How To Pick A Dive Site

There are many great dive sites to choose from.  However, selecting the best dive site that matches your skill level and interests is not exactly a trivial task.

Naturally every dive site has its peculiarities and they often change from season to season as well as vary by time of day. Nonetheless, it is fairly easy to assess these dive conditions by consulting with local dive guides.

Before you select a dive site there are a few factors that you must consider.  They can be broken down as your level of skill, the time of year, current conditions at the site, the depth of your dive and whether or not your interests is for reef or wreck diving.

Read on for more details about these section criteria  as they relate to selecting a dive site in the Cayman Islands.

Current

While the Cayman Island’s aren’t known for their drift dives, there are certain areas where strong currents are frequent. The north west corner of Grand Cayman is home to some of Cayman’s most dramatic dive sites, in large part due to the strong currents that frequent the area. If you’re comfortable with these types of conditions, this area is right for you. If you’re out of shape or it’s been a while since your last dive, you might be better off exploring a different area. Always ask your dive operator about the conditions on the site prior to committing to the dive.

Wreck or Reef

So, it’s probably not the most difficult decision you’ll ever make, but it is an important one none the less. While many of Cayman’s wreck sites lie on or near a reef, choosing between the two is a decision best made prior to boarding the dive boat. Not all divers are comfortable with over head environments.  …

While most wreck sites require a very regimented path of travel, exploring a reef can be done in many different ways. For instance, the west side of Grand Cayman is home to many spectacular shallow dive sites. Most of these sites have coral ridges described as “fingers” extending out toward the deeper water. Swimming around the outer edges of these fingers in either direction is typical of local dive-masters. This also makes navigation very easy. Simply choose the direction you would like to explore and count the fingers as you pass over, repeating the process as you make your way back to the boat.

Read the entire article here on idivecayman.com