike Garside · 16 December 2002, 10:21

Quote:

Originally posted by Manos
... and finally been in the Red Sea Hurghada 3-4 times dived in the aquarium, Giftun Island VERY MANY TIMES and the Shark City 2ice all FANTASTIC Dives!!

That's the trouble, Manos. Most things after the Red Sea are second rate. And it's cheap and easy to get to. We usually do it liveaboard. Less hassle than day boats.

We're off to Maldives for a week's liveaboard there in Feb. Never done that before so I'm looking forward to it a lot. Dived the Coral Sea - NE of Queensland, Australia last year. It was on the best liveaboard I've been on. The outfit was called Mike Ball Dive Expeditions and I would recommend it to anyone. But not cheap.

I took the snap below as this big brute came flying past me and knocked Diana off the roof of a shark cage on which we were sitting - waiting for the feeding frenzy to start. Bit of a surprise, really.....

Manos · 16 December 2002, 10:36

Ausome!!! VERY NICE PHOTO indeed!!
These creatures look realy the bizs. Sleak, mean and fast LOLOL

I've heard from a German friend of mine that diving in the Maldives is better than the Red Sea. Hope you enjoy it and get some pics for us unlucky lot to see.
HAVE A GOOD HOL!!!
We usually dive on day boats because of the children. A live abroad would be a bit tidious for them. But is OK we share the baby sitting and we cope like that.
Now my son is 12 he can dive too so he'll join me or his mother (who ever will be the lucky one!! LOLOL)
Maldives is a good idea too!!
Had decided to go there 2 years ago but at the last min we went for the the Grand Cayman again.
This is where I saw this thing passing under my fins- it was near the South Wall dive to 35 meters.
I have it as a rule never dive in a cage (not the same adrenaline rush

).
When I dive with sharks I always dive with my back to the wall or rocks (if there is any)!!

Manos · 16 December 2002, 10:52

White tip shark @ Thomas Reef Taken in 1998. Was a bit nervous at the time so the photo is not that good.

Manos · 16 December 2002, 10:58

Quote:

Excellent pics Manos have you ever recovered anything interesting while diving, like old stuff gavin

No mate I have it as a rule

NEVER TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE SEA

I leave everything I find so that other people can see it too.

You see in Greece where I also dive there lots and lots of antiqities we are tought that one never takes anything from the water whate ever it is. You leave it there and if is something important you report it to the local Port Authority or in Greece to the Coastguard (who is like the SEAPOLICE and have enormous leagal powers).
In actual fact in Greece and I believe in many countries is forbitten by Law to take things out of the water whatever these things are.
In the Cayman however, I have taken the odd CONK (a shell fish) for my son to see and then put it back in the sea.
You see, many people take things from the sea (fish, artifacts, relics etc etc) but no one actually puts anything back to replace what they have taken.
At the end of the day will be nothing left for future generations to see!!

Manos · 16 December 2002, 11:13

MV GIANNIS D a wreck off Hurghada
Shallow dive (if I rememebr right).

Manos · 16 December 2002, 11:16

.........and a photo from inside the bridge.
Now I'm thinking about it do you think that it sank because it was a Greek ship??
Too many Captains want to be incharge??? LOLOL

Manos · 16 December 2002, 15:05

you can relax with a loooooong iced glass of RUM (cubana club 7 years old)+COKE @ Rum Point Grand Cayman.
Hope no ono complains about the advertising LOLOL

Mike Garside · 16 December 2002, 15:18

Nice sharks, Manos.