Cayman Brac offers divers a choice between great wrecks, wonderful walls, and shallow reefs. Hundreds of species call the warm, clear waters that surround it, and the rest of the Cayman Islands their home, and the beautiful underwater topography represents one of nature’s greatest masterpieces. Though there are dozens of dive sites to choose from here, and while the number of dive sites is growing, some will always be favorites. Let’s slip beneath the tranquil blue waters of Cayman Brac for a closer look.
Cemetery Wall
Beautiful queen angelfish, plus vibrant blue tangs and red cardinalfish, green parrotfish, sharks, eagle rays, and groupers are just a few of the inhabitants of this sheer wall that starts in only about 45 feet of water. The wall plummets all the way to 800 feet below, affording an amazing view into the indigo blue of the Caribbean. Decorated with beautiful black coral trees, gorgonians, and clusters of red vase sponges, Cemetery Wall also features a tunnel at about 90 feet, which lets you swim back to the top.
The Chutes
Three sand chutes reflect the light from the surface beautifully as they begin just beyond the shallows, then wind their way through fascinating walls of coral which are decorated with rope sponges and whip corals, big vase sponges, and sea fans. At 60 feet, the chutes end at the wall, where you’ll find an ancient anchor as well as the Cayman Mariner wreck, which is a 55 foot long boat surrounded by a bed of garden eels. A trip along the wall’s face offers you the opportunity to watch for big pelagics coming up from the deep. Look for sharks, big tuna, tarpon, eagle rays, and turtles.
Sergeant Major Reef
Named for the sergeant majors which are here in abundance, this fascinating reef is easy for all divers to explore, as its spur and groove formations extend from just 30 feet to about 50 feet deep. Watch for eagle rays passing overhead, and look for napping nurse sharks in the sand along the bottom of the reef. You’ll find lobsters and crabs plus green and spotted moray eels hiding in the many small grottoes, as well as puffer fish, triggerfish, tangs, angelfish and more swimming all around you.
Inside Out
Featuring several swimthroughs that make their way to the outer edge of the wall, plus a sandy valley at 50 feet, Inside Out looks out over the drop off, where you can look for big pelagics. The coral and sponge growth are stunning, even before you get close to the edge of the wall, and you will find a rainbow of tropical fish swimming along with you as you explore. Further down, along the outer edge, you can find brilliant stands of gorgonians, massive barrel sponges and exquisite vase sponges, all bursting with life. This is a nice site for intermediate divers, since there is plenty to see without taking a plunge towards the abyss.
Rock Monster Chimney
Named for the caves you can see above, in the onshore bluff, which seem to form a frightening “monster” face if you look hard enough, Rock Monster Chimney is far from scary! With fantastic swim throughs that wind their way in and out of the wall, and magnificent plate coral, as well as red and yellow sponges, big orange elephant ears, sea fans and sea whips everywhere you look, this incredible site features ravines that begin at about 55 feet. You’ll find jewfish and groupers, wrasse, fairy basslets and angelfish here, as well as larger sea creatures such as sharks, barracudas, and the occasional soaring flight of eagle rays.
Cayman Brac is a fantastic place to relax, offering some nice hikes and plenty of natural wonders to enjoy between dives. Finally, whether you choose to enjoy just a few of these sites, or get the opportunity to explore them all, you’re going to love diving in Cayman Brac.