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Dive Review of Don Foster's Dive and Peter Milburn's Dive Cayman/Silver Sands Condominiums in
Cayman Islands/Grand Cayman west side

Don Foster's Dive and Peter Milburn's Dive Cayman/Silver Sands Condominiums: "Yet another fantastic group dive trip", Jul, 2015,

by Ernie Feleppa, NY, US (Reviewer Reviewer 5 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 8358.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 5 stars
Snorkeling 3 stars
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments I have been taking divers to the Caribbean since the mid 1980s, and the trip we took this summer followed the pattern of previous trips: great diving, great accommodations, great weather, super beach, good restaurants. As is typical, we had more than 20 divers, even after some had to drop out this year because of illnesses, and so, as we routinely have done in Grand Cayman, half a dozen of our divers dove daily on Peter Milburn's 28-foot, fast and stable, rigid-hull inflatable boat ([caymandivelegend.com link]) and the rest of us dove on Don Foster's Dive's large, comfortable flattop vessel([donfosters.com link]). Peter met divers at the pier by the Lobster Pot restaurant on the north side of Georgetown and the rest of us boarded Don Foster's Dive's boat at the West Bay Dock. We dove the wonderful deep wall sites and shallow inshore reefs off Seven-mile Beach and Northwest Point. As always, we were awed by the visibility and breathtaking architecture of wall sites such as Trinity Caves and Big Tunnel. After having been on Chain Reef countless times, I explored the outer as well as inner portions of the hook-shaped reef for the first time, and was very impressed by the health and abundant fish life of the entire site, but particularly the outer arm of the reef. Several divers accepted Peter's invitation to do a night dive, and they came back from the dive raving about how fantastic it was. Russ on Don Foster's Dive's boat and Peter on his boat gave terrific briefings, led superb dives, and maintained the highest safety standards -- seemingly having eyes in the backs of their heads when leading dives and maintaining constant awareness of all divers in their charge. I again was extremely impressed by both of them, as I have been impressed by them for may previous years. Our excellent accommodations at the Silver Sands Condominiums were on the peaceful northern end of Seven Mile Beach, away from the hubbub of more-southern locations yet still were conveniently close to restaurants, supermarkets, and Georgetown itself. The setting was ideal for non-diver adults and kids in the group. Silver Sands has one of the finest stretches of pine- and palm-shaded sand of any condo or hotel on the entire Seven Mile Beach. It also has a delightful pool and a gazebo where we held a couple of group get togethers, which all enjoyed very much. Shore diving at Ollen Miller's Sun Divers by Macabuca and the Cracked Conch was SUPERB -- when the current allowed. Swimming either north or south, the overhanging miniwall reef, with max depth of 60' (70 in one spot), is full of fish, healthy sponge, healthy coral, small stuff, and features a pod of about 50 tarpon.
Websites Silver Sands Condominiums

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Bonaire, Providenciales, Curacao, Long Island Sound, Narraganset Bay, NY Finger Lakes, PA and NJ quarries, etc.
Closest Airport Owen Roberts, GCM Getting There nonstop on United via Newark and Jet Blue via JFK, other nonstops from Charlotte, Miami, etc.

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 84-85°F / 29-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 80-100 Ft/ 24-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Depth: 100' on guided deep wall dives; 60' on optionally guided shallow inshore dives, but 50' recommended. Time: computer limits or 60 min, whichever comes first
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities 5 stars
UW Photo Comments Boats and shore-dive facilities have camera-only water tanks for photography equipment, but excellent, world-class, photography facilities are available in many locations on Grand Cayman.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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