Cayman Brac

The Brac (as it is locally called) is an anomaly in these islands. Rather than being simply a low-lying limestone island, it actually has a rare bluff. ("Bluff" is "brac" in Scottish. The Scots were some of Cayman Brac's first residents.) Some 140 feet tall on the eastern end of the island, the limestone cliffs present an imposing sight. The caves that riddle it are rumored to hold a chunk of Blackbeard's treasures. The dive resorts have settled on the opposite side, the southwestern corner. This offers access to some of the best sites off the island as well as giving relatively fast and easy access to Little Cayman.

As to the diving, expect this: Plunging walls, great invertebrate growth and truly inspiring shallow reefs are the rule. Some coral heads actually rise from a 40-foot bottom to within 15 feet of the surface. On the walls, look for a combination of overlapping plate corals and some respectable sponge growth. The contours are wonderful and the variety of corals is all you could expect. And be sure to explore the Russian destroyer, M/V Capt. Keith Tibbetts, sunk off Brac's shores in 1996.

Little Cayman

If you love isolation and a chance to rediscover yourself, there is no better place than Little Cayman. A tour of the town takes two minutes. The dive resorts (basically the only accommodations available) are all clustered on the southwest coast. These are very personal dive resorts where you can interact with some fine people and do some guaranteed great diving!

There are many, many sites all around the island but put Bloody Bay Wall at the very top of your list. How many places can you find a wall starting at 18 feet? Within 50 yards you will find shallow, fish-rich coral gardens, an absolutely vertical wall and then gradually sloping walls with so much to explore it will simply blow you away. Bloody Bay Wall is one of the premier dive sites in the Caribbean! But it doesn't stop there: Little Cayman has so much to offer it is astounding!

Don't forget the land potential. Where else will you find signs saying "Iguana Crossing"!

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