Kids' Diving Adventures

We love to have children with us exploring and learning about the underwater world and what better place than the clear, warm waters of Grand Cayman.  For families with kids; customize a package depending on the ages and water experience of your kids. This gives you the freedom to explore your 'adult' diving, while your kids are learning and exploring the oceans too! The kids programmes are fully supervised by Dive Instructors with training for the young ones, including police clearance, medic first aid, CPR and Oxygen provision for kids! 

There are many in-water programmes that include SASY, Scuba Rangers & Seal Team, Jr. Open water certifications Teen diver programs for specialty and advanced certifications. You can decide on how many days and the appropriate programme for the child based on the following information and their comfort level in the water. Children are our new ambassadors to the ocean and they'll be telling you all about the parrot fish, octopus, coral reefs and more over lunch!  SASY Snorkel Programmes
Half day SASY sessions for the younger children who are interested in learning basic snorkel/scuba skills in the pool and the ocean.  They will use a supplied air system that resembles a scuba unit with a tank and regulator to "float" on the surface and breathe through the 1st stage.  The "BCD" is in effect a life jacket and does not permit the child to descend but does provide a safe and comfortable snorkel system.  The child must be somewhat comfortable in the water and be able to put their head under the water and swim unassisted in the pool.  Tthey must also possess an interest in being in the water and be able to follow the instructions of their supervisor.  The class will begin in the pool by teaching them snorkel techniques using a scuba mask, snorkel fins and a wetsuit if desired.  For example they will learn how to equalize their ears as well as "blast" clear their snorkels.  Once a child is comfortable using these skills they will be introduced to the SASY unit.  Children are taught how to set up a scuba unit, breathe through a regulator and other basic scuba skills like clearing their mask and recovering their regulator.  Its a blast; especially if the children have parents who dive and are anxious to join them on their adventures!  One 1/2 day of SASY is about US$100.00 per child. 

SCUBA Rangers/Seals
For kids 8 years and older 1/2 day programmes that match the times parents are out diving on the boats cost about US$100.00 per child. Children are taught how to scuba dive starting in the pool and then continuing into the ocean near shallow reefs. Ranger/Seal kids are taken to a maximum depth of 12 feet while in the ocean. They will be taught scuba skills in the pool to make them comfortable on their ocean dives. We take it at their pace, so if there is something they are not ready to try they are not required to do it.  A general comfort in the water and the desire to explore the sea is a must!  We can take the Rangers and Seals in the ocean to do photo, fish ID, scooter or navigation dives - a wide range of options are available.  Generally, 3 half days are needed to get the kids diving in the ocean and earn some patches! All Ranger/Seal instructors have their SSI/PADI approvals, police clearances, EFR/MFA certifications and O₂ provision for children.

JR. Open Water Certification:
In addition to the programmes for the young children, 3 day certification programmes are available (or 2 half day referral programmes) that teach children aged 10 and up to Scuba Dive. This certification follows the same curriculum as the adults but the kids are restricted to 40 feet of depth. They do a day of classroom (split over 2 half days), a day in the pool and a day in the ocean diving (4 dives total). The programmes are fully supervised and taught by licensed, insured scuba Instructors that have been trained to work with children, including insuring their safety. 

The warm, clam, clear shallow reefs of the Cayman Islands offer ideal conditions for young ones to be able to enjoy the sport of scuba diving. Talk about something for show and tell at school. Courses generally include all equipment, tanks, student manuals and registration fees plus the training. And, Mom and Dad can dive along too on the certification dives! This is life time certification and once the age of 15 is reached the teenager can apply for a new certification card as an Open Water Diver. 

Stingray City:
Another option is for an afternoon 1-tank Stingray City trip, where parents and kids can dive together in a great 12 foot dive. For the younger kids, SASY and snorkel options are available to visit the Stingrays! Playing with the gentle rays, green moray eels and the abundance of reef fish in the area is like being in an aquarium, it's a once in a lifetime experience!  For the Rangers, Seals and SASY divers, they must be accompanied by an Instructor/Divemaster and the Jr. certified divers must be accompanied by an adult.

History of the Turtle
The people of the Cayman Islands have a history tied to the turtle. In the 1600 and 1700's the Cayman Islands became a provisioning stop for vessels sailing the Caribbean because of an abundance of green sea turtles, which could be caught and kept alive on board as a source of fresh meat. Permanent settlements developed on the Cayman Islands in the seventeenth century and turtling became a means of income as well as providing a local source of food. The Cayman Turtle Farm was established in 1968 as Mariculture Ltd. and was purchased by the Cayman Islands Government in 1983.  Between 1980 and the end of November 2006, Cayman Turtle Farm had released 30,900 turtles around these islands. Many had been released prior to 1980 but records are not readily available. These turtles have adapted well and have been found through out the Western Caribbean from Cuba to as far away as Venezuela and Florida. Turtles released as “head-started” and turtles released as hatchlings have returned to nest on Grand Cayman. Much research, which could not have been conducted on wild turtles, has been made possible at the farm. Cayman Turtle Farm's policy is to provide turtles and facilities to research projects that could benefit turtle farming technology or be of a conservation benefit to sea turtles.

Tagging Process:
Yearling turtles are tagged with a titanium flipper tag on their fore-flipper which identifies an individual animal.  The titanium tag provides information that enables individuals finding these animals in areas away from the Cayman Islands to return captured information to the Farm. The majority of tag returns have come from Cuba, with returns also from Honduras, Venezuela, the United States, Panama, Belize, Nicaragua, and Mexico. Information thus far correlated suggests that the turtles adapt well to natural conditions when released as yearlings, and that their release site in the Cayman Islands dictates whether or not they migrate away from the Islands or stay in Cayman waters. Significantly, the release program of the Farm has demonstrated that "head-started" turtles do assimilate into a natural environment.  

Monitoring:
Because of observed dog and crab predation and increased public use of all beaches, reported nests are relocated to Boatswain's Beach hatchery for incubation. All hatchlings are then returned to the collection beach for release. A tag-recapture programme is ongoing which allows for the collection of data regarding survival and growth of the turtles released.  

How can you participate? The Adopt and Release a Turtle Programme has 2 participation levels to choose from. Your turtle will be a healthy, tagged 1 year old. At this age, the sex of the turtle cannot be determined. 

• Sponsor a turtle from your home or business (US$185)
  Send in your application form with payment and you will be notified of receipt and the date of release for your turtle. Staff from Divetech will pick your turtle up from Boatswain's Beach after it has been tagged and release it at Turtle Reef for you. 
  You will receive:
  • Personalized adoption certificate
  • Photo of your turtle being released (email)
  • Turtle Print by Rogest
  • Satisfaction that you have set a turtle free 
• Sponsor a turtle while visiting and take part in setting it free (US$250)
  Send in your application form with payment and preferred release date and you will receive confirmation on the scheduling of your release. You will receive:
  • Personalized adoption certificate
  • Photo of your turtle being released (email)
  • Turtle Print by Rogest
  • Satisfaction that you have set a turtle free
  • Tour of Boatswains' Beach (Add $40 per person for friends accompanying you)
  • Selection of your turtle
  • Snorkle excursion including a guide and equipment, from shore, to set your turtle free