We won a trip to Grand Cayman...again.

[Rockhound76]

Woohoo.

Not quite the kind of trip we won last year (Cobalt Coast and DiveTech w/ airfare for 2), but this one includes 5 days at the Caymanian Resort (northshore) and 3 days of diving, just no airfare. After running the usual traps for "timeshare" tours and sales, it looks legit. The resort does sell units but they are full ownership units (high $$$) and out of my range anyway.

Continental has directs from Houston that aren't bad and we can extend the trip to 7 days with a few extra $$.

I'm looking for info on the Dive Op: (Cap'n Don's) Cayman Divers. I need to verify, but I believe the diving is through them.

Online, they have ads for "cruise ship" packages, which worry me, but they also claim to have only 8 divers per boat max and trips to the northside walls, which are my favorite. They are a PADI 5-star facility, which my little NAUI Nazi son thinks is a negative. Funny kid.

Anybody familiar with them? In the past, we've used DiveTech and Don Fosters and both have been good.

We may have to go "peak" hurricane season, but I think we'd like to go.

Thanks for any info.

[Skred]

We have used Cap'n Don's Cayman Divers twice...once when we stayed in GC for a week and once we made arrangements for a private charter with them while on a cruise.

Both experiences were very good and I do recommend them. Good, knowledgeable people and great dives. The time we stayed there, they ran trips both from the dock at the Grand Caymanian and from a pickup point on 7 mile beach. Did my first night dive (the Doc Paulson) with them.

You may already know this, but Cap'n Don is Don Foster. Cayman Divers is the op that he started after he sold the original operation that still bears his name (yeah, makes no sense to me either).

My wife has a better memory for details than I do (the mind is the first thing to go), so if you have specific questions about the operation, PM me and will I get her to fill in the blanks.

Hope this helps.

[cowgirldiver]

I have a 16 yr old NAUI nazi that lives at my house too.

[Splitlip]

Be sure to give credence to your young NAUI proponents bec.. (crap! give me a moment. I have some PADI on the bottom of my shoe. I have to find a stick........)

edit: just a joke. Please.

[cowgirldiver]

Careful!!! That stick may have come out of a lake or quarry!!!

Besides, I try to teach tolerance especially for our special friends. LOL.

[Splitlip]

Originally Posted by cowgirldiver

Careful!!! That stick may have come out of a lake or quarry!!!

[Rockhound76]

Update: Diving is with "Captain Marvins" not Don's. We used Marvin's for a snorkle excursion with my wife and youngest non-diver son last summer. It was a bit of a cattle-boat, full of cruise-ship folks.

This prize is through the new owners of Marvins, who have expanded into diving charters. My guess is that it will be hit or miss until they get experience. When and if we go, I'll book some extra days and leave the dive op open, in case we want to try another group. If we like them, we'll book some more days.

Update II: My company changed it's charity-time-off policy from 3-5 days for charity work per year to just one. Since I've already committed to my charity bike ride, I may be out of vacation--I'll have to burn some for my ride.

We are now checking to see if the trip can be put off until 2010. If not, I'll will likely donate it to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society so they can online auction it.

[scubasamurai]

Originally Posted by Splitlip

Be sure to give credence to your young NAUI proponents bec.. (crap! give me a moment. I have some PADI on the bottom of my shoe. I have to find a stick........)

edit: just a joke. Please.

why pick on the stick hun, what did it do to you???