As if the Cayman Islands didn’t already offer an amazing diving experience, fantastic sponge life is another reason to take a dive vacation here in 2020

Divers who jump into any dive site in the Cayman Islands these days will witness sponges at the peak of their life cycle on local reefs. This means sponges are healthier, larger and more picturesque than they have been for more than a decade. It has been 15 years since Hurricane Ivan struck the Cayman Islands and damaged the reefs destroying many of the sponges. The lack of storms since then has allowed them to grow back undisturbed. Alex Mustard, widely regarded as one of the world’s leading underwater photographers, photographs Cayman’s underwater world frequently and notes changes through the seasons. 

“Hurricane Ivan levelled a lot of sponges on the north, east and south of the island, and I remember walking on Colliers beach straight after the storm and seeing loads and loads of sponges washed up,” he said. “A lot of them started re-growing then, and many have now reached maximum size and they look superb.” 

“Sponges naturally fall off after they reach their maximum size and eventually regrow,” said Ocean Frontiers co-owner Steve Broadbelt, “but the hurricane wiped so many of them out at the same time. The quiet years have allowed them to reach maximum growth. It’s amazing to see them and we’re excited to show them to our visitors.” 

Sponges attach themselves to the seafloor and filter water for food. These sea animals been around for thousands of years, and more than 6000 species of sponges can be found in oceans around the world. Cayman’s warm, clear and nutrient-rich water is ideal for Caribbean sponges and local reefs house more than 57 species in various colors. Among them; giant barrel sponges, orange elephant ear sponges, ball sponges, boring sponges, rope sponges and the rare antler sponge. If undisturbed, a giant barrel sponge can live 130 years. One of the largest sponges in Cayman is an elephant ear sponge on the west wall that measures 9 feet across.

Like corals, sponges play an important role in complex reef ecosystems. Boring and encrusting sponges compete for space with hard corals on the reef. Tube and barrel sponges give tiny goby fish a place to create their “cleaning stations.” Hawksbill turtles love to munch on the tough outer layer of barrel sponges, and angelfish feed on the soft inside of the sponge left behind by the turtles.

Steve Broadbelt says that sponges, like corals, also spawn during the year but not necessarily at the same time. Seasoned divers will have noticed. “Anyone who has been diving Cayman long enough will have seen sponges spawning at some point. This is the only time a sponge visually demonstrates that it is actually a living animal.” 

Scientists believe life-saving drugs can be found in the ocean. From a large shallow water sponge in the 1950’s, scientists extracted two chemicals used to treat patients with cancer and now HIV. With much to learn about sponges and their relationship to other sea animals on the reef, there is concern about risks to their habitats; bottom trawling fishing, underwater cables, oil and gas exploration.

Underwater photographers give Cayman high marks for its picturesque reefs and drop-offs, its marine life and wrecks, and its warm, crystal clear water. The current splendor of its sponges is another reason to visit and document Cayman’s unbeatable underwater world.

About Us

The Cayman Bottom Times is news collaboration by four leading dive operators to promote the superb diving of the Cayman Islands, and keep the diving public informed of important developments and events. Ocean Frontiers, Red Sail Sports and Sunset House in Grand Cayman, and the Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman, all members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, represent more than 100 years of solid experience in a destination that is recognized as the birthplace of recreational diving. With a unique combination of deep wall and shallow reef diving, several wrecks, and world-famous Stingray City, the Cayman Islands has cemented its place as the top diving destination in the Caribbean.

Offering diverse and wide-ranging dive programs on both Grand Cayman and Little Cayman, the members of this dive group represent the best Cayman has to offer; Ocean Frontiers, Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman, Sunset House and the Southern Cross Club.

Blessed with warm clear water, healthy reefs, dramatic drop-offs, abundant marine life, year-round good weather and professional dive services, Cayman has always been a popular choice for the readers of Scuba Diving Magazine in the magazine’s annual online poll. Divers rank their favorite destinations and dive sites by category on a scale of 1 to 5.

This year Cayman came out on top as the best Caribbean destination for Underwater Photography and Advanced Diving. On Best Overall Dive Destination, Cayman rated #2. The destination also ranked in the top 5 for these categories; Big Animals, Macro Life, Wreck Diving, Macro Life, Wreck Diving, Cavern Cave and Grotto diving, Shore diving and Beginner Diving.

Award-winning underwater photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, who lives and works on Grand Cayman, says the voters got it right when choosing the best place to for underwater photography, and there are many reasons why.

“No wonder Cayman Islands is ranked as #1 for underwater photography as we have top accommodating facilities,” said Cuylaerts. “Our dive operators provide easy shore dive access through ladders and coming out of the water there’s rinsing buckets. If you choose to boat dive, the crew helps to hand you gear, and they know how to do this. Most boats have rinsing possibilities.”

In addition to professional services and easy access to Cayman’s dive sites, the photo pro says these islands offer an amazing variety of interesting subject matter for underwater photographers.

“The best wide-angle subjects are our famous southern stingrays who show up every day at dawn and due to the shallowness of the Sandbar and Stingray City, even beginning photographers with a small camera can get the most amazing shots by working with the available light,” she said.

“The wreck of the Ex-USS Kittiwake is located on a sandy patch about max 70 feet deep. It’s easy to navigate, has excellent visibility, no current, hence the ability to work certain shots from different angles depending on the time of day you dive this site.”

Even when the weather affects dive conditions offshore, Cuylaerts says there is plenty to photograph from shore because of Cayman’s easily accessible and excellent shore diving.

“If you love looking for macro critters, some of the shore dives in Grand Cayman are abundant of gems at between 3 and 5 meters of depth allowing you to experience long dives and observe different species of blennies, shrimp, nudibranchs and many more,” she said. “Eden Rock and Devil’s Grotto offer great macro photography opportunities in the shallows. The grottoes are in 30 feet of water, and this is where tarpons lurk waiting for the arrival of silversides in the summer months. Half of the times I dive there I see mesmerizing squid at the ladders.”

Cuylaerts travels the world as a freelance underwater and wildlife photographer, documenting animals in particular regions and the challenges they’re facing. Ellen says the underwater photography experience offered in the Cayman Islands is exceptional and hard to beat.

Dive resort offers great 60th Anniversary Special, launches new North Wall dive boat and re-introduces popular 3-tank North Wall Safari.

Sunset House, the dive resort “for divers by divers” is marking a historic 60 years in the dive business of the Cayman Islands, and inviting others to celebrate by taking advantage of a discounted dive package available through December 21. The 7 Night dive package starts at $1435, based on double occupancy, and include 6 morning 2-tank dives, unlimited shore diving, made-to-order breakfast, a complimentary glass of bubbly, and a Sunset House Anniversary t-shirt.

The story of Sunset House began in 1958 when Miss Hebe (Briggs) Connors nee Bodden, an 8^thgeneration Caymanian, and widow who lost her husband at an early age, began renting guest rooms in her seaside cottage to support her young family. Miss Hebe arranged to have dive pioneer Bob Soto, who had just started his dive operation, take care of her diving guests. The agreement included diving lessons for her 12-year-old son Adrien Briggs, who learned the business from the legend. Thus, began Cayman’s dive tourism industry.

Today, scuba diving is a multi-million-dollar tourism industry, and the Cayman Islands is a leading dive destination. Sunset House has grown into a dive resort that includes 36 air-conditioned units on lush seaside grounds; a full-service dive shop and training center; one of the most popular waterfront bars in the Caribbean – My Bar; the Sea Harvest restaurant, famous for West Indian and East Indian cuisine; and the resort is home to Cathy Church’s Underwater Photo Centre.

Only minutes from downtown George Town, Sunset House sits on the rocky coastline of southwest Grand Cayman, where it has drawn divers to the Cayman Islands during the past six decades with its excellent shore diving and great customer service. Miss Hebe, and her son Adrien, have both been honored by the Cayman Islands Government as dive pioneers and “Heroes of the Tourism Industry.”

“My mother was a strong woman who worked hard to support us at a time when tourism hardly existed, so she had to also be smart and creative,” said Adrien Briggs, who learned from Miss Hebe. “She would be excited to see how far Sunset House has come, and to know that her granddaughters, also strong women, are now running the resort.”

Sunset House has always been a family-run operation, with a welcoming laid-back atmosphere that keeps guests coming back year after year. Miss Hebe’s granddaughters Lisa Evans and Anne Briggs took over management of Sunset House earlier this year and are making their own mark on the resort with upgrades to the property and the dive operation. Recently added to the Sunset House fleet is Ocean Spirit, a spacious 50-ft, custom-built V-Hull with robust twin John Deere engines for comfortable trips to the North Wall.

Sunset Divers is also re-introducing its popular 3-tank North Wall Safari on Ocean Spirit every Wednesday on demand. The safari starts with a deep wall followed by two shallow dives. Nitrox is available, and lunch is included.

“Tourism is in our blood, and we are proud to carry on the family traditions of Caymankind. Our grandmother would have been excited about our improvements to the resort, especially our new tropical Caribbean colours,” said General Manager Anne Briggs. “Lisa and I are looking forward to a bright future for Sunset House with continuing upgrades to our property and brand-new dive boats which are being delivered later in 2018.”

The new managers want to remind guests, that even after 60 years, Sunset House Reef never disappoints shore divers, and they work hard to keep it new and exciting. In addition to the reef, divers can also visit the bronze mermaid sculpture, Amphitrite, sitting at 55 feet of water, the Sunset House Coral Nursery, and the wreck of the David Nicholson, a landing craft purposely sunk as an artificial reef. And My Bar, which faces the western Caribbean Sea, is still the best place to watch a spectacular Cayman sunset.

The 60^th Anniversary Packages start at $1435 per person based on double occupancy and availability. To book contact Sunset House toll free at 1.800.854. 4767 or on Grand Cayman 1.345.949.7111.

Book online or learn more at: https://www.sunsethouse.com/specials

Wrecks, walls, shore dives, moonlight dives, fluorescent night dives, coral spawning – all add to the quality of the Cayman “dive experience”

Blessed with 365 dive sites, warm clear water and great weather year-round, the Cayman Islands consistently rank among the best dive destinations in the Caribbean. Famous for its variety of daytime dive experiences – dramatic drop-offs, coral gardens, spectacular shipwrecks, easy shore diving and Stingray City –  local dive operators want to point out that the same dive sites undergo a magical transformation at night, and that is worth exploring too. The reefs and wrecks in Cayman become hubs of activity when the sun goes down because lobsters, moray eels, crabs, shrimp and other nocturnal critters come out to hunt for food. Night divers watch the action by focusing on the narrow beam of their dive light. Local dive operators offer a range of night dive experiences by boat and shore diving, plus extra special events.

Boat Night Dives

“The Kittiwake is a great dive during the day, but divers should see the wreck at night when it takes on a whole new life as the critters who live there now come out of their hiding places in the nooks and crannies of the wreck looking for food,” said Jo Mikutowicz owner of Divetech. “There is also a lot of action on the adjacent reef too, as sea creatures there are on the prowl.”

A favorite boat night dive for Sunset Divers is the Wreck of the Balboa located in George Town Harbour, which is difficult to dive during the day because of general harbor traffic.

“The Balboa is a shallow wreck that becomes a hive of activity when darkness falls – it’s almost a ‘guarantee’ that night divers will find an octopus exploring the wreck,” said Sunset House’s Emma-Jane Fisher. “The sand flat between the wreck and the reef is also very interesting because it has an algae patch where nudibranchs are often found.”

Neil van Niekerk, of the Southern Cross Club, says night dives in Little Cayman are special because conditions must be ideal to navigate the channel.  “On those nights when we make a night dive, exploring Bloody Bay Marine Park in the dark is an amazing adventure,” he said. “Vertical walls drop off dramatically into the black night, which is exhilarating to see. We see night time creatures such as Basket Starfish and Octopus, and also groupers hunting in the beams of our flashlights.”

Ocean Frontiers at East End has added a 1-tank “Glow” Night Dive to its dive schedule in keeping with latest trend in night diving, Ultraviolet dive lights. Co-owner Steve Broadbelt says UV lights allow divers to see corals and critters fluoresce in bright glowing neon colors.

“Unique to Sunset Reef at East End are the hundreds of Pink Tipped anemones found at the site,” he said. “Anemones are packed with fluorescent proteins that glow when excited by the underwater blacklights. Even the most seasoned diver will end a glow dive will the realization that they had not ‘seen it all.’ This magical experience is a must-see for all scuba divers who love the sea.”

Shore Night Dives

Grand Cayman’s excellent shore diving is well known, and these dive sites make amazing and easy night dives. Sunset House, with easy entry and exit to its shallow reefs, offers unlimited shore diving in its dive packages. Guests can also book a guided night dive.

“Night divers can start in the resort’s sea pool to search for our resident squadron of squid,” said Emma-Jane Fisher (Sales & Marketing, Sunset House). “They can then make their way to the reef’s mini wall, where our Mermaid statue stands guard, and where octopus and the elusive Slipper lobster can often be spotted. We’re lucky to have such a bountiful reef right in front of Sunset House.’

Lighthouse Point also offers great shore night diving with easy entry and exit to the mini-wall located just offshore. The pier is another great spot for night dives, and Divetech also offers guided night dives from shore on Mondays and Thursdays.

“During our regular night dive, we like to pull out our ‘blue light’ for ‘fluro’ effect to show our divers how the reef lights up under an ultraviolet light,” said Jo Mikutowicz. “The colorful corals we see during the day show another side at night with spectacular fluorescent colors, like neon pink, yellow, green and more.”

Coral Spawning Night Dive

With every September comes the opportunity to experience a unique night dive as coral spawns simultaneously across the island. Ocean Frontiers has successfully calculated the spawning time, so the operation offers special night dives for the event.

Full Moon Night Dive

Venturing out on a night dive during a full moon can also be a fantastic experience because of Cayman’s incredible visibility. With the full moon clearly visible overhead, the dive site never gets completely dark, comforting to new divers. Experienced divers can swim the shadows of the reef in the moonlight exploring a new landscape – and see the “other-worldly” light beams of other night divers on the reef. Night divers also enjoy bioluminescence suspended in the water. They dim their dive lights, wave their hands about to see plankton sparking like fire embers.

Night Dive Specialty Course

Novice divers unsure about making a night dive can sign up for a PADI Night Diver Specialty Course where they learn how to focus on what to look for in their light’s beam, how to control buoyancy by feel and how to pay attention to details overlooked during a day dive.

“The Specialty Course consists of three-night dives – two boat dives and one shore dive,” said Red Sail Sports Dive Manager Clive Webb. “We explain that the daytime fish are mostly hiding at night, and the nocturnal creatures are out and about. There are so many different creatures at night, we could fill pages. We can also have some fun on night dives. For example, we like to create a ‘fireworks display’ by gently fanning water across a Barrel Sponge. The sponge acts as a giant filter passing water through the outer surface causing silt to attach to the outside. If a diver covers up their light, and fans the silt away from the sponge, it creates a bioluminescence ‘sparks’ display in the dark – very cool.”

About Us

The Cayman Bottom Times is news collaboration by five leading dive operators to promote the superb diving of the Cayman Islands, and keep the diving public informed of important developments and events. Divetech, Ocean Frontiers, Red Sail Sports and Sunset House in Grand Cayman, and the Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman, all members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, represent more than 100 years of solid experience in a destination that is recognized as the birthplace of recreational diving. With a unique combination of deep wall and shallow reef diving, several wrecks, and world-famous Stingray City, the Cayman Islands has cemented its place as the top diving destination in the Caribbean.

Offering diverse and wide-ranging dive programs on both Grand Cayman and Little Cayman, the members of this dive group represent the best Cayman has to offer; Divetech, Ocean Frontiers, Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman, Sunset House and the Southern Cross Club.

Learn more at:  http://www.cayman-bottom-time.com

or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/caymanbottomtimes

Divetech is offering something special for their rebreather event, Innerspace 2019: the deep walls of Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Wall

Space is limited for the dive company’s annual rebreather celebration May 18 -25, 2019, so book now

Next year Divetech is hosting Innerspace, its annual celebration of rebreathers, on Little Cayman at the Little Cayman Beach Resort. Divetech owner Jo Mikutowicz decided to expand the Innerspace silent diving experience beyond Grand Cayman, to the sheer and pristine drop-offs of Bloody Bay Marine Park, renowned for its incredible walls. Rebreather technology allows users to dive deeper and stay underwater longer, so attendees will be among the few to fully explore Little Cayman’s deep walls. The event is scheduled May 18 – 25, 2019 and Mikutowicz says space is limited, so she is urging early registration.

Innerspace was launched in 2004 to bring rebreather community together from around the world to keep up with the fast-changing technical diving industry. What began with 19 rebreather divers has grown into a sellout annual event where divers passionately immerse themselves in the silent diving culture of rebreathers for a week. Innerspace attracts the biggest names in the dive business and the week’s events include lectures, new research and technologies, equipment tryouts, demonstrations and social events.

“Over the past 15 years, our Innerspace divers have explored the beautiful deep walls of Grand Cayman, so we decided to offer them something new to explore – Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Wall,” said Mikutowicz. “It means more organization and logistics on our part, but we are excited about taking the event ‘on the road.'”

2019 INNERSPACE DIVE PACKAGES

• CCR diver: US $3,550 – 7 nights/6 Days
• OC (recreational) diver: US $2,300 – 7 nights/6 Days
• Non-diver package: US $2,100

Package includes:

• 7 nights at the Little Cayman Beach Resort
• 6 days of CCR boat diving
• Unlimited scrubber
• Unlimited diluent fills (10/60, 15/55 or air)
• Unlimited oxygen fills
• Onboard CCR tanks
• Bailout tanks with rigging (AL40’s and AL80’s)
• Bailout gas
• Evening seminars
• T-shirt
• Raffles with great prizes
• All meals at resort
• Airport Transfers

Price is per person based on double occupancy in a pool-view room (available with choice of 2 double beds or 1 King bed). Rates include taxes and hotel gratuities. Room up-grades and bar/beverage packages are available. Not included in package are airfare to Little Cayman, dive staff gratuities & retail purchases.

About Divetech

Divetech is a full-service dive operation located at Lighthouse Point on the Northwest Point of Grand Cayman. With excellent shore diving and a fleet of top-notch dive boats and excellent staff, the company has gained a reputation as the go-to place for dive training and technical diving. Divetech has been offering dive services in Grand Cayman since 1994, and its dive instruction programs currently range from novice diver to advanced, technical and rebreather diver. Freediving instruction is also offered.

Divetech is a PADI and SSI resort facility. The company is also certified as an International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD) Platinum Facility and a Technical Diving International/Scuba Diving International (TDI/SDI). Other training designations include; IANTD & SSI Free Diving Center.

With facilities in Lighthouse Point and the Grand Caymanian, and partnerships with other hotels on Grand Cayman, Divetech offers great dive packages for the whole family.

For more information visit http://www.divetech.com

Curious reef sharks, Spotted Eagle Rays, Sea Turtles, Green Morays, Tarpon, Squid, Octopus and other reef creatures populate stunning reefs and thrill divers

As the largest resort watersports operator on Grand Cayman, Red Sail Sports is also a leading advocate for marine conservation. Well-trained staff and a sizeable fleet give Red Sail Sports the flexibility to support environmental programs that require volunteers and boats for beach and reef cleanups. Local conservation initiatives, such as the newly-launched non-profit Plastic Free Cayman, find a willing partner in the dive company that has been offering services on Grand Cayman for 30 years.

The Southern Cross Club, Little Cayman’s original dive and fish resort, has won 2 prestigious 2018 Traveler’s Choice Awards from TripAdvisor©, the world’s largest travel planning and booking site. Based on reviews posted by travelers during the past year, the resort ranks in the top ten in the Caribbean for Customer Service and Romance.

Conservation is always front and center to those who live and work on Little Cayman, but during the full winter moon, with researchers gathered there for the Grouper Moon Project, a study of the annual spawning of Nassau Grouper, the conservation effort expanded to include land as well as sea, with an island-wide beach cleanup over the weekend.

After a record breaking 2017 for Cayman tourism overall, and projections for continued growth, the island’s dive operators expect 2018 to be a banner year for their industry, and they are prepared for it. As a leader in dive tourism, Cayman has always balanced responsible diving and conservation with an outstanding dive product, always keeping it fresh and exciting for discerning divers. Cayman’s dive sites, dive operators and resorts remain topnotch, and the divers who voted in the Scuba Diving Magazine’s Readers Choice Awards agree.

Divetech, one of Cayman’s leading dive operations and recognized as the place to go in Grand Cayman for technical diving and training, is heading into 2018 on the heels of a great year and a very successful showing at the Dive Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) where industry business is booked.

The U.S.S. Kittiwake, Grand Cayman’s immensely popular shipwreck, is being shaped by the sea as it undergoes its natural life cycle in the shallow waters off Seven Mile Beach. Recent rough seas moved the wreck slightly, so the Kittiwake now leans on her port side and is 10 feet deeper. Dive leaders say the ship is intact, and the Kittiwake remains a spectacular dive, only now there are new things to explore and photograph.

Buy a luxury condo at East End’s Compass Point Dive Resort; have that dream dive vacation home you’ve always wanted, it’s easier than you think

Dive leaders tout lesser-known sites: more choices for divers, stress relief for more popular sites

Industry employees and professionals recognized for their contributions at the 2017 Cayman Islands Tourism Association Stingray Awards

Southern Cross Club General Manager Jennifer Mills took home the Stingray Award for Accommodations Manager of the Year during a ceremony hosted by the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) at the Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. Ms. Mills was competing in a field that included the managers of the Kimpton Seafire, the Ritz Carlton and other large hotels in Grand Cayman.

Ocean Frontiers Ltd., the dive operation that wrote the book on East End diving in Grand Cayman, has launched the first in a series of custom designed dive boats to a plan to upgrade and expand its fleet to accommodate the company’s growth. Co-owner and Managing Partner Steve Broadbelt says the new 46-foot Newton named “Gun Bay Diver” was built in the U.S.A. and designed to take the diving experience to the next level.

As one of the Caribbean’s top dive destinations, Cayman is renowned for fantastic wall dives, spectacular shipwrecks and unforgettable Stingray City, but avid divers know that Cayman’s shore diving sets it apart.

Red Sail Sports has hired 18-year-old local resident Lej Batiste as the newest member of its professional dive staff. He is the first Caymanian to complete his divemaster certification through the company’s dive training program since Red Sail Sports began offering dive services in Grand Cayman 30 years ago. Batiste joined Red Sail Sports as an intern with the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre (CIFEC) work experience programme, and quickly established himself as an enthusiastic employee, an avid diver and a young man with a plan for the future.

New Divetech owner and managing partner Jo Mikutowicz has been at the helm of one of Cayman’s leading dive operators for more than a year, and she is making her mark. Mikutowicz has big fins to fill. Cayman dive pioneer Nancy Easterbrook, a mentor, and friend, founded Divetech on the shores of northwest Cayman in 1994 and built it into an operation committed to conservation, education and training.

Cayman Islands Department of Tourism sponsorship of tour boosts marketing outreach for Cayman’s dive operators through relationship building and media coverage.

So far, 2017 has been a remarkable year for the Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman. First, the online travel site TripAdvisor.com named the resort to its top 25 in the Caribbean in two categories based on customer reviews: Best Hotel for Service and Best for Romance. Adding to the awards, administrations manager Neil van Niekerk was named an “Emerging Hero in Tourism” by the Cayman Islands government, and resort owner Peter Hillenbrand was recognized for his “Long Service to Cayman Tourism.”

In January, Red Sail Sports customer John Nagy from Jacksonville, Florida completed his 13th dive vacation with Red Sail Sports — he made his first dive with the company 30 years ago, shortly after Red Sail Sports opened its doors for business. Nagy, a first-time visitor to the Cayman Islands, checked into the then-open Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman and boarded Red Sail’s dive boat for an experience that he found hard to leave.

Dive and hospitality pioneers Bob Soto and Ms. Hebe Connors (Briggs) were honored by the Cayman Islands government as early tourism heroes in a January celebration in George Town’s Heroes Square. Several hundred people were recognized as tourism contributors, but only a few were distinguished as heroes of the industry.

A successful trip to the annual Dive Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) show in Las Vegas November 16 – 19 helped Cayman’s dive operators get a jump on 2017. More than 10,000 dive industry professionals from across the globe gathered for the annual convention – industry news is shared, new equipment is introduced, promotions are launched and friendships are renewed – all which invigorate the dive industry before the new year.

In Las Vegas Cayman celebrated the 60th anniversary of the birth of recreational diving in the Cayman Islands by Caymanian pioneer and International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame member Bob Soto. It also promoted the opening of the ISDHOF permanent exhibit in the Cayman Islands Museum in George Town and announced its newest members to be inducted in Grand Cayman in September 2017. A photo booth in the Cayman pavilion added fun and helped get people in a celebratory mood, always good for doing business.

Celebrating at the Cayman photo booth are Clive Webb, Lowri Williams and Sarah-Jane Harlan.

“For Divetech it went really well. We made some bookings and have a lot of people to follow up with, and we even made a booking for 2018!” said Divetech Managing Partner Jo Mikutowicz. “I thought the Cayman aisle, in general, looked great, the photo booth was a lot of fun and the DOT had some great promotion material that I found myself using quite a bit.”

“We had a great DEMA, with everyone appreciating our “Back to the 80s package” celebrating Red Sail Sports 30th Anniversary in 2017. I wouldn’t say it was busier or less busy than previous years but the quality of inquiries was good,” added Sarah-Jane Harlan, Red Sail Sports Marketing Manager.

DEMA is also an opportunity for dive professionals to meet the movers and shakers in the diving industry through seminars, panels, parties and other social events – all important for staying in touch with travel trends and industry news. Some dive operators said was the best DEMA in recent years, and their booth traffic reflected that. Cayman tourism officials predict increased tourism numbers in 2017 with the opening of new resorts in Cayman and improvements to the airport.

“I did think it was good… and we did make some bookings,” said Neil van Niekerk of the Southern Cross Club. “No way to tell in the current political climate if anyone will travel for sure, but that’s not our fault – I think Cayman did a great job.”

“It was lucrative enough that we signed up for next year already, and this is before we have even had a chance to follow up with the 50+ people we need to send more information to,” said Mikutowicz.

Receiving a Top 100 Reader’s Choice award from Bonnier Corportion’s David Benz is Divetech’s Joanna Mikutowicz.

Leslie Leaney, Executive Director, ISDHF; Kristin Valette, Chief Marketing Officer, PADI Worldwide; Peter Hughes, ISDHF Member; Howard Rosenstein, ISDHF Member; Dr. Drew Richardson, President and CEO, PADI Worldwide; ISDHF Member Bill Acker; ISDHF Member Carl Roessler; ISDHF Member Ron Kipp; ISDHF Member Bill High; ISDHF Member Stuart Cove; ISDHF Member Chuck Nicklin; General Manager, USA Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Tom Ludington.

Cayman’s warm clear waters and vibrant reefs attract divers and snorkelers from around the world, and the number of visitors is expected to climb in 2017.With its spirit of adventure and a desire to offer new and exciting things to do, Ocean Frontiers has added a number of new snorkel trips to its schedule. Co-owner Steve Broadbelt says snorkeling has become so popular it’s a challenge to keep up with the demand, so to satisfy everyone’s quest for the ultimate snorkel adventure, they have expanded their snorkel trip choices and availability.

“We’re adding more boat trips and being more creative with our schedule,” said Broadbelt. “Demand for the Kittiwake Wreck is up, and because this is something families can do together as divers and snorkelers, we are adding a Tuesday trip.”

Partnered with the Compass Point Dive Resort, Ocean Frontiers offers a unique East End experience for both divers and snorkelers because of its untouched shallow reefs and dramatic drop-offs. Luxury condos, a fully operational dive shop and a restaurant on property, makes it an ideal East End resort for families who want to enjoy a watersports-focused vacation together.

Ocean Frontiers now operates seven different snorkel trips around Grand Cayman; East End, the North Sound and the Kittiwake Wreck, just off Seven Mile Beach. Steve Broadbelt says the most exciting new snorkel trip is the hour-long X Snorkel to a secret East End site. Described as a point-to-point trip, snorkelers are dropped off on a shallow reef and guided through a field of boulder corals. The coral heads are just below the surface, so snorkelers can see the reef up close. When the guided snorkel is over, the boat picks up guests at the spot where they ended the tour. Snorkelers maximize their time in the water and cover a good portion of the reef.

“This snorkel site is shallow and protected inside the lagoon so our snorkelers can enjoy fantastic reefs filled with marine life – they can expect to see nurse sharks, stingrays, lobsters and a lot of reef fish,” adds Broadbelt. “It’s a great experience for all ages.”

The Champagne Stingrays Snorkel is a great way to cap off a day in paradise. This one-stop snorkel trip departs at 4 pm and takes customers to the Sandbar in the North Sound where they snorkel with friendly Stingrays after most of the boat traffic is gone. On the way back to the dock, the Ocean Frontiers crew pops a bottle of bubbly for guests to enjoy while taking in a spectacular Cayman sunset.

Ocean Frontier’s Signature trips provide unique adventures for all experience levels with ultra-small groups and personal service.

Coral Reef Snorkel – East End – 3-Stop US$50
Explore the protected coral lagoon without another boat in sight. Great for families. 1:30pm on Mondays.

Shipwreck Snorkel – Kittiwake – 1-Stop US$50
Snorkel Cayman’s biggest shipwreck and artificial reef. 2:00pm on Tuesdays.

X-Snorkel – East End – Point-to-Point US$60
Snorkel an undisclosed location along the East End Barrier Reef for a one-of-a-kind experience. 1:30pm on Wednesdays.

Reef & Rays – North Sound – 2-Stop US$50
Visit the Stingrays then explore the coral reefs of Rum Point. Great for families. 9:30am on Thursdays and Fridays.

Champagne Stingrays – North Sound – 1-Stop US$60
Stingray encounter in the late afternoon sun, with a boat ride sipping bubbly while the sunsets. 4pm winter, 5pm summer on Thursdays.

Dawn Stingrays – North Sound – 1-Stop US$60
The ultimate Stingray experience, 90 minutes on the Sandbar, no crowds and lots of Stingrays. Sunrise on Fridays.

Visit our website for more snorkel tours. All of Ocean Frontier’s Snorkel Adventures include snorkel gear, and discounts are offered for children. Ocean Frontiers also offers private snorkel charters.

Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman is celebrating its 30th anniversary next year by offering 1980’s dive rates in 2017 dive package prices! It’s “Back to the 80’s” dive package starts at $307 for three days of diving, which represents savings of over $100! The package is also packed with perks such as additional discounted dive rates, a luxury Catamaran sunset sail and free admission to the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Museum in George Town.

Red Sail Sports is launching this year-round promotion at the Dive Equipment Marketing Association (DEMA) Convention November 16 – 19, 2016 in Las Vegas. Red Sail Sports will also launch its revamped website, integrated with an upgraded booking system for faster and easier online bookings. Sarah-Jane Harlan, Sales & Marketing said “We’re embarking on our 30th year and so we took this opportunity to refresh our online image by updating our website with a sleek new homepage and refined navigation keys. In addition to this we have made it easier for our customers to create an itinerary of activities to do while in Grand Cayman with the integration of our new booking engine.”

“The 30th Anniversary is another exciting milestone for Red Sail Sports as we continue to provide first class diving, watersports and retail services to a variety of hotels on Grand Cayman including the much anticipated Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa,” said Red Sail Sports Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “We will build on the foundation of quality staff, great customer service and equipment which has established Red Sail Sports as the premier diving and watersports provider in the Cayman Islands.”

Red Sail Sports officially opened its doors for business at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman the first week of January in 1987. During the 1980’s pop culture was consumed by yuppies, big hair, cable TV, MTV and personal computers. Diving enjoyed terrific growth as young professionals sought adventure. Red Sail Sports quickly established itself as a dive leader in the industry by offering customized dive boats, top notch equipment and first class service.

The company’s success during the past three decades is reason to celebrate and Red Sail Sports wants to extend the party to its customers. With 5 locations across Grand Cayman, customers who book the “Back to the 80’s” Dive Package can enjoy discounted diving on the island’s West Wall and North Wall from Seven Mile Beach. They can also dive Grand Cayman’s famed East End, and the more guests dive, the more they save.

Back to the 80’s Dive Package

January 3 – December 20, 2017

• 3 Days $307
• 4 Days $382
• 5 Days $447
• Additional 2-tank $85

Packages include:

• Daily 2-tank dives
• Sunset Sail aboard 65’ catamaran
• Commemorative t-shirt
• Entry to the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Museum
• Discounts off additional diving!
• 50% off afternoon one-tank dives (one tank kittiwake not included)
• 25% off night dives
• 25% off Stingray City Dive

DEMA attendees can stop by booth 2056 in the Cayman Islands section for information or bookings – or visit http://www.redsailcayman.com/dema16/

The 2016 sea turtle nesting season is coming to an end, and its’s been a record-breaking year in Grand Cayman according to the Cayman Islands Department of Environment. More than 400 nests were found on 35 miles of beach in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. This included a record-breaking 300 nests in Grand Cayman – a dramatic comeback from 1999 when less than 30 nests were found in the first year of beach monitoring.

“There are several factors which may explain the increase in turtle nests,” explains Janice Blumenthal, DOE Research Officer. “The first is increased protection of adult turtles on nesting beaches by DoE Conservation Officers and volunteers. The second is a change in legislation in 2008 which prevented adult turtles from being caught in a legal fishery. Finally, we have seen green turtles released from the Cayman Turtle Farm in the 1980s come back to nest on our beaches. It is important to remember that each turtle lays more than one nest per season, so the number of individual turtles in the nesting population is still very small.”

Blumenthal says only green turtles are raised and released at the turtle farm, but nesting numbers have increased for both green sea turtles and loggerheads. Great news for both the DOE and the dedicated volunteers who help out. On Little Cayman, Southern Cross Club General Manager Jennifer Mills has been a turtle watch volunteer for 14 years and says community awareness has increased the number of volunteers.

“Twenty volunteers helped with the turtle watch on Little Cayman this season, more than ever before. It is a privilege to be involved and witness the project grow and develop,” said Jennifer Mills, general manager of the Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman.

“We would not be able to operate our nesting beach monitoring programme without our volunteers,” adds Blumenthal. “Across the three islands, we have more than 100 volunteers. We would like to say thank you to all of our volunteers who helped us check these beaches 4 days per week for nearly 6 months: with their help, this year we walked over 1,400 miles.”

There were several poaching incidents reported this year where adult female green turtles were taken from the beaches and a number of other attempts. So while nesting numbers have increased in the Cayman Islands, sea turtles face increasing threats. Artificial lighting from beachfront development misorients hatchlings trying to make their way to the sea and beach erosion from storms sometimes washes away nests.

Sea turtles are a beloved and instantly recognizable symbol of the Cayman Islands. Divers and snorkelers from across the world can almost certainly depend on one, or several, of the sea creatures to show up during a dive.

Sea turtles are frequently seen during dives in the Cayman Islands. Photo Courtesy Divetech.

“Sea Turtles are one of the most requested marine life that divers want to see on a dive. We commonly see the Hawksbill turtles but are occasionally lucky enough to encounter a Green Sea turtle or even a Loggerhead,” said Divetech’s Jo Mikutowicz. “It’s always an added bonus when you can point out a turtle or two on a dive and seems to be the first thing out of diver’s mouths when they remove their regulator…’Did you see that turtle??’”

After a successful nesting season and record numbers, Jennifer Mills and other Turtle Watch volunteers, know that their work has paid off.

“This is wonderful to see and I am, as always, very happy to be a part of it,” she said.

Twelve miles west of Grand Cayman is a pristine coral bank that rises from the depths of the Caribbean, but doesn’t break the surface of the water. The top of this isolated kidney-shaped reef formation, often called the 4th Cayman Island, is 90 to 100 feet below the surface, and like the other islands, it features dramatic drop-offs that plunge thousands of feet to the ocean bottom. Depth and distance make the 12-Mile Bank inaccessible to most divers, but Divetech is taking a select group on a dive expedition August 19 -26, 2017.

“Divetech is always looking for new and exciting adventures for our clients,” said General Manager Tony Land, who led the initial exploratory dive trip to the banks last year. “12-mile is unique in that it is remote and seldom explored. Our divers were probably among the first humans to lay eyes on sections of those walls. There aren’t many places you can do that in the world anymore, especially this close to civilization.”

Documenting the expedition will be Curt Bowen, CEO of Advanced Diver Magazine. Bowen is also on the board of the ADM Exploration Foundation, a not for profit organization dedicated to underwater exploration, discovery, and education.

“We support groups with conservation efforts and exploration of the ocean,” said Land, who is thrilled with, and inspired by, the pristine nature of the reef. “The top of the bank is filled with thriving coral heads that rise to 50 feet from the surface and abound with turtles, sharks, reef fish and pelagics, like wahoo and grouper. The area is virtually unexplored!”

Land says other dive operations run occasional trips to the 12-mile bank, but they are confined to the recreational diving depths of 130 feet or shallower. Divetech’s technical dive profiles allow advanced divers to uncharted depths of 250 feet.

Price of Divetech’s Expedition Package to 12 Mile Bank

King Room (single) $3200
Twin Room (share) $2900

Package includes:

• 7 nights’ accommodations at Divetech’s Lighthouse Point Condo
• All Taxes
• Round Trip Airport Transfers
• 5 Boat trips to 12 Mile bank
• Unlimited shore diving at Lighthouse Point
• Gas & Scrubber
• Breakfast each day at VIVO
• Lunch will be served on the boat
• Divetech’s Dine Around option for Evening Meals including farewell BBQ at Lighthouse Point

Condos are based on triple occupancy. This is a rebreather-only trip, and divers must hold a minimum certification of CCR Normoxic Trimix. A minimum of 8 divers is required for the expedition to run. Deposits are fully refundable up until June 1st, 2017.  For inquiries and bookings, please email the Divetech reservations team at info@divetech.com or call 1-877-946-5658.

About Divetech

Divetech is a IANTD Platinum Facility / TDI/SDI Instructor Trainer Facility / PADI 5-Star Resort / PADI TecRec Facility / PADI Project Aware Center / SSI Resort / IANTD & SSI Free Diving Center / BSAC Resort / National Geographic Center/ Scuba Rangers Club / Universal Training Facility / PADI Swim School / DAN Technical Field Research Station with full service dive operator with locations at Lighthouse Point on Northwest Point Road and the Holiday Inn Resort and Suites, both just a few miles north of the hustle and bustle of Seven Mile Beach.  Considered one of Grand Cayman’s leading dive operations, Divetech has been providing quality dive services since 1994. It has earned a reputation as the place to go in Grand Cayman for quality training from kids to trimix with 18 Instructors on staff.

Divetech offers great dive and room packages with a number of Grand Cayman’s hotels, condos and B&B’s with daily complimentary shuttle service for pickup and drop-offs for diving.

For more information visit www.divetech.com

International non-profit organization to retrain veteran combat divers to restore coral and promote conservation; Grand Cayman to be first training site.

Ailing reefs and the warrior spirit – a combination that could be a winning formula for Force Blue, a new non-profit that seeks to help former Special Operations veterans utilize their training and teamwork to preserve the world’s coral reefs. A major fundraising reception in honor of these distinguished veterans and the Force Blue program will be held in Dallas, Texas on Monday, September 26, 2016. The organization’s goal is to introduce its first training class of six veterans at Sunset House Dive Resort in Grand Cayman in early 2017.

“The response to Force Blue has been astounding, and we’re honored to have the support of some very prominent people,” said Sunset House General Manager Keith Sahm who co-found the organization.

Texas real estate magnate and Earth Day Texas founder Trammel S. Crow is hosting the event in Dallas, and the guest list includes some big names from both the veteran and business communities.  Individuals expected to attend the Force Blue fundraiser include (Ret) U.S. Navy SEAL Admiral Ed Winter, (Ret.) USMC General David Garza, former Recon Marine and star of the HBO miniseries Generation Kill, Rudy Reyes, Benghazi survivor Kris “Tanto” Paronto, whose story was told in the film 13 Hours and Chuck Pfarrer, former SEAL Team Six member and author of the NY Times bestseller, SEAL Target Geronimo: The Inside Story of the Mission to Kill Osama Bin Laden.

The idea for Force Blue developed in Grand Cayman last summer during discussions at Sunset House between Sahm, Rudy Reyes and long-time friend Jim Ritterhoff.  The men were diving daily, and Sahm gave them a tour of the resort’s new coral nursery where restoration work is being done. The diving proved therapeutic for Reyes, who himself had been battling with the challenges of civilian life after multiple combat deployments.

“We all know the struggles our veterans, particularly our Special Forces veterans, face coming home after years at war, “said Ritterhoff.  “Our thought was, if we could somehow use diving and marine conservation to give them a positive mission, we could not only help them, but the planet as well.”

“It’s a win, win for everyone,” Sahm echoed.  Not only will Force Blue train these highly-skilled men and women how to help restore damaged reefs, but it will also teach them to be spokespeople for ocean conservation world-wide.”

“We’re giving warriors a cause and a cause its warriors,” said Reyes.

Sunset House will be base for Force Blue in Grand Cayman when the first mission is announced and team members are ready to hit the water. The warriors will be trained in coral restoration by marine science experts and they will help tend the resort’s new coral nursery. Other Cayman dive operators have committed to help with the program, as has the Central Caribbean Marine Institute in Little Cayman. Sahm says ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, who was himself severely wounded in Iraq, has expressed interested in covering the first class at Sunset House.

“Starting out, Cayman just makes the most logistical sense for us,” said Ritterhoff. “We have the contacts and support in Cayman to launch Force Blue in a powerful way.  And Cayman affords us, not only access to one of the world’s healthiest and most vibrant coral reef systems, but access to some of the world’s finest conservation minds as well.”

With the world’s coral reefs under threat by global warming, massive bleaching events, overfishing and pollution, a helping hand from America’s best is needed. The organization’s initial two-week training program will take place entirely in Cayman, but the plan calls for expanding Force Blue’s influence to different destinations around the world and bringing other teams aboard.

These valuable reinforcements are welcomed by Keith Sahm who has been fully involved in the local environmental battle to save Cayman’s reefs from destruction ahead of a planned cruise ship dock in George Town Harbour.

“It’s all about raising awareness and reaching a new audience with a message of conservation and care and our veterans are the perfect ambassadors,” said Sahm who is asking for donations to support Force Blue. “Help us.  Help vets. Help the planet. There is a lot of good that can be done by joining our team.”

The fundraising reception will be held on Monday, September 26 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM in the Pecan Room of the Old Parkland in Dallas, Texas.  For more information about Force Blue or to donate to the organization visit www.forceblueteam.org

About Sunset House

Sunset House/Sunset Divers has been welcoming divers to the Cayman Islands for more than 58 years. It is the only resort in the Cayman Islands, designed by divers, operated by divers, for divers. It’s also the only resort on Grand Cayman that has its own coral reef, with modern and ancient shipwrecks in shallow water right off shore. Underwater visibility on Sunset House’s reef can exceed 200 feet, and a remarkable variety of marine life to be seen there. Our own spectacular 9’ bronze sculpture of the mermaid Amphitrite is one of the most popular shore dive sites in the world.  The resort features 50 guest rooms, including 16 deluxe Oceanview rooms, 2 spacious suites and 3 apartments with full kitchenettes. All rooms are air-conditioned, with phones and private baths. Free Hi-Speed Wireless Internet can be accessed throughout the property and a convenient computer station is located in the lobby. SeaHarvest Restaurant offers full menus for some of the healthiest breakfasts, lunch and dinners around and is famous for its East Indian menu. My Bar a popular hangout for both locals and visitors, has been voted “Best in the Caribbean” by Caribbean Travel and Life and the Best of Cayman.  Sunset House also features an inviting seaside fresh water swimming pool.

Learn more at: http://www.sunsethouse.com

Heavy work completed for Magic Reef Restoration Project; Maintenance Continues to give coral best chance to thrive

Dive volunteers in Grand Cayman are carefully combing a section of restored coral reef in George Town Harbour, scrub brushes in hand, trying to keep reattached coral fragments free of threatening algae to make them more attractive when local corals spawn next month.

Two coral trees with hundreds of growing fragments are still at the restoration site. These fragments must be out-planted in surrounding reef. Photo courtesy Lois Hatcher

“85% of the corals have survived the first year, and they look good,” said Lois Hatcher, co-coordinator of the Magic Reef Restoration Project which began work in September 2014. “But we need to get in there and keep scrubbing the algae away so that during the spawning event, floating gametes can attach themselves to these small corals and grow new coral colonies, fortifying this whole area.”

An experienced coral restoration specialist, Hatcher and a core group of local volunteers, supported by dive operators and the local community, have spent hundreds of hours on the project over the past two years. A fundraiser brought in $28,000 for the project and Carnival Cruise Lines also donated US $100,000 without admitting fault.

Coral fragments reattached to the sea floor are growing and doing well according to Lois Hatcher. Maintenance work includes removing algae growing on them to make sure they remain healthy and able to reproduce during the upcoming coral spawning event.

“The heavy work is done, and now we need to focus on maintenance,” said Hatcher. “Because of warmer water and other things, algae is growing rapidly and covering the coral fragments. We need to clean the algae off before the coral spawning mid-September.”

During coral spawning, corals simultaneously release eggs and sperm to make new life in the water. These fertilized eggs, or gametes, ride the currents until they find a spot to descend and start new coral colonies. The annual event, which happens in the middle of the night, is more predictable these days, so Hatcher says timing is everything during spawning and too much algae can interfere with this reproductive cycle.

Volunteer Divers inspect the Reef Restoration Project in George Town Harbour. The heavy work is done, now maintenance must be kept up. Photo courtesy Lois Hatcher.

“A reef’s ecosystem is well connected and balanced, and when something throws the balance off, its delicate work to restore it,” she said. “Sorting good algae from bad algae to give these corals a better chance for long-term survival is part of that work.”

The world’s coral reefs are under attack by global warming, massive bleaching events, pollution, invasive lionfish and other factors. Hatcher and her small team of volunteers continue to do what they can to restore the balance in this particular ecosystem in the Cayman Islands. For her work with this coral restoration project and the new Cayman Coral Nursery Program, Lois Hatcher, a photo pro with Ocean Frontiers, has received a Stingray Award for Watersports Employee of the Year from the Cayman Islands Tourism Association. Joey Avery who spent many hours working side by side with her underwater at the restoration site says it is well deserved.

“She walks the walk in a world where so many just talk the talk,” said Avery.

The Magic Reef Restoration Project continues to give local divers a chance to get involved with maintenance work at the site, and Lois Hatcher says there are still two coral trees with 100 coral colonies that need to be out-planted. Volunteers are still needed and dive industry leaders say personal involvement is key to conservation.

Lois Hatcher receives her Stingray Award for Watersports Employee of the Year from co-coordinator of the Magic Reef Restoration Project Keith Sahm, Operations Manager at Sunset House. Photo courtesy Cayman Islands Tourism Association.

“It’s great that volunteers, both guests, and locals can go out and help clean the site, it’s a way for them to become invested in Cayman’s marine environment,” said Rod McDowall, Operations Manager for Red Sail Sports. “People who care about something always try to protect it.”

Hillenbrand Purchased a Failing Property on Little Cayman 20 Years Ago and Transformed it into a Beloved Resort

“It was love at first sight. The Southern Cross Club and Little Cayman have been in my heart and on my mind ever since.” Peter Hillenbrand is describing the moment in1981 that changed his life forever. He was on a dive trip to Little Cayman with his father but he began to dream about possibilities. And when the opportunity to buy the resort came up years later, Hillenbrand didn’t hesitate.

Peter Hillenbrand receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award from the Honourable Moses Kirkconnell Cayman Islands Minister for Tourism. Photo courtesy Cayman Islands Tourism Association.

“The Southern Cross Club was a run-down resort when I took over management in May of 1995. And it was a rather huge task to see its potential and put in the work – mentally, physically, and financially – to bring it to what it is today,” he says.

Today the award-winning Southern Cross Club, a rare cocktail of elegance and rusticity described as barefoot elegance, is consistently voted one of the best resorts in the Cayman Islands. It’s stunning location, distinct personality and outstanding service barefoot keep its guests returning year after year, and most of them refer to it as “home.”

For his work and dedication to the Southern Cross Club, Little Cayman and the environment, Peter Hillenbrand, owner of the resort was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Cayman Islands Tourism Association during the annual Stingray Awards gala. Deeply honored by the recognition of his peers in the industry, Hillenbrand says he has not done this alone.

“The Southern Cross Club is the proudest achievement in my life, but it is not for me to take the credit. Without the many people who worked with me and put everything into building the mission and the resort, I would never be receiving this award,” he said.

Known for “barefoot elegance” the Southern Cross Club on Little Cayman enjoys an excellent reputation which owner Peter Hillenbrand has personally helped develop.

Hillenbrand singles out General Manager Jennifer Mills and Neil van Niekerk who have been with the resort for years and have been very instrumental, along with many others, in making the Southern Cross Club the success it is today.

“Pete thoroughly deserves his Lifetime achievement award; we are all extremely pleased for him and proud of him here at Southern Cross Club. He is a great boss, a much-valued friend and someone for whom I have the utmost respect. I congratulate him on this milestone and look forward to what lies ahead.”

As for the success of the Southern Cross Club, Mills says they take their cue from the boss.

“He is a very unique individual; an unusual combination of entrepreneur, high profile business man, environmentalist, conservationist and easy going- fun loving guy. Pete is a motivated, enthusiastic and ambitious person who is very hard working and not afraid to get his hands dirty when necessary. He is passionate about the environment and the tourism industry alike; someone who strives for success but not at the expense of moral reasoning,” she said.

Mills says Hillenbrand also embraces and respects the environment around him, the community in which he lives, and he shows immense generosity and kindness to his neighbors, friends, family and employees.

‘The rare blend of these characteristics, beliefs, and the vision that Pete encompasses are what drive and shape the Southern Cross Club; emanating down the chain of command through management to the Staff and in turn to the Guests,” she said. “Pete has helped create the resort’s personality, its’ “vibe” – making it the very special place that it is.”

Peter Hillenbrand, who is also a board member for the Central Caribbean Marine Institute a research facility based on Little Cayman, is not finished with his dreams for the Southern Cross Club and Little Cayman.

“I look forward to continuing to improve on my product, and to hopefully help guide the direction of Little Cayman’s continued development. There are no accessible places like Little Cayman left in the Caribbean. What she is, and what she means to those of us who love her, is precious beyond compare. It would be devastating to me to see her take a direction other than the laid back tranquility and pristine natural environment that our guests are so in love with.”

About the Southern Cross Club

The casually sophisticated Southern Cross Club Fish & Dive Resort is Little Cayman’s original resort. It features 14 beachfront bungalows complete with a top-rated, professional in-house diving and fishing operation. A unique blend of rusticity and elegance the resort is often described as “Barefoot Luxury”. Little Cayman is renowned for its breath-taking coral reefs and pristine environment, and the Green Globe certified Southern Cross Club sets sustainability standards to protect it. The resort was awarded the 2013 Cayman Islands Tourism Association CEPTS Stingray Award for its exceptionally good stewardship of the environment and its ongoing commitment to preserving it. Guests to the Southern Cross Club can expect friendly and diligent service, delicious award-winning food, inviting rooms with breath-taking views and a comfortable dive boat ― a few of the things that bring them back year after year. The resort’s beach-based location also provides flats fisherman with access to Bonefish and Permit just minutes away.

For reservations or more information:
Telephone: 1 (800) 899-CLUB (2582)
Outside the USA: (619) 563-0017
Website: www.southerncrossclub.com
Facebook:  www.facebook/SouthernCrossClub

The Cayman Islands honored the best of the best in the tourism industry during the annual Stingray Awards gala in June. The awards were created by the Cayman Islands Tourism Association and the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism to reward outstanding work in the industry, and the recognition comes after a busy high season. All year long divemasters, concierges, beach staff, food servers, shop attendants and others do their best to make sure guests have a great time while on vacation in the Cayman Islands.

To reward them for that hard work, hoteliers, dive operators and other tourism related businesses nominate employees for the awards, and the winners are selected by committee. The winners receive a crystal stingray trophy during the celebration which has become a highlight of the year for the tourism industry, a pillar of Cayman’s economy.

Stingray Award Winners included:

· Lois Hatcher, Ocean Frontiers – Watersports Employee of the Year
· Daniel Bond, Red Sail Sports – Watersports Manager of the Year
· Betise Bodden, Sunset House – Accommodation Employee of the Year
· Pat Kenney, Tortuga Divers (Red Sail Group) – Long Service to Tourism Industry

CITA President Ken Hydes received a special Tourism Minister’s Award and owner of the Southern Cross Club on Little Cayman Peter Hillenbrand was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the industry.

“To be honored with a Life Time Achievement Award by the Cayman Islands Tourism Association and my peers in the Cayman tourism industry is an honor beyond compare,” said Hillenbrand. “There are so many people I respect and admire in Cayman’s tourism product that it is a bit humbling for them to single me out for this honor.”

After almost 30 years in the dive industry, Lois Hatcher’s passion is coral restoration. She has been involved in two major reef restoration projects in Cayman and is currently managing Ocean Frontiers’ new coral nursery.

“I feel honored that I was recognized for what we have done here and I emphasize the we,” said Hatcher. “When I came back here three years ago my goal was to get Coral Nurseries started in Cayman. So I guess, and once again there were many people involved, that is my proudest achievement.”

Pat Kenney, recognized as one of the founders of Stingray City, has also been involved in Cayman’s tourism industry for decades. Marine conservation and sustainable tourism is a priority for him, in light of development projects in the works.

“These islands, it’s people and environment have always been an easy “sell” and the main reason visitors come here,” he said. “Destroying our precious reefs and flora/fauna for cruise ships, or another golf course appear to not have the island or its inhabitants in mind.”

Sunset House General Manager Keith Sahm says Cayman’s oldest surviving resort requires a special touch to maintain, just like a classic car. Betise Bodden, recently promoted to Lead Housekeeper overseeing the overall quality and cleanliness of the property, has that special touch.

“Month after month, her work has been consistent while being exposed to the basic elements of our climate. It’s back breaking work without which no resort could remain in demand or maintain its rating on websites like Trip Advisor. We function and succeed due to the efforts of stellar employees like Betise and are proud of her accomplishments,” said Sahm. “Day after day she never complains or misses work and she sets the bar for other employees to follow. We fully appreciate her and thank her deeply for her efforts.”

Cayman’s tourism product is recognized as among the best in the Caribbean for its white sand beaches, clear blue waters, spectacular reefs, awesome marine encounters and accommodations for every budget, but everyone acknowledges that people make the difference.

“Stingray Awards are important because they recognize the passion and enthusiasm people who work in the service industry portray,” said Red Sail Sports Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “It is an opportunity to recognize both the front and back of house staff, the new to the ranks and those who have dedicated a good portion of their lives to tourism. Product in tourism is important, but the people that showcase the product more often than not are the ones that create the vacation memories of visitors.”

As the largest watersports and retail company in the Cayman Islands, Red Sail Sports is also the largest employer with 100+ staff, so it is a notable achievement to consistently be recognized for excellence in service. Red Sail Sports again received the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2016 positive guest reviews on the travel website. The company also received a top rating on Viator.com, a TripAdvisor company used to book tours and activities online. In Grand Cayman, two staffers won prestigious Stingray Awards from the Cayman Islands Tourism Association for a job well done. Daniel Bond won Watersports Manager of the Year and Pat Kenney was recognized for his long service in tourism.

“I have a genuine interest in making sure people have a good time,” says Bond, who manages Red Sail Sport’s fleet and says he goes to work happy every day. “We are all about getting the best experience possible and getting those repeat guests. I really enjoy what I do.”

That’s just what Red Sail Sports Training Manager Beth Hiryok wants to hear. “Guest satisfaction and repeat business – that is what it’s all about!” she said. “Red Sail Sports service standards are emphasized from the start with orientation for new employees.”

Cayman’s largest watersports and retail operator employs divemasters, boat captains, concierges, beach staff, group coordinators, shop attendants and more. They are trained to do their best to make sure guests have a great time while on vacation in the Cayman Islands, and reminded that they are the company’s front line. What they say and do directly affects a guest’s experience with Red Sail Sports and the Cayman Islands.

“We welcome and monitor guest feedback which we regularly receive via TripAdvisor, emails to Management, comment cards, and other input,” said Hiryok. “This guest feedback is then used to guide internal coaching and training initiatives that support our service standards.”

Once on the job, the company’s service standards are reinforced through department training meetings and customer service workshops, and external workshops offered by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. The goal is to keep the customer service satisfaction high and keep them coming back. Judging from guest comments posted on TripAdvisor, it’s working.

“The crew was very professional and we had a great time. At no time did we feel unsafe. I would absolutely dive with them again.” Brian L

“These guys are top notch. Nicest dive boats and the friendliest crews on the island. Was great to be with folks who are as enthusiastic about getting in the water as you are.”  EmilGH New York City, NY

“My wife had not dove in several years and had to take a refresher course. She was a little bit leery about diving to 100 feet on a wall. The captain came down and spoke with her and said that there was no way she was not going to enjoy her trip, and he assigned a dive guide to help her with a shallower 60-foot dive. The divemasters and instructors were very friendly and patient. I was very impressed with all the Red Sail Sports staff that I encountered.”  Trevor H, Napa, CA

“Red Sail Sports is among the best dive services I have used,” KNThompson, Tampa FL

“We booked three different locations with them – Really nice and professional staff,” Alabamabuda

“Excellent Value and Excellent Service,” a guest from Memphis

“Beautiful Trip! Captain Matthew took care of everyone making the time truly memorable!” Trevor P

“This was our third Stingray City tour, but our first with Red Sail Sports. They did not disappoint!”  AorrB, Columbus, OH

Operations Manager Rod McDowall understands how significant it is for customers to be excited enough to share their vacation experience with friends and the online community. Word of mouth referrals are a great pat on the back for everyone at Red Sail Sports.

“This recognition by visitors, residents and peers is a reflection of their personal commitment and training efforts and examples set by their managers and team members. It gives you a great deal of pride when guests take the time and make the effort to send unsolicited comments regarding their experiences with Red Sail Sports and affiliates,” said Operations Manager Rod McDowall.

About Red Sail Sports

Red Sail Sports, a member of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association is a leading resort based dive and watersports operator. Since 1987 it has been setting the standard on Grand Cayman by providing the highest level of guest services. On Seven Mile Beach Red Sail Sports operates locations at the Westin Resort, the Marriott Resort, the Grand Cayman Beach Suites and the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman. At remote East End the company has a watersports shop at Morritt’s Tortuga Club, also offering dive and catamaran services to The Reef Resort. On North Side Red Sail Sports offers watersports activities at the Rum Point Club.  The company offers several dive packages through its affiliation with island hoteliers.

Learn more at: www.redsailcayman.com

]]> https://www.thescubanews.com/2016/07/06/2016-accolades-and-awards-for-red-sail-sports-after-a-busy-tourism-season/feed/ 0 10772 https://www.thescubanews.com/2016/06/14/caymans-coral-nursery-program-launched-with-high-hopes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=caymans-coral-nursery-program-launched-with-high-hopes https://www.thescubanews.com/2016/06/14/caymans-coral-nursery-program-launched-with-high-hopes/#respond Tue, 14 Jun 2016 12:12:07 +0000 http://www.thescubanews.com/?p=10640 Weeks after being set up, coral gardens showing great signs of growth; dive “gardeners” excited about progress After only a few short weeks, hundreds of coral fragments hanging from “trees” [...]]]>

Weeks after being set up, coral gardens showing great signs of growth; dive “gardeners” excited about progress

After only a few short weeks, hundreds of coral fragments hanging from “trees” made of PVC pipe in the shallow waters of Grand Cayman are showing healthy signs of life and attracting fish. Ocean Frontiers, Sunset House and Divetech are gardening coral that will be used to replenish Cayman’s reefs. The Cayman Islands Department of Environment granted the operators permits to set up the coral nurseries and is overseeing their individual programs.

Curious squid checking out hanging coral fragments on the “tree” at Sunset House. Photo courtesy Sunset House.

“So far everything looks great! There has been zero mortality from the collected coral,” says Lois Hatcher who is managing the nursery for Ocean Frontiers. “We are doing weekly maintenance on the site and setting up a report for the Department of Environment. The fragments are being monitored for disease, photographed and measured. They already show visible growth after just a few weeks.”

The coral trees were set up in late April with the help of Sea of Change Foundation, an ocean conservation non-profit that donated money and materials to construct the PVC trees, plus guidance and manpower. Experts from the Coral Restoration Foundation were brought in to help install the trees and train the dive operators in how to manage the nurseries.

Coral fragments are already attracting small fish. Photo courtesy Lois Hatcher, Ocean Frontiers.

“Every year the Foundation picks a project that we believe will make a difference in saving our seas, and this year we picked Cayman’s coral nursery program,” said board member Jerry Beaty. “We’ve seen this method succeed in other places and because Cayman is such a prime dive destination, we want to do what we can to keep it that way.”

Each coral tree, which can hold about 100 coral fragments, is anchored to the sea bottom with rope and can float with the currents, even during storms and hurricanes. The coral fragments feed from the nutrient-rich currents and they grow. Cayman’s nurseries contain fast-growing Staghorn Corals. Nursery tenders clean and maintain the coral trees to find the strongest corals which will then be used to “seed” local reefs.

A hanging coral fragment is a Cayman coral garden. Photo courtesy Lois Hatcher, Ocean Frontiers.

“I was out cleaning the nursery the other day and everything looks very healthy and all of the fragments have already grown over the fishing line that is attaching them to the trees. Very exciting!” says Jo Mikutowicz, Divetech.

“The staghorn has already grown between .5 cm to 2.5 cm based on the 5 cm baseline fragments that were hung. On the Elkhorn it’s great to see the mono that was wrapped around the fragment as they have overgrown already,” said Lois Hatcher.

The Sunset House coral nursery has attracted a small school of curious squid.

“The nursery is doing very well, and there’s also a lot of interest from guests,” says General Manager Keith Sahm. “The trees are strategically placed and depth changeable to accommodate the nursery, and keep it safe from a late season Nor’wester.”

Coral polyps are growing on the coral fragments encouraging conservationists tending the underwater gardens. Photo courtesy Lois Hatcher, Ocean Frontiers

Dive operators, staunch advocates for protection of the marine environment, have always enforced conservation measures to reduce the stress on Cayman’s reefs from divers. The chance now to be directly involved in growing coral to seed and boost the reefs is exciting and fills them with purpose.

“It requires a lot of work on Divetech’s part to maintain the coral trees weekly, to keep algae off of them and keep any predators (snails and fire worms) off the coral,” explains Jo Mikutowicz. “We are very dedicated to this nursery program being a success and will put in all the work that is required to maintain them.”

With coral reefs threatened worldwide from overfishing, rising water temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution and more, Cayman’s operators are excited about the good things that will result from their new coral nurseries.

“It sometimes seems like there is a lot working against coral to stay alive and be healthy these days so it’s nice to finally be able to be proactive in reversing the damage to the reefs and to be able to create new reefs,” said Mikutowicz.

This photo shows how the coral fragment has grown from the baseline measurement that was used to set up the coral trees. Photo courtesy Lois Hatcher, Ocean Frontiers.

“It will be very successful, there is no reason for it not to be,” says a confident Lois Hatcher, who has co-managed the successful coral restoration project in George Town Harbour started a year ago to repair reef damage from a ship anchor.

“At the Carnival Magic site we have out planted already and those are doing well.  Cayman reefs will never be the same as they were 100 years ago or even 20 years ago but we can slow down and maintain the loss which means there is hope. As long as there is hope we need to continue,” she said.

A Proud History focused on ocean conservation, highlighted by the establishment of Grand Cayman’s first and largest coral nursery

Ocean Frontiers located at the Compass Point Dive Resort in Grand Cayman’s East End is celebrating its 20th Anniversary as dive operator this year. Co-owner Steve Broadbelt says there is no better way to mark the occasion than to announce the establishment of their long-anticipated coral nursery, a valuable tool for replenishing reefs at East End. Ocean Frontiers has a long history of conservation and environmental projects and when the Cayman Islands Department of Environment called for proposals, Broadbelt submitted an ambitious plan. The timing was perfect because the coral trees were planted as the world celebrated Earth Day.

“We were thrilled to announce the installation of Grand Cayman’s biggest coral nursery, during Earth Day celebrations because our project has been in the planning process for more than a year. To announce it at a time when we focus on the environment made the occasion even more memorable,” said Mr. Broadbelt. “The goal of our coral nursery is to grow coral fragments of the endangered Staghorn and Elkhorn corals and then out-plant the corals to designated reefs that have shown signs of coral loss or damage.”

Ocean Frontiers has two young Caymanian students involved in its coral nursery project and one of them is Dimitri Myles shown here working on a coral tree.

With a coral restoration program in mind, Broadbelt brought Lois Hatcher on board a few years ago. With considerable experience and training in coral restoration, plus the passion to see it through, Hatcher was the perfect choice to manage it.

“I’m elated that it has finally happened!” says Ms. Hatcher. “The site is five minutes from the dock and I personally will go out whenever I can. I’m training most of the Ocean Frontiers staff on how to maintain the nursery. It is very much my baby, and I’m anxious about it working, like a mother hen fussing over her chicks.”

Broadbelt, Hatcher, and others, including two Caymanian students, spent the spring months doing prep work to set up its nursery. The work involved selecting strong donor coral colonies and monitoring them for potential problems – the goal is to install strong corals in the nursery to increase chances of survival. Materials needed to build the trees had to be collected, and structures assembled. Broadbelt himself installed all the anchors for the trees.

Coral fragments hanging on the trees in Ocean Frontiers’ nursery appear to be thriving in their early days and already attracting sea life. Photo courtesy Lois Hatcher

“The hope is that by out-planting the strong fingerlings grown in our coral nursery they’ll have a better chance of becoming established on the reef,” said Ms. Hatcher. “So far so good. We will be doing weekly maintenance on the site and reporting to the Department of Environment. The fragments will be monitored for disease, photographed and measured. They already show visible growth after only two weeks.

And the coral fragments are already attracting marine life. Ocean Frontiers is starting with 10 coral trees but expanding to 60 in time. Managing the largest coral nursery in Grand Cayman, reflects Ocean Frontiers’ commitment to being a good steward of Cayman’s marine environment, from the first day it opened for business in February 1996. Broadbelt and co-owner Maurice “Mo” Fitzgerald always observe and promote ocean conservation, garnering recognition through the years.

Eco Milestones for Ocean Frontiers and Compass Point Resort

• Green Globe Certification for Compass Point in 2010
• Project AWARE’s Environmental Achievement Award in 2004 and 2010
• Governor’s Environmental Award for Tourism in 2014 for Compass Point
• PADI Green Star Dive Center Award for Ocean Frontiers
• Green Leader Recognition by TripAdvisor travel dive site

Current Ocean Frontiers Conservation Projects

• Invasive Lionfish Culling
• Coral Bleaching Monitoring & Temperature Data Collection Project
• Turtle Release Program Sponsor
• Teens4Oceans & Ocean Classrooms Sponsor
• Cayman Sea Sense – Shark Conservation and Tagging Project
• Green Shorts Challenge – program aimed at distributing diver load evenly at East End
• Coral Spawning – Ongoing documentation and data collection on annual event

“Before we began operating the great dive sites of East End were largely unavailable to divers staying in the Seven Mile Beach area, so we saw an opportunity to attract people by offering a free shuttle to our dive site. Demand skyrocketed and Ocean Frontiers launched into its successful first year.”

Another coral fragment that is attracting small fish. Photo courtesy Lois Hatcher

The founders focused on customer service and the industry’s leading edge. Ocean Frontiers was among the first Cayman operators to use nitrox. Because of a busy dive schedule, nitrox was introduced as a safety measure for dive staff. With time, Nitrox was accepted industry-wide, and customer demand went up. Ocean Frontiers became one of the few dive operations on Grand Cayman that offered Nitrox to customers. Customer satisfaction led to Ocean Frontiers being voted ‘World’s Best Dive Operator’ by the readers of Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine in their 1998 Readers’ Choice Awards.

“This was significant and it boosted our reputation and attracted more business to Ocean Frontiers,” said Steve Broadbelt.

Other milestones in the company’s growth:

• Grand Opening: A new state of the art dive facility with boat dock, retail shop, dive school and training pool, opened in 2000 not far from the original site where Ocean Frontiers began doing business in 1996. This introduced a new standard in luxury for divers and was a strong departure from dive shacks around East End that divers had been accustomed to.

• Shark Diving Program: In 2001 Ocean Frontiers introduced Cayman’s first and only Shark diving program with a classroom session on shark biology and conservation and a dive where divers experience as many as 8 to 16 Reef sharks up close. At the same time research was conducted with science partners such as the Guy Harvey Research Institute and Mote Marine Laboratory, but despite an immaculate safety record and a well-run program, the local government decided to ban shark diving in Cayman.

• Coral Spawning Dive: In 2002, Dr. Alex Mustard and Steve Broadbelt successfully observed and documented the annual coral spawning for the first time on record in the Cayman Islands. For the last 13 years Ocean Frontiers has been sharing this discovery and formula for calculating the spawning events every September and bringing this rare event in to the eyes of anyone that can dive and is not afraid of the dark.

• Public Moorings: Ocean Frontiers has helped the Cayman Islands Department of Environment increase public moorings from 10 to 40+ to open pristine dive sites in the East End.

• Eagle Rays Bar & Grill: Much anticipated by customers and staff, the dockside bar & grill opened for business in 2013 offering lunch, dinner and bar service. Eagle Rays features themed nights during the week, such as a ‘Divers Night’ every Tuesday with an island buffet and dive movies and photos of the week.

“Looking back over the last 20 years, there has been a common theme to our success – what is good for the environment is good for our business,” says Steve Broadbelt. “We started out as a very small dive shop with one boat, very few staff and big dreams. Even though we have grown little by little, we will always be a ‘first name basis’ place that retains a personal touch with outstanding service. 20 years later the picture is complete as a dedicated dive resort offering ‘roll out of bed and on to the dive boat’ convenience.”

About Ocean Frontiers and Compass Point Dive Resort

Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop is located at Compass Point Dive Resort on the remote East End of Grand Cayman. Founded in 1996 with one dive boat and a dream to introduce divers to the wonders of East End diving, the company has grown into one of Cayman’s premier dive operations with a reputation for catering to small groups and having the island’s friendliest staff. Ocean Frontiers is also recognized as one of the most conservation-minded dive operators in the Cayman Islands with a long history of promoting ocean protection through its company programs, and an unwavering support for outside environmental projects. The winner of Project AWARE’s Environmental Achievement Award in 2004 and 2010, Ocean Frontiers has again been recognized in 2012. The company also received the PADI Green Star Dive Center accreditation in 2012 for demonstrating a dedication to conservation, the first dive operator in the Cayman Islands to receive this distinction.

The Compass Point Dive Resort, which received the Green Globe Certification award in 2010 for sustainable tourism, is the epitome of laidback luxury. It features 28 luxurious one, two and three-bedroom oceanfront, ocean view and poolside condominiums, each with its own private patio or balcony and all beautifully decorated with stylish island décor, and fully equipped with all of the comforts of home. Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar and Grill is now open for business at the resort.

For more information:
Website: www.oceanfrontiers.com.
Facebook.com/caymanscubadiving
Twitter.com/oceanfrontiers

Dive Industry leaders say it is a 365-day commitment to keep Cayman’s environment a major tourist attraction that draws visitors from around the world

The beaches, roads and reefs of the Cayman Islands have been tidied up just in time for the summer tourism season thanks to hundreds of volunteers who helped with the annual Earth Day cleanup April 16. Eager to help, Red Sail Sports employees accompanied by Operations Manager Rod McDowall, rose early that day to pick up trash in the Safehaven area where the company docks its Catamarans and dive boats. After they collected bags of trash, the volunteers put in a full day of work at the beach or on the catamarans.

Red Sail Sports spreading the word about Earth Day during the “Shake your tin for Nature” event to benefit the National Trust of the Cayman Islands.

“Everybody had laugh, especially at some of the items we found,” said Gary Chernowski one of the company’s watersports managers. “We found all sorts of stuff from fast food wrappers, beer and soda cans/bottles to car parts and rusty old shopping trolleys.”

Hundreds of volunteers collected tons of trash across the island that day. Earth Day is recognized across the world as the day to focus on protecting the environment; something Cayman’s dive operators do all year round. In honor of Earth Day celebrations Divetech offered free tanks and weights for divers willing to help clean up near shore reefs. Divetech also offered a free dive trip to divers willing to participate in a fish count at the Kittiwake Wreck for on-going conservation studies. Red Sail Sports offered a free dive trip for volunteer divers who participated in a Lionfish cull.

Caymanian student Dimitri Myles hanging coral fragments on a coral tree at Ocean Frontier’s new coral garden, announced during Earth Day celebrations.

“The local dive industry operates regular Lionfish culls every month to try and keep the Lionfish population down, this is something we are committed to as a community because it affects the whole dive tourism industry of the Cayman Islands,” said Red Sail Sports Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “We are all in this together and we fight together to protect our reefs.”

Red Sail Sports staff cleaned up the Safehaven area and collected bags of trash during the annual Earth Day Cleanup.

In honor of Earth Day Ocean Frontiers also announced the installation of Grand Cayman’s biggest coral nursery in the East End of the island near the dive shop.

“We are thrilled because our coral nursery has been in the planning process for more than a year and to announce this during Earth Day celebrations makes the occasion even more memorable,” said co-owner Steve Broadbelt. “The goal of our coral nursery is to grow coral fragments of the endangered Staghorn and Elkhorn corals and then out-plant the corals to designated reefs that have shown signs of coral loss or damage.”

Many unusual things were collected during the Safehaven cleanup – including grocery carts.

The Cayman Islands Department of Environment is working with Ocean Frontiers and other local operators in coral garden projects.  Divetech and Red Sail Sports also participate in educational programs year round to teach island schoolchildren about conservation. The Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman is a long-time partner in an important research program to protect the endangered Nassau Grouper. All the dive operators heavily promote conservation in pre-dive briefings and encourage guests to be careful while observing reefs and the creatures that live there. Trash is also a problem; discarded bottles, cans, fishing line, weights and other garbage end up on fragile reefs, causing problems for the marine life.

“We’ve seen octopus and other sea life actually make their homes in discarded bottles and cans, and that’s something to keep in mind when we do reef cleanups,” said Keith Sahm, Sunset House General Manager and Co-Founder of SaveCayman.org. “Let’s let them find an appropriate natural habitat to hide and not in an empty beer bottles carelessly tossed overboard. Earth Day needs to be on everyone’s mind 365 days a year and you can help by simply picking up after yourself.”

Divetech collected bucketfuls of Lionfish during their Earth Day Lionfish cull.

With an eye to a sustainable future Sahm attended Earth Day Texas, the world’s largest annual forum for sharing conservation initiatives, discoveries, research, innovations, policies, products, and more. He says everyone can play a big role in creating awareness and action to protect the environment, and it is up to us to work together to build a more sustainable future.

Everyone agrees keeping Cayman’s natural environment clean and healthy is good for tourism. The cleanup was done just before one of Grand Cayman’s most popular summer dive attractions – the annual migration of millions of silversides that fill island’s near shore reefs during June, July and August. Dive sites like Devil’s Grotto, Eden Rock and now even the Kittiwake Wreck become sites of Cayman’s famed “Silver Rush” – tarpon feasting on the swarms of tiny silver fish.

Going ‘Back to Nature’ for Earth Day is also a good reminder for everyone that turtle nesting season is approaching. Trash-free beaches enable turtles to find good nesting sites and increase the chances of hatchlings surviving.

Another 11 Red Sail Sports volunteers participated in the ‘Shake Your Tin For Nature’ campaign to help raise awareness and collect money for the National Trust of the Cayman Islands environmental and education programs.  They were among 300 volunteers placed in high-traffic areas with banners and signs to remind commuters of the importance of Earth Day.

Under the mentorship of Cayman’s dive operators young Caymanians are motivated to protect the environment every day.

As Earth Day activities are being planned in the Cayman Islands, 24-year-old Gabriella Hernandez is involved in meetings with the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, the National Trust of the Cayman Islands and other organizations. An active member of Save Cayman, a non-profit geared to sustainable tourism, Hernandez is advocating for focus on protecting Cayman’s reefs and teaching students about sustainability.

24 year old Gabriella Gisele Hernandez enjoying the natural environment she fights to protect.

“I try to be involved with local initiatives and I work with other people and groups to advance sustainability − volunteering, speaking with students, writing educational and critical pieces, blogging, organizing events, taking part in community initiatives and sitting on the charity board at my company,” she says. “I studied law and am doing my masters in public policy and management so I can approach problems from an informed position. There are options for people to get involved and effect even a small amount of change in their every day lives.”

Hernandez is part of a core group of young Caymanians and island residents focused on sustainability, and Save Cayman (www.SaveCayman.org) has given them a platform. A grassroots organization, Save Cayman sprang up in protest to a government approved cruise berthing facility in George Town, but its broader mission is sustainable tourism.

Coral heads in George Town Harbour, at risk because of a proposed cruise ship dock. Young Caymanians have joined the move to save them. Photo Courtesy Courtney Platt.

“These young Caymanians have helped organize events, provided energy for the cause, and have helped get the message out via social media,” said Keith Sahm, General Manager of Sunset House and one of the founders of Save Cayman. “They need to be involved – it’s their future at stake.”

Cayman’s dive operators make it a priority to work with local schools throughout the year on programs aimed at educating students about conservation.

SaveCayman.org has given a group of Cayman’s young people a platform to promote their message of sustainability. Photo courtesy Courtney Platt.

“We try to expose kids to the marine environment every chance we get to show them what’s underneath the water, so they can learn to appreciate it,” says Red Sail Sports Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “As they say ‘out of sight out of mind’ so we try to remedy that by taking kids out on our Catamarans and dive boats as often as we can to get them in the water.”

“We especially need young people as they seem to understand that ecosystems are quite literally the life-support systems that enable humanity to thrive (fresh air, clean water, pollination of crops etc.),” said Alistair Yeomans, who is an advisor to Save Cayman,

Gabriella Hernandez is actively involved in Earth Day activities in the Cayman Islands, promoting a tree planting event.

“This is in part due to advances in school curricula (certainly in the UK) embracing the concept of sustainability.”

Yeomans works for an environmental organization and is a research associate at the University of Oxford with a strong interest in evidence-based policy making and environmental governance. He got involved after hearing about the proposed berthing facility prepared documents for Save Cayman. Yeomans says humans view the world in two ways: (1) humans are superior to all other species and Earth provides unlimited resources for humans (2) humans represent one among many species on Earth; that human activities are determined by the environment as well as by social and cultural factors, and that humans are strongly dependent upon the environment and its resources.

“The first is old school thinking and clearly not the case − many politicians and corporations still view the world through this lens,” he says. “I believe young people are more likely to get the second view as it is logical and time dictates that the consequences of short-term unsustainable actions can negatively effect people in the long-term. There are many examples the most prominent global issue being climate change.”

This message is loud and clear to the young people carrying the Save Cayman banner into 2016, and as they watch other island nations balance economic diversification with responsible usage of limited natural resources.

“In the Pacific there are island chains focusing on a ‘Green and Blue’ economic model, in which sustainable utilization of aquatic resources are ensuring their population’s economic well being,” says Rory McDonough, another young Caymanian involved in sustainability. “The Seychelles serve as an example of such a drive, with stringent marine controls and a commitment to the preservation of the marine life in their waters.”

McDonough says communication with other island nations, including Cayman’s Caribbean neighbors, and sharing research that can be used to educate the next generation will strengthen Cayman in the future.

“Increased community involvement in local food production and domestic renewable energy production will enable avenues for Caymanian employment to be opened as well as a national reduction of reliance on imported food supplies and fossil fuels,” he said.

“I believe that Cayman will have no choice but to embrace sustainability,” says Gabriella Hernandez. “We need a vision and to develop a national plan in which government officials are obliged to commit regardless of their party affiliations. A serious commitment to renewable energy, intelligent land use, increased protections for our natural resources, and a heavier investment in education so that young Caymanians can compete in a diversified and globalized economy.”

Hernandez and McDonough both say government needs to take a more active role in sustainability, and that without collaboration on all fronts, Cayman will fail to ensure that present and future generations can create a living in their homeland.

“Cayman is a small place and community willpower is a powerful force for change,” says Gabriella.

5th Luxury Catamaran added to fleet to enhance Your Cayman Family Dive Vacation; Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin’ Snorkel Adventure Announced

The Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin’ adventure includes snorkeling at some of Grand Cayman’s spectacular shallow reefs.

Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman announces the addition of the Spirit of the Islands, a luxury 65-foot Catamaran equipped with an onboard grill and water slide that will add to its family fun tours on the water. As the on-site dive and watersports operator at most of Grand Cayman’s top hotels, Red Sail Sports aims to be family friendly. All company dive packages include a free sunset sail, so the luxury Catamaran experience is already a part of all customer vacations. The new Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin’ tour on the Spirit of the Islands is the perfect way for the whole family to enjoy Cayman’s crystal clear water and marine environment.

The new boat features an onboard grill for hot meals after topside watersports fun.

“Many of our guests spend the morning on the dive boat and they then want spend time with family members that don’t dive, and this is a brand new and exciting way to get them out on the water together to have fun,” said Dive Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “We expect it to be a big hit with guests who can now enjoy a fresh grilled lunch after working up a good appetite snorkeling, swimming and using the slide.”

The Catamaran’s waterslide offers a new way to enjoy Cayman’s waters even more! For for the whole family.

The Spirit of the Islands was built in St. Croix by Gold Coast Yachts, the same outfit that built the other four vessels for Red Sail Sports. It was designed with the same attention to detail − spacious, comfortable and stable – but the grill and water slide were added. A crew of five, including Red Sail Sports Captain Dan Bond, sailed the catamaran on a five-day journey from St. Croix to Grand Cayman, cruising by Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. While the catamaran was going through the licensing and inspection process in Grand Cayman, Red Sail Sports employees held a contest to name the new tour. There were over 30 entries from staff but Michael Lawday of the Sales Department came up with the winning entry and the new tour was named “Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin”.

A delicious lunch will be extra tasty after working up a good appetite snorkeling and playing in Cayman’s beautiful waters.

The Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin adventure offers a new Catamaran experience for the whole family. Guests take in the sights of one of the world’s most beautiful beaches while sailing to snorkel sites on shallow reefs. While customers are snorkeling, swimming or sliding down the slide, the Chef is grillin’ a delicious late lunch. Grilled items include spare ribs, local fish tacos or beef burgers, accompanied by the usual sides, green salad, potato salad or pasta salad. A cookie or brownie tops off the meal.

After working up an appetite, the chef serves up a freshly grilled meal with traditional side dishes.

SWIMMIN’, CHILLIN, & GRILLIN

Trip Duration: 3 hours
Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The Spirit of the Islands departs from the beach at The Westin Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa and then The Grand Cayman Beach Suites, both located along Seven Mile Beach.  The new tour can booked online at www.redsailcayman.com.

After swimming, snorkeling and eating, the bar is open for some chillin’!

Red Sail Sports also offers a number of other adventures for the whole family―glass-bottom boat trips to the Stingray Sandbar, Catamaran snorkel trips, sunset sails and dinner sails, scuba diving, windsurfing, kayaking and more.  At East End call the watersports shop at Morritt’s Tortuga Club at 947-2097 and it offers dive and catamaran services. To reach the Red Sail Sports shop at Rum Point Club on the North Side call 947-9203. For more information, call the Red Sail Sports main office at (345) 623-5965, e-mail: info@redsailcayman.com or visit www.redsailcayman.com.

The Spirit of the Islands is the 5th luxury catamaran in the Red Sail Sports fleet. It conveniently pulls up to Seven Mile Beach to load and unload customers.

About Red Sail Sports

Red Sail Sports, a member of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association is a leading resort based dive and watersports operator. Since 1987 it has been setting the standard on Grand Cayman by providing the highest level of guest services. On Seven Mile Beach Red Sail Sports operates locations at the Westin Resort, the Marriott Resort, the Grand Cayman Beach Suites and the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman. At remote East End the company has a watersports shop at Morritt’s Tortuga Club, also offering dive and catamaran services to The Reef Resort. On North Side Red Sail Sports offers watersports activities at the Rum Point Club.  The company offers several dive packages through its affiliation with island hoteliers.

For more information
Call toll free: (877) 506-6368
On Grand Cayman: (345) 623-5965
Web: www.redsailcayman.com

Dive Website: www.diveredsailcayman.com
Facebook: www.facebook/redsailcayman
Twitter: @redsailcayman

This Small Resort on Little Cayman Measures Up to the Biggest Properties Across Caribbean When it Comes to Service.

On an island with the population of only 170 residents, the Southern Cross Club with only 14 beach bungalows, stands tall against some of the largest resorts in the Caribbean, according to the travel website TripAdvisor. The resort has been ranked 10th among the top 25 hotels in the Caribbean for “service” in TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards 2016, eclipsing big resorts in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Barbados and other popular destinations in the region.

A private view of paradise at the Southern Cross Club on Little Cayman. Photo courtesy Southern Cross Club.

“With only 14 beach bungalows, the Southern Cross Club is a small resort − this is intentional and we like it like that,” said owner Peter Hillenbrand. “We do not get the recognition of the larger properties because we don’t have the advertising budget that buys these larger properties the recognition. So to be recognized as the best-of-the-best by Trip Advisor’s Travelers Choice Award 2016 is a tremendous honor and a great recognition of the truly remarkable work of Southern Cross Club’s exemplary staff, and our outstanding product.”

For the past 14 years TripAdvisor has been naming winners based on guest reviews collected in a single year, recognizing properties for service, quality and value. The top ranking for service at the Southern Cross Club is a direct result of guests posting reviews following a great experience. Listed here are just a few.

Little Cayman is recognized widely as a world-class dive destination and the dive staff at the Southern Cross Club know the dive sites and their residents well. Photo courtesy Southern Cross Club.

“One of the best Dive Properties! We just returned from our fifth visit in four years to Southern Cross Club. It is hard to find a way to say just how great a place SCC is.”

“SCC – best ever!”

“The food – absolutely glorious! Beef wellington and lobster dinner for Valentines Day.”

“Best ever getaway!”

“The best part of the Southern Cross Club is their amazing staff…starting with Laura, Jen, Chris, Mark, Shirley, and a cast of guest friendly all-stars.”

“This is validation of the hard work put in every day by our terrific staff to make our guest’s stay at the Southern Cross Club unforgettable,” said General Manager Jennifer Mills. “From Chef Anu and his culinary team, to our dive staff and other resort personnel, everyone puts in 100%, and that keeps our visitor’s coming back again and again.”

In a written statement TripAdvisor Chief Marketing Officer Barbara Messing said, “Travelers considering their next trip can book confidently selecting from these award-winners that have already delighted millions of members of the TripAdvisor community.”

Little Cayman is an island paradise and the Southern Cross Club is the play to be for that perfect vacation. Photo courtesy Southern Cross Club.

About the Southern Cross Club

The casually sophisticated Southern Cross Club Fish & Dive Resort is Little Cayman’s original resort. It features 12 beachfront bungalows complete with a top-rated, professional in-house diving and fishing operation. A unique blend of rusticity and elegance the resort is often described as “Barefoot Luxury”. Guests can expect friendly and diligent service, delicious food, inviting rooms with breath-taking views and a comfortable dive boat ― a few of the things that bring them back year after year. Little Cayman is renowned for its breath-taking and pristine coral reefs and spectacular dive adventures. The resort’s beach-based location also provides flats fisherman with access to Bonefish and Permit just minutes away.

Learn more at:
Website: www.southerncrossclub.com
Facebook:  www.facebook/SouthernCrossClub

Since her sinking five years ago, a great number of divers have explored the Kittiwake Wreck, one of Grand Cayman’s hottest dive sites, but none with the personal connection of Kelly Stuart who dove the wreck in December. Stuart served as a salvage diver on the USS Kittiwake when she was in active service during the ‘70’s. The former serviceman made a dive on his old ship on his 60th birthday.

The Kittiwake Shipwreck sits in the clear shallow water off Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. She has become one of Cayman’s most popular dive and snorkel sites.

“When I first entered the water I could not see her. As we descended, this dark mass started to take shape, and once I made out the ship, I felt a great sense of nostalgia,” said Stuart, who was hosted by Joanna Mikutowicz owner of Divetech.

“The first thing I did was reach out and touch the gunnel rail, and thought, ‘what a Birthday gift!” he said. Going through the wreck Stuart swam down memory lane – seeing his reflection again on a familiar bathroom mirror; touching the recompression chamber and dive bell that were once his domain; and being in the wheelhouse again.

“It was a bit ghostly, but I felt a real sense of accomplishment and pride having been a diver on board her,” he said.

“Shipwrecks are monuments to the sailors who served on them in their glory days, now silent reminders of our seafaring heritage, and of Mother Nature and her occasional wrath,” says Nancy Easterbrook, of Divetech.

The Capt. Keith Tibbetts will be marking 20 years as a dive site on Cayman Brac. The old Russian frigate is now coral-encrusted and home to all kinds of marine life. Photo courtesy Divetech.

This year Cayman is celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Kittiwake and the 20th anniversary of another iconic shipwreck, the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts in Cayman Brac, acknowledging their special places in the exemplary dive product of the Cayman Islands.

“The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) is honoured to celebrate this significant milestone with our partners in the dive community,” said Mrs. Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism. “The continued health of our marine environment at these unique wreck dive sites are a top priority in order to deliver a quality underwater experience.”

Both wrecks attract divers from across the world. The Capt. Keith Tibbetts is a 330-foot-long Russian frigate once used in Cuba, and now a coral-encrusted shipwreck covered with sponges, and home to all kinds of marine creatures. With depths that range from 30 feet near surface to100 feet at the seafloor, this multi level wreck challenges divers of all skill levels.

Kelly Stuart in the wheelhouse of the Kittiwake wreck. Cayman is celebrating the anniversaries of the Kittiwake and the Capt. Keith Tibbetts this year. Both sites draw divers from across the world. Photo courtesy Divetech.

Five years after it was intentionally sunk off Seven Mile Beach, the Kittiwake is one of Grand Cayman’s most popular dive sites. The wreck dive has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award from the travel website for great customer reviews. 64 feet deep at the bottom and 15 feet from the surface and now teeming with life, travelers say the Kittiwake dive is easy for beginners, but also challenging for experienced divers who choose to explore the ship’s many levels.

Kelly Stuart spent an hour diving his old ship, and as an experienced Navy diver, he’s impressed with the wreck.

“The Kittiwake is the perfect size ship to dive on because it has lots of escape areas so it is very safe for anyone. Even more exciting was to see how the fish and other animals were already using her as a living reef,” he said.

Dive industry leaders who worked hard to bring the Kittiwake to Cayman are proud to see that five years after her sinking, the wreck is living up to expectations.

Kelly Stuart diving familiar sites aboard his old ship the USS Kittiwake. Photo courtesy Divetech.

“The Kittiwake is well known as a new wreck dive in the Caribbean and it draws people to Cayman,” says Red Sail Sports Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “The wreck adds so much to our diving − it offers diversity and rounds out the whole Cayman diving experience. It’s a big, spectacular wreck in clear, shallow water, and the Kittiwake’s got a lot of marine life now living in it. The process of creating an artificial reef has started, there are corals and sponges growing there.”

Cayman has10 named shipwrecks; some wrecked by natural causes and others, like the Kittiwake and the Capt. Tibbetts, sunk intentionally to create artificial reefs. All contribute to Cayman’s maritime history and marine environment, bringing with them the mysteries and history this is compelling to divers worldwide.

“I dove many sunken ships during my Navy diving career and each time I entered a ship I thought about the sailors who walked the passages and decks,” says Kelly Stuart. “I know first hand what its like to live and work on a ship, so I could almost feel a ghostly presence of the people who served on her. I think that’s the compelling force that excites divers to dive shipwrecks. It’s not a scary feeling, but you get a keen sense of history and nostalgia every time you do it.”

A group of divers enjoying a photo op on the USS Kittiwake in Grand Cayman. Five years after its sinking the shipwreck is a very popular dive and snorkel site.

“Undoubtedly, diving in the Cayman Islands is recognised year over year as being the best in the Caribbean, and the wrecks add to the diverse dive offerings our destination provides.  As a pioneer, the importance of diving to the Cayman Islands is paramount to the visitor experience and the CIDOT will continue to promote the sport of scuba diving as an integral part of our strategic marketing focus for the destination,” said Mrs. Harris.

Kelly Stuart plans to return soon to make another dive on the Kittiwake. “It should be on top of the list for any experienced diver. It’s a dive you will not forget!”

Red Sail Sports and Divetech are both running anniversary dive specials to mark the celebration this year.

Red Sail Sports: WRECK ANNIVERSARY PACKAGE

Divetech: KITTIWAKE 5TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

On an island paradise famous for superb diving and excellent fishing, the Southern Cross Club has added kitesurfing, one of the world’s newest and most exciting eco-friendly watersports. The resort has acquired Lost Boys Kitesurfing, an operation known for top kitesurfing services on Little Cayman. Kitesurfing is a non-motorized sport that harnesses the wind through a large parachute-type kite to move a rider across the water on a small surfboard. With prevailing winds and a shallow lagoon of turquoise water, there is no better place to learn to kitesurf than the Southern Cross Club.

“All the teaching is done in the lagoon in front of the resort where the water is shallow and calm with a sandy bottom,” says Mark DeBeer kitesurfing instructor at the resort. “We always have a ‘clean wind’ which means its coming in fresh from the sea – no rambling over mountains, trees or land. This makes it very steady – really good conditions for beginners.”

Kitesurfing pros and experienced athletes jump 50 or 60 feet through the air to cover a lot of water with breathtaking speed – but DeBeer says kitesurfing is easier than it looks. The rider wears a harness that takes the brunt of the wind force, leaving arms free to easily guide the kite.

“You don’t have to be strong – absolutely anyone can do it,” he says. “Being comfortable in the water is the main thing when learning to kite surf – being relaxed.”

The only kitesurfing instructor on the island, Mark DeBeer is excited about teaching visitors and locals how to enjoy the warm, crystal clear water of Little Cayman in a totally new and exciting way that doesn’t disturb the peace and quiet that the island is known for.

“At the Southern Cross Club we pride ourselves on being a conservative-minded resort, and adding kitesurfing, an eco-friendly sport, is another way our guests can enjoy the natural beauty of Little Cayman,” said General Manager Jennifer Mills.

The beginner’s course takes students through the basics: staying safe, kite control, water-starts and understanding the weather. Novice kitesurfers can then develop and enjoy their newfound skills through Supervised Sessions, the Trick Academy and Pontoon/Boat Days. These sessions can be repeated when a core course is completed. Mark DeBeer’s students range from 12 years old to 83. One of his most enthusiastic is 83-year-old John Raney of New York City, a frequent visitor to the Southern Cross Club.

“He’s an amazing guy! John’s control is awesome and he has a lot of fun doing this. This has taught me that people who are active, stay active their whole lives,” he said.

The Southern Cross Club/Lost Boys KiteSurfing shop offers beginner, intermediate and independent kitesurfing lessons, and the shop carries all equipment needed. For the adventurous, DeBeer says advanced jump and trick KiteSurfing lessons are available.

To find out more about Southern Cross Club/Lost Boys Kitesurfing call toll free: 1-800-899-2582. Outside U.S. call (619) 563-0017 or visit www.southerncrossclub.com

About the Southern Cross Club

The casually sophisticated Southern Cross Club Fish & Dive Resort is Little Cayman’s original resort. It features 14 beachfront bungalows complete with a top-rated, professional in-house diving and fishing operation. A unique blend of rusticity and elegance the resort is often described as “Barefoot Luxury”.  Little Cayman is renowned for its breath-taking coral reefs and pristine environment, and the Green Globe certified Southern Cross Club sets sustainability standards to protect it. The resort was awarded the 2013 Cayman Islands Tourism Association CEPTS Stingray Award for its exceptionally good stewardship of the environment and its ongoing commitment to preserving it. Guests to the Southern Cross Club can expect friendly and diligent service, delicious award-winning food, inviting rooms with breath-taking views and a comfortable dive boat ― a few of the things that bring them back year after year. The resort’s beach-based location also provides flats fisherman with access to Bonefish and Permit just minutes away.

For reservations or more information:

Telephone: 1 (800) 899-CLUB (2582)

Outside the USA: (619) 563-0017

Website: www.southerncrossclub.com

Facebook:  www.facebook/SouthernCrossClub

Grand Cayman is celebrating the 5th anniversary of the USS Kittiwake wreck in January, easily one of Grand Cayman’s most popular dive sites, and Red Sail Sports is extending the festivities to customers with a $200 savings on a special anniversary dive package. The wreck sits upright and intact in the sand and clear water off Seven Mile Beach at a depth easily accessible to both recreational divers and snorkelers. Visitors enjoy safe swim-throughs and the marine creatures that have moved in − making it a fascinating experience for divers of all skill levels.

Red Sail Sports’ Wreck Anniversary Package invites customers to experience the Kittiwake with great discounts and extras that only the island’s premier resort operator can offer. For only US $565 a guest can enjoy 5 days of diving, and additional two-tank dives for only $102 a day.

Convenient and easy beach loading, a short ride to the dive site aboard spacious and comfortable dive boats, and you are experiencing the customer service Red Sail Sports has built its reputation on.

Available from Jan 3 – June 30, 2016 the Anniversary Package includes:

• Daily 2-tank dives, including one on the Kittiwake
• Kittiwake “5th Anniversary” Medallion
• Wreck Night Dive (operating on Tuesday, which can be substituted for a reef night dive on Thursdays)
• 50% off 1-tank afternoon dive
• FREE Sunset Sail
• FREE 12L Aqualung Defense Dry Bag

The Kittiwake is on the West Side of Grand Cayman and transportation is not provided, so customers staying in the East End of Grand Cayman will have a 50-60 minute drive to the departure point for the Kittiwake dive. In order to take advantage of this package, divers must pre-booked and pre-paid prior to arrival on island.

“We launched this package at the Dive Equipment Manufacturers Association (DEMA) convention in Orlando earlier this month and got great response from the dive travel industry,” says Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “The Kittiwake has earned a reputation as an outstanding wreck dive, and rightly so, because it offers an incredible experience for divers of all levels and ability. Even snorkelers can enjoy the parts in shallow water. We want everyone to come celebrate and they can book directly with us!”

The booking process is about to become easier too as Red Sail Sports has recently undertaken a massive upgrade to its reservation management system.  The custom-built system called ResQwest, will move into its next phase in the coming months by rolling out a new user interface which will make the online booking process even easier.

“Our guests were having problems making reservations online, especially with larger and more complicated reservations such as booking multiple activities or a multi-day dive package,” says Sarah-Jane Harlan, Sales and Marketing. “We have upgraded our internal booking engine, and now it is time to roll it out a simplified reservation process to the public.  We hope our guests enjoy a faster online booking experience in the coming months.”

 To book the Kittiwake Anniversary Dive Package call toll free 1-877-506-6368 or visit www.diveredsailcayman.com

Dive Operators Introduce new travel packages and services. Local dive industry optimistic about 2016 with more flights and rooms added to Cayman market.

As it does every year, the Cayman Islands had a good presence at the annual Dive Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) convention, this year held in Orlando, FL November 4 – 7, 2015. The recognized birthplace of recreational diving in the Caribbean is home to a progressive dive industry that prides itself in helping set the standard for the dive industry world-wide. The three islands, with crystal clear water, spectacular reefs and abundant marine life, feature some of best diving in the world − each island offering different experiences to divers of all skill levels. Cayman dive leaders aggressively work together to keep the Cayman dive product fresh, and their efforts pay off with numerous awards for Best Overall Dive Destination in the Caribbean and Atlantic.

Scuba Diving legends gathered at the Cayman pavilion to greet the public at the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame booth.

DEMA is the place to introduce new products and book business for the new year, and the dive travel industry is set to scoop up deals and special offers from world-wide destinations.

“It was an exciting DEMA for Divetech, with our new dive and room package offerings, we were very interested to see how the trade received the options and were very pleasantly surprised!” said Joanna Mikutowicz, Divetech Managing Partner. “It was great to meet new dive shops, plus reconnect with manufactures training agencies, and connect with old friends. We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead, the new sea pool at Lighthouse Point is already being discovered by many.”

The Ocean Frontiers team, including co-owner Steve Broadbelt, promoting a new breakfast service at the Compass Point Dive Resort in their bacon and eggs outfits.

Red Sail Sports introduced a new Kittiwake Wreck Anniversary Dive Package for 2016 that sparked a lot of interest and generated bookings on the spot.

“We had a great DEMA this year and even took bookings at the show with the help of our new reservation system,” said Sarah-Jane Harlan, Red Sail Sports Sales and Marketing Manager. “We are in the middle of completing the biggest upgrade of our reservations system we have ever undertaken and will be rolling out to our online booking engine in the next few weeks.”

Ocean Frontiers introduced an impressive new booth showcasing the stunning marine life and scenery Grand Cayman’s East End.  The company released a new 4K Ultra HD format video of marine life encounters in 2015 and offered a $500 airfare credit for groups that booked at the show.  But the promotion that drew the biggest attention was the “Egg & Bacon” hour when Broadbelt and team donned costumes and handed out “Egg & Bacon” sugar cookies to announce a new breakfast service at the Compass Point Dive Resort.

“Commencing in January, the restaurant at the resort is serving breakfast – until now they have only served lunch and dinner,” said co-owner Steve Broadbelt. “This is welcomed news for our visiting dive groups who have frequently asked us to offer breakfast even though the rooms all have full kitchens, or kitchenettes, and we are very happy to be rolling out this service for 2016.”

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) was also there during the four-day event to share special news and promotions, and release details of next year’s International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame inductees. The ISDHOF has been recognizing dive industry pioneers since its inception in Grand Cayman 2000 fifteen years ago.

The Cayman Islands Pavilion, located in a prime spot near the main entrance and registration area, was the site for a number of events. Also on display at the pavilion were historical dive artifacts from the Cayman Islands.

The Department of Tourism also marked the anniversaries of two famous Cayman dive sites and artificial reefs; the ex-USS Kittiwake in Grand Cayman and the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts in Cayman Brac. Kittiwake, a former submarine rescue ship will celebrate its fifth anniversary in January of 2016 and the MV Keith Captain Tibbetts, the only diveable Russian warship in the Western Hemisphere, will celebrate its 20th anniversary in September of 2016.

DEMA serves as a good launching point for the 2016 tourism season, and all indications point to a good year for Cayman’s dive industry.  Keith Sahm, General Manager of Sunset House says they booked good business for next year, though he faced a lot of questions about the cruise ship dock project that has been approved by the Cayman Islands Government.

“Our customers love Cayman, but they are concerned about the project and its potential impact on George Town Harbour. It was an overriding factor in our DEMA experience this year,” he said.

Rosa Harris, Director, Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) says they are optimistic for 2016 because the number of stay-over visitors to the Cayman Islands is up from last year. With increased airlift from key US cities and 226 additional rooms because of the reopening of a Cayman Brac resort and the addition of a new resort on Grand Cayman, Cayman is poised for growth.

“The Department of Tourism continues to work with our on-island partners through various marketing and promotion efforts to aid in the increase of stay-over arrivals, which is the mandate for the department,” says Harris.  “Additionally, we launched new dive focused social media and digital media programs in 2015 to support traditional dive marketing channels.”

Leslie Leaney and DOT Director Rosa Harris introduced the 2016 Hall of Fame nominees at DEMA.

The Sister Islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, have their own booth in the Cayman pavilion. “DEMA was great this year – it provided an opportunity to reconnect with clients and past Sister Islands dive shop personnel. New business contacts were made and at least two business operators who had not been to DEMA in a few years participated this year,” says Chevala Burke, CIDOT Marketing and Promotions Manager for the Sister Islands. “The Sister Islands Tourism Association debuted its much-anticipated Cayman Brac Shore Diving Booklet, which is now available for sale on island.  I love sharing information on our islands with people who have never been to the Caribbean or Cayman Islands before. We look forward to seeing them when they arrive on island and making their vacation an unforgettable one.”

After waiting and watching international research, Government has approved local nursery policy in the Cayman Islands

Ocean Frontiers, the conservation-minded dive operator at Grand Cayman’s East End, expects to soon establish a coral nursery to help repair and replenish local reefs. Co-owner Steve Broadbelt has long wanted to set one up, so when the Cayman Islands government approved a policy for nurseries earlier this year and called for local proposals, Ocean Frontiers promptly submitted theirs. The company has been granted approval in principal, but the go-ahead from the Department of Environment, which will oversee the conservation work, has not been issued.

“We need to wait until hurricane season is completed before any significant work can begin on the nursery,” says Broadbelt. “We plan to have our first coral trees in service by the end of 2015.”

After monitoring research successes and failures internationally, the Cayman Islands Department of Environment noted that Caribbean researchers are having good success with Acropora, a fast-growing species of coral that includes elkhorn coral and staghorn coral. Once plentiful in Cayman’s near-shore reefs, these corals are now considered critically endangered. They began to die off in the 1980s, victims of disease, damage and global warming. Coral nurseries might help rescue them.

Coral growth from a fragment salvaged and nursed. Not all corals are successfully grown in nurseries because many take hundreds of years to grow, but Caribbean scientists are having success with fast-growing elkhorn and staghorn corals. Photo courtesy Lois Hatcher.

Research Officer John Bothwell says after corals are established in a nursery, clippings will be outplanted to reef sites identified by the DOE. Although outplanting still has a low success rate because of the reasons the corals died off in the first place, Bothwell says they have expectations.

“The hope of coral nurseries is that by out-planting fingerling Acroporas in a sort of head starting, they will have a better chance of becoming established on the reef. There may even be the potential for identifying corals that are better able to survive, are more heat tolerant for example, and increasing their number on the reef faster than would naturally occur,” says Bothwell.

Ocean Frontiers has been approved for 10 trees, with approval of 25 more once nursery shows that the corals will grow there. Lois Hatcher, experienced with coral nurseries and reef restoration, will be managing the coral nursery. She has been busy with prep work.

“We have been picking out donor colonies and monitoring them, especially now for bleaching as we want strong corals to put in the nursery. There are many different genotypes and some are more resistant to heat, salinity etc. It’s important that we do our research and pick corals that are resistant and survive,” she says.

“We are fortunate to have Lois on board, the project wouldn’t be possible without her expertise. It is critical to have an experienced project leader in order for the nursery to have the hands-on day to day supervision that is needed,” says Broadbelt, who recruited Hatcher with this in mind. “We strongly believe that the person running the project needs to live and breathe coral – and that describes Lois.”

The Department of Environment has established guidelines for the six operations, including Ocean Frontiers, which have been shortlisted to establish the nurseries.

“Having a guiding policy is important to protect wild corals and to make sure that the corals remain the property of the people of the Cayman Islands, and that all nursery activity is conservation centered, to benefit the Cayman Islands,” says John Bothwell, explaining that DOE has in the past rejected proposals for commercial coral harvesting.

“Everyone is enthusiastic about the opportunity and all are cognizant of the long road ahead,” he said. “Coral nurseries like any other gardening, requires a lot of work. The nurseries need regular ‘weeding’ to remove algae that might otherwise overgrow the coral fingerlings, as well as the occasional removal of other pest organisms.”

A current global bleaching event is seriously affecting Cayman’s coral reefs, and creating urgency for the conservation measures. Hatcher, who is currently helping lead a major reef restoration project, is anxious to get started and feels confident they will have coral colonies to outplant within 18 months after they get the green light. The nursery will also give Ocean Frontiers another program to educate guests, and get them involved in caring for corals.

“This planet will be in a lot of trouble if we lose all our coral reefs,” says Lois Hatchr. “They are home to 25% of all marine life. Every breath of air we take comes from the ocean and corals are primary producers. They are the first defense against hurricanes and so many other things. Corals are adaptable given time, but time is running out and they are not keeping up with the changes naturally. Coral Nurseries are a helping hand.”

About Ocean Frontiers and Compass Point Dive Resort

Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop is located at Compass Point Dive Resort on the remote East End of Grand Cayman. Founded in 1996 with one dive boat and a dream to introduce divers to the wonders of East End diving, the company has grown into one of Cayman’s premier dive operations with a reputation for catering to small groups and having the island’s friendliest staff. Ocean Frontiers is also recognized as one of the most conservation-minded dive operators in the Cayman Islands with a long history of promoting ocean protection through its company programs, and an unwavering support for outside environmental projects. The winner of Project AWARE’s Environmental Achievement Award in 2004 and 2010, Ocean Frontiers has again been recognized in 2012. The company also received the PADI Green Star Dive Center accreditation in 2012 for demonstrating a dedication to conservation, the first dive operator in the Cayman Islands to receive this distinction.

The Compass Point Dive Resort, which received the Green Globe Certification award in 2010 for sustainable tourism, is the epitome of laidback luxury. It features 28 luxurious one, two and three bedroom oceanfront, ocean view and poolside condominiums, each with its own private patio or balcony and all beautifully decorated with stylish island décor, and fully equipped with all of the comforts of home. Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar and Grill is now open for business at the resort.

For more information visit http://www.oceanfrontiers.com

With the number of stay over visitors on the rise, dive industry leaders in the Cayman Islands are optimistic about 2016, saying current trends in the healthy dive travel market mean good news for Cayman. Industry reports show an increase in the number of baby boomers 50+ and women divers across the board, both key demographics in Cayman’s clientele. Safe, stable, easily accessible, and with a wide range of comfortable accommodations, Cayman is an ideal and active destination for family vacations.

According to American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) today’s boomers, retired and active, spend $120 billion a year on leisure travel, many of them seeking warmer climates and beaches. Dive Training Magazine surveys support this, reflecting an increase in the percentage of divers in older groups. The Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) reports impressive growth in the number of women divers, which currently make up more than 1/3 of PADI certifications. To celebrate this PADI launched Women’s Dive Day this summer.

This healthy travel market presents clear opportunities for local dive operators, to recruit new divers. Cayman’s warm clear water, vibrant underwater world, professional and friendly dive operators offer the perfect family activity. Family members, as young as ten, can join their parents, or grandparents on the adventure, and there is no better place to learn to dive.

“Diving is a sport that you can participate in with your family, from ages 8, so it’s an adventure you can do together,” says Nancy Easterbrook, owner of Divetech. “Diving is interactive, visual, active, adventurous, skill developing, educational and not the least, fun! 78% of our planet is made of water and can be enjoyed from young to old. The shallow reefs and exceptional safety-oriented dive staff can show your kids the mysteries and colorful coral gardens of the underwater world.”

“In Little Cayman, with wall dives starting at 18 feet, families can explore Bloody Bay Marine Park no matter what the age of the divers,” adds Neil van Niekerk of the Southern Cross Club. “Average depth at the top of the wall is 25 feet which is well within the 40’ limit of a 10 year old Jr. open Water Diver, safely bringing all of the splendour to a new generation.”

Sunset House General Manager Keith Sahm says they are seeing familiar faces returning to Cayman after many years. “We’re seeing guests that were last here in 1989 and, they are back with their kids or grandkids – and they’re happy the Sunset House has retained its charm – they were afraid that we had changed too much in the intervening years, when they were busy raising their kids.”

In an interesting life cycle, these parents and grandparents are now introducing their Millennial kids to diving while on vacation together, a hopeful sign for the next generation of divers.

“We do a lot with families – that’s been a big part of our focus since we are the onsite dive operator for all the big hotels and resorts – and it is good to see parents and grandparents diving with their kids,” says Rod McDowall, operations manager for Red Sail Sports. “We work to recruit new divers through our concierge service, our in-house videos and marketing material. The more newcomers we introduce to diving, the more will return.”

At Ocean Frontiers located on Grand Cayman’s remote East End, co-owner Steve Broadbelt says they are witnessing this too. “We see a lot of families diving together, especially during traditional holiday periods throughout the year – it is not unusual to see three generations of a family diving together,” he says. Even if none of the family members have been diving before, we offer learn to dive vacations for the whole family to get certified together as a group. Learning together at the same time really helps create valuable family memories of adventure of learning to dive.”

PADI officials say response to Women’s Dive Day was overwhelming across the world. Some 335 events were held in 65 countries and 25 states in America. On Grand Cayman Red Sail Sports celebrated by hosting a special “pampered” dive trip for women divers. The ladies were greeted by dive staff in special attire, and then treated to champagne and strawberries after the diving was done – renowned Red Sail Sports customer service with a touch of extra fun that day.

“It was all great fun for staff and customers,” said Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “We appreciate our women divers because they have a sense of adventure and this was a good way to let them know that we are happy they come to Cayman to dive with us.”

With several projects, including a new airport and several new hotels, expected to boost Cayman’s tourism even more in the coming years, operators plan to continue reaching out to new markets in creative ways, while keeping repeat customers happy.

“New divers are as critical to a dive industry as repeat customers,” says Broadbelt. “Everyone talks about repeat business is the key to success, which to a degree is true- but new divers are very important ‘seeds’ for the future of the business of diving.”

SAVECAYMAN.ORG organizers say they are not against the cruise berthing facility itself, but they ARE adamantly opposed to destruction of George Town Harbour’s marine environment

Young volunteers with SaveCayman.org, which works to preserve Cayman’s environment, are rallying the Caymanian community for a public protest on Saturday, October 17 to oppose the destruction of 15 acres of coral reefs to make way for a cruise berthing facility the Government has green-lighted. Motivated by something that will impact their future, young Caymanians are encouraging everyone to take a stand against the dredging and to urge their Government to consider other options that don’t require significant reef destruction.

“We are gathering to show the Government how widespread and strong the opposition to the destruction of GT harbor’s marine environment is amongst Caymanians,” says avid free diver Jessica Lopez. “The majority of Caymanians are very concerned about the Government’s announcement to move forward with this plan. We support improvement to cruise facilities, however we oppose this method, which involves unnecessary coral reef destruction.”

George Town Harbour is home to some of Grand Cayman’s most famous dive sites; Devil

“As potentially the largest capital project our Islands have ever seen, with significant implications for the development of our country, this is a decision we need to make very carefully so that we can ensure the sustainable development of our country,” adds Gabriella Hernandez, also working hard to rally the community for the protest. “We believe that through cooperation and inclusivity, we can achieve this together and work towards a better solution. By doing so, we can build a destination that our visitors and tourists can admire and enjoy whilst improving the quality of life for Caymanians.”

Crystal clear water, abundant marine life thrill school kids on this submarine ride in George Town Harbour. This excursion will not be possible in the harbour area because of dredging.

Hernandez adds that they are hoping to encourage a transparent, fair, and fully informed discussion as to how Cayman can improve its port facilities WITHOUT the irrevocable loss and destruction of its reefs. The volunteers say the response from the community so far is excellent, and they expect hundreds to show up for the protest on Saturday.

One of Cayman’s most popular dive sites Devil’s Grotto, famous for fantastic photo opportunities during the summer when the silversides migrate, is at risk.

The demonstration will start at 3 pm at the George Town waterfront across from Breezes, and people should take this opportunity to stand together and plead with Government to reconsider. A petition against the dredging will also be available for people to sign at the waterfront rally.

For more information on the rally and the organization visit www.savecayman.org.

About Save Cayman

Save Cayman (www.savecayman.org) is a grassroots organization of individuals who share a mission to protect the underwater environment of the Cayman Islands, while promoting sustainable tourism for future generations. It was formed by concerned individuals responding to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that projected the destruction of coral reefs in advance of the government-proposed cruise berthing facility in George Town harbour.

SAVE CAYMAN:  Gina Ebanks-Petrie, also Chair of the Cayman Islands Environmental Assessment Board, wants decision-makers and the public to have a full understanding of Impact Statement before irrevocable decision is made.

Since its release in early June, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been at the center of the heated debate over economic and environmental costs associated with the proposed port in George Town Harbor. Director of the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment Gina Ebanks-Petrie, who also headed the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) that coordinated the impact study, is urging extreme caution before moving ahead with the project and pleading with decision makers and the public to take a closer look at what’s at stake.

George Town Harbour is a favorite site for many watersports operators who offer excursions for cruise ship passengers

The EIS projects that 15 acres of protected coral reefs will be destroyed by construction and dredging, and another 15 acres are at risk. Lost will be the exceptional underwater visibility that Cayman is world-renowned for. George Town Harbour is one of the few working ports in the Caribbean, if not the only one, with crystal clear water and vibrant coral reefs within easy access of the cruise ships’ anchorage.

Devil’s Grotto, world famous as a dive site for its excellent photo opportunities, is one of the reefs that will be lost if the dock project is built

The reefs, which include Soto’s Reef, Eden Rock and the Wreck of the Balboa, are so unique because it is rare to find such well developed, high relief reefs so close to, and easily accessible from shore. These reefs have also been protected under the Marine Parks system for over 25 years so fish life is abundant and diverse. These are two of the main factors which contribute to a bustling watersports scene in the harbor. Scuba diving, snorkeling, submarine trips, glass bottom boat excursions are offered primarily for cruise ship passengers.

“If the additional 15 acres of reefs disappear, or are no longer useable because they are dead or water clarity is so poor, it will be extremely difficult to find other similar sites which could easily absorb the displaced businesses and visitors, particularly given the cruise ships’ limited time in port,” says Ebanks-Petrie. “Possible alternative options for snorkeling, like Stingray City, are already over-subscribed and under tremendous stress as a result.”

Schoolchildren enjoying the underwater vistas in George Town Harbour aboard the Atlantis Submarine.

The loss of these reefs has huge implications for the Cayman Islands on an international level. The Department of Environment has heard from international agencies and individuals during the public consultation process, and Gina Ebanks-Petrie says the vast majority urged the country not to proceed with the project because of the permanent and irreversible damage. For example, the President and CEO of PADI Worldwide “implores the Cayman Islands Government to cease plans to initiate this project and seek alternative solutions to mitigate the situation and not destroy the priceless natural underwater assets belonging to Grand Cayman Island”.

Corals growing on the historic Wreck of the Balboa in George Town harbour.

“In addition to the obvious impact of the loss of these world-famous dive sites on our dive tourism product, the biggest impact will likely be on our reputation as a jurisdiction with a long history of valuing and prioritizing the protection of its marine environment,” she said.

“Coral reefs all over the world are under serious threat on various fronts: coastal development, over-fishing, sedimentation, climate change, etc. Marine scientists are agreed that we need to take all possible steps to protect remaining reefs at the same time as taking corrective action to address the threats, both locally and globally,” added the DOE director.

Wreck of the Balboa

Cayman’s watersports operators and local environmentalists, alarmed by the projected damage to the reefs and dive sites have organized under the banner of SaveCayman.org to fight the project and raise awareness in the community.  Dock supporters point to mitigation options outlined in the EIS report, but Ebanks-Petrie cautions against misinterpreting the report.

“The pro-port side seems to take comfort from these mitigation options, but what is being missed, or glossed over, is that the environmental study also assesses the effect of those measures, and the consultants judge that they will have little or no effect on reducing the severity of the impacts,” she said. “The public and decision makers need to remember that “mitigation” of an impact does not equal complete removal of the impact, and they should focus on the severity of the predicted residual impact i.e. those impacts which remain even after the use of mitigation measures.”

“For example, the consultants score the impact of dredging on water quality in George Town Harbour (GTH) as a Significant negative impact (-D) and this remains a Significant Negative impact (-D) after the application of the recommended mitigation measure – the installation of silt curtains,” she explains. The same applies to the possible relocation of the historic Wreck of the Balboa.

Schoolchildren enjoying an underwater ride aboard the Atlantis Submarine in George Town Harbour.

Consultants classify the destruction of coral reef during dredging in the highest tier of negative impacts – a Major negative impact (-E). Following implementation of the recommended mitigation measure – the coral relocation programme – it is still classified as a Significant Negative Impact (-D).

“Even with these proposed mitigation measures, that come with a significant price tag, the resulting situation is still extremely dire, and this seems to be lost in the sound bites being heard in the news,” said Ebanks-Petrie.

Cayman already has a competitive cruise tourism product as illustrated by the industry’s own report (BREA 2012) which indicates that 90% of cruise visitors to Grand Cayman disembark while in port, and the Department of Tourism’s statistics on cruise arrivals indicate that at the end of 2015 numbers of cruise visitors will reach 1.7 million. Beyond this, numbers are set to increase, all without the construction of berthing facilities.

Director of the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment Gina Ebanks-Petrie urges caution before going ahead with controversial cruise berthing project. Photo courtesy DOE

“The Department of Environment fully acknowledges the contribution that cruise tourism makes to the economy, and the need to upgrade and improve the arrival and departure experience of cruise visitors. However, after careful consideration of the environmental losses and the risk to the overall tourism product associated with berthing facilities, our view is that a scheme of appropriate landside enhancements would offer the best solution.”

Ebanks-Petrie says the Environmental Statement has attempted to place a dollar value on the economic losses associated with the destruction of the George Town Harbour reefs and the Statement recommends that these preliminary estimates are appropriately incorporated into the updated Business Case.

“The Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Assessment Board’s review of it are stunningly clear and shows that the government should not approve the plan as described,” says Dr. Ellen Prager, marine scientist and author who has been outspoken against the project. “The reefs and the wreck lost to dredging and sedimentation associated with dredging cannot be relocated or transplanted, and it is unclear what other unintended consequences to other nearshore habitats and environments will occur.”

Ebanks-Petrie says moving forward, given the projected cost of the project, it is critical that the predicted economic benefits of the berthing facility are based on real data and factual information and that the economic business case does not rely solely on assumptions, speculation and the opinions of those persons directly involved in the cruise tourism industry.

“From where I sit, the economic business case does not appear to have been held to the same standard of actual data collection and robust analysis and scrutiny as the environmental impact assessment; I see this as a significant problem for decision-makers,” said the head of the Department of Environment.

“It is our mission to inform and educate the public about Cayman’s fragile environment and to try to ensure that decisions made today, which will impact future generations, are based on accurate facts,” says Keith Sahm who is spearheading Save Cayman. “Once the decision is made, Cayman will have to deal with the consequences.”

About Save Cayman

Save Cayman (www.savecayman.org) is a grassroots organization of individuals who share a mission to protect the underwater environment of the Cayman Islands, while promoting sustainable tourism for future generations. It was formed by concerned individuals responding to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that projected the destruction of coral reefs in advance of the government-proposed cruise berthing facility in George Town harbour.

Nancy Easterbrook moved to Grand Cayman from Canada in 1994 and started Divetech, now one of the island’s leading dive companies

Cayman dive pioneer Nancy Easterbrook, owner of DiveTech, will be honored for her contributions to the dive industry at the 2015 International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF) induction ceremony in Grand Cayman October 2. A long-time core member of local dive leadership, Easterbrook is one of three local and five international honorees to be recognized at the ceremony, the highlight of Cayman’s 2^nd annual Legends and Lions scuba diving festival.

“I am humbled to be included with so many icons in the industry that I look up to, and many of whom have guided me,” said Easterbrook.

Easterbrook began diving in 1973, and bitten by the diving bug, moved to Grand Cayman with her kids in 1994 and started Divetech. Over the past 21 years, Nancy has developed Divetech into a leading dive training facility and topnotch dive operation. She pioneered technical diving, Rebreathers and free diving, and she has made conservation and ocean education a priority. Easterbrook spearheaded an 8-year project to bring the USS Kittiwake to Cayman as an artificial reef.

To celebrate Divetech’s 20^th anniversary in 2014 Nancy and her husband Jay, sank the Guardian of the Reef statue just off their dive shop at Lighthouse Point in Northwest Grand Cayman. A portion of each fee for diving the site goes to ocean conservation efforts and education. Divetech sponsors the West Bay Eco Warriors, an after school program for local kids to learn to swim, snorkel and dive.

“Our children’s diving programs are all about the next generation of divers, it’s the coolest sport in the world for young and old,” says Easterbrook.

Nancy Easterbrook was also inducted into the Women’s Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 1992.

A dedicated environmentalist, Nancy has been a pillar of support for enforcing conservation guidelines and organizing local beach and underwater cleanups as well as other programs and events. In 2014 she received the Governor’s Conservation Award for the Cayman Islands. Easterbrook is also a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame.

Attendees of Legends and Lions enjoy a dive with the inductees into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame. This group enjoyed a North Wall dive at last year’s event

Gladys Howard and the late Dr. James “Jimmie” Poulson will also be recognized at the induction ceremony, which caps off a month of dive specials and events hosted by various dive operators and hotels including: Red Sail Sports, Sunset House and Divetech. Package prices vary and include:

• Seven nights accommodation
• Six two-tank dives
• Photo Clinic with the option to submit photos for the final week competition
• Scuba social – e.g. catamaran to Rum Point Club for a beach barbeque
• Lionfish seminar with Lionfish dive
• Treasure hunt or similar activity
• Equipment manufacturer’s demo

Divers who book the package for the final week will also attend the induction ceremony on October 2.

For more information visit www.caymanislands.ky/divecayman/consumer.aspx