Cayman Islands Five Ways – Family Diver
Cayman Five Ways— Family Diver
My two daughters love everything we adults do in a vacation destination: white-sand beaches, bathtub-warm water and shallow, colorful reefs. So when it came time to plan our first family-friendly dive trip, the choice was simple: a Kids Sea Camp trip to the Cayman Islands.
“The Cayman Islands is perfect for families because there’s something for everyone and for every age of diver,” says Margo Peyton, owner of Family Dive Adventures, which has run Kids Sea Camp weeks on Grand Cayman for the past 12 years. “There are shallow reefs for snorkelers, wrecks, DPV dives, and wall dives, and Junior Open Water divers can explore the Kittiwake.”
Indeed, Grand Cayman and its sister islands, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, are perfect for families, bathed as they are by calm waters year-round. Many reefs are shallow enough for an 8-year-old on her first PADI Bubblemaker dive, or a 6-year-old snorkeler biding her time until she can follow suit.
For dive-addicted adults, sites like Grand Cayman’s ex-USS Kittiwake, Devil’s Grotto and Babylon offer a taste of the island’s world-class diving. Of course Grand Cayman’s most famous site is one the whole family can enjoy together. Hand-feeding dozens of stingrays 10 feet down at Stingray City, while snorkelers watch a few feet above, is one of those adventures they’ll never forget!
Like Grand Cayman, most of the diving off Little Cayman and Cayman Brac is suitable for everyone. Sites like Tombstone, Treasure Trove and Lynn’s Reef off Cayman Brac are shallow enough for long, easy dives; a little more challenging, the Capt. Keith Tibbetts wreck is a can’t-miss dive. And while Little Cayman’s vertiginous Bloody Bay Wall might not seem ideal for new divers, the Great Wall section of this famous stretch of reef is perfect — shallow on top and home to friendly grouper.
Best of all, since there’s so much variety, choosing next year’s spot will be the easiest decision of your life.
For more information on family diving in the Cayman Islands, visit caymanislands.ky/family.
My two daughters love everything we adults do in a vacation destination: white-sand beaches, bathtub-warm water and shallow, colorful reefs. So when it came time to plan our first family-friendly dive trip, the choice was simple: a Kids Sea Camp trip to the Cayman Islands.
“The Cayman Islands is perfect for families because there’s something for everyone and for every age of diver,” says Margo Peyton, owner of Family Dive Adventures, which has run Kids Sea Camp weeks on Grand Cayman for the past 12 years. “There are shallow reefs for snorkelers, wrecks, DPV dives, and wall dives, and Junior Open Water divers can explore the Kittiwake.”
Indeed, Grand Cayman and its sister islands, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, are perfect for families, bathed as they are by calm waters year-round. Many reefs are shallow enough for an 8-year-old on her first PADI Bubblemaker dive, or a 6-year-old snorkeler biding her time until she can follow suit.
For dive-addicted adults, sites like Grand Cayman’s ex-USS Kittiwake, Devil’s Grotto and Babylon offer a taste of the island’s world-class diving. Of course Grand Cayman’s most famous site is one the whole family can enjoy together. Hand-feeding dozens of stingrays 10 feet down at Stingray City, while snorkelers watch a few feet above, is one of those adventures they’ll never forget!
Like Grand Cayman, most of the diving off Little Cayman and Cayman Brac is suitable for everyone. Sites like Tombstone, Treasure Trove and Lynn’s Reef off Cayman Brac are shallow enough for long, easy dives; a little more challenging, the Capt. Keith Tibbetts wreck is a can’t-miss dive. And while Little Cayman’s vertiginous Bloody Bay Wall might not seem ideal for new divers, the Great Wall section of this famous stretch of reef is perfect — shallow on top and home to friendly grouper.
Best of all, since there’s so much variety, choosing next year’s spot will be the easiest decision of your life.
For more information on family diving in the Cayman Islands, visit caymanislands.ky/family.
