Page 477 - The British Big Four

he Caymans origins trace back to volcanic lizers that are reef killers. The islands have some of the island’s steepest and most breath-
over 200 named dive sites and its tourism taking underwater drop-offs, Grand Cayman’s
T activity far back in time between 50 million North Wall is one of the most sought after wall
and 70 million years ago. This period of dramatic association currently promotes a program dive destinations in the world.

geological activity also created the south coast to emphasize a different dive site for every Grand Cayman’s East Wall is among the most
pristine of Cayman’s wall dives however
of Cuba and the mountains in central Puerto day of the year. the prevailing trade winds out of the east make
this area the roughest in the Cayman Islands.
Rico and Haiti that split those two islands in two. Because East End wall dives are much less fre-
quented than any other wall dive sites on Grand
The thrusting tectonic plate movement, the re- The Caymans have both shore based and Cayman, they remain in remarkable condition
sultant volcanic activity resulted in a deep gorge boat based diving, but unlike Bonaire and and feature a variety of canyons, crevices and
known as the Cayman Ridge or the Cayman Rise. swim-throughs. Favorite east wall dive sites
include: Wonderland, Grouper Grotto, Iron shore
This ridge flanks the Cayman Trough, 6,000 m its Shallow Shore environment and shoe based Gardens, Jack McKennedy’s, Mermaid Point
Drop-off, Omega Reef, Pat’s Wall, Split Rock, and
(20,000 feet) deep which lies 6 km or 3.7 miles to diving, the majority of diving on the Caymans Three Sisters.

the south of the Caymans. is boat based; especially for the famous vertical The islands have over 200 named dive sites
and its tourism association currently pro-
T he massive lifting of the Earth’s crust wall dives. motes a program to emphasize a different dive
and abyss of the Cayman Trough was site for every day of the year. T
the geological force of the vertical Walls Grand Cayman’s North wall is among the
most vertical and dramatic in all of Grand
that all three island are famous for. Float- Cayman. One of the most popular North Wall

ing along the vertical walls provides a heart dive sites on Grand Cayman is Eagle Ray Pass.

pounding experience. The volcanic origins Besides the frequent sightings of Spotted Eagle

of the islands provides a set of geologi- Rays, this expansive dive site includes many

cal factors, similar to Bonaire, of a porous other species of marine life and corals in and

substrate, no rivers or freshwater run-off around sheer vertical pinnacles, caverns and

into the ocean and onto the magical reef swim-throughs. The overall diversity, combined

system. The lack of fresh water also inhib- with its consistently 100 foot plus visibility,

ited farming and the resultant use of ferti- makes Eagle Ray Pass an island favorite. With