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Dive Review of Pirates Point in
Cayman Islands/Little Cayman

Pirates Point, Aug, 2005,

by David Reubush, VA, USA (Top Contributor Top Contributor 66 reports with 33 Helpful votes). Report 2660.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 4 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This was our 8th trip to our scuba diving home away from home - Pirates Point on Little Cayman. Prior to 2002 we were coming about every other year. Since then it has been every year. First it was a week, then 10 days, and now 2 weeks. We have gone other places, but no other place we have tried has the combination of great diving, great food, and wonderful people that Pirates Point has. We have been mainly coming in August when the water is warm, calm, flat, and the visibility is still 80 ft. and above. (Although Hurricane Charlie got us in 2004 it only cost us 2 days of diving which got made up since the airline couldn't get us home for an extra 2 days.) There are 9 of us from all over the U.S. who meet there the same week every year. The fish and reef are healthy. Lots of the fish and turtles are used to divers so that you can get close and get some great photos. This trip I had 4 or 5 turtles that swam slowly enough that I could keep up and get lots of great shots. My wife and I had 2 instances where we swam for extended periods with small schools of squid who appeared to be as curious about us as we were about them. I also had about a 20 minute swim with an eagle ray who allowed me to keep flashing away with no apparent concern. At a couple of the sites there are several large Nassau groupers who will follow you around and want to be petted. Most of the dive masters have been there for a number of years and are more like old friends than supervisors. If they are comfortable with your capabilities you can do your own thing or tag along with them. We typically loosely tag along as they know where all the interesting tiny things are. They only do 2 dives a day with an occasional night dive. The first dive typically ends up running about 70 minutes and the second about 85-90 minutes. The dives could be longer, but the schedule is driven by needing to get back in time for lunch. The only downside (if you can call it a downside) is that Gladys Howard, the owner, is a gourmet chef. Cam and Diane, the two chefs follow her lead and the food is amazing. I typically gain 5 pounds every year and it takes me until the next year to get it back off and then I start the whole process over again. Gladys' advertising is almost entirely word of mouth and after you have been there you understand why she doesn't have to spend a lot to keep the place full.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Australia, Belize, Bimini, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Curacao, Dominica, Galapagos, Grand Turk, Provo, Red Sea, Roatan, Virgin Islands
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas calm
Water Temp 85-87°F / 29-31°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 80-100 Ft/ 24-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions 100 ft. first dive, 60 ft. second dive, come back with 500 psi - All loosely enforced for divers they are familiar with. No specific time limit for a given dive, but they try to leave the 2nd site to coincide with arriving back to the resort for lunch.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

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

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities 4 stars
UW Photo Comments Dedicated top shelf of table on boat for cameras. Small rinse tank on boat, but water changed every day. Dedicated rinse sink on shore.
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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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