Dive Operators

Cayman Character

By Kirk Brown

A SOVIET WRECK AND A WILD DOLPHIN
Compared to its laid-back little sister, Cayman Brac is just a tad wilder and woolier in terms of its geology, attitudes and diving.

The Brac got its Gaelic name for the 140-foot bluff that rises straight out of the sea at the island's eastern tip. Visitors can watch frigates soar in the wind as they gaze out at whitecaps marching across the seemingly endless Caribbean The island is also riddled with limestone caves, several of which serve as bat condominiums. According to local legend, some of these caves still contain lost pirate booty.

Another worthwhile attraction is the Cayman Brac Parrot Reserve. An estimated 400 rare emerald green parrots live here amid 38 different species of trees on 180 acres of unspoiled tropical woodlands.

Besides having a larger population than Little Cayman, the Brac tends to attract a more unconventional crowd. Happy hour at the Brac Reef Beach Resort (the sister of the Little Cayman Beach Resort) is a raucous affair reminiscent of long-ago days in Key West. Aaron the bartender keeps drinks flowing while offering opinions on topics ranging from Cuban cigars to popular culture. Resort manager Gary Villiers also makes the rounds, introducing guests to Emily, his adorable infant daughter.

While the Brac boasts plenty of interesting wall dives and lush shallow reefs, the Captain Keith Tibbetts has been its top attraction for divers ever since the 330-foot-long former Russian frigate was towed from Cuba and scuttled in September 1996. The ship's bow has broken away and sits tilted in the sand. As a result, be prepared for a slight sense of vertigo when swimming through its bridge.

One afternoon last July, divers exploring the wreck discovered a new star: a young bottlenose dolphin that the locals call Spot.

The flirtatious male has spent most of the past year dividing his time between Little Cayman and the Brac. Spot makes daily appearances, usually showing up at dive-site mooring balls precisely as a boat arrives. Soon divers are giggling with unbridled glee at the fawning dolphin's antics.

Spot and I frolicked for a few minutes in the water. At one point he disappeared from my field of vision. Seconds later, the dolphin brushed playfully against my fins and passed within inches of my face as he soared to the surface.

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