Stingray City is often considered to be one of the best shallow dives and snorkelling spots in the world and an undoubted highlight of any tripto the Cayman Islands. This stretch of sandy seafloor in Grand Cayman’s North Sound is the meeting place for southern stingrays hungry for a meal. As soon as you enter the water, several of the beautiful prehistoric-looking creatures will glide up to you to suck morsels of squid from your tentative fingers.
So, how did they get so tame? Years ago, Grand Cayman’s popular North Sound has a cut in the reef which was a popular route for fishermen to enter and then sit in calm water while cleaning the day’s catch. As they threw the bones and guts overboard, rays would come and feed on the discarded fish parts. These days, the fisherman have long gone but the stingrays remain, flashing their brilliant white undersides as they soar across the reef.
Those unaccustomed to seeing rays might not realise what a rare sight this is. Stingrays prefer to bury themselves under the sand, with only their bulbous eyes remaining above the ocean floor, keeping a watchful eye out for predators such as Caribbean reef sharks or hammerheads.
Should they be attacked, rays have one weapon in their arsenal – a serrated, venomous-sheathed barb, four to eight inches long, that can be used to ward off enemies or someone settling on top of them. These can inflict a painful wound in humans which may quickly become infected, and if the barb breaks off, it must be surgically removed.
That’s unlikely to happen in this unique sphere, however, where the rays have become accustomed to humans. As tempting as it seems, care should be taken not to touch these wild creatures; rays have a protective mucous on their skins, and touching them can remove this coating, leaving them vulnerable to infection.
Diving and snorkelling
A popular wading and snorkelling spot, Sandbar, is about two miles east of Stingray City. Here you can watch the rays zip through the waters to be hand-fed squid. Usually they remain here all day, departing at night in search of crustacean snacks along the reef.
Stingray City’s famous diving is fun, shallow and located in a beautiful setting. A dive starts with a fascinating insight into the lives of these graceful creatures, and an on-board briefing about how to settle on the bottom and interact with them.
While this is mainly a shallow dive site, people snorkel above the feeders to watch as the water is crystal clear. Ray wranglers may even swim up with a ray or two following, to give snorkelers a closer look.
Upon descending, hungry rays will probably already be near the boat. If not, it is a thrilling sight to see a group of anywhere from four to 14 stingrays winding their way toward you across the snow white sand. Rays here have been measured at over 4foot across and weighing over 125 pounds. There have even been reports of 6 foot rays, which far exceeds their normal adult size.
There are few places like this in the world to enjoy interaction with such an enigmatic sea creature. Many divers and snorkelers come back for second and third helpings; so don’t forget to bring a waterproof camera.
Source: Lonely Planet, by Tim Rock
Everyone is familiar with the mythic city of Atlantis – the ancient Greek civilization that Plato famously claimed had succumbed to tragedy and came to rest at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. However, no one has ever seen an underwater city – until now. Thousands of miles from the classical civilizations in the warm waters of the Caribbean, a sculptor has been quietly constructing his own vision of Atlantis off the coast of Cayman Brac. Though the sculptor is only a few years into the massive project, the undertaking has already attracted the attention of scuba divers and thrill seekers from throughout the world.
The Cayman version of Atlantis is the brainchild of a somewhat mysterious local artist known only as Foots. Now in his 50s, Foots has stated that he has been obsessed with the myth of Atlantis since he was a small boy. Working almost entirely by himself, Foots has already completed a number of giant sculptures and laid the foundation for Atlantis. After completing the sculptures, Foots places his work on a naturally sandy stretch of the Caribbean’s floor, always mindful of the delicate submarine ecosystem. Though there is much for divers to enjoy in this Caribbean Atlantis, Foots will continue working on this massive project indefinitely, adding new sculptures to the underwater city every six months. Most surprisingly, Foots has not made any drawings of his underwater project, choosing instead to work only from his imagination, allowing the city’s plans to develop and change as the civilization grows.
The entrance to Cayman’s Atlantis is marked by the giant Archway of Atlantis. With each of the bases weighing over ten tons, scuba divers will immediately find themselves in the midst of an awe-inspiring environment. The great archway opens onto what Foots has called The Elders’ Way. At the end of this path lined with classical temple columns, the sculptor has placed stylized sculptures of human figures – known to the sculptor as “Prophets” – to watch over the underwater city. To insure that locals were able to get involved in the project, Foots modeled each one of these sculptures after individuals who have contributed to Cayman society. The figures of the prophets look out across a large courtyard on the seafloor known as the Inner Circle of Light. In Foots’ version of the Atlantis myth, a young girl made sure that the torches atop the city’s eleven columns were always lit and no shadows ever passed over the great sundial. Divers will find the sundial in the middle of the courtyard, protected by the city’s great columns. At the center is a representation of the Circle of Light, the space where all time was said to be endless.
One of most important aspects of the underwater city is the care given to its location at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. Though surrounded by dense coral reefs on all sides, the site for Atlantis was chosen because no coral needed to be removed to accommodate the sculptures. Furthermore, as the sculptures are made of simple concrete and won’t harm any of the area’s sea creatures, the city will always be able to support vibrant life. In fact, though the Cayman Atlantis is currently set on several acres of featureless sand, divers will notice that the city has already attracted a wide variety of residents. Everywhere you look in the underwater city, hard corals have begun branching out, sponges have found homes amongst the sculptures and numerous species of tropical fish swim through the city each day.
Resting at a shallow depth (only 40-50 feet), divers are guaranteed excellent visibility. Most of the Cayman Islands’ dive operators visit this special site everyday. Unlike many of the Cayman Islands’ popular wall dive sites, Atlantis is a great dive for all ages and skill levels. Thanks to the shallow overall depth and excellent underwater visibility, the site can also be enjoyed by snorkelers.
If you want to experience a dive site unlike any other in the world, be sure to make the short trip to Grand Cayman’s sister island, Cayman Brac. Already the world’s first underwater city and the largest collection of underwater sculpture, the Caymans’ “Lost City” will continue developing and welcoming submarine life for years to come.
If there’s one place that knows scuba diving, it is the Cayman Islands. Known as the birthplace of recreational diving in the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands were pioneers in scuba diving as a recreational sport to be enjoyed by the general public in the Caribbean and the rest of the world as well. In 1957, the first dive shop was opened on Grand Cayman. Today, there are more than 40 dive shops in operation offering excursions to more than 200 dive sites.
It is made up of three islands that are actually the exposed top of an underwater mountain. The islands are the Grand Cayman, the Cayman Brac, and the Little Cayman. The mountainous nature of the islands contributes to numerous coral structures and vertical walls directly offshore. In fact, most scuba diving locations here can be reached directly offshore or within a few hundred yards of shore.
Scuba diving in the Cayman Islands is as diverse as the marine life that adds awe and beauty to this great place. There is plenty to see and do for every level of diver no matter if you are a first timer, still learning, looking to improve, or are considered a master. You can dive in as little as 20 feet or plunge to the depths of 350 feet or more. The bottom line is that you can find any type of scuba diving experience that you desire and maybe even a few that you haven’t thought of yet.
Here is a brief overview of the three islands and of the scuba diving to be found on each:
Grand Cayman – It is the largest of the 3 islands and offers for main areas for scuba diving: the North Wall, the South Side, the East End, and Seven-Mile Beach. Prevailing Southeasterly winds make scuba diving off of the South Side a rarity but the experience is well worth waiting for favorable conditions.
Little Cayman – It is a sister to the Cayman Brac. It is most famous for the Bloody Bay Wall located in the Bloody Bay Marine Park which starts at a depth of only 20 feet. The best scuba diving on the Little Cayman can be found on the north and south sides but all sites are not accessible year round. Another great attraction of this area is the Jackson Bay Area.
Cayman Brac – It is most famous for being home to the only Russian Shipwreck that can be reached by scuba diving in the Caribbean. It rests at a depth of 330 feet and is an amazing sight to behold.
In addition to sheer vertical drops and shipwrecks, scuba diving in the Cayman Islands will bring you into intimate contact with numerous coral reefs and colorful fish and marine life that you have only imagined existed.
Cayman Islands is much more than just sun, warm turquoise waters and powder-soft white sand usually associated with a Caribbean Island, it offers an incredible range of activities for almost every interest and taste. There are numerous heritage attractions, including the Cayman Turtle Farm, the worlds only commercial Green Sea Turtle Farm, and Pedro St. James Historic Site with its restored 19th Century plantation great house.
If you can’t get enough of sightseeing and enjoying the great outdoors, immerse yourself in Cayman’s rich culture firsthand at the Cayman Craft Market, located by the sea in a festive, park-like setting just a short stroll from the cruise ship dock in George Town. The vendors offer locally made items of leather, thatch, wood, and shell. There are also many impressive galleries in which you can appreciate the visual arts, all while enjoying our greatest attraction – the warm, welcoming Caymanian people.
You can also learn about Cayman’s unique history at our National Museum and take time out to admire the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and Gardens. The National Trust also offers many opportunities to learn about historic buildings, bird sanctuaries, wetland reserves and nature trails on all three islands.
Its pleasant climate and beautiful landscape make the Cayman Islands the ideal spot for an active vacation according to many sports aficionados. Here you can engage in activities from skateboarding to cricket. Enjoy your favourite activity either as a participant or spectator all year round. Compete in a 10K run or triathlon, go bicycling, horseback riding or play a round of golf in one of our beautiful and challenging courses that promise to fulfil every golfer’s fantasy. If your objective is to unwind, just relax and enjoy the warm breezes of the Caribbean while sipping a cold refreshing drink.
Black Pearl Skate and Surf Park
Black Pearl is a skate and surf park with a skate shop, located in Grand Harbour shopping centre. It contains the world’s largest outdoor skateboard park, and the biggest Waveloch surf machine. Skateboard camps, and lessons on how to surf the wave are available for all ages.
Brac Museum
Located in Stake Bay on Cayman Brac, visitors are given an opportunity to examine the way life used to be with ship building tools, preserved documents, photographs, and utensils.
Butterfly Farm
Located off Seven Mile Beach, there are 34 varieties of butterflies on exhibition. Open 7 days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Boatsoatswain’s Beach: Cayman Turtle Farm
Boatswain’s Beach is the new home to the Cayman Turtle Farm and serves as a modern-day reminder of the turtle’s role in the history of the Cayman Islands. The farm boasts over 7,000 sea turtles, ranging in size from six ounces to six hundred pounds. Guests can experience the thrill of holding a green sea turtle; swimming with thousands of colourful marine life; being nose-to-nose with a shark, and experiencing the serenity of a free-flight bird aviary. Boatswain’s Beach is open 7 days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Georgetown
Home to the Cayman Islands Government, this capital of the Cayman Islands has several places of interest to choose from including its public library, clock tower, post office and harbour.
Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
These 65-acres of land are ideal for outings and picnics. Its facilities consist of a traditional Cayman sand garden, floral colour garden, palm garden, native iguanas, the Cayman parrot, 45-acres of natural woodland with brackish and freshwater swamps.
Hell
This exposed iron-shore, quarter acre of land is said to be devoid of life. It got its name from its ‘netherworld appearance’ and is regarded as a spot for a rare photographic opportunity.
Hiking
While the Cayman Islands might be renowned for sugar sand beaches and crystal clear waters, its interiors are just as fascinating. There may be no better way to experience all that Cayman has to offer than on foot. Hikers on our three islands are afforded a glimpse of diverse flora and fauna. Whether with a nature tour or on a self-guided stroll, time spent walking on one of the many hiking trails is sure to add another dimension to your Cayman Islands visit.
Pedro St. James “Castle”
This national historic site dates back to 1780 and was built by slaves when only 400 people were living on the island in thatch houses. The three-story stone building was so imposing they called it “castle”.
Source: caymanislandsyp.com