Expert: Drew Wilmoth - 4/10/2007

Question
I am planning a trip to Grand Cayman in 2 weeks. I would like to dive Little Cayman for day or two. What is the best way to get there, are there boats with overnight trips, can you fly and dive or do the planes fly too high.

Answer
Little Cayman is about 90 miles to the northeast of the eastern end of Grand Cayman.  This is too far for travel by a day boat, and the only dive vessels which make this crossing are the liveaboard vessels Cayman Aggressor and the Nekton Rorqual.

The only option for the land based travellers is to fly over.  Cayman Airways serves Little Cayman with daily Twin Otter service.

There are a few dive resorts in Little Cayman.  You can arrange diving, lodging, and meals through places such as Little Cayman Beach Resort or Pirates Point.  There are others.

Flying after diving can increase the risk of decompression sickness.  The current recommendation is a minimum 18 hour surface interval following repetitive dives within the no decompression limits.  Many divers choose to fly within these limits.  US Navy Dive tables have procedures for calculating recommeded ascent to altitude times.

The Twin Otter flights do normally cruise above the 1000 foot recommended maximum elevation recommended for divers prior to their ascent to higher altitude.