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Dive Review of Sunset House in
Cayman Islands/Sunset House

Sunset House, Feb, 2010,

by Dennis Jacobson, CO, US (Reviewer Reviewer 6 reports). Report 5371.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 4 stars
Snorkeling 4 stars
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments Sunset House and Sunset Divers is well worth the money and time, and live up to their motto- By Divers, For Divers. This is great place to get certified and experience your first dives, but just as good a place for the experienced diver. Wall diving is excellent, shore diving is user friendly with a healthy reef, wreck, and memaid statue at your doorstep, and the marine environment is healthy and intact. When prevailing winds made the on-site boat ramps not user friendly, Sunset Divers gave us a van ride to the south side and put in from there. This we did on 3 of our 6 days of diving, and as the south side reefs and walls are not often dived, we enjoyed sites that were pristine. If you go and head to the south side, request "Hole in the Wall" and "Japanese Gardens" - two spectacular locations- the first a deep wall dive, the second a shallow reef dive that will delight all experience levels and please the most discerning photographers and videographers.

Photographers can book one-on-one sessions with Cathy Church, including dives and land sessions. This is the place for the serious UWP who wants to get better at their craft. Cathy Church also has a complete store and UWP service center on premises.

There are a couple matters to note which prove that even world class dive destination resorts like Sunset House are not perfect. First, their gear rental prices are very high. Also, when the wind is strong from the west or north west, shore diving is closed. This happens rarely, but did happen on three of the 7 days we were there. Normally such closures occur a day or two per month.
Despite these two negtive observations, this dive destination resort and operation still rates a 10 out of 10.

The rooms are clean, comfortable and modern, the bar is user friendly, the restaurant food is excellent and reasonably priced, and the staff in all areas is friendly, competent and accommodating. We enjoyed the company of divers from throughout the Americas and Europe. The George Town area (about a 25 minute walk away) offers a vasriety of excellent dining, shopping, galeries and aother activities. Cabs are a bit pricey, but the local bus (really 15 passenger vans) are cheap and a great way to get around the entire island. However, nearly all business (except the resort) close on Sundays, so plan acordingly. Also, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thurdays are the busiest cruise ship days, and you may want to avoid the 10 am to 3 pm crowds in George Town.

Suset House is as advertised, catering to divers, pampering underwater photographers, and is in in every sense a word class destination dive resort and operation.
Websites Sunset House   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Cozumel, Akumal Mx, Maui, Kona, Fiji, Statia, Saba, St Kitts, Bahamas, Florida Keys, and Cay Sal Banks, Channel Islads, Cal., etc. [Unspecified]
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy, dry Seas choppy
Water Temp 79-82°F / 26-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 75-150 Ft/ 23-46 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions General guidelines given by on board divemasters for boat dives, shore diving was totally independent. The only enforced rule was that if you went into deco, you are done for 24 hours.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 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 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities 5 stars
UW Photo Comments This is the home of Cathy Church's studio and school, and the focus on photography permeants the entire operation- much deference for space and equipment. This is the top place for treatment of UWP's.
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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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